In First Interview, Palin Says She's Ready
Republican VP Nominee Defends Her Qualifications For The Job
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Palin Returns To Alaska
Gov. Palin returned home to a warm welcome in spite of media scrutiny over her record, reports Nancy Cordes. One public policy analyst suggests Palin's rise to fame is similar to Obama's.
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Alaska Is 'On The Map'
"Only On The Web": Alaskans gathered in Fairbanks to welcome Gov. Sarah Palin home. Supporters praised her for being down to earth and talked about the attention Alaska is now receiving.
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In this image released by ABC, Republican vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin is talking to ABC News anchor Charles Gibson in Fairbanks, Alaska in an interview, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008. (AP)
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In this image released by ABC, ABC News anchor Charles Gibson talks to Republican vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin in Fairbanks, Alaska in an interview, Sept. 11, 2008. (AP Photo/ABC,Donna Svennevik)
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Photo Essay
Sarah Palin
Alaska's youngest and first female governor tabbed to be McCain's running mate.
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Timeline
Palin's Path
A look at Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's life and career
Republican presidential candidate John McCain has defended his running mate's qualifications, citing her command of the Alaska National Guard and Alaska's proximity to Russia.
In the interview broadcast Thursday, Palin sought to defend her qualifications to assume one of the most powerful jobs in the world. But she struggled with foreign policy, unable to describe President Bush's doctrine of pre-emptive strikes against threatening nations and acknowledging she's never met a foreign head of state.
Pressed about what insights into recent Russian actions she gained by living in Alaska, Palin told Charles Gibson of ABC News, "They're our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska."
Palin, 44, has been Alaska's governor for less than two years and before that was a small-town mayor. She was McCain's surprise selection for the No. 2 slot on the ticket, raising questions about her readiness to serve in the White House, particularly during wartime.
Asked whether those were sufficient credentials, Palin said: "It is about reform of government and it's about putting government back on the side of the people, and that has much to do with foreign policy and national security issues." She said she brings expertise in making the country energy independent as a former chairman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.
Palin said other than a trip to visit soldiers in Kuwait and Germany last year, her only other foreign travel was to Mexico and Canada. She also said she had never met a head of state and added: "If you go back in history and if you ask that question of many vice presidents, they may have the same answer that I just gave you."
Foreign policy questions dominated the first of three interviews Palin was giving Gibson over two days.
In the interview Thursday, Palin:
Asked whether she agreed with that, Palin said: "In what respect, Charlie?" Gibson pressed her for an interpretation of it. She said: "His world view." That prompted Gibson to say "No, the Bush doctrine, enunciated September 2002, before the Iraq war" and describe it to her.
"I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hell bent on destroying our nation," Palin said, though added "there have been mistakes made."
Later, in the second interview, Palin said she broke from McCain on climate change and oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. McCain has said humans have caused climate change and the federal government shouldn't permit drilling in the federally protected wildlife reserve.
Palin, however, said: "I believe that man's activities certainly can be contributing to the issue of global warming, climate change. ... Regardless though of the reason for climate change, whether it's entirely, wholly caused by man's activities or is part of the cyclical nature of our planet - the warming and the cooling trends - regardless of that, John McCain and I agree that we gotta do something about it."
On ANWR, she said: "We'll agree to disagree but I'm gonna keep pushing that and I think eventually we're all gonna come together on that one."
On CBS News' The Early Show on Friday, Democratic N.M. Gov. Bill Richardson reacted to the interview.
"She is smart, she's intelligent and she's a governor. I'm a governor. I think you need executive experience, but I think in that interview she failed the national security threshold test," Richardson said. "She didn't seem to know what the Bush doctrine is, which is the foundation of our foreign policy for the last eight years. She seemed very casual about talking about war with Russia."
Also on The Early Show, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Republican, disagreed with Richardson.
"First of all, there is no test. And he is making that a test. And she gave an acceptable definition of the Bush doctrine. The Bush doctrine can be preemptive war," Giuliani said. "She explained it's his world view and his desire to deal with Islamic terrorism. I think she said on offense. That would be at least an acceptable definition. Bush doctrine which first is not a doctrine anyway."
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AND Barack Obama is currently advised on foreign policy by a support group of approximately 300 people organized into 20 teams based upon subject.
A core group of advisors, led by Susan E. Rice and Anthony Lake, filters hundreds of papers and messages daily to provide the Senator with more concise positions on foreign policy and more specific reactions to international developments.
