If Sarah Palin should declare her candidacy for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, the past few days may be looked back at by political historians as an important marker. While pundits continue to dwell on the supposedly collapsing poll numbers for Palin and trumpet the erosion of her presidential ambitions, the former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee was abroad, buttressing the one area seen as a major weakness in Palin's ability to project herself as a national political leader, foreign policy. Palin was the keynote speaker at the India Today Conclave in New Delhi, an assembly of the most prominent Indian business leaders. Her speech dealt with her vision of America, with a major focus on energy independence and oil drilling, a possible key issue for a future Sarah Palin for President campaign.
After her speech to India's elite, Sarah Palin went off to Israel for a brief visit, which included a private dinner with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The dual visits to India and Israel within such a compressed period of time showed Sarah Palin as not only comfortable but even self-confident on the world stage. In New Delhi, she answered questions in an unstructured Q & A session that was devoid of major gaffes. The interview she granted Fox News upon her return from Israel, in which she commented on events in Libya and the Middle East, revealed a Palin that was no longer awkward in speaking publicly and to the media on issues involving the international arena.
It seems clear that Sarah Palin has been working hard on buttressing her knowledge of foreign policy issues, and her facility in discussing international affairs in a public setting. No doubt, Palin has been helped by some serious coaching from others who are much more knowledgeable on foreign policy. The question that surfaces is this: for what purpose has Sarah Palin devoted time and effort towards enhancing her grasp of foreign affairs? Critics on the left, and even within the establishment of the Republican Party, will argue that this is merely for the purpose of increasing her marketability and fees as a celebrity speaker. I think these critics do not fully comprehend the objectives and political ambitions of Sarah Palin, and her determination and focus in pursuing them.
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http://headlinestoday.intoday.in/site/headlines_today/ProgrammesShow?catName=On%20the%20Couch%20with%20Koel&video=0&counter=null&contentId=133290&catId=58
http://www.palintv.com/2011/03/19/governor-palin%E2%80%99s-qa-at-the-india-today-conclave/
She sounded like a 5th grade kid who forgot their homework assignment!
Most of the interview wasn't a whole lot better either.
Why not just say she's not that well read on the details of the Pakistan-US relationship
This interview was a minefield, and I don't know how anyone could POSSIBLY say it was
"devoid of major gaffes" That is utter nonsense, and you have to know it.
Even Bill Kristol, has publicly said recently that she should not run, in a sit down with Arianna Huffington. Ms Palin is absolutely unelectable, and Obama will win in a landslide if she runs.
Bottom Line: She QUIT HER JOB AS GOVERNOR, and had an ethics violation citation confirmed
by the Alaska authorities.
She got a stamp on her passport. She got paid to stand up and bore some Indians there to hear about India, today (hence the India Today Conclave) for an hour or so with a rambling speech about America. (?) She got no foreign policy experience. She just left US airspace.
Then she went to Israel where she spoke with no press (they were told she would talk with them and so they showed up - she nixed that at the last minute and gave them photo ops), spoke with no Israeli's except the Likud and had a private dinner with Bibi. She didn't even go to Bethlehem because it seems she didn't know it was in Palestinian territory. (Where the Arabs are.) She did nothing but dangle a Star of David and hang out with right wingers.
She did what she always does. Appear to be something. She was an Ugly American in India and a shill for the evangelicals in Israel. Mostly what she was was a tourist and not even very good at that. She did not get " knowledge of foreign policy issues", and increased no "facility in discussing international affairs in a public setting". She hid in hotel rooms or hid out with Bibi. To suggest otherwise is grasping at (bendy) straws.
I toughed through it last night. If my son's sentence structure was that poor he would have failed the 7th grade.
Why won't she do this in America?
February 17, 2011 at the Long Island Association (That's the Long Island in New York - America's east coast!) An hour long Q & A session conducted by democrat Kevin Law. It had substances answering more than 20 of Mr. Law's questions on domestic and foreign affairs. Evidently your news sources are not keeping you informed. They probably only informed you of a well received breast feeding joke that they manufactured into a controversy because they choose to feed their audience propaganda.
http://www.palintv.com/2011/02/20/governor-palins-qa-at-long-island-association-february-17-2011/