Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska stood behind a lectern and held a news conference for the first time ever. Addressing the Republican Governors Association meeting in Miami, Florida, Thursday, Palin went through some aspects of the bitter presidential campaign and talked about the role of the governors in the coming year. After losing the White House and several seats in the Senate and House, the party is engaging in some soul-searching about its direction.

Palin, who was banned from giving press conferences by John McCain's campaign team during the election, called for a return to traditional Republican values, which she defined as restricting federal spending and limiting the role of the federal government in general. "Losing an election does not have to mean losing our way," she said. She used the press conference to try to put the 2008 campaign as John McCain's running-mate behind her and to switch focus to the next test for the Republicans, elections for Congress in 2010 and for 36 governorships.

She also said her fellow Republican lawmakers will be the new watchdogs in Washington, keeping an eye on the Democratic majorities especially when it comes to taxes and spending. But the press conference lasted 10 minutes only, with a Republican official intervening to try to cut it off after she answered only three questions. She eventually answered a fourth.

However Governors showed their support for Palin, who critics have said was ill-prepared to be vice president and may have cost Republican nominee John McCain support from independent and moderate voters. Still Palin thanked the people who attended her rallies, including young women she hopes she had influenced.