Obama''''s foreign policy advisers have included Richard Danzig, Mark Lippert, Gregory Craig, Dennis McDonough, Daniel Shapiro, Scott Gration, Sarah Sewall, Ivo Daalder, Jeffrey Bader, Mark Brzezinski, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Richard Clarke, Roger Cressey, Philip Gordon, Lawrence Korb, James Ludes, Robert Malley, Bruce Riedel, Dennis Ross, Mona Sutphen, and Samantha Power (resigned March 7, 2008).[90][91][92]
Posted by nokoolaid
I agree - waahh waahh waahh, Charlie beat up on my girl. Truly pathetic. I do give her some kudos for not flying solo first on Faux News which would have treated her like a combo of queen and the second coming. I also agree, she was obviously and had no idea about the "Bush Doctrine." I suppose she was only coached on what''s gone right over the last 8 years - that shouldn''t have taken more than 35 minutes.
Posted by jackiean1
Of course that''s fine for Prick Cheney. GOPigs can''t open their mouths without being hypocritical.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/513/
Posted by usclimey
..coached... (missed out the imprtant word).
A core group of advisors, led by Susan E. Rice and Anthony Lake, filters hundreds of papers and messages daily to
PROVIDE THE SENATOR
with more concise positions on foreign policy and more specific reactions to international developments.
on the ticket to answer such questions for him
Two Russian supersonic strategic bombers, the advance party for a deployment of Russian forces for a joint exercise, landed in Venezuela on Wednesday in a move guaranteed to infuriate all believers in America%u2019s divine right to hegemony. The Tu-160 bombers(pictured above) are reputed to be the equals of America%u2019s B-1 and with an even bigger weapons load. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said that the bombers were there for %u2018training purposes%u2019 and added that he planned to fly one of the aircraft himself.
The entire exercise is designed to send a %u201Chow do you like it?%u201D message to the West, following the US and allied military presence in Georgia and the Black Sea:
Maybe by her own account Gov. Sarah Palin is ready, but the argument can be made that other choices are more ready and better prepared to step in if Sen. McCain is elected and if Sen. McCain becomes unavailable. The main point when it comes to Gov. Palin is that many others were better choices including one of my favorites Sen. Olympia Snowe, (R-Maine). Is Sen. Snowe a better choice than Gov. Palin, yes and by a long shot if Sen. McCain had to pick a women.
Friday, September 12, 2008
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Friday shows John McCain up by three points, his largest lead since Obama wrapped up the Democratic Presidential Nomination. For most of the past several months, Obama has held a modest lead with McCain slipping ahead by a single point on just three of the past hundred days.
McCain now attracts 48% of the vote while Obama earns 45%. When "leaners" are included, it%u2019s McCain 49%, Obama 46%. Yesterday, the candidates were tied ".
Turn out the lights the Obama "hoax" is coming to an end..........................sorry corrupt liberal wolfpack press We The People are rejecting YOU and YOUR candidate.......................the ONE, Obama
............................McCain / Palin...................................
And for the McClone campaign to say that any attack on Palin is an "attack on Christianity itself" is like something out of the Middle Ages.
This shows why America just can''t afford to elect McCain, Palin, or the forces that sponsor them and want to turn America into a fundamentalist, priest-ridden, fascist state that provokes wars around the world.
And Palin''s reckless comments about war with Russia are beyond the pale. Does this women, or her idiotic supporters on this thread that casually talk about a Russian war, have any idea how fast the United States could be destroyed forever in such a war, along with a big chuck of the rest of the world, not to mention the deaths of billions they just hand wave away?
Just amazing.
No understanding of the issues. Is an active Bushican, just like McCain. She will continue to make the wealthy wealthier, the poor poorer and squeeze the daylights out of us in the middle. Talk about an elitist!
What??? Are you kiding me? does she understand the consequences of a nuclaire war???
This is what you gona get when you want to put fanatics in your Presidency..
I don''t mean to excuse Palin--this was by far her worst exchange of the night, and one that will undoubtedly play over and over on newscasts and provide fodder for pundits who want her to be a bimbo. But those on this board looking for their "potatoe" moment need to keep looking. Perhaps it will come in the next few nights; perhaps not.
didn`t you heard when she said ,she`s ready and will wage a war against Russia if they attack Georgia??
What??? Are you kiding me? does she understand the consequences of a nuclaire war???
This is what you gona get when you want to put fanatics in your Presidency..
Posted by kohin at 09:44 AM : Sep 12, 2008
See if she brings about the end of the world, she thinks Jesus will come sooner and rapture up all the Pentacostal Christians. Google end-times theology and you''ll see what she believes.
scary stuff.
McCain / Palin...................................
Posted by perceptions5
perceptions5, I will love to take that wager. :) Obama looked and talked so much more presidential than McSame last night....And Palin had the deer in the headlights look. Obama/Biden will win this election! You guys really have low expections and I think the American people can see that neither of the GOP candidates are the change we need.
