Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

I have other things to bitch about but those will have to wait.

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

Every reporter and pundit should have to declare if they ever vacationed with a billionaire.

People really shouldn’t expect the government to help after they watched the GOP drown it in a bathtub.

Fundamental belief of white supremacy: white people are presumed innocent, minorities are presumed guilty.

If you are still in the gop, you are either an extremist yourself, or in bed with those who are.

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

It’s a doggy dog world.

Optimism opens the door to great things.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

Ah, the different things are different argument.

Battle won, war still ongoing.

Quote tweet friends, screenshot enemies.

Republicans do not pay their debts.

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

If West Virginia and San Francisco had a love child.

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

We need to vote them all out and restore sane Democratic government.

Cole, when it comes to calico cats, restraint is overrated.

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

The Supreme Court cannot be allowed to become the ultimate, unaccountable arbiter of everything.

Republicans don’t trust women.

You are here: Home / Elections / Election 2008 / Palin’s Foreign Policy Creds

Palin’s Foreign Policy Creds

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She knows things:

We cannot repeat the Cold War. We are thankful that, under Reagan, we won the Cold War, without a shot fired, also. We’ve learned lessons from that in our relationship with Russia, previously the Soviet Union.

See? She totally skooled Charlie Gibson on what Russia was in the 80’s!!

Read the whole excerpt of her interview with Charlie Gibson. Embarrassing that she could be our next (Vice) President.

Reader Interactions

182Comments

  1. 1.

    taylormattd

    You’ve left out the part where she said we might have to go to war with fucking Russia if they invade Georgia again:

    GIBSON: And under the NATO treaty, wouldn’t we then have to go to war if Russia went into Georgia?
    PALIN: Perhaps so. I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you’re going to be expected to be called upon and help.

  2. 2.

    smiley

    We are thankful that, under Reagan, we won the Cold War, without a shot fired, also.

    That whole Vietnam thing never happened? McCain sure will be disappointed to hear that. He thought he was a POW.

  3. 3.

    chopper

    We’ve learned lessons from that in our relationship with Russia, previously the Soviet Union.

    i like how she throws that in at the end, as if she just learned it and is showing off.

  4. 4.

    Jose Padilla

    “We are thankful that, under Reagan, we won the Cold War, without a shot fired, also.”

    Sixteen words and so many of them wrong in so many different ways.

  6. 6.

    4tehlulz

    Best part so far:

    [Putin’s] mission, if it is to control energy supplies, also, coming from and through Russia, that’s a dangerous position for our world to be in, if we were to allow that to happen.

    We must prevent Russia from controlling its own pipelines and resources. Holy fucking shit.

    From here on out: Obama’s campaign slogan should be “Hope or Holocaust”. Because Palin will gladly guarantee the latter.

  7. 7.

    taylormattd

    She’s obviously spent the week hunkered down with McCain’s batshit crazy neoconservative “foriegn policy” nuts.

  8. 8.

    chopper

    under Reagan, we won the Cold War

    somebody needs to tell her that the soviet union collapsed under bush I.

  9. 9.

    Laura W

    OT, apologies.
    Are we going to have an Open Thread or Live Blog or e-Happy Hour or +Plus Party or whatever you all call it, at 8EST when the candidates do their service whatever forum thingey? I’d sure enjoy the intimate company and in-surreal-time discussions.

    Man, not only do I appreciate Gregory ditching the whole Brady Bunch opening panelheads in boxes and the frenetic pace — and JOE and PAT — but he’s got some way better guests this week. I mean like, seriously smart and mature guests. I’ve really missed Richard Wolffe (vacation, probably) and nice to see him on Gregory as well as KO. Here he has Richard Engel on too. They have totally classed up his hour and made it infinitely more credible. Threat of cancellation is a great motivator.

    STOOPID wordpress error. The sheer frustration and constant appearance is going to force me to get a life outside of pol blogs and cable news. I blame the fact that I wore McCain’s POW bracelet. I’m sorry John. I know I’m new here and you don’t know me and now you won’t heart me but I thought it was gonna get fixed? Why don’t you let one of the many loyal readers here HALP YOU as they have offered many times???? You can’t possibly relish the idea of so many of us going into DTs as Nov 4 approaches. Have a heart, John, HAVE A HEART.

  10. 10.

    chopper

    yeah. here i was thinking that the whole war in georgia proved how level-headed europe was in not letting georgia into nato; two breakaway provinces full of russians protected by russian troops + crazy georgian leader willing to start lobbing missiles at the former + nato membership == worldwide clusterfuck as we figure out that we’re bound by treaty to go to war with russia because some tin-pot georgian asshole decided to poke the bear with a stick.

    nevermind that georgia and south ossetia were still operating under a cease-fire. hardly a stable enough environment.

