Exclusive: Palin On Foreign Policy

Katie Couric Interviews The Candidate About Watching Russia, Her New Passport And Her Opinion Of Obama

(CBS)  This week, CBS News anchor Katie Couric met with Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin at the United Nations. Much of the discussion focused on foreign policy, which some say could be Palin's weakness. What follows is Part II of an exclusive interview with Gov. Palin. Read Part I here.

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Katie Couric: As we stand before this august building and institution, what do you see as the role of the United States in the world?

Sarah Palin: I see the United States as being a force for good in the world. And as Ronald Reagan used to talk about, America being the beacon of light and hope for those who are seeking democratic values and tolerance and freedom. I see our country being able to represent those things that can be looked to … as that leadership, that light needed across the world.

Couric: In preparing for this conversation, a lot of our viewers … and Internet users wanted to know why you did not get a passport until last year. And they wondered if that indicated a lack of interest and curiosity in the world.

Palin: I'm not one of those who maybe came from a background of, you know, kids who perhaps graduate college and their parents give them a passport and give them a backpack and say go off and travel the world.

No, I've worked all my life. In fact, I usually had two jobs all my life until I had kids. I was not a part of, I guess, that culture. The way that I have understood the world is through education, through books, through mediums that have provided me a lot of perspective on the world.

Couric: Gov. Palin, you've had a very busy week. And you're meeting with many world leaders. You met with President Karzai of Afghanistan. I know the McCain campaign has called for a surge in Afghanistan. But that country is, as you know, dramatically different than Iraq. Why do you believe additional troops, U.S. troops, will solve the problem there?

Palin: Because we can't afford to lose in Afghanistan, as we cannot afford to lose in Iraq, either, these central fronts on the war on terror. And I asked President Karzai, "Is that what you are seeking, also? That strategy that has worked in Iraq that John McCain had pushed for, more troops? A counterinsurgency strategy?" And he said, "yes." And he also showed great appreciation for what America and American troops are providing in his country.

Couric: The United States is deeply unpopular in Pakistan. Do you think the Pakistani government is protecting al Qaeda within its borders?

Palin: I don't believe that new President Zardari has that mission at all. But no, the Pakistani people also, they want freedom. They want democratic values to be allowed in their country, also. They understand the dangers of terrorists having a stronghold in regions of their country, also. And I believe that they, too, want to rid not only their country, but the world, of violent Islamic terrorists.

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Read CBS News.com exclusive detailing Palin's briefings on Russian jet incursions

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Couric: You've cited Alaska's proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?

Sarah Palin: 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's funny that a comment like that was kinda made to … I don't know, you know … reporters.

Couric: Mocked?

Palin: Yeah, mocked, I guess that's the word, yeah.

Couric: Well, explain to me why that enhances your foreign-policy credentials.

Palin: Well, it certainly does, because our, our next-door neighbors are foreign countries, there in the state that I am the executive of. And there…

Couric: Have you ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?

Palin: We have trade missions back and forth, 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 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 our state.

Couric: When President Bush ran for office, he opposed nation-building. But he has spent, as you know, much of his presidency promoting democracy around the world. What lessons have you learned from Iraq? And how specifically will you try to spread democracy throughout the world?

Palin: Specifically, we will make every effort possible to help spread democracy for those who desire freedom, independence, tolerance, respect for equality. That is the whole goal here in fighting terrorism also. It's not just to keep the people safe, but to be able to usher in democratic values and ideals around this, around the world.

Couric: You met yesterday with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who is for direct diplomacy with both Iran and Syria. Do you believe the U.S. should negotiate with leaders like President Assad and Ahmadinejad?

Palin: I think, with Ahmadinejad, personally, he is not one to negotiate with. You can't just sit down with him with no preconditions being met. Barack Obama is so off-base in his proclamation that he would meet with some of these leaders around our world who would seek to destroy America and that, and without preconditions being met. That's beyond naïve. And it's beyond bad judgment.

Couric: Are you saying Henry Kissinger …

Palin: It's dangerous.

Couric: … is naïve for supporting that?

Palin: I've never heard Henry Kissinger say, "Yeah, I'll meet with these leaders without preconditions being met." Diplomacy is about doing a lot of background work first and shoring up allies and positions and figuring out what sanctions perhaps could be implemented if things weren't gonna go right. That's part of diplomacy.

Couric: You recently said three times that you would never, quote, "second guess" Israel if that country decided to attack Iran. Why not?

