Sarah Palin Urges More American Help for Haiti
Sarah Palin urged Americans on Sunday not to forget Haiti as she wrapped up a weekend visit to an aid group's sites in this country vexed by a cholera epidemic, earthquake reconstruction and political crisis.
Accompanied by her husband, Todd, daughter Bristol, and a Fox News crew, the former Alaska governor arrived in Haiti during a respite from the riots and violence that have followed the Caribbean nation's dysfunctional Nov. 28 election.
At least four people were killed in unrest, which has dimmed international hopes that the U.N.-backed elections held on November 28 could create stability for Haiti as it struggles to recover from a devastating January earthquake that killed 250,000.
The 2008 vice presidential candidate was a guest of Rev. Franklin Graham, whose aid group works in the impoverished country. Palin visited Samaritan's Purse projects, including cholera clinics where people are being treated for extreme dehydration.
More than 2,000 people have died of the disease, which scientists believe was recently reintroduced into Haiti, and nearly 100,000 have fallen ill.
"I do urge Americans not to forget Haiti," she said at a Sunday afternoon news conference.
Palin's tightly stage-managed trip was largely closed to the press. She declined to take questions at the news conference.
Noting that severe problems afflicted Haiti even before last January's devastating quake, she said her fellow citizens should "get out of your comfort zone and volunteer to help."
She traveled in part by helicopter, and the aid group declined to share her itinerary, citing security concerns. The U.S. State Department reissued last week its travel warning for Americans considering visits to Haiti.
At the news conference, Palin created some confusion when she referred to a potential drawdown of U.S. assistance to Haiti.
"I know that there's been some discussion of U.S. aid perhaps being lifted from this area," she said. "Again - not to get political - but if some of the politicians would come here and see the conditions, perhaps they would see a need for, say, a military airlift to come bring supplies that are so needed here."
It was not clear what she was referring to, and a Palin spokeswoman declined to elaborate.
U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, who is chairman of a Senate subcommittee that oversees appropriations for Haiti, recently called for the suspension of direct budget support to the Haitian government until a solution is found to an electoral crisis that has sparked riots in recent days. But his spokesman said Sunday that he was not referring to humanitarian aid or reconstruction money.
Palin spoke about seeing firsthand the challenging economic, political and environmental conditions in which Haitians live and advocated "fundamental changes," including the need for job creation in agriculture and tourism sectors.
"Thank the media for keeping a spotlight on this country and on the conditions that the people are living in. That they are trying to survive amidst and to be here and to see firsthand the conditions and what it takes for the people who are living here, in such adverse conditions, what it takes just to survive their daily lives are so challenging because of economic and political and environmental conditions," Palin said.
Exclusive access during the trip was given to Fox News, whose Greta van Susteren traveled with the group to Haiti. Video and pictures posted online by the aid group show Palin holding hands with Haitian children, visiting cholera patients and handing out Christmas presents, and laughing with Graham and van Susteren.
"I've really enjoyed meeting this community. They are so full of joy," Palin was quoted as saying on the organization's website. "We are so fortunate in America, and we are responsible for helping those less fortunate."