  11. 11.

    Dennis - SGMM

    We are thankful that, under Reagan, we won the Cold War, without a shot fired, also.

    My late father, a career military man from 1938 to 1961 would probably differ with that. Having served in Vietnam I’ll put it more plainly: Palin is full of shit.

  12. 12.

    demkat620

    Disturbing. I just wish more people remembered William Henry Harrison. 45 days people, 45 days.

    Tippicanoe and Tyler, too.

    Yikes.

  13. 13.

    SpotWeld

    Lesson that Palin hasn’t learned.

    Edmund: You see, Baldrick, in order to prevent war in Europe, two superblocs developed: us, the French and the Russians on one side, and the Germans and Austro-Hungary on the other. The idea was to have two vast opposing armies, each acting as the other’s deterrent. That way there could never be a war.

    Baldrick: But this is a sort of a war, isn’t it, sir?

    Edmund: Yes, that’s right. You see, there was a tiny flaw in the plan.

    George: What was that, sir?

    Edmund: It was bollocks.

    -Blackadder Goes Forth, This is The End

  14. 14.

    r€nato

    When asked by Gibson if under the NATO treaty, the U.S. would have to go to war if Russia again invaded Georgia, Palin responded: “Perhaps so. I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you’re going to be expected to be called upon and help.

    I look forward to Alaska’s commander-in-chief – who earned her Napoleonic military expertise by the virtue of sharing a body of water with Russia – leading the Alaska National Guard’s invasion of Siberia.

  15. 15.

    Rick James

    We are thankful that, under Reagan, we won the Cold War, without a shot fired

    But Gov. Palin has a plan to start a shooting war with Russia so we can correct that mistake, bitches!

  17. 17.

    handy

    Hey Rick James, would that plan be like the one that St. McCain has to capture Bin Laden but won’t tell anyone about it until he’s elected president?

  18. 18.

    r€nato

    Hey Rick James, would that plan be like the one that St. McCain has to capture Bin Laden but won’t tell anyone about it until he’s elected president?

    Which in turn is a lot like Nixon’s secret plan to end the war. Why the hell not, we are recycling everything else from the Nixon era.

  19. 19.

    Incertus

    We are thankful that, under Reagan, we won the Cold War, without a shot fired

    I guess we can ignore all that unpleasantness we weren’t really involved in down in Latin America too. And Korea. And I suppose we don’t really have to talk about how lots of the shit we got ourselves wrapped up in in the Middle East is related to Cold War stuff during the 70s.

  20. 20.

    Rick James

    Hey Rick James, would that plan be like the one that St. McCain has to capture Bin Laden but won’t tell anyone about it until he’s elected president?

    You know why McCain won’t tell anyone about his secret plan to catch bin Laden? SHUT UP, that’s why! POW, bitch!

  21. 21.

    tBone

    We’ve learned lessons from that in our relationship with Russia, previously the Soviet Union.

    i like how she throws that in at the end, as if she just learned it and is showing off.

    That was pretty awesome. Wikipedia FTW! I can’t wait for her to answer a question about Iraq:

    “Well, Charlie, Iraq – which was once part of Mesopotamia, and the center of the Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian and Abbasid empires, as well as part of the Achaemenid, Macedonian, Parthian, Sassanid, Umayyad, Mongol, Ottoman, and British empires – is doing just swell thanks to the surge!”

  22. 22.

    Notorious P.A.T.

    We’ve learned lessons from that in our relationship with Russia, previously the Soviet Union.

    She is absolutely Bushlike in her plain-spoken brilliance.

  23. 23.

    Stuck in the Fun House

    GIBSON: And under the NATO treaty, wouldn’t we then have to go to war if Russia went into Georgia?

    Palin -Perhaps so. I mean like that’s what Nato’s for isn’t it/

    On…two….three… seven… nine….. El kaboom!

  24. 24.

    Not My Fault

    OK. The question before “the bomb” doesn’t seem to be there, but they were obviously exploring some hypothetical where Georgia joined NATO.

    Now, the frantic SHE’S GONNA START A WAR!!! stuff is over the top and will result in anyone pushing it getting mocked by Morans.

    The real issue is that NO SANE LEADER would answer that kind of hypothetical, and yes, even talking about it publicly has ramifications.

    I suspect that even the discussion before the money quote was over the line.