Obama has demonstrated over the course of a 2 year long Campaign that, regardless of whether or not you agree with his positions and conclusions that he understands the issues and has the knowledge underlying them. Being a Senator for even a year means dealing with all of the issues confronting the Federal government and American foreign policy.
Palin has none of that and it showed rather painfully.
What''s more, her indelicate staements about Russia would''ve created a major international incident with possibly deadly consequences if she was actually in office when she was saying them.
Her lack of understanding of what the Bush Doctrine is shows that she not only has no foreign policy experience, she has no foreign policy.
You libs can laugh all you want but at the end of the day, Palin has more moose control experience than the two Democratic candidates combined!!!!
Palin is willing to openly consider going to war with Russia over Georgia, when Georgia was partly to blame for incident. She is a very scary ignorant, intolerant, sheltered, bookburning, religious kook. Keep her out of the White House, ESPECIALLY one heartbeat from having her finger on the nuclear launch button!!!!
She also had pirogi and vodka at a Russian restaurant in Anchorage once.
The debates will tell.
Expect a shortage of Palin interviews from now on.
Poor Joe Lie-berman, he may have to run herd on Palin as well as on McClone now!
Posted by john43218 at 09:51 AM : Sep 12, 2008"
I wonder if Palin knows Europe isn''t a country? Here supporters don''t.
Most people who follow foreign policy could at least take a stab at defining the Bush Doctrine. Axis of evil would''ve been more sufficient than her clueless bumbling.
That wasn''t the real potato moment though. It was the way she tried to double talk her way around previous statements calling Iraq God''s Will. It makes you wonder if she''s thinking the same about Russia as she stares across the Bering Strait.
Russia needs to be confronted, but not in the indelicate and bellicose Kruschev-style way she did last night.
If you think diplomacy is as much a weapon in our arsenel as our Air Force when it comes to moving the world in our direction and away from the Russias of the world than the prospect of her in the Oval office has to frighten you.
as a dem, they''re doing a job on us.
It will take Obama a miracle
to win this thing.
You are transferring your racism problem from you onto him. How do you know who is the most racist? Really? Palin is quoted as saying Sambo beat the B*itch when Obama won the nomination.
Get over yourself, racist!
and McBush will hand her the launch codes ??????
what does that say about McBush?
Answer: he doesn''t a hoot about the security of this country !!!!
he just wants to be "president" !
get him outta my sight.....
Religous Crackpot - Speaks in tounges
Family history of irresponsible pregnancies
Creationist
Does not "follow Iraq much" but says it is %u201CGods will%u201D.
Tried to ban library books
Supported the "Bridge to Nowhere" and requested $450 million earmarks in two years
Hires lobbyists to get pork
Does not believe in global warming
Under investigation for questionable ethics in state police firing
Says terrorism against Jews is part of "Gods plan" because they refuse to accept Jesus.
Thinks Alaska is the promised land for the Rapture
Asks church to "Pray for the Pipeline"
refers regularly to Alaska%u2019s Aboriginal people as %u201CArctic Arabs%u201D
Pathological liar
War with Russia over Georgia
Palin is a joke.
Palin has more experience than Nobama. I''''ve seen Nobama use his rhetoric and non-answer filibustering more times than I can count.
The debates will tell.
Posted by pmsnbc1 at 09:53 AM : Sep 12, 2008
You''re right!! Palin has more moose control experience than the both of the Democratic candidates combined!!!
Obama didn''t just go to Europe, he also went to Israel and throughout the middle east. He was well received everywhere, not just in Europe. Besides, what is it about having allies that you Republicans think is so wrong? Do you enjoy American casualties and going it alone with an over extended military and national budget?
Oprah has been consistent since she endorsed Obama in the sring. Before that she had everyone on her show, including McSame. When she endorsed Obama she committed to not having any of the candidates on her show until after the election and has been consistent with that. She hasn''t had Obama or Biden or Hillary on her show either.
Vote Obama/Biden
Posted by GOPendejo at 09:57 AM : Sep 12, 20
Would you elaborate on this, or give a site. I have heard from several service people about the treatment or non treatment of the native Americans in Alaska.
LMAO in total disbelief....this has got to be a joke?
no, it''s not - McBush wants the oval office so bad
he''d give this "mayor" with real responsibilities, the decision of life & death (yours & mine)!
this hasn''t happened since the Praetorian Guards publically sold the position of Roman emperor to highest bidder!!
CMAO (crying...)
PALIN''S RESUME:
1. Runner up in state beauty pageant.
2. Mayor of the village of Wasilla, population 6,500.
3. Governor of the state of Alaska for 18 months.
If that''s not Presidential experience then I don''t know what is!!!
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