The Sarah Palin joke must end. Palin herself might be a wonderful person, a great (hockey) mom and a terrific moose hunter. Be that as it may, the Team McCain-orchestrated Palin UN visit was vintage Saturday Night Live satire except that it was meant to be serious. The very idea that an hour with this world leader, ten minutes with that one, somehow amounted to substantive foreign affairs only speaks to the desperation of the candidate at the top of the ticket. A guy who, in the middle of the worst economic crisis in generations, flips between stating the economic fundamentals are solid before flopping a mere three hours later with the acknowledgment the nation is in a meltdown.
But I guess, for Sarah, when your only previous foreign relations experience is being able to gander at Russia from your lawn and a single trip abroad, experience by osmosis is not so ludicrous.
Although we can't really be sure.
Pool reporters were supposed to be allowed to take pictures -- just some sweet, little hang-'em-on-the-fridge-photos -- of Sarah's big day with the "old boys club." Only, last minute, Team McCain decides to pull the pool reporters for fear they might accidentally hear Sarah speak on something. Express an opinion that wasn't focus group tested and talking point ready.
From the LA Times regarding Palin's siddown with Afghan President HamidKarzai:
The pool of reporters, which was to include a television crew, was supposed to be in the room for a few moments -- just to capture the opening of Palin's meetings. But when the campaign announced that even the pool television producer -- who is charged with capturing editorial content for the five networks -- would not be permitted in the room, the networks threatened to pull their cameras from Palin's events today.
Eventually, the campaign relented and allowed a CNN producer into the room for the meetings. But there were no wire service reporters or print reporters present for the first meeting, with Karzai.
According to the pool report from the CNN producer allowed into Karzai's hotel suite, Palin was seated a few feet from Karzai; seated slightly behind her were foreign policy advisors Steve Biegun and Randy Scheunemann, who are accompanying the governor today."
Two policy advisers backing her up. She and President Karzai talked about his son.
Well, clearly we're in good hands.
On August 29th, John McCain promised us a candidate who was ready on day one to be VP. It's been 26 days and counting and Palin has yet to hold a press conference. This from a presidential candidate who claims his administration will be more open and transparent than the most previous. I think about how Dick Cheney's in his undisclosed secret bunker going: "C'mon, go siddown with Michelle Malkin. She'll give you a foot massage."
But, no, we get nothing from the Alaskan Sphinx. The clock is literallyticking. The conversation about the effectiveness of being a hockey mom VP is fading into so many yesterdays. Like a reveler showing up to the party late, Sarah is just getting up to speed on world affairs and the conversation has already turned domestic.
I image she'll have the economy down around, oh, Nov. 5th or so.
Or not. Take a look at Palin's numbers. Clearly the "we're too good to talk to you" strategy isn't working.