    Claiming that the bombs will be dropping soon is nuts and deserves mocking.

    Claiming that Palin is not just inexperienced and the lacks judgment needed to be VP, but DANGEROUSLY inexperienced and TRAGICALLY lacking in judgment is now an empirically proven fact.

  25. 25.

    abvp

    did, um the vietnam war never happen? did the cold war not start until 1980 now? i can’t keep anymore.

  26. 26.

    4tehlulz

    McCain, in light of his issues with the Wilson sisters, should have a new campaign song. In light of this interview, I think “Eve of Destruction” by Barry McGuire would be the most appropriate.

    Failing that, “Nuclear War” by Sun Ra could work too.

  27. 27.

    Richard Bottoms

    Been poking my old militia reporting contacts and they may present Ms. Palin with some very uncomfortable associations that come with her proclamation in support of the Fully Informed Jury Association, including some of the most vile antisemitic and racist figures from the nineties such as Joe Holland, Red Beckman, Byron De La Beckwith, Pete Peters.

  28. 28.

    Notorious P.A.T.

    When asked by Gibson if under the NATO treaty, the U.S. would have to go to war if Russia again invaded Georgia

    I’m shocked that this is happening, though I guess I shouldn’t be. We just saw that *Georgia* opened fire against *Russia*, we watched it in real time, but it’s already “accepted” knowledge that Russia started it. Unbelievable.

    We are thankful that, under Reagan, we won the Cold War, without a shot fired

    Stupid me, I thought the decision to aggressively confront the Soviet Union without firing shots was made by the Truman administration.

  29. 29.

    SpotWeld

    The most depressing thing is that the idea that Palin would start a shooting war with Russia isn’t that much of a deterrent to a core Republican voter.

    Whereas starting the rumor she’s actually a man would be much more effective.

  30. 30.

    Rick James

    That was pretty awesome. Wikipedia FTW! I can’t wait for her to answer a question about Iraq:

    “Well, Charlie, Iraq – which was once part of Mesopotamia, and the center of the Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian and Abbasid empires, as well as part of the Achaemenid, Macedonian, Parthian, Sassanid, Umayyad, Mongol, Ottoman, and British empires – is doing just swell thanks to the surge!”

    And Istanbul was Constantinople. No one can top Palin’s knowledge of They Might Be Russkies! Now hold my foreign policy credentials bitch, I’m Rick James.

  31. 31.

    handy

    i like how she throws that in at the end, as if she just learned it and is showing off.

    For some reason that reminded me of this infamous installment of “Moments When People Are Trying Too Hard And In Over Their Heads.”

  32. 32.

    libarbarian

    http://www.andrewhalcro.com/why_walt_monegan_got_fired

    If half of this is true, it should be on the news instead of the “lipstick on a pig” remark. This is scary stalker-level personal harassment. The fact that she continued pursuing this vendetta as Governor is even scarier. No one like this should be allowed anywhere near the presidency.

    In the fall of 2004, Trooper Mike Wooten had decided the differences between he and his wife Molly of four years had grown to the point of being irreconcilable. His wife just happened to be the younger sister of Sarah Palin.

    The beginning of the divorce proceedings set off a chain of bizarre and chilling events that has continued through today. During that time it has resulted in the governor and her family trying to ruin the career of an eight year Alaska State Trooper that has served his state on the SERT Team, Motor Unit and DUI Team.

    Beginning in spring of 2005 and for the next ten months, over 25 formal complaints were filed by Palin and Heath family members against Trooper Mike Wooten. From drinking while driving his patrol car to making threats to shooting a moose without a permit.

    Notice how no complaints were filed until the divorce.

    According to Trooper records, Sarah Palin said that in January and February of 2005, Wooten was drinking while driving. After investigating the complaint, the investigator found that Palin never actually saw what she reported.

    Yes, she’s a bald-faced liar.

    In another complaint, Sarah’s father said that Wooten made threatening remarks. Again, the investigator found there was no probable way that it could have happened.

    I knew this one was bullshit because the only “witnesses” were the ex-wife and Bristol.

    In all cases except one, the charges were ruled unfounded after an internal investigation. And the one charge that was valid, Wooten immediately admitted to.

    In 2003, Wooten, his wife and a friend were moose hunting. Upon spotting a moose, Wooten instructed his wife to shoot the moose since she had the permit, she refused so Wooten did.

    After carting the moose back to town, Sarah’s father actually butchered it in his garage, and Wooten shared the meat with both Sarah and Todd Palin as well as her parents. Two years later, during the divorce battle, the family filed a complaint alleging that Wooten had taken that moose illegally. At least they waited until they finished the meat to file the complaint against Wooten.

