Eagleburger Tries To Walk Back "Stupid" Palin Criticism

Appearing on Fox News on Friday, former Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger awkwardly fell on his sword, entirely taking back his previously critical assessment of Sarah Palin's readiness to serve as president, which was given to NPR on Thursday night.

As the Huffington Post noted earlier, Eagleburger's endorsement of McCain is frequently cited by the Republican nominee. But clearly, the opinions of President George H.W. Bush's Secretary of State were less welcome on the subject of Palin, whom Eagleburger had said was "of course" not "prepared to take over the reins of the presidency." Later, in his NPR interview, Eagleburger said, "Give her some time in the office and I think the answer would be, she will be [pause] adequate."

By Friday afternoon, however, Eagleburger was more eager to chastise himself than Palin.

"You are witnessing something quite unique: a man who is about to talk to you while he has his foot in his mouth," Eagleburger said when asked if his NPR quotes had been taken out of context.

"I made a serious mistake yesterday. I was quoted correctly," Eagleburger said. "I wasn't thinking when i said it -- in fact, I was discussing foreign policy, and this was in that context, and I was just plain stupid, and if I had given the flim-flam artist Barack Obama some success with this I am deeply apologetic."

It was a fine performance, but the Fox News host proceeded to take Eagleburger's retraction too far, resulting in another moment in which Eagleburger belittled Palin. Host Stuart Varney asked, "You do feel that she's a quick learner and would be good as vice president given a few days?"

To which Eagleburger paused and said, "A few days? No." Later, however, he did argue that Palin has "made it clear she's a quick learner," despite the fact that "she didn't know anything about foreign affairs, nor should she have on the basis of what she had done."

Winding up his extended apology, Eagleburger made clear, "I have done my best and I apologized to the McCain people."

Watch:

Also of interest is the fact that Eagleburger wasn't the only conservative to call Palin unprepared on Thursday. As Think Progress noted, Nevada Sen. John Ensign told a local reporter: "Well, I do not think that Barack Obama or her are experienced enough to be President of the United States -- neither one of them, and Hillary Clinton was much more qualified to be President than Barack Obama was, but that who the nominee is. John McCain is much more qualified than Barack Obama and certainly Joe Biden is much more qualified than Sarah Palin is. I'd rather have the most qualified person at the top of the ticket, not number two."

Comments

[JohnRJ08]

It's amazing how willing people of intelligence are to throw away their judgment and integrity in name of partisan politics. Eagleburger encapsulates the very reason that Obama will win the election. People have had enough of this blatant lying. http://johnrj08.wordpress.com/2008/11/01/the-most-dishonorable-campaign-in-us-history/

[demofem]

Occasionally, the Republicans accidentally tell the truth, then scurry around to go back to form. Hilarious.

[mandoboy]

Too late, toad!

[Kuroneko]

The glove fits!

[desertdweller]

Who is this guy? Michael Jackson?

[jimme]

It's from the bus tires.

[Archivist1000]

McCain got to Eagleburger AND they got to Palin's doctor too!!!!!

THREE DAYS TO GO AND STILL NO MEDICAL RECORDS FROM PALIN www.palindeception.com


"Dr. Baldwin-Johnson is a central figure in this entire story, yet has been almost completely silent and out of the public eye." Is she afraid that she may lose her license if the story turns out to be true??? YOU BETCHA she is, and she should be!!!!


LOOKS LIKE IGNORING THIS ISSUE HAS WORKED !!!! THE MEDIA HAS NOT PRESSED HER ON OUR BEHALF AND NOW SHE IS GETTING AWAY WITH IT >>> ANOTHER BUSH/CHENEY TACTIC


IGNORE THE PEOPLE AND THEY GIVE UP!!!!

For a well-written and factual BLOG on why this is important .. take a few minutes to read THIS ... then write to all the NEWS agencies and DEMAND that they NOT LET PALIN GET AWAY with this!!

ONCE AGAIN: THE REPUBLICANS ARE MAKING FOOLS OF ALL OF US!!!!!!!!

This blogger makes sense! http://www.palindeception.com/ take a few minutes to read this

Surely the MEDIA have reporters who could have checked this out???

[CaptainVideo]

The reason that the medical records are not being released is that they would probably show that Palin is not the mother of that child, which would prove that it is actually her daughter's child. If they had nothing to hide, they would relase the records.

[Krankil]

You don't need to go all the way to the other extreme to undo what you had already said when your subconscious was truly reflecting what is known to be true. It is so obvious. You don't beleive a word from what you said about Obama not knowing more than Palin (in your damage control mission they sent you in). Do you? She's a stupid (see Russia from my house and tons of other stupid statements). He is smart and very knowledgeable about world affairs. Period. Even McCain. He's older than Obama. But lacks the judgement, intelligence and intellectual curiosity that Obama has

[Jesster]

Yes Krankil, and choosing to make his mea culpa on Fox was suspect enough - but claiming that he must have been out of his mind when he was clearly speaking his own mind did not smell or sound sincere. Then of course, Stuart Varney had to go over the top by saying you do agree that "Sarah Palin will be a good VP within a few days..." Even the obviously severely reprimanded Eagleburger couldn't stray THAT far from his own true convictions. The whole episode was political farce at it's worst, not to mention destroying Eagleburger's hard earned credibility.

[BLUEinReddeststate]

So while our country in in the worst economical crisis, of which McGrampy hasn't a clue about how to fix, he is going to take time out to remediate his unvetted VP pick.
The McCain campaign is a mean joke. When was the last time you heard something positive from them.

If Barack Obama runs this country like he has run this campaign we will all be ok. Because those same boots on the ground will expect and have ownership in our government.

Vote early and GOTV Obama '08

[Rjchinook]

Who does he think he is, Michael Jackson?

[lioness39]

That dog don't hunt. Once it's said, there's no taking it back, Larry Eaglewhatever.

[roshni]

Uh oh! Looks like someone smacked his knuckles and told him to stick to the script. He had trouble doing that even the second time around on Fixed News.
Credible, really credible endorsement.

[LarBear]

Stupid is as Stupid does! Listening to Republican's attempting to praise stu oooops, I meant Sarah Palin is describing stupidity.­... The only speech more "obnauseaus" ( it's similar to obnoxious, but more sickly) then Republican's defending Palin is the nausea of Palin voice...

[T Pol]

Barack Obama may not have the length of "experience" of Hillary Clinton or John McCain, but it IS the SAME experience­...U.S. Senator.

Qualifications don't just include foreign policy experience, etc., etc. They also include the character, judgment and temperament. You can have the most "experienced" person in he world in that seat, but if he doesn't know how to engage an enemy in talks, you are screwed.

The question is, is Barack Obama PREPARED to be president? I think he has shown he has prepared himself. And done it well, which is why Republicans like Colin Powell are endorsing him.

[dlinguist]

Dear Mr. Eagleburger.

I fully accept your retraction. In return, kindly accept that I consider your endorsement of McCain likewise diminished.

[RoveRoveRoveYourBoat]

...SS palin eats eagle burgers for lunch

[mafina]

This man has three sons all of whom are named Lawrence Eagleburger with a different middle name. How dumb, children with no identity.

[mafina]

All of these foot-to-mouth pundits are getting their rear-eneds kicked. There was high hopes that Hillary Clinton would have been the nominee, much to the repub dismay. Here comes Obama, who was very tactical in this year's election. Not only did he raise enough money, he brought the American people to dare that this election be stolen once again. The anger is that now the American have come out in droves as witnesses to change. This old guard politics and their fringe elements are out the window.