WASHINGTON - Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin has been widely criticized for citing Alaska’s proximity to Russia as foreign policy experience. But she is not backing down.
The Alaska governor, running mate to Republican presidential nominee John McCain in the Nov. 4 election, defended her position on Thursday in a rare one-on-one session with a reporter.
In only her third nationally televised interview since she was nominated earlier this month — this one on CBS with anchor Katie Couric — Palin was asked what she meant.
“That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and on our other side, the land — boundary that we have with — Canada. It– it’s funny that a comment like that was — kind of made to — I don’t know, you know? Reporters,” Palin said, explaining that she had been mocked.
Asked to explain why living near Russia enhances her foreign policy credentials, Palin responded: “Well, it certainly does because our — our next-door neighbors are foreign countries. They’re in the state that I am the executive of.”
Asked whether she had ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians, Palin answered: “We have trade missions back and forth. We — we do– it’s very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where — where do they go? It’s Alaska. It’s just right over the border. It is — from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to — to our state.”
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
Photo credit: Reuters/Brian Snyder - Republican vice-presidential nominee Alaska Governor Sarah Palin at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting in New York on Sept. 25.
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She is brilliant!
- Posted by JoshSarah has a head full of sailboat fuel.
- Posted by Mudlake Slimoh my god
- Posted by samthis woman is an idiot.
i guess since i live on the border with u.s
than i have foreign policy experience too.
does this woman ever googled what foreign policy experience means?
8 years of bush the genius
and now her, miss congeiality
911 attack
katarina fiasco
iraq war
financial meltdown
what else should these guys do more to america
before someone does any changes
my god america is a democracy
not a third world country where people cant vote.
even in zimbabawe they made the guy resign?
the funny thing is after bush leaves office
he stil gonna get milions writting his autobio
“i did it my way…cause no one gave a f—-.”
good luck
and god bless America
cause after november
you really gonna need it
with miss Alaska as president…
well on the bright side
at least she’s hot
I think we all have to agree that Palin knows little about the world she is being groomed for. Can she learn enough by november to lead the worlds most powerful nation if John McCains health should fail. The republicans have a mess on their hands and no matter how well they control her interviews and hide her away Palin will do more damage to McCain than McCain can handle. Perhaps the best they can do is put Palin with Chaney in his bunker so no one will know what they are doing or where they are. With the economy in great danger…where is Chaney?
- Posted by dan mccoySarah, Now I know why it took you 6 years and 6 colleges to get a degree in communications. The problems we have now would look good compared to the damage you would do should you ever be in a position to take over the Presidency. Any thinking person who cares about this country, their family and the future knows better than to take a chance on you. Stick to what you know best, hockey, basketball and beauty pageants.
- Posted by pam[...] Source: Palin defends foreign policy experience [...]
- Posted by Video & Photos: Sarah Palin Interview with Katie Couric CBS Evening News 9-25-08 (Part 2) Palin Couric Interview Video - Shallow NationSounds like a response by a beauty pageant contestant. Oh yeah, I almost forgot: that’s basically what she is!
- Posted by D NicolIt’s a joke that she’s actually running for vice president, she needs to go back to Alaska and sit in the dark for a couple more months.
- Posted by StephaniaThis is an excellent example of Palin’s hype of her meager experience of foreign policy and international relationships. This translates as a blatant lack of discernment of substantive encounters with foreign nations. Russia, being proximal to Alaska is not a significant challenge to Palin’s home front in this day when missiles can reach virtually any state of the union in minutes. Maybe Russian spies could invade the Alaskan soil as they land disguised as boat people fleeing a gulag. Please, Sarah, keep yer eyes and ears open as you look across the Growing Bears homeland. Stay in Alaska and keep drilling for the truth!
- Posted by D.L. B.By the same reasoning, the governor’s of California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas also have Foreign Policy credentials since they border another country.
And let’s not forget all the northern states like Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Maine… they also border another country.
Rather than admit she doesn’t have any credible foreign policy experience, Palin continues to inanely insist she is keeping the borders safe from the pesky Russians. Yikes!
- Posted by PalinForPresidentOh my god. Has it really come to this? I want to cry. Her “clarification” resemble utter chaos more than it does language, and reveals how severely clueless she is.
This woman isn’t qualified to run a small-town PTA meeting, and she’s being considered for VP of the USA?!?!
The saddest fact is that she ever was elected governor of Alaska - or even mayor of whatever podunk town she came from. It shoes how stupid American voters are.
If she and McCain are elected, surely Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s prediction of America collapsing will come true.
- Posted by WilburI think she forgot about Canada; they share an actual land border.
In that case, it makes the governors of WA, ID, MT, ND, MN, MI, OH, PA, NY, VT, NH, ME experienced in foreign policy since they share either a land or maritime border or both.
Don’t forget the governors of CA, AZ, NM, TX who share a land border with Mexico. In fact those governors have war-time leadership experience, considering Mexico is a part of the administration’s war on drugs.
- Posted by FredPalin’s quotes in this article serve as a shining example of her ignorance. Also amusing was the fact that the McSame camp sent her to meet a handful of foreign leaders and dignitaries this past week in a lame attempt at making it appear as though she has her hand in foreign affairs.
Only an idiot would vote for these two con artists.
- Posted by Bill BlevinsWhat she doesn’t know she can learn. I’ve said the same thing about Obamaman. I was even open to let hom convince me to give him my vote , but he hasn’t even tried.
- Posted by pnotunerNot sure that she is sure what the heck she is talking about. I want to believe she is smart and with it, but whenever she opens her mouth, this second grade dribble comes out. Scarry that she could really be our next president.
- Posted by ArchieWhat are we thinking… how can we allow “Lipstick-Barbie” to be one heart attack away from the Oval office?
- Posted by Old and WearyHmm, so that would mean that any governor in any state that borders Canada or Mexico, that’s about 16 states, also have the same foreign policy experience. That’s absolutely ridiculous.
- Posted by PatrickOh my gosh! And this person wants to be the next vice president?
- Posted by SilkeThis is maybe the funniest thing I have seen during the whole election cycle. She is concerned about Russia; she is aware that it exists; and that equates to policy experience. Not just policy awareness, but experience. And Canada! That’s twice the experience right there, if you will just take the time to count the foreign nations she has experience with being aware of.
Al Pacino said it best: “If I were half the man I was ten years ago, I’d take a flamethrower to this place.”
- Posted by RussDoes leave one speechless.
- Posted by Jim