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First, I just don't feel that I know her positions any better now than I did before she began chatting with Katie. Palin quotes support for John McCain's policies but seems disheveled on some of the specific foreign policy questions. Maybe it's just nerves.
Second, I didn't quite understand her chest-thumping about keeping America safe should Russia's President Vladimir Putin or other Russian aircraft fly into U.S. airspace saying:
"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 tate. "
When Palin says send those out, it sounds as though she talking about sending U.S. aircraft out to ensure our airspace stays safe.
Since when would that be the Governor's job?
While as Governor, Palin is charged with using Alaska's National Guard in a state emergency, it would NOT be her job nor would she have the authority to order military planes into the air to keep tabs on a foreign military force. That authority belongs solely to the Federal government and the White House.
If she's just wanting a pat because the Federal troops are located in her home state, then that seems a bit hollow because she really didn't have a choice in the matter. It just comes with being Governor of Alaska. I certainly understand Governor's taking credit of troops in their home state doing a good job (Stickland praising the flights from Wright-Pat into Iraq for example) but is she trying to say she has a hand in the Alaska fighter planes' missions?
Does anyone else interpret her response that way? or am i way out in Bering Sea somewhere?
Third, Palin mentions getting credit for foreign policy experience because her state is wedged between Russia and Canada. Now, she's never been to Russia but she has been to Canada. So wouldn't that make the Governors of all the northern states (Washington, Minnesota, etc.) that share a border with the Maple Leafs just as qualified when it comes to foreign policy as she is?
Fourth, I did learn more about her with her comments about Israel. Sort of.
While Palin got a bit "stumbly" with Katie, I think the Governor was trying to say that the U.S. could make its preferences known to Israel without second-guessing how Israel conducts itself with regards to Iran. I'd be surprised if Palin doesn't rework that argument and practice a cleaner response prior to her debate with Sen. Joe Biden.
That's my take on the interview .. what did you notice?
By the way, did you see Biden's mistep in talking about the past? If not, it's a classic and perfect for the Daily Show ... check it out here:
1 comment:
I found her comments about "the bad guys and the good guys" and "evil" to be complete inappropriate for a professional diplomatic approach to US policy. She's not explaining the Middle East to kindergarten children in Sunday School, she's supposed to be speaking intelligently in a television interview.
The foreign policy exerience gained from proximity to other countries is ridiculous. For that matter, the CA Governor would have more foreign policy experience than her because he was born outside the US, speaks (to some extent) more than one language, governs a state with an important border with a foreign countyry (Mexico), and possibly has more foreign immigrants (legal or illegal) within the state population than any other state in the union. Of course, he also actually conducted a trade mission to China, on behalf of CA. Just a thought.
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