Oscar winning actor Matt Damon says as a US citizen, he is frightened to see Republican Sarah Palin a heartbeat away from the presidency.

"I think there's a really good chance Sarah Palin could become president, and I think that's the really scary thing," Damon said.

Since Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain announced two weeks ago that first-term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin would be his running mate, Democrats have pointed to his advanced age, saying that the 44-year-old governor could soon be just 'a heartbeat away from the presidency'.

John McCain, who celebrated his 72nd birthday on August 29, has made it clear that should he win the White House bid in 2008, he would not seek a second term.

According to the actuarial tables insurance companies use to evaluate customers, there is a roughly 1 in 3 chance that a 72-year-old man will not reach the age of 80 - without factoring in individual medical history, such as McCain's lengthy battles with potentially lethal skin cancer.

"I know that she was a mayor of a really, really small town. And she is the governor of Alaska for less than two years... I think the pick was made for political purposes, but in terms of governance, it is a disaster," Matt Damon continued.

Palin managed to raise eyebrows on Thursday in her first televised interview since she was named to the GOP ticket; she said the US would have to go to war with Moscow if Georgia becomes a NATO member and comes under Russian attack.

"It's like a really bad Disney movie. The hockey mom, you know, 'oh, I'm just a hockey mom' and she is the president and she is facing down (Russian Prime Minister) Vladimir Putin," Damon added.

A spokeswoman for Palin later rejected Damon's comments as 'name-calling'. Maria Comella accused Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and 'his celebrity supporters' of inventing ideas about the Alaskan governor.

"It's clear they're threatened by a candidate who actually has a record of achieving reform and change, while Barack Obama just talks about it," Comella said.

Since Palin's surprise national debut, her fitness for office and her lack of experience in executive positions has been highlighted by the mainstream media.

The McCain campaign, however, has contended that she is well aware of US foreign policy matters, in particular, the implications of Washington-Moscow relations because of her state's proximity to Russia.

During the Thursday interview, Palin confirmed the contention, saying, "They are our next-door neighbors, and you can see Russia from land here."

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