    But it didn’t stop there. Threatening phone calls, private detectives that were hired to follow Wooten, notes left on windshields, Todd Palin taking pictures then submitting them to Wooten’s supervisor, all designed to intimidate Wooten into backing off from demanding equal child custody rights.

    But every time they filed a spurious complaint, the Troopers would bring in an Administrative Investigator who after seeing more than two dozen of these ridiculous and time consuming complaints stated that in all his years he had never seen such a shotgun pattern against one officer.

    Meanwhile in court, Wooten prevailed at every turn as Judge Suddock quickly realized there was a concerted effort to damage Wooten. Finally the judge warned that if any of their actions caused Wooten to lose his job or pay in anyway, Molly and her family would be held liable.

    After the divorce was final in late 2005 things settled down, until last fall.

    At the request of the court, Wooten and his ex-wife were instructed to return to re-visit the custody schedule. Once the paper work started in April of 2008, the complaints and the intimidation started all over again.

    Read the whole thing.

  33. 33.

    slip

    Did you see the excerpt on ABC? Good old Charlie actually nailed her to the wall. “What is your view of the Bush Doctrine?” She went blank.

  34. 34.

    handy

    i like how she throws that in at the end, as if she just learned it and is showing off.

    For some reason that reminded me of this infamous installment of “Moments When People Are Trying Too Hard And Are In Over Their Heads.”

  35. 35.

    Shygetz

    I liked this part:

    It doesn’t have to lead to war and it doesn’t have to lead, as I said, to a Cold War, but economic sanctions, diplomatic pressure, again, counting on our allies to help us do that in this mission of keeping our eye on Russia and Putin and some of his desire to control and to control much more than smaller democratic countries.

    Errr…exactly what does Sarah Palin think “Cold War” refers to? Our shootout with the Soviets in Antarctica?

  37. 37.

    demimondian

    @4thelulz — I think that Simon and Garfunkel’s _The Sun is Burning_ might serve pretty well, too.

    And it’s pretty, so McCain will choose it without thinking, too.

  38. 38.

    Peter Johnson

    We are thankful that, under Reagan, we won the Cold War, without a shot fired, also.

    But not without threatening to fire a shot. Like TR said, speaking softly and carry a big stick. It worked then, it will work now. If Russia knows they get bombed next time they invade a fledgling democracy, they probably won’t do it.

  39. 39.

    PeterJ

    We cannot repeat the Cold War. We are thankful that, under Reagan, we won the Cold War, without a shot fired, also. We’ve learned lessons from that in our relationship with Russia, previously the Soviet Union.

    [Putin’s] mission, if it is to control energy supplies, also, coming from and through Russia, that’s a dangerous position for our world to be in, if we were to allow that to happen.

    I know. This is just one big joke? ABC has been bought by The Onion?

    A fluffer interview by the ABC, and these are her answers?

    I’m going to start building a bomb shelter. Just in case.

  40. 40.

    Notorious P.A.T.

    “Well, Charlie, Iraq – which was once part of Mesopotamia, and the center of the Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian and Abbasid empires, as well as part of the Achaemenid, Macedonian, Parthian, Sassanid, Umayyad, Mongol, Ottoman, and British empires – is doing just swell thanks to the surge!”

    Heehee. Probably more like “Iraq–which is in the Middle East–is now a peaceful nation. Even though it is in the Middle East.”

  41. 41.

    Equal Opportunity Cynic

    She is absolutely Bushlike in her plain-spoken brilliance.

    Oh, man…. remember that nugget where Bush threw in some bonus fancy word that in reality most educated people already knew at the end of some press conference or something? I forget the details, but it had come out one or two days earlier in one of those “word of the day” emails.

    I look forward to the revelation that, “Russia was formerly part of the Soviet Union” was sent out in some email to busy executives as “Foreign Policy Fact of the Day” for September 9, 2008.

  44. 44.

    colleeniem

    Holy fuck.
    Just…holy fuck.
    That evil Russia, trying to keep tabs on their energy resources. BETTER GET ‘EM.
    I mean, we didn’t go to Eye-rack for oil…noooooooooo.
    Lady Parts 08!

  45. 45.

    Notorious P.A.T.

    Did you see the excerpt on ABC? Good old Charlie actually nailed her to the wall. “What is your view of the Bush Doctrine?” She went blank.

    Please, please, please someone post that on YouTube.

  46. 46.

