SAN FRANCISCO - Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin called Afghanistan “our neighboring country” on Sunday in a speech that could revive questions over her tendency to stumble into linguistic knots.
Three days after a mostly gaffe-free debate performance, the Alaska governor fumbled during a speech in which she praised U.S. soldiers for “fighting terrorism and protecting us and our democratic values”.
“They are also building schools for the Afghan children so that there is hope and opportunity in our neighboring country of Afghanistan,” she told several hundred supporters at a fundraising event in San Francisco.
The gaffe could add fuel to comedians and late-night talk show hosts who have seized on her linguistic infelicities to portray her as someone not to be taken seriously.
Later in a speech in Omaha, Neb., Palin poked a little fun at herself when talking about one comedian in particular — actress Tina Fey whose dead-on impression of Palin’s looks, voice and body language has been a hit.
Fey, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Palin, has parodied her as a rambling, perky politician unfamiliar with world issues for three straight weeks on the comedy show “Saturday Night Live”.
“I was just trying to give Tina Fey more material — job security for Saturday Night Live,” Palin said.
The skits have become a sensation since an awkward interview with CBS News anchor Katie Couric in which Palin failed to coherently express her views about Russia, the U.S. government’s $700 billion financial bailout package, and the newspapers or magazines she reads.
In recent days, the 44-year-old self-described “hockey mom” has described the Couric interview as “less than successful”, and apologized to crowds of supporters for her shaky performance, saying she was “annoyed” and “impatient” because she wanted to talk about other issues like energy independence.
Palin’s opponent, Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden, has also committed high-profile gaffes, including claiming in a recent interview that President Franklin D. Roosevelt calmed fears in a TV address at the beginning of the Great Depression. There was no TV in 1929 — Roosevelt wasn’t president at the time.
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
- Photo credit: Reuters/Brian Snyder (A Palin supporter at a rally in Denver last week.)
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Hey, give the girl a freaking break. Maybe she meant Albania.
- Posted by 1GreensixIf Sarah Palin were an African-American candidate, she would be thrown from the frying pan into the fire for the stupid way she talks down to people.
I’m seriously hoping the American people aren’t as stupid as she seems to think they are.
- Posted by Anne OnymousI think she meant Canadastan, right next door to Alaska.
- Posted by ChillyWe are about to lose a cowboy president, I really don not want to have a maverick.
- Posted by MattYamean, like, isn’t Afghanistan that country in between USA and Canada?
- Posted by Debi[...] Ron Artest, because both were brought in to up the intensity on their squads, but neither of them can keep from saying crazy [...]
- Posted by SLAM ONLINE | » All Politics Is LocoConnie Malfa says, “I like Sarah because she portrays herself as a real person. That’s what kind of politicians we need. So she’s not quick with answers…which the press seems to be jumping on. So what.”
- Posted by cocoOnly in America does the people want a President or Vice President who cannot speak as well as the majority of its citizens. Remember George Walker Bush? the village idiot in office as I right, the one who no other leader in the world respects? the one who is now ridiculed those who voted for him twice!! You might think Sarah a smart person because she was a “businesswoman” but what happened to those businesses? remember George Bush while part-owner of the Texas Rangers was not in charge of the finances yet his resume when he ran for the presidency made it seem as if he was in charge.
Sarah Palin like George Bush is asking you the voters to “MISUNDERSTIMATE” her and vote for her and McCain..really, I should be impressed and want to be like Sarah?
Just how much of a real person is she? how many real persons do you know that flies in planes to shoot wild animals? In today’s economy, how many of you can afford Starbucks Venti mocha lattes?
One more question, do you know of a teacher in your children’s school who misspeaks like Sarah? If so, why is she teaching your children?
Patricia, you are my new hero. So very well said.
My theory is that a bunch of people who couldn’t handle criticism in high school, and who have been paying a price for that, are glad someone is talking back to the teacher (and taking an anti-knowledge stance).
I’ve always found it surprising that more mothers/fathers/parents haven’t been up in arms over a president who belittles science, knowledge, and expertise. No it is clearer. And even sadder.
- Posted by StephenPalen’s real all right. A real idiot. There is no bigger nor better proof of the dire need for quality education in this country than those who are thrilled to feel “she’s just like me…”.
- Posted by siriSeriously, folks.
She’s a mental disaster!
siri
http://www.legitgov.org
We all know a “Sarah Palin” - she’s beautiful, polite to all the adults, gets good grades, has highly developed social skills (at least on the surface), participates in extra-curricular activities… But underneath it all, she is an insecure, back-stabbing sociopath who craves attention and adulation. She will stop at nothing to get her way. When called on her behavior, she points the finger at her best friend, cries foul and charms her way out. She’s the “mean girl” in high school!