Palin: We shouldn't second guess Israel's security efforts because we cannot ever afford to send a message that we would allow a second Holocaust, for one. Israel has got to have the opportunity and the ability to protect itself. They are our closest ally in the Mideast. We need them. They need us. And we shouldn't second guess their efforts.

Couric: You don't think the United States is within its rights to express its position to Israel? And if that means second-guessing or discussing an option?

Palin: No, abso … we need to express our rights and our concerns and …

Couric: But you said never second guess them.

Palin: We don't have to second-guess what their efforts would be if they believe … that it is in their country and their allies, including us, all of our best interests to fight against a regime, especially Iran, who would seek to wipe them off the face of the earth. It is obvious to me who the good guys are in this one and who the bad guys are. The bad guys are the ones who say Israel is a stinking corpse and should be wiped off the face of the earth. That's not a good guy who is saying that. Now, one who would seek to protect the good guys in this, the leaders of Israel and her friends, her allies, including the United States, in my world, those are the good guys.

[steeepe]

What a fool. I''ve heard better answers from undergraduates in college. I still cannot believe that she was selected as the candidate for Vice President. It shows McBush''s really bad judgment and what would face the country if she ever became President.

[joereed007]

What a looney bin. "We do trade with Russia so therefore that makes me an Expert on Russian Foreign Security policy." What a farce. The McCain campaign is a joke!

Wow.. I love this interview. I can''t wait until the DEBATE....No wonder McCain is cancelling.....It looks like she had a cliff notes for international relations and uses a globe (Alaska being near Russia) to tout international her experience. Don''t second guess another country. Good guys and Bad guys!!! Bushism, "Your either with us or against us".

[anonanonanon-2009]

CBS should note here that they contacted Kissinger and he reiterated saying exactly what Couric stated.

Sarah Palin calling Kissinger naove blows my mind.

[danstoned]

Palin the Pathetic
McCain the Pathological Liar

Worst GOP ticket in any of our lifetimes!

[heuristic1]

Appalling. A repeat do last night%u2019s dismal performance.

%u201CI don''t know, you know?%u201C - Sarah Palin answer to one of Couric%u2019s questions.

This quote pretty much sums up Palin%u2019s intelligence and character: an admission of ignorance and a plea that we should forgive her for it.

[palin0808]

Great job Sarah. You are getting better and better.

DOn''t worry about the in the tank media trying to catch you at every turn. YOur doing fine.

Biden is in for a surprise

[tbell412]

This woman has no clue, she is so far in over her head it is not even funny . Biden will destroy her in the debates. Wake up republicans

[ioall2him]

Unbelievable. Sarah Palin doesn''t even answer the questions directly. Katie asks for her position and she always comes back with we will, we think....
She maybe Governor of Alaska ready but she is certainly not VP ready

[mcobill]

An utterly unqualified vice-presidential candidate. She is being hidden from the press because of interviews like this. The very fact that she is so close to the presidency is terrifying. She should even be a governor, for god''s sake. Her perverted concepts of christianity, environmentalism, economics, ethics, democracy, etc are in total opposition to mainstream American culture. Her vice-presidency (or god forbid, presidency) would be travesty.

[heuristic1]

Appalling. A repeat do last night%u2019s dismal performance.

%u201CI don''t know, you know?%u201C - Sarah Palin answer to one of Couric%u2019s questions.

This quote pretty much sums up Palin%u2019s intelligence and character: an admission of ignorance and a plea that we should forgive her for it.

[nimodo1-2009]

I watched CBS News just for this interview. You have all my respect, it was very well done and continues to reveal the lack of depth and simplistic mind set of this individual who could be a future national/world leader??? I think she will regret the day she accepted the #2 spot on this ticket. She continues to be exposed in front of the world, and I think it (the campaign) will implode.

[thickredhair]

a few days ago her foreign policy experence was seeing russia from alaska, now she has ''trade missions'' experience, can i take a guess that they are federally regulated missions since it is an international issue, she probably has nothing to do w/ those ''trade missions''
i''m guessing that i''m not the only one that feels this is really scripted,

she has been taking foreign policy101, which still does NOT give her any actual foreign policy experience

[polijunkie20]

I am a new fan of the CBS News. It was a great interview. Anyone, who thinks Palin is a great leader after watching this interview should not be allowed to vote. What an embarrassment. Good job Katie. I will be watching you from now on. I liked the format.

