Palin's ABC Interview: Does She Have Any Interest In Our Nation's History?

Watching Sarah Palin legs to legs with ABC's Charlie Gibson in her first interview was like watching a man question a wind-up doll. Palin looked like she came to the interview with ten answers programmed to memory, ten answers she had rehearsed over and over again with the top PR operatives John McCain inherited from Karl Rove.

The charade failed. Palin looked like a moose in the headlights or a broken Stepford Wife, especially when she couldn't define the Bush Doctrine. And when trying to cover for her lack of foreign policy experience, she was wrong in telling Gibson that many vice presidential candidates had not met with heads of state. More amazing than her being wrong is that it appears she doesn't care about foreign policy or our nation's history. Does she know who George H.W. Bush is? Dick Cheney? Two vice presidents, one currently serving, whose positions in the State Department made them obvious acquaintances of foreign heads of state. But why should we be surprised? In an interview only a month before she was picked, Palin remarked that she didn't even know what the vice president does:

Here's a partial list of vice presidents who had met with heads of state before they were elected:

Dick Cheney, George H.W. Bush, Al Gore, Dan Quayle, Walter Mondale.

ABC's Jake Tapper talks about Palin's "mistake" more in this video:

Palin's inability to think and talk yesterday drives a major point home. She was selected to be John McCain's running mate in a ploy to put politics first, not country. Why else would a man who has been in Washington for decades allow someone to be on his ticket that has no conception OF what his colleagues do? The American public will be very sorry when the wool comes off their eyes and they realize they've been served a decoy.

Comments

[bdschiers]

It is bad enough that she doesn't know what the VP does, or what the VPs of the past have done, but what troubles me the most is she doesn't seem to have any idea what she will do if, God forbid, she actually becomes VP. She says she is going to "reform Washington" but what is it that she is going to reform? The high power lobbiests that McCains surrounds himself with -- I don't think so. She says she is going to end "earmarks" and "pork" -- does that mean she's going to return the money she took for Wasilla and Alaska? I don't think so. She also says she is going to promote "open transperancy" and "accountability." Is this going to be like how she has handled troopergate? I think so.

[SayLessDoMore]

I would not have believed it possible that someone less intellectually curious . . . and decidedly more stupid . . . than G.W.B. could again - and this soon, let alone ever - get near the White House. Even my Republican friends are borderline despondent about Palin.

[texas4life]

Remember people....this is the same person that recently asked, "What actually does the VP do everyday?". Is this who you will trust with the lives of the American people? Do us all a favor, if your earmarks are minimum or NON-EXISTING (according to the McPalin party), then post them on the RNC website as did Obama and let everyone else make the decision. I mean, this is America right?....­..........­........Re­member to BARACK THE VOTE!!!! Because America definately needs CHANGE!! PS She did make herself look like a maverick (which also means 'motherless calf') on this interview; so just think, if she is stumbling around now, what do think will happen once she's elected with her co-liar? ..............the answer is: Another term of false statements and Bushenomics!

[artistgirl]

Watching the Republican National Convention, I was impressed by Governor Palin's natural, layman's speech, that being her way of speaking. She seems to be an accurate representative of much of America- a parent undergoing the trials and rewards of parenthood, a worker experiencing the tribulations of a career, but most importantly, a person living life and attempting to make the most of what she has.

What I found repulsive was her disdain for others in search of proper representation of people here - rather in pursuit of representing people here. How dare she use sarcasm to devalue the thoughts of others regarding the fruitful progression of a nation. Anyone who cannot respect and honorably accept the beliefs of another, what's more many others (at least half the nation) cannot feasibly represent us.

Furthermore, publicly criticizing the venerable goals of others in a nation created to recognize the pursuits of all is an affront to our very existence. Insulting the past is one thing, but maligning the possibilities of a radically improved future is quite another.

[deliriousgod]

did you know that Alaska is a Russian word because Alaska was part of Russia until 1867? Did you know that her husband is a member of the Alaskan secessionist movement and that Palin is a Russian name. Interesting tidbits in history books. I hope Todd Palin and he's drrinking buddies haven't seen the Canadian movie 'Buried on Sunday'. We were just kidding; they're not.

[parrotkisser]

Alaska is a form of an Eskimo-Aleut word, not Russian.
Russia "colonized" Alaska from 1733-1867.
Palin is an English/Welsh name.
Todd Palin is English and Eskimo heredity.
If you can prove otherwise, please give me a link.

[dvd1]

I would like to know how any American capable of rational thought cannot be frightened about the prospect of Palin being "a heartbeat away." Can you imagine what a McCain presidency would be like--the fear, the speculation? There would be congressional legislation requiring him to have a doctor with him 24/7. Newscasts would include a daily McCain Health Watch. He'd get a sore throat and the stock market would go down 500 points.

[ChristiB]

I'm praying that McCain will live for many years to come. If he is elected, him and his VP will get booted out after 4 years and America will never have to endure Palin as the first woman President.