    John H. Farr

    Without a shot fired???

    Um…er… Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East, Latin America, etc. etc. etc. And Jesus, what about Francis Gary Powers? The Soviets shot down planes during the ’50s, too. PLENTY of Americans died, plus those allied with us. This is just so idiotic.

    Light-weight airhead in the extreme. Extremely dangerous, too.

  47. 47.

    gbear

    I think “Eve of Destruction” by Barry McGuire would be the most appropriate.

    Failing that, “Nuclear War” by Sun Ra could work too.

    How about ‘World Destruction’ by Time Zone.

    Perfect lyrics for this crap.

  48. 48.

    Richard Bottoms

    I. THE PROBLEM: FIJA IN ACTION

    A. TURNEY v. ALASKA

    This section explores Turney v. Alaska,(12) a case involving a FIJA advocate’s challenge to a grand jury indictment for jury tampering arising from his protest activities at a state courthouse in Fairbanks, Alaska. This case merits attention for two reasons. First, the facts of Turney offer rare (though anecdotal) insight into both the effects of FIJA advocacy on the jury decision-making process, as well as the consequences of a jury becoming aware of its own nullification powers.(13) This case also merits inquiry because, despite the hundreds of FIJA protests that occur every year,(14) Turney is the only published appellate opinion directly adjudicating the legality of FIJA activism under a state jury tampering statute.

    Frank W. Turney regularly demonstrated in support of FIJA both inside and outside the Fairbanks courthouse between 1990 and 1994.(15) Over the course of these four years, Turney used signs, bullhorns and a variety of other techniques to communicate with sitting and prospective jurors about their nullification “rights.”(16) In the course of these protests, Turney would stand outside the wall of the jury assembly area and yell with his bullhorn. At other times, Turney would bleat like sheep at the prospective jurors and he would beat on the doors of the room, disrupting not only the jury assembly proceedings but also other court proceedings in adjoining areas of the building.(17)

    The protests that finally led to Turney’s arrest occurred in connection with the trial of one Merle Hall, a convicted felon who was being tried for knowing possession of a concealed weapon.(18) In July of 1994, jury selection was underway for Hall’s trial.(19) Turney closely monitored Hall’s case, sitting in on much of the jury selection process and the trial.(20) Turney’s interest in the case arose from both his friendship with Hall as well as his opposition to the statute…

    Choose your friends wisely

    Sarah and Frank Turney

    Sarah, you’ve got some explaining to do.

  49. 49.

    DR

    “We won the cold war”… Are you sure about that? Currently, Russia looks far stronger than the U.S. One could, possibly, argue that Russia is winning the cold war *now*.

  51. 51.

    Richard Bottoms

    THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF ALASKA FRANK W. TURNEY, ) Supreme Court No. S-6932 ) Petitioner, ) Court of Appeals No. A-5852 ) v. ) Superior Court No. ) 4FA-94-3007 Cr STATE OF ALASKA, ) ) O P I N I O N Respondent. ) ______________________________) [No. 4799 – April 4, 1997]

    On July 14, 1994, a jury was selected at the State Courthouse in Fairbanks in the case of State of Alaska v. Merle Hall. Merle Hall was to be tried under AS 11.61.200(a)(1), which prohibits convicted felons from knowingly possessing a concealable weapon. Frank Turney was then in the courthouse, as he often was, promoting what he argues is his "political point of view on the jury system." His advocacy included signs, leaflets, discussion, and demonstrations. He also publicized the telephone number of the Fully Informed Jury Association (FIJA). (EN1) Turney was apparently interested in the Hall case because he was a friend of Hall’s and was also a critic of AS 11.61.200(a)(1), having been convicted in Oregon in 1975 of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The attorney defending Hall, William Satterberg, was familiar with Turney and saw him at the courthouse the day of jury selection. Turney was in the courtroom during jury selection. The Assistant District Attorney testified that "Frank pretty much monitored that trial from jury selection through verdict." The judge presiding over the Hall trial, Judge Jane Kauvar, instructed the jurors that it was their duty to follow the law. The jurors were given a pamphlet entitled the Alaska Trial Jury Handbook soon after they began their jury service, and were shown an orientation video. "Juror" is statutorily defined to mean "a person who is a member of an impanelled jury or a person who has been drawn or summoned to attend as a prospective juror." AS 11.56.900(3). Turney’s jury tampering charges concerned his contacts with three jurors: Coty, Flood, and Ellis. (EN2) Turney approached Juror Coty and other jurors while they were near the elevators on the fourth floor of the court building, the floor where the jury was to be selected. From about fifteen feet away, Turney told them to call the 1-800-TEL-JURY number. Some jurors were wearing juror badges that identified them as jurors; jury selection had apparently not yet commenced.

