Palin’s Words Raise Red Flags

[WoodysGirl]

By BOB HERBERT
Published: September 26, 2008

The country is understandably focused on the financial crisis. But there is another serious issue in front of us that is not getting nearly enough attention, and that’s whether Sarah Palin is qualified to be vice president — or, if the situation were to arise, president of the United States.

History has shown again and again that a vice president must be ready to assume command of the ship of state on a moment’s notice. But Ms. Palin has given no indication yet that she is capable of handling the monumental responsibilities of the presidency if she were called upon to do so.

In fact, the opposite is the case. We know that there are some parts of Alaska from which, if the day is clear and your eyesight is good, you can actually see Russia. But the infantile repetition of this bit of trivia as some kind of foreign policy bona fide for a vice presidential candidate should give us pause.

The McCain campaign has done its bizarre best to shield Ms. Palin from any sustained media examination of her readiness for the highest offices in the land, and no wonder. She has been an embarrassment in interviews.

But the idea that the voters of the United States might install someone in the vice president’s office who is too unprepared or too intellectually insecure to appear on, say, “Meet the Press” or “Face the Nation” is mind-boggling.

The alarm bells should be clanging and warning lights flashing. You wouldn’t put an unqualified pilot in the cockpit of a jetliner. The potential for catastrophe is far, far greater with an unqualified president.

The United States has been lucky in terms of the qualifications of the vice presidents who have had to step in over the last several decades for presidents who either died or, in Richard Nixon’s case, were forced to leave office. Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson became extraordinary presidents in their own right. Gerald Ford successfully guided the nation through the immediate aftermath of one of the most traumatic political crises in its history.

For those who think Sarah Palin is in that league, there is no problem. But her unscripted public appearances would lead most honest observers to think otherwise. When asked again this week about her puerile linkage of foreign policy proficiency and Alaska’s proximity to Russia, this time by Katie Couric of CBS News, here is what Ms. Palin said she meant:

“That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and on our other side, the land — boundary that we have with — Canada.”

She went on, but lost her way midsentence: “It’s funny that a comment like that was kind of made to — cari — I don’t know, you know? Reporters ...”

Ms. Couric said, “Mocked?”

“Yeah, mocked,” said Ms. Palin. “I guess that’s the word. Yeah.”

It is not just painful, but frightening to watch someone who could become the vice president of the United States stumbling around like this in an interview.

Ms. Couric asked Ms. Palin to explain how Alaska’s proximity to Russia “enhances your foreign policy credentials.”

“Well, it certainly does,” Ms. Palin replied, “because our, our next-door neighbors are foreign countries, there in the state that I am the executive of. And there—”

Gently interrupting, Ms. Couric asked, “Have you ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?”

“We have trade missions back and forth,” said Ms. Palin. “We do. It’s very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia. As Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America, where do they go? It’s Alaska. It’s just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to our state.”

It was surreal, the kind of performance that would generate a hearty laugh if it were part of a Monty Python sketch. But this is real life, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. As Ms. Palin was fumbling her way through the Couric interview, the largest bank failure in the history of the United States, the collapse of Washington Mutual, was occurring.

The press has an obligation to hammer away at Ms. Palin’s qualifications. If it turns out that she has just had a few bad interviews because she was nervous or whatever, additional scrutiny will serve her well.

If, on the other hand, it becomes clear that her performance, so far, is an accurate reflection of her qualifications, it would behoove John McCain and the Republican Party to put the country first — as Mr. McCain loves to say — and find a replacement for Ms. Palin on the ticket.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/op...erbert.html?hp

[Dallas]

NYTIMES!! The cesspool of left garbage. Worse than some of the left bloggers, I might add.


One can see the link and just completely close the thread. I love that.

Put the link at the top of these articles next time WG, that way we don't have to scroll to the bottom.

[WoodysGirl]

Originally Posted by Dallas

NYTIMES!! The cesspool of left garbage. Worse than some of the left bloggers, I might add.


One can see the link and just completely close the thread. I love that.

Put the link at the top of these articles next time WG, that way we don't have to scroll to the bottom.

Every article I post, here or elsewhere, I post the link at the bottom. Not gonna change that practice, sorry. I like it there. Links at the top are a trickblue thing. He calls it the Director's cut.

[ConcordCowboy]

I'm shocked...SHOCKED I tell you to see who responded first to this thread.

The only thing that shocked me more was the media is to blame...but not Palin for looking like a fool.