Reminds me of the saying "a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing" - that is Palin (and was Bush) - people in power with a little bit of knowledge.

[nikz]

I hope voters who are into McPalin and watched her with Gibson realize that she is about AMBITION FIRST. It is not only scary and disturbing that she literally knows nothing about international or national affairs, she is pure SMOKE and MIRRORS. She got away with it (NY TIMES article) when she ran for Governor and now she's doing the same running as VP. HUGE DIFFERENCE - ALASKA (?) vs the WORLD STAGE. This is the most unprepared, unqualified person to hit the political scene. She makes Dan Quayle look intellectual.

Help us all if Gov. Dim Wit gets elected with Sen. Desperado.

[acv]

This post reminds me of something I once heard about George W. Bush. A Bush family friend described George W. as having a "profound lack of curiosity." Doesn’t that explain a lot?
I’m pretty sure our great or even good leaders were never described as having a profound lack of curiosity.
Palin combined with McCain who in 2008 hasn't bothered to learn how to use a computer.
This is really scary.

[PristineLady]

Logic has obviously disappeared from this campaign!, so any complaining or explaining is useless!

We've entered the stage of a no-holds-barred visceral Culture War - you're either for freedom or against it, you're either for white Christian superiority or you're against it! The next 50 days won't change anyone's mind.

All we can do is find the people who agree with us, get them registered and get them to the polls. And then pray that the numbers add up in our favor!

If, in the process, you need a strong dose of pick-me-up sacrilegious humor, I'd highly suggest watching "Coming Soon", a brilliant - a very topical - faux-documentary that'll get your brain spinning. It's still streaming for free at http://www.comingsoon.cz. Watch it while you can! Definitely worth it!!!

Obama-Bide­n-Democrac­y 08!!!

[MagisterLudi]

Same product link from PristineLady on 100s of threads. Do NOT click on link! Mark as abusive.

[hudsuckerproxy]

Bush, dumb. Palin, dumber. Much dumber.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfz6QGmuvp4&feature=user

[nibblybits]

Gibson should have called her on it. But he didn't.

[sboucher]

Thank you so much, I was hoping someone would do the homework. I think she was counting vice presidents back to the beginning, when it would take three months on a ship.

I'd love to see what you could do with her "it isn't inappropriate" line, repeated several times; that's a double negative, shouldn't it say "it is appropriate?"

[krissymax]

sboucher - good point on the double negative. Her sentence structure is disjointed and reminds me of W. She gets that look in her eyes like W that says someone told me to say this and I have no friggen clue what it means. She also flubbed the use of the word efficiency - she kept calling it "efficiencies" and was actually defined them as something she could find in "Agencies" and stop them from happening. She is a huge embarrassment and not remotely ready for the job. John McCain's choice is harmful to America.

[goredstates]

Obama has lost
Americans do not want Chicago values with their clinging to guns and using them on each other.
They do however want solid values as seen in small town America. The One does not understand this.

Stryker moms rule
Stryker brigades rule

[uclafan]

It is all because of race. If Obama were a white man, then all of this would not be occurring. I guess it is too soon, to fresh. I mean, all of the people who lived during the fight for Civil Rights and Colored vs White are still alive.

[LAR1969]

Small town values are great for small towns. People who never get out of Mayberry shouldn't be allowed to make foreign policy decisions.

Stryker moms, stryker brigades.... Too bad they can't win a war to save their lives. Or, rather, their soldiers lives. Big F for the GOP when it comes to kicking ass. They can't get out, they can't win, they can't close the deal! Five years. Got the brawn, but not the brains. Small town brains.

[psych101]

Small town values? Like poking fun at poverty, disenfranchised minorities, and gang violence. What are small town values besides homophobia, anti-abortion, anti safety regulations on guns, pro automatic weapons, pro Iraq war, anti education? The only reason I ask is that its seems those who keep mentioning samll town values only bring these issues up. Oh and leave your bigotry out of here.

[PizzaGuy1]

Exactly . Excellent post. Bigots beware....

[stateretiree]

Why do you assume that only small towns have solid values! You make it sound as if cities are full of lowlife and all the good people in the USA live in small towns.

[randakost]

WOLVERINES!!!!!!

[optech007]

Before his trip to Europe, how many foreign heads of state had Obama met?

[molsongrrrl]

Did Obama ever claim he was qualified for the job of President because other past Presidents never met a head of state before running? Nope ... he never made that claim. Palin, however, is making that claim. So the point is - the woman obviously doesn't know a thing about the leadership in this country ... or American history ... or she's just telling some lie that hopefully people will just swallow. Any way you look at it ... it's not good. YMMV.

[optech007]

"So the point is - the woman obviously doesn't know a thing about the leadership in this country ... or American history"

How many foreign heads of state did Gore meet? What about Mondale?

Truman had never met a head of state before becoming VP and his foreign policy as President turned out to be pretty good.