    Aye, the jury

  52. 52.

    Fledermaus

    I’m sure our other buds in NATO are, like, totally cool going to war with their main oil and natural gas supplier.

    China might have some things to say about it though.

  53. 53.

    Notorious P.A.T.

    We cannot repeat the Cold War.

    What does that even mean? If Russia starts misbehaving, we should fire upon them instead of having another Cold War? Or should we do nothing at all?

  54. 54.

    gbear

    Did you see the excerpt on ABC? Good old Charlie actually nailed her to the wall. “What is your view of the Bush Doctrine?” She went blank.

    Did Charlie know he was going to be nailing her when he asked the question? Wonder who did the editing that her blank response got put on the air? Cool.

  55. 55.

    JL

    Since we have no MSM, how do we go about getting the message out? I live in the South and although Barack will not win a southern state, there has to be a way out of this mess. Lincoln Chafee said it best when he called Sarah a “Cocky whacko”. I actually campaigned for Lincoln’s dad many, many, many years ago. That was when we really had a repub party.

  56. 56.

    Maggie

    Please, please, please someone post that on YouTube.

    No video, but transcript:

    GIBSON: Do you agree with the Bush doctrine?

    PALIN: In what respect, Charlie?

    GIBSON: The Bush — well, what do you — what do you interpret it to be?

    PALIN: His world view.

    GIBSON: No, the Bush doctrine, enunciated September 2002, before the Iraq war.

    PALIN: I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hell bent on destroying our nation. There have been blunders along the way, though. There have been mistakes made. And with new leadership, and that’s the beauty of American elections, of course, and democracy, is with new leadership comes opportunity to do things better.

    GIBSON: The Bush doctrine, as I understand it, is that we have the right of anticipatory self-defense, that we have the right to a preemptive strike against any other country that we think is going to attack us. Do you agree with that?

    PALIN: Charlie, if there is legitimate and enough intelligence that tells us that a strike is imminent against American people, we have every right to defend our country. In fact, the president has the obligation, the duty to defend.

    ***

    The other fun part in the transcript is this:

    GIBSON: What if Israel decided it felt threatened and needed to take out the Iranian nuclear facilities?

    PALIN: Well, first, we are friends with Israel and I don’t think that we should second guess the measures that Israel has to take to defend themselves and for their security.

    GIBSON: So if we wouldn’t second guess it and they decided they needed to do it because Iran was an existential threat, we would cooperative or agree with that.

    PALIN: I don’t think we can second guess what Israel has to do to secure its nation.

    GIBSON: So if it felt necessary, if it felt the need to defend itself by taking out Iranian nuclear facilities, that would be all right.

    PALIN: We cannot second guess the steps that Israel has to take to defend itself.
    ***

    BTW, color me surprised. Gibson actually asked her some questions.

  57. 57.

    t jasper parnell

    “We won the cold war”… Are you sure about that? Currently, Russia looks far stronger than the U.S. One could, possibly, argue that Russia is winning the cold war now.

    Just like a liberal, we did so win the cold war, well no we but Reagan acting alone, except maybe Thatcher a little. Its just that all those liberal dumbocrats, like Bush the Elder, Clinton, Bush the Younger, and Reagan at Reykjavik, made a bunch of cowardly deals that let the bastards get back up. See if good conservatives like REagan and the Bushes had been in charge they would have invaded Russia, formerly the Soviet Union, formerly formerly the Russian Empire, when it was weak and taken away its weapons. Can you imagine Obama trying to take away Russia’s, formerly the Soviet Union’s, newclear weapons, can ya, huh? It is not like Obama (D-State of Hope and Change) and Lugar((R- State of Not Batshit) worked together to corral loose newclear weapons.

    Sarah Palin knows Russia, formerly the Soviet Union, cause she, well maybe not she but somebody in Alaska like the IPHC, negotiated with them about fish. So there.

  58. 58.

    Dennis - SGMM

    Palin overlooks the fact that our allies are in no hurry to re-live the Cold War. She also overlooks the fact that many of our allies are heating their homes and fueling their cars with petroleum products from Russia. Because the “War on Terror” has created more terrorists, the noble experiment in Iraq is well on the way to expanding Iranian influence, and Afghanistan is in danger of sinking further into anarchy, resurrecting the Bear is probably a good idea for Republicans. Tailgunner Joe McCarthy is dead but, Moosehuntin’ Sarah is ready, willing and able to take over and extend his agenda. My advice? Stock up on American flag lapel pins. Show your allegiance by driving one into your forehead.

