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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Palin talks gibberish, which strongly suggests that she doesn’t spend any time reading. She should at least study the “It Pays to Increase Your Word Power” feature in Reader’s Digest.
I’d sooner vote for a monkey.
- Posted by AchshavIf proximity qualifies as experience, every American who lives on the border of Canada or Mexico is qualified to be vice president!
- Posted by Paula
Sums up my argument perfectly!
For all you die-hard Palin supporters, fine, she has the American pioneer spirit, she’s a family woman, etc.
BUT, if something happens to McCain, do you seriously think she can take the most powerful job in the world and lead the US? Not only that, she isn’t coming into office like Bush did after Clinton where all was well. No, we need incredible leadership. She might be good, but we need the best possible choice. And she’s not it.
- Posted by JohnYou have got to be kidding me. As a long time Republican, I am more embarrassed and ashamed than I was with Bush. I did not think that would be possible. How on earth could the party pick this person. She is dumb as a post. If McCain dies in office, she would be the leader of the free world. WHAT??!??!! I’m done with the GOP. Done.
- Posted by Charles MonroeWhat frightens me the most about Sarah Palin is that she can’t seem to make a complete coherent sentence. It makes me wonder if she’s on some kind of drug or that she’s just too dumb. One thing is not knowing the answer to a question, but not making a coherent sentence? God forbid that McCain/Palin wins this election because that would spell the end of this nation as we know it.
Just a thought, is it possible that John McCain stopped his campaign for a re-alignment? Perhaps to dump Sarah Palin and replace her with Romney? You know McCain is full of surprises and anything is possible.
- Posted by KCWhat frightens me the most about Sarah Palin is that she can’t seem to make a complete coherent sentence. It makes me wonder if she’s on some kind of drug or that she’s just too dumb. One thing is not knowing the answer to a question, but not making a coherent sentence? God forbid that McCain/Palin wins this election because that would spell the end of this nation as we know it.
Jus a thought, is it possible that John McCain stopped his campaign for a re-alighnment? Perhaps to dump Sarah Palin and replace her with Romney? You know McCain is full of surprises and anything is possible.
- Posted by KCEven beauty pageant contestants make deeper comments then this!!!She is a blithering idiot. She makes Bush look smart and Cheney look transparent. It just isnt funny anymore. What does this say about the old desperado, McCain? He accused Obama of willingness to lose a war to win an election. McCain is willing to risk the security of the United States to win an election. He is looking like a bigger fool everyday. How can anyone consider voting for him?
- Posted by JanetWhat an absolute moron!
- Posted by Alexander PushkinThe woman leaves debt & chaos in her wake. We don’t need more Bush/Cheny with McCain/Palin.
- Posted by Tough2NameGene, WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!
- Posted by pamI give her a great deal of credit for finding more purposeful activities than sitting in front of a computer picking other people apart. I hope you will all consider running for office someday.
- Posted by jjIf you think thats funny, check this out. Katie Cuoric is believed by many to be a “Journalist”.
- Posted by Temple LindseyI can’t wait for 2012, to vote for Palin as President, without McCain “reaching across the aisle” to compromise with the Hippie-Socialist Berkleyshovics.
- Posted by Temple Lindseyha ha ha haaaaaaaaaah what?
- Posted by danielGee, that makes sense. Hey Sarah, the next time I’m in Alaska, I’ll stop by and try to convince you that I have energy industry credentials because where I grew up there was a nuclear power plant not too far away. There is also this crazy curvature of the earth idea that perhaps you’ve heard of, which makes it difficult to actually see things that are “just over the horizon.” I don’t know about you, but I’ve “seen” a lot of things from afar, and I’m hesitant to say I know much about those things unless I actually go and see them up close.
- Posted by G. Philip Rogersyou and Ms Carolina should go together, with maps
- Posted by lolicHow scary! She sounds delusional.
- Posted by DianeI don’t think anyone gets it. Supporters accept Palin as is, as a governor who has been elected to the top of her state. She never claimed to be anything (or travelled the world to have photo-ops in front of famous foreign landmarks)—but, rather a person who wanted to make a change in her kid’s school, her city, her state. And that’s what people like. She walked the walk, instead of spending time in law school to learn to talk in circles. It is her character which qualifies her to speak with heads of state of foreign countries. She is so versatile and multi-faceted. A person who can not only lead a state, but have an 80% approval rating obviously shows something about this woman. Along side that is that she is active, knows how to hunt and live off the land, and loves rural-ness. There is something of the American pioneer spirit about her that is appealing to supporters. She loves her kids —she FORGIVES her kids (how many “religious” parents embrace their teenage pregnant daughter?), she saw her downs-syndrome child as a “life” as a viable person and celebrates him. She walks the walk, she has invested her life into her state. Let her invest all that enthusiasm into our country as a whole. The interviewers need to explore these other aspects about her that make her so appealing and let us find out what makes a person tick who is such an interesting and vibrant person. Will any interviewer ever do that? I don’t know.
- Posted by CarolI can not believe anyone - left or right - could accept her as a vice-president. Clearly, she can not interact with Katie Couric in a one-on-one, how can she interact with a foreign government or even leading the Senate?!
- Posted by honest taxpayerMy fellow Americans we can not allow these air heads to run our country in the hole, we already had eight years of Bush and I thought that he was as dumb as they come… until Palin.
- Posted by SeanhThey even cleaned this up for her a little and she still sounds clueless. Watch the video, it is stunning. We have actually found someone (significantly) less intelligent then Bush… who is poised a heartbeat from potential presidency.
- Posted by Eric