[idunno56]

Here it is folks - one more time lets vote for Quayle with lipstick. Can she stop the rambling? I''m exhausted by the time she finishes; all that talk and I still don''t know what she''s said. Quick get her into an English class. Katie Couric was much too easy on this clown. Treat her like the pit bull barracuda she claims to be!!!

[downsteamjim]

Mel130NY: You are having a Biden moment. How old was Palin during the Keating affair? Have you ever been to Lafayette College?

[tbell412]

God forbid that someone ask those tough questions that trip up a potential president. Palin''s 15 minutes are up.

[mrblack08]

OK, this is a message to the Pro feminist Movement of today. REALLY, you really want this women representing us to the rest of the world... REALLY? I gave better speeches at my grade school, when I was in grade school. Mrs., excuse me Governor Palin sounds scripted and she''s not even good at it. She doesn''t sound convincing at all, she sounds like someone pulled her out of a PTA meeting and said "hey read this, sound convincing your going to be talking to a reporter and running for Vice President of the United States of America"... What, Really? Sorry ladies but Matt Damon was right... this is just a bad Disney movie gone horribly wrong!

[zippy2221]

Sarah Palin did not call Kissinger naive, Couric did.

[downsteamjim]

polijunkie: Last night one of your fellow travelers wanted to end free speech for any non Obama supporter. Today you propose denying the vote to anyone who is non Obama. The antiDemocrat Party is hard at work.

[whome1231]

Palin is who she is..it''s not ther REP''s that are making her out to be GOD...you liberals are..so, she did good in out minds.

[delta2370805]

I am so puzzled that people are so blind to see; or hear the foolish tones, and the lack of understanding from Palin. She probably is a nice woman, but NOT one to be 2nd in line to the Presidency. We better VOTE with our heads, and not with chips on our shoulders.
Good and interview Couric!

[zippy2221]

Palin has never spoken in tongues. Get your fact right.

[republic1776]

Obama, would deal with Iran just like Jimmy Carter.
Cut the military Money
Have our soldiers die, and fail because of his lack of funds!
Beg Iran!
Bring America to our knees!
Carter shamed America.
Like Carter "DAZE"
Vote Obama!

[sanmitchell]

As as 57 year old female professional, with great desire and hope for gender equality, I''m shocked that this inexperienced woman is running for Vice President of the United States. Personally I think she sets back the cause of equality among the sexes.....and I''m a long time Republican.

[dankat76]

Who did she just call naive? Does she not have a mirror? Perhaps she should watch her own interviews afterwards and then maybe we would no longer be tortured by her sad attempts at public speaking, she would be hiding in embarrassment. I''m almost embarrassed for her.

[dboy93-2009]

John McCain claims to love his country. John McCain wants this women to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency! How can any rational person consider voting for these two!

[tyler463]

I watched this interview and was shocked at the lack of knowledge in Sarah Palin''s responses. I am convinced that she would be completely incapable of serving as President if it became necessary. (To anyone that says they can relate to her as a "Average Person" - WE DON''T NEED THE "AVERAGE PERSON" AS PRESIDENT! LOOK AT WHERE HAVING AN UNKNOWLEDGEABLE PRESIDENT HAS GOTTEN US THE LAST EIGHT YEARS!)

Shame on McCain for putting our country at risk by selecting this person as his running mate. There is no way I can vote for McCain because of Sarah Palin.

[skyfaller1]

So much for CBS and their corrupt partisan liberal democratic view of things. Dan Rather quit because of the CBS'' higher up smear campaign against Bush and their hatred for him, now they are after Palin and McCain.
Couric: Have you ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?
What kind of question is that???
What about Obama? Has he? What a farce of a news organization CBS is. Makes me sick to my stomach to see how liberal it truly is.

[dan00420]

Oh boy! 3:36-4:55 is just a train wreck. "putin, where is his head" ouch!!!

[babooph]

The media has been directed to stop laughing at Palin-we seem to have enough embarrassment in the world,& the fake "unification" of the nation ,post election,will be a hard sell.

[downsteamjim]

So Mel: Instead of name calling, please tell me about Palin and her involvement with the Keating 5. By the way Biden probably thinks the Keating 5 is a basketball team from Keating or a rock group.

[jamesnma]

I wasn''t impressed with Katie''s interview with Palin. She was asking Palin for thoughts (subjective) on McCain''s track record... I think Palin answered it correctly. I would have told Coric "If you like to know more about McCain''s track record my answer is doesn''t really matter afterall it is subjective and if your wanting more objective material to report on then perhaps you should ask McCain himself; however, I will see what I can come up with for you"

I think the overall interview was a bit sloopy and not well planned. The interviewer may have done a better job asking more important questions or just left it up to someone else (another reporter).