  60. 60.

    BFR

    well no we but Reagan acting alone, except maybe Thatcher a little

    I thought Chuck Norris won the cold war with a series of roundhouse kicks.

  61. 61.

    Blue Buddha

    [Putin’s Hussein’s] mission, if it is to control energy supplies, also, coming from and through Russia Iraq, that’s a dangerous position for our world to be in, if we were to allow that to happen.

    Fixed.

  62. 62.

    rawshark

    We are thankful that, under Reagan, we won the Cold War, without a shot fired

    ….during Reagan’s term, by the US.
    We provided a lot of guns that fired shots in Afghanistan though. At Russia, which was called the Soviet Union then.

  63. 63.

    Jake

    Oh, man…. remember that nugget where Bush threw in some bonus fancy word that in reality most educated people already knew at the end of some press conference or something? I forget the details, but it had come out one or two days earlier in one of those “word of the day” emails.

    Palin had a similar nugget in her GOP convention speech. I don’t recall anything more than it being so obvious, because the level of detail simply didn’t fit with the rest of the speech. It’s not designed to appeal to people with critical thinking skills.

    This is all fun and games folks, but the people backing this ticket at the moment are:
    1) not paying attention or just plain ignorant
    2) paying attention, but don’t like the black dude
    3) make more than $250k/year, and fight tooth and nail to keep every penny.

    We’re not going to convince these folks to switch sides because the GOP VP’s in way over her head.

  64. 64.

    slip

    How come none of you watched the evening broadcast of ABC News?

    She looked pretty foolish. Charlie did nail her but good on the Bush Doctrine question. It was obvious she had no idea what he was talking about. On the question of Israel attacking Iran she repeated Uncle Joe’s talking point 3 times. It didn’t make her look stubborn or adamant, it made her look robotic. I think Biden just let a out a sigh of relief.

  65. 65.

    Martin

    Hey Rick James, would that plan be like the one that St. McCain has to capture Bin Laden but won’t tell anyone about it until he’s elected president?

    I’ve never understood how that doesn’t meet the definition of concealing a criminal.

    If McCain knows where OBL is and how to capture him, and is withholding that information while working for the federal government, wouldn’t that be a felony?

  68. 68.

    t jasper parnell

    Chuck Norris won the cold war with a series of roundhouse kicks.

    Just like a liberal, didn’t you know that Ronald Reagan was Chuck Norris? Except when Chuck Norris, when he was Braddock, is or was John McCain. Or when cross-dressing Chuck Norris is or would like to be Sarah Palin. Or when all of them are Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, and Lea Thompson in the unrated version.

  69. 69.

    Martin

    Let’s play the substitution game!

    GIBSON: What if Israel decided it felt threatened and needed to take out the Iranian British nuclear facilities?

    PALIN: Well, first, we are friends with Israel and I don’t think that we should second guess the measures that Israel has to take to defend themselves and for their security.

    GIBSON: So if we wouldn’t second guess it and they decided they needed to do it because Iran Britain was an existential threat, we would cooperative or agree with that.

    PALIN: I don’t think we can second guess what Israel has to do to secure its nation.

    GIBSON: So if it felt necessary, if it felt the need to defend itself by taking out Iranian British nuclear facilities, that would be all right.

    PALIN: We cannot second guess the steps that Israel has to take to defend itself.

    Who wants to play next?

  70. 70.

    Chris Andersen

    Important Talking Point: We should not go after Palin as if she was advocating for war with Russia because she clearly was not. She was making an academic point that the NATO treaty would require us to go to war if Georgia were admitted to NATO and Russia were to invade again. That is correct, on the technicalities.

    But the real problem with her statement is that a country’s leaders should never casually throw around words like “war” when talking about foreign relations. Especially not war with a nation that has the firepower to wipe America off the map. That just aggravates and already tense situation.

    Her statement demonstrates an undergrad understanding of the NATO treaty. But it exposes a naive understanding of the power of words in diplomacy.

    And THAT is why she is a poor choice for VP.

  71. 71.

    JL

    I would have liked Gibson to ask her about Saddam, so she could say he was a bad man. Follow up might be why and how did he threaten the United States.

  72. 72.

    Jake

    It will be entertaining to see which of the conservative pundits throw up all over their blogs tomorrow morning over this one. Ramesh has surely crapped himself by now.