I mean a question is asked...Palin looks the fool because she doesn't know what she's talking about and the NY Times had the audacity to ohhh...I don't know point this out and they are the bad ones here.

Absolutely incredible.

Pssst...it isn't only the NY Times that is saying this.

[Viper]

Am I missing something here?

Can Obama answer this question? “Have you ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?” When do we get to see the list of leaders Obama has negotiated foreign policy with?

Seriously, has Obama negotiated a treaty?

[adamc91115]

Palin's words should raise red flags?

What about Biden's?

[bbgun]

Herbert is to Republicans as Pat Buchanon is to Israel. Utterly predictable.

[BrAinPaiNt]

All you have to do is find that video of her in that segment and unless you are a fan boy or diehard republican there is no way anyone, with a straight face, can say she looked good in it.

She killed at the RNC and has went down hill from there. There is a reason they have limited her interviews and after you watch them you know the reason.

Honestly feel sorry for her.

[ConcordCowboy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8__aXxXPVc

[Maikeru-sama]

Yep, I was listening to one of my favorite conservative radio stations 1160 The Voice of Texas and they were bashing Sarah Palin almost as much as they were bashing Barack Obama.

I saw bits and pieces of the Katie Couric interview, and along with the conservatives on the radio, I agree that they were not even hard questions. For instance, when she was asked about the Freddie/Fannie donations, she didn't have a clue on how to answer that and completely bobbled her words. Like the conservatives pointed out on talk radio, she should have blown Katie Couric out of the water with that question as Barack Obama and some high ups in his staff have been linked to them as well.

I thought this youtube video of Jack Cafferty telling it like it is was pretty funny.

Sarah Palin is almost as bad as Barack Obama is without a teleprompter .

[bbgun]

Originally Posted by BrAinPaiNt

All you have to do is find that video of her in that segment and unless you are a fan boy or diehard republican there is no way anyone, with a straight face, can say she looked good in it.

True, she didn't look good. But Herbert is a reliable Republican hater. He and his fellow cronies have done nothing but bash her from Day 1. Therefore, it doesn't mean as much coming from him, because he makes no pretense to objectivity. He would have given her a failing grade no matter what.

[dbair1967]

Originally Posted by Viper

Am I missing something here?

Can Obama answer this question? “Have you ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?” When do we get to see the list of leaders Obama has negotiated foreign policy with?

Seriously, has Obama negotiated a treaty?

in a word, no

he has done nothing...absolutely zilch

oh, but I forgot he's a "community organizer"

[dbair1967]

Maikeru-sama;2288967]Yep, I was listening to one of my favorite conservative radio stations 1160 The Voice of Texas and they were bashing Sarah Palin almost as much as they were bashing Barack Obama.

I saw bits and pieces of the Katie Couric interview, and along with the conservatives on the radio, I agree that they were not even hard questions. For instance, when she was asked about the Freddie/Fannie donations, she didn't have a clue on how to answer that and completely bobbled her words. Like the conservatives pointed out on talk radio, she should have blown Katie Couric out of the water with that question as Barack Obama and some high ups in his staff have been linked to them as well.

I thought this youtube video of Jack Cafferty telling it like it is was pretty funny.

Sarah Palin is almost as bad as Barack Obama is without a teleprompter

except during the Republican Convention her teleprompter malfunctioned and she never missed a beat. I think it happened to Giuliani too and he did an amazing job.

Not everybody is as hopeless as O w/o the technology aid.

[Heisenberg]

Originally Posted by dbair1967

except during the Republican Convention her teleprompter malfunctioned and she never missed a beat. I think it happened to Giuliani too and he did an amazing job.

Not everybody is as hopeless as O w/o the technology aid.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonath...not_break.html

Not sure why that rumor was started, but it didn't break. Numerous reports from those sitting in the press area, who could SEE the teleprompter, say it did not break.

[ConcordCowboy]

Originally Posted by Ozzu

http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonath...not_break.html

Not sure why that rumor was started, but it didn't break. Numerous reports from those sitting in the press area, who could SEE the teleprompter, say it did not break.

This has been known for a while that the broken TelePrompter was BS.

But don't tell them that...It'll take all the wind out of their sails.

Obama had NO Teleprompter last night and NO ONE is saying he looked like a fool.

There's a difference between making gaffes or screwing up a name or whatever (McCain last night trying to say Akmadinajad) and just flat out not knowing what the hell your talking about.

And that's Palin.