McCain Defends Palin's Contradiction On Pakistan

WASHINGTON — Republican presidential nominee John McCain defended running mate Sarah Palin on Sunday, even as she contradicted his policy against talking publicly about attacking terrorist targets in Pakistan.

McCain chided Democrat Barack Obama during Friday's presidential debate for saying publicly he supports striking terrorist targets inside Pakistan if the Pakistani government is unable or unwilling to do so.

Osama bin Laden and other top al-Qaida leaders are thought to be hiding in tribal areas along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Obama has said he would support sending American troops into Pakistan to attack such high-value targets.

"You don't say that out loud," McCain said during the debate. "If you have to do things, you do things."

But on Saturday, Palin said much the same thing to a customer at a Philadelphia restaurant, with the press nearby.

"If that's what we have to do stop the terrorists from coming any further in, absolutely, we should," Palin said in the exchange, which was captured on video and reported by CBS News.

Palin, the governor of Alaska, energized McCain's campaign when he chose her as a running mate just before the Republican convention. But polls show Palin's popularity waning among some as she has struggled to answer questions about foreign policy in the few interviews she has granted to journalists.

"She was in a conversation with some young man," McCain said during his own interview Sunday on ABC's "This Week." "She understands and has stated repeatedly that we're not going to do anything except in America's national security interest and we are not going to, quote, announce it ahead of time."

McCain said Palin's exchange was not an official policy statement.

"I don't think most Americans think that that's a definitive policy statement made by Governor Palin," McCain said.

Comments

[Liam]

John, John, John...

The question is how is it at ALL different? Obama didn't say "If I'm President, we'll attack Pakistan on April 3, 2009", he said "If we have actionable intelligence about al Qaeda leaders and Pakistan can't or won't act, we will."

That's EXACTLY the same statement Palin made, except she was slightly more generic in that her question, and her answer, did not specifically mention Pakistan.

Spin all you want, you're defending and opposing exactly identical statements.

Shocker.

[PumaAnn]

Ah..........another attempt to smear Pal shot down. Seems she was on message.

[newworldorder]

too bad palin agreed to be the GOP's puppet-she could have said no, but since she is being blackmailed, she said "yup, yup!"

[ensure]

John McCain Defends Sarah Palin's Contradiction on Pakistan: http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/09/john-mccain-def.html

[newworldorder]

after bin laden escapes form pakistan, he will hide in venezuala. venezuela has plenty of oil and a leader who wants to protect it for its citizens...look out for anti-venezuela rhetoric from the MSM...

[AnitaBreak]

he wouldn't get a warm reception in Venezuela. Just because they have a dictator doesn't mean they don't share Western views and religion and culture - they happen to be incredibly poor and leftist regarding labor laws.

I would trust any Latin American country to hand over bin laden more than the Europeans.

[Gidster]

I hate the idea of Palin as President. We have had eight years of an evangelical driven fool at the helm, we do not need anymore!
I have nothing against Palin as a person, she is free to believe whatever nonsense she wants to, this is America and that is her right. I don't think it's sexists to not feel someone is not qualified, Mary, the gal that runs the fryalator at McDonald's should not be in line for the Chief of Internal Medicine until she at least gets a medical degree!

Her politics are not good for America, her beliefs are not good for American's and her ideology is just plain naive.

[LazarusLong]

A National security question asked in the middle of a Presidential campaign and the VP nominees' answer isn't considered "a definitive policy statement".

Gee, nice of you to tell us, John.

[brownforall]

Mccain just doesnt get it! He dont and he never will!

They all ought to stand down and go ahead and let Obama go unchallenged. Either way Obamas gonna win and the GOP will be cleared out!

Thanks but NO thanks Mccain! Well see you in arizona!

[CammyV]

2nd verse to McCain's little Beach Boy ditty;
Bomb bomb bomb, bomb Pakistan.

[cittykat2]

What ever Palin says is important that the American people listen. We need to know her views just in case if the McBush/Mcpalin ticket wins and his health becomes a question, that she doesn't sing his song Bomb, bomb Russia just because she can see it from Alaska.