Sorry Katie Couric I just felt this wasn''t one of your best interviews.

[monkey_sea]

I thought Katie Couric did a great job with this interview! She was very respectful, but still asked probing questions to try to determine Governor Palin''s thoughts on issues that matter. As for Governor Palin, it seemed to me that she was trying to dodge the questions a lot, but I guess that''s what politicians tend to do...

[republic1776]

Mel130ny,
Check the Stats of Rape and Pregnancy!
You like to fell like God, and Kill babies!
Life is in your hands
Kill it, that''s power!

[tbell412]

Skyfaller, I don''t believe Obama ever claimed that living in Illinois gave him any foreign policy experience

[whome1231]

good point...has Obama been in any negotiations with the Russians?...Katie is a an idiot. Katie knows that woman has not had foreign affairs experience , so she focused on that...that''s making fun of a handicapped person..shame on Katie..she will be out of a job soon...CBS is a lonely # 3.

[clmullins2]

SHE CAN,T EVEN TALK BY HERSELF SHE LIKE ##da ya this that SHE WORKS REAL HARD TO MAKE A LOT OF BULL UP
WHEN SHE WAS TALKING TO KISSINGER SHE LOOK LIKE SHE WAS JUST MOVEING HER LIPS BUT SHE CAN NOT TALK BY HER SELF DA DA DA DA COURIC KEPT LOOKING AT HER LIKE WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT

[ams1102]

Palin''s made a big ssumption: that those who get passports when they are young don''t have to work because their parents gave them money and "backpacks." Yes, I went to college on Mom and Dad''s money, but never took another cent and saved up from working to buy my own backpack when I was 28. She''s 44. What you really want to do, you do,regardless of barriers. What other simplistic assumptions is she carrying? Worrisome.

[ramos937]

If she and McCain are elected and if McCain cannot serve then she would be President of the United States of America. What were the Republicans and John McCain thinking? My pet Chow is more qualified and capable than she is.

[gocubs58]

What a complete and utter train wreck....It was uncomfortable to watch.

[forasongca]

Hey, syap: There''s a key on your keyboard you *really* need to learn how to use: The one on the left labeled "Caps Lock." That way, when you write ungrammatic proto-sentences with nothing intelligible in them, at least you won''t be SHOUTING.

[ramos937]

In my teens I was a migrant worker until I joined the military. Afterwards, my work took me to a number of counries so I needed my passport. At times, I traveled aboard for vacations. Was Palin talking about me as one of the "idle rich"?

[ohiodave1]

I am OFFENDED by her answer to the passport question. She said that "kids" get a passport from their parents after college and are sent off to travel the world. She said she had to work two jobs.

I went to work immediately after college to start paying off my loans. I worked in retail and substitute taught when I had night shifts. I was making seven dollars an hour without health insurance. In addition to the $20K in loans, I also incurred a $10K medical bill.

Then I had the bright idea to fulfill my dream of joining the US Peace Corps. I got a passport from the US government for this work. I lived over seas in Macedonia for two years until evacuated due to the violence in Kosovo and Serbia. I made what any Macedonian teacher was making, about two hundred fifty dollars a month.

Does that sound like privilige? It was a privlige to live among wonderful people who cared for me even though I was a foreigner. Was I privileged to get a college education? Absolutely. I finished a four year degree--in four years--at a wonderful university because I had good grades from high school and good credit to get the loans--not because I won some beauty pageant scholarship.

How DARE Sarah Palin judge me because I have a passport. How should I judge her for owning her own airplane and marrying a snowmobile champ?

[upto1947]

Not all, but most of you are DUMB. You must have your head up your A&&&&&&&

[downsteamjim]

Mel: Let''s get Palin to capture the wolves and release them in Central Park.

[whome1231]

hey ramos937...i''m just curious,,,try to be honest if you can ( look up honest in the dictionary if needed)...what would you have said if Obama knocked on your door 2 months ago and asked you to be his # 2?

[upto1947]

ohiodave1 BE OFFENDED some place else. You are offended if you are luck to see your man.

[upto1947]

Obama got more than money from Fannie.

[downsteamjim]

Mel: Do you think that CBS will ever try to find out where Obama et al spent the foundation money in Chicago? I guess they used Obama''s geography skill and figured Alaska is closer to NY than Chicago.