Sarah Palin is also a poster child of the Republican agenda - dumb down America so we (the financial and self-professed intellectual elite) can manipulate you (the inferior products of underfunded public schools) by using scare tactics (WoMD Iraq, eminent collapse of economy if no Wall St. bail out, etc.) because an unquestioning public creates no obstacles for profitability (golden parachutes, Halliburton, etc).
This single hubristic act of the Republican party (selecting Sarah Palin as VP running mate) has done a great thing for our country. It has provided Americans the chance to heal the wounds that have been inflicted on our character over the last 7+ years. So I thank you, Rovian proteges, for your help in electing a compassionate, reasoning, intelligent, engaging, interesting, articulate President & VP, Obama & Biden.
- Posted by SAFMrs. Palin brings to mind a statement by another Republican great, Senator Roman Hruska, of Nebraska: “there are a lot of mediocre judges and people and lawyers. They are entitled to a little representation, aren’t they?”
One only hopes that Sarah, like Judge Carswell, fade to black.
- Posted by Eric B.come on guys, i think she’s totally unqualified, but she meant afghanistan was a neighboring country to iraq, right? she doesn’t really think afghanistan is between us and canada or mexico, right?
- Posted by mellieget on to the real issues.
all dressed in your klansman whites today…did the hood fall over your eyes when you were reading from your color coded index cheat cards??? is that how you thought afghanistan was our neighbor??? push the hood up honey..i know the reading thing gets so tough for you…
- Posted by anne HodesIt is just as I had expected the McCain-Palin ticket is basically a Racist-publican party, in which and that McCain is using Ms.Piggy to change the topic of the economy.The McCain campaign is trying to changing election strategies of the economy to a smear campaign,you want to know why,because both the McCain and Piggy with Lip-Stick knows 100% that they can not win the campaign fairly.So what are the McCain party is now trying their very best to do,is trying to change the subject to use the Smear topics against Barack Obama,well I am very sorry for these liars.The McCain-Palin party is going to loose the election.We the young people,and what are these idiots failed to realized,and understand is that Barack Obama is going to win this election.Barack Obama don’t need the old people to win this election,think about all you Racist-publican voters.We the Barack Obama supporters will be standing together to do the right thing,by making the right decisions,to put this Great Nation back to where it belongs a world leader once again, people.If you claim that you love this Great America than vote in the right direction,so we can be the world leader once America.NJ1.
- Posted by NJ1.If it was one mistake, maybe we would overlook it, but two posters here have quoted completely unintelligible statements made by her in the past month. During the debate, she pretty much said, “I’m not going to answer your silly questions; I’m going to talk to the American people.” Ms. Palin, I think the American people were waiting for you to answer the questions, you know, there, because, there were questions there that we wanted answered. She’s here, she’s there, she’s everywhere, and she’s nowhere. This candidate is a joke.
- Posted by Carol BurnsI heard this from someone who worked the event, according to him the room went silent.
- Posted by TomAny self-respecting American would not vote for this clown in pumps.
She is a gimmick–one that has really worn thin.
I do NOT want “Mrs. Joe Six-Pack” as our second in command. Time to let the SMART PEOPLE
- Posted by MissLolaHow reassuring it is to see so many people get it when it comes to Sarah Palin. I lost totally respect for her as a women and a mother when she threw her 17 year old daughter under the bus to further her own agenda. Think about how you would have felt at 17 and the whole world being made privy to your “mistake”. She knew when she accepted the nomination that her daughter would be an issue. Also the way she holds her infant up like some kind of trophy every chance she gets, at least long enough to get the photo opp, before passing him off to one of the other little Palins.
She is great as a fake smiling beauty queen. But seriously as Vice President one heart beat away. Wake up!!
She might be trying to come off as “hockey mom, susie winecooler”, but face it folks this is the wolf in sheep clothing we have been told to watch out for all our lives. A speaking of wolves who in their right mind would vote for someone who considers hunting shooting animals from a helicopter. She is snarky, not very bright and has a rather large ego…remind you of anyone…haven’t we had enough of that. The past eight years are proof that ignorance and arrogance just do not mix when it comes to running a country.
- Posted by lifeisfantastic[...] 6, 2008 by angryxer He quotes a Reuters story on one of her latest campaign trail bits of [...]
- Posted by matthew yglesias tries to help palin out on geography « angryXerIf Sarah Palin is unable to codify a sentence or paragraph when she is speaking, she is unable to codify a sentence or paragraph when she is thinking.
- Posted by Michael Labrat