Giant Gaffe: McCain Confuses National Guard and Army -- and Palin's Son

If you don't already do it, you really should be checking out the Anchorage Daily News site regularly, for local Palin news, editorials and op-eds, and its excellent Alaska Politics blog (special bonus Ted Stevens coverage there). Today, for example, the paper hits Palin hard in an editorial for abdicating to the McCain campaign on Troopergate.

And here's a brand-new gem on a stunning, overlooked McCain gaffe from David Hulen at the Alaska Politics blog:

Candidates spend a lot of time talking, and they all misspeak sometimes. But did anyone else notice this, from Wednesday's much-covered McCain-Palin Town Hall event in Grand Rapids, Mich., where Palin answered questions from people in the audience? McCain said this near the end of the clip below, as he's talking up Palin's foreign policy/national security credentials:

"I also know, if I might remind you, that she is commander of the Alaska National Guard. In fact, you may know that on Sept. 11 a large contingent of the Alaska Guard deployed to Iraq and her son happened to be one of them. So I think she understands our national security challenges..."

The ceremony Palin attended at Fort Wainwright last week didn't involve the Alaska National Guard. Palin's son is in the Army, and his unit - 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division - deployed to Iraq.

More coverage on the media and the campaign here.

Greg Mitchell is editor of Editor & Publisher and author of the new book on Iraq and the media, "So Wrong for So Long."

Comments

[poster1122]

The constant jumping on gaffes is getting boring now. This gaffe was a mangling of two services, which I don't count as a big deal. It's not about policy.

If you're going to pillory McCain for this one, are you going to do the same to Biden:

"When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. He said, 'Look, here's what happened,'" Barack Obama's running mate recently told the "CBS Evening News."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/160547/page/1

Um, FDR wasn't President in 1929. Also, Philo Farnsworth demonstrated the first working TV system to the media by transmitting a movie in 1928, so I somehow doubt FDR went on TV in 1929. Clearly, not being able to tell the difference between TV and radio and not knowing who was leading the nation at the start of the first economic crisis of the 20th century disqualifies Biden, no?

Or maybe, just maybe, it was just a gaffe that politicians make from time to time...

[mysterygirl18]

So many lies....so much convincing...and a lot of people are falling for him...ohhhh boy....


http://www.myspace.com/wakeupnowpeople

[Manchurian]

This one isn't really a lie, though. Just more confusion from the scrambled brains of John McCain.

[bdd]

so sending my son off to war where he might die for NO GOOD REASON is sarah's best judgment???
How many stupids in our country will vote for this?
How else can I describe it? Its like bend over and declare "may I have another one"!!!

[littledogs1]

I don't think he is confused, I think he is just telling so many lies that he can not keep them strait any more. What makes me crazy is the press still has not caught on to the fact that this is the real John Mccain, he was never the maveric, that was an act. And now that he is at his last at bat, the real Johnny comes shinning through. A man who will stop at nothing to win the white house. There is not a lie he will not tell about his record or sarah palin's, there is not a lie he will not tell about Obama. He will use race, fear, what ever it takes to win. My biggest fear is that the American people will fall for it again.

[I-Am-John-McCain]

The plan was to have me talk about war and terrorism, which scares people, and otherwise have me appear comfortable and unscripted, yet knowledgable -- you know, an "unpackaged" candidate who is not ashamed to talk to the people about what matters most to them -- pride and honor.

I'm doing good with that, don't you think?

[yallkiddn]

I can see the planets and stars from my window...therefore, I am qualified to be an astronaut. 'Makes perfect sense to ME!

[LeeCalif]

I can see an elementary school from my house so I possess the ability to teach young minds...

[seattlefemdem]

This is like saying, "I go to the bank so I understand banking regulations and economics."

[lamar]

We're experienced, as a nation, at having a leader who doesn't really know what's going on. I think McCain fits in nicely with that. President Reagan was suffering from Alzheimers, and was unable to hold any press conferences for the last year and a half he was in office. But he was still in office.
I think everyone agrees that George W is far from the brightest bulb on the block, but he was in that very same office for 8 years, and look at us now. You don't have to be smart to be a republican president, in factit appears as if lack of smarts is preferred. That way, Karl Rove and his cronies can call the shots, put words in those empty mouths and have things go their way while the President mouths those empty words like the puppet he is. I have to say it seems to work well for them.

[IhaveaDREAMwhitegirl]

McCain Moments

[DavidBlackburn]

Let's remember how low McCain was in his graduating class - 3rd from the bottom. I think he's a step-down from President Bush's 'C' grades. Those poor grade are really showing up now, aren't they? Another pretty face in the White House? As Governor Palin would say, "Thanks, but no thanks!"

[Bobg]

McCain was 795th out of 800 in his graduating class to be exact which means he's either really dumb or his father the admiral wouldn't let him wash out no matter what he did.

[Andsl60]

and how does being head of Alaska National guard make you a great expert in foreign policy/national security ??? Putin would eat her alive and enjoy it.

[necer65]

I agree. Our country is doomed if she were to become President.

[jhwkr]

But hey, she can see Russia from her backyard!

[mikecarter]

"This may be more a weasel than a lie, but seriously lots of governors have run for President, how many put the presence of a national guard in their state as "military experience?"

Most of the governors who have run for higher office have a record of accomplishment of which they and their supporters are proud.

vmarston's post covers the specifics of the governor's place in the chain of command pretty well. Or there is the Constitution of the United States, which cites the President's additional duty as Commander in Chief of the Army, the Navy and the Militia. The National Guard units of the several states are normally considered the modern equivalent of the Militia.

[dbm1966]

What else would you expect from a man who thinks Spain is in South America?

Let's hope he commits a few of his blunders during the debate and Sen. Obama corrects him. That would be really humiliating for Mr. Foreign Policy Expert.

[jhwkr]

He will have the earpiece in his ear telling him what to say like Bush did against Kerry.

[IhaveaDREAMwhitegirl]

Maybe he will have a Mccain Moment and use an ipod earpiece instead.

[Susej]

McCain reminds of many characters on the Simpsons. He is Homer when it comes to stupidity, Mr. Burns to greed, and now grandpa Simpson when it comes to his famous senior moments.

[vmarston]

The Army consists of three divisions: Active, Reserve, and National Guard. The Governor of a state has authority over their state's National Guard unit, but must yield to Federal authority if needed. Usually if the National Guard is called upon by a governor, that governor cooperates with command officers, who have the training and expertise to handle an emergency. My daughter, who is in the National Guard, is an MP, and other members are trained in areas that focus on military objectives that may include rebuilding and maintaining the infratructures of a region (roads, etc.) whereas Active and Reserve focus on military objectives. I am sure that many of these responsibilties are assumed by the each of these group in a time of war and crisis. This biggest gaffe by McCain is not Army vs. National Guard, but the claim that Sarah Palin has credentials equivalent to those who have extensive education and training in the military.

[LDL]

As a member of the National Guard for over 20 years and also a member of the Active Army for 2 years, who worked near the top , The head of the National Guard in each state is a Major General or 2 stars General most of the time , he is what is called Adjutant General of the state, he runs the National guard for the state, the gov has very little to do with it, I'm surprise Sarah Palin knows there is one.