Sarah Palin, who was virtually unknown to Americans before 2008, believed her selection as the Republican vice presidential candidate of Senator John McCain was “God’s plan”, a top political strategist for the McCain presidential campaign has said.

Steve Schmidt was among the first senior campaign staff to meet Palin after her selection.

"I said if this project goes forward, you will be one of the most famous people in the world by Friday (when McCain would announce her candidacy at the Republican National Convention),” he said on CBS news magazine “60 Minutes”.

He asked if Palin would be able to live with that, to which she replied she could. He also said she was “very calm – nonplussed” after McCain said he wanted her to be his running mate.

“I said 'You don’t seem nervous at all about this',” Schmidt recalled. “She said, ‘No, it’s God’s plan.’”

Palin, who skyrocketed to celebrity status after becoming the Republican vice presidential candidate, openly spoke about her Christian faith during the campaign. Her vocal expression of faith in the political sphere gained her many fans among values voters, but also attracted much criticism and opposition from the secular media and pundits. She also came under fire for inaccurate statements and for lack of knowledge about important historical or political events.

Palin remains a controversial figure who produces strong emotions and opinions in fans and critics alike.

Her recently released memoir, Going Rogue: An American Life, also sparked controversy. Some questioned her memory of events while others seemed puzzled as to whether the book was about politics or religion.

There are many references to God and her faith in the book. At one point she extends an invitation to readers to accept God.

“I do know there is a God,” Palin writes. “My life is in His hands. I encourage readers to do what I did many years ago, invite Him to take over … then see what He will do and how He will get you through.

“Test Him on this. You’ll see there’s no such thing as coincidence,” she writes.

Last winter, Palin met Billy Graham for the first time while in North Carolina for a book tour event. She said it was “a once-in-a-lifetime honour” to meet the highly-respected evangelist and asked Graham to sign Bibles for her family during their meeting. Palin and Graham also prayed together.

“I, like many people, have been impressed with her strong commitment to her faith, to family and love of country,” said Graham in a statement after their meeting.

There is speculation Palin will run as a Republican presidential candidate in 2012. But the announcement that she signed a multiyear deal with Fox News caused some pundits to say the contract means it is unlikely she will run for president in the next election. Palin will debuted as a Fox News commentator on Tuesday on “The O’Reilly Factor”.