WRAPUP 13-Palin touts small-town roots, rips Obama

* Palin appears at Republican convention

* She comes out swinging against Obama

* Republicans nominate McCain, Palin

* Democrats condemn "divisive, partisan" speech

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent

ST. PAUL, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Sarah Palin touted her small-town roots and lashed out at Democrat Barack Obama during a fiery speech to the Republican convention on Wednesday, ridiculing her critics as out-of-touch elitists who do not understand everyday life in America.

In her public debut in the spotlight, John McCain's choice for vice president electrified supporters with a brutal assault on Obama and members of the news media who have questioned her qualifications.

"If you're not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone," the Alaska governor told the crowd, which chanted "Sarah, Sarah" and held signs reading "Palin Power" and "Hockey Moms 4 Palin."

Since McCain named the virtually unknown Palin, 44, his running mate five days ago, she has been the center of a media storm fueled by disclosures about her unmarried teenage daughter's pregnancy, a probe into her role in an Alaskan official's firing and questions about her political record.

McCain joined Palin and her family on stage at the end of her 36-minute speech as Republican delegates to the convention roared in excitement. "Don't you think we've made the right choice for the next vice president of the United States?" he asked.

Afterward, Republicans formally nominated McCain, 72, and Palin as their candidates in the Nov. 4 election against Obama and his No. 2, Joe Biden, igniting a lengthy celebration on the convention floor.

Republican McCain shocked the U.S. political world by making the first-term governor his running mate. Palin's anti-abortion and pro-gun history has fired up conservatives, but her convention speech was the first chance for most Americans to judge her for themselves.

Palin leveled a series of sharp jabs at Obama, reminding the Republican crowd of his comments at a San Francisco fundraiser in April about bitter small-town residents.

"We don't quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they are listening and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren't listening," Palin said.

"We tend to prefer candidates who don't talk about us one way in Scranton and another way in San Francisco," she said.

The Obama campaign said Palin's speech was well delivered but familiar after eight years of President George W. Bush.