    Then there are the disingenuous Palin cheerleaders who know better but will continue to twist themselves into intellectual knots, suggesting either that she’s clearly a quick study or that it doesn’t really matter that she doesn’t know anything.

    Good times.

  73. 73.

    t jasper parnell

    Ha, take that liberals, George Bush, the liberal bastard commie, made the mistake of looking into Putin’s eyes to see his soul, Sarah “cross-dressing Chuck Norris” has seen Russia:

    GIBSON: What insight into Russian actions, particularly in the last couple of weeks, does the proximity of the state give you?

    PALIN: They’re our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.

  76. 76.

    DougJ

    Off topic, this is just weird: John McCain partying with Anne Hathaway’s conman boyfriend:

    The photograph substantiates reports that in late August, 2006, McCain celebrated his 70th birthday aboard a yacht, the Celine Ashley, rented by A-list con man Raffaello Follieri and his then-movie star girlfriend Anne Hathaway. In the current edition of Vanity Fair, Michael Schnayerson reported that Follieri rented the Celine Ashley for the month of August 2006. Montenegro’s leading daily newspaper, Vijesti, earlier reported that during McCain’s visit in 2006 he celebrated with birthday cocktails and sweets aboard the Celine Ashley yacht. In the photograph, taken in Montenegro at the end of August, McCain is shown boarding the yacht ramp towards the smiling Follieri and Hathaway. Just ahead of McCain and shaking hands with Follieri appears to be Rick Davis–McCain’s top aide and now co-manager of his campaign, who accompanied him on the trip and advised the government of Montenegro. A few months after McCain’s yacht party, Follieri strengthened his ties to McCain’s orbit by retaining Rick Davis’s well-connected Washington lobbying firm, Davis Manafort, and offering Davis both an investment deal and help in securing the Catholic vote for McCain’s presidential bid.

    Follieri, who posed as Vatican chief financial officer in order to win friends and investments, pleaded guilty Wednesday in a Manhattan district court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, eight counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. As part of the plea, Follieri admitted to misappropriating at least $2.4 million of investor money and redirecting it to foreign personal bank accounts that were disguised as business accounts.

  77. 77.

    Chris Andersen

    NotMyFault: “The real issue is that NO SANE LEADER would answer that kind of hypothetical, and yes, even talking about it publicly has ramifications.”

    Bingo! “Never answer a hypothetical” should be the first lesson branded into the forehead of political leaders.

  79. 79.

    Xenos

    If McCain knows where OBL is and how to capture him, and is withholding that information while working for the federal government, wouldn’t that be a felony?

    Nahh. Just your typical Secret Plan to End the War. If the American people fall for that one again, I will open up a subprime mortgage brokerage – they are stupid enough to fall for anything.

  81. 81.

    Notorious P.A.T.

    PALIN: We cannot second guess the steps that Israel has to take to defend itself.

    We can’t second guess something. . . that hasn’t fucking happened yet?

  82. 82.

    The Thinking Man's Mel Torme

    How come none of you watched the evening broadcast of ABC News?

    Oh I did. I downed about half a bottle of Brioschki in expectation of a revolting softball set-piece. Then Charlie Gibson brought the pain. She was a total trainwreck. We’re going to “Cheney” Pootie-Poot’s commie tsarist @ss and subjugate our foreign policy to Israel. He asked her three times about Israel, trying to get a yes-or-no answer about whether or not we would support an Israeli attack on Iran. She did the usualy duck-and-weave, run-out-the-clock. C.G. even said “I was lost in an avalanche of words.”

    Now, I know his hard-hit-ed-ness is going to stoke the base with more narrative for the press is being mean, but I think she was awful enough that she might give some of the less fervent the howling fantods.

    I’m now drinking my way through my Belgian ale inventory. Hic!

    Now, Gibson was forceful enough

  83. 83.

    KevinA

    I watched the damn thing tonight. Wow, what an atrocity. Incoherent neo-con babble.

    Uhhhh, Governor, yes, energy policy IS important to foreign policy, but so are policies like, ummm, diplomacy, war, peace, and occupation, and overall worldview.

    Sorry if that’s too much for you right now.

  84. 84.

    Notorious P.A.T.

    How come none of you watched the evening broadcast of ABC News?

    What was their top story? Lipstick on a pig? Sarah Palin’s triumphant return to Alaska? When Barack Obama was 8 years old, he met a man who was convicted of a crime?

  87. 87.

    DougJ

    The old geezer thought that he was going aboard the USS Missouri to accept the surrender of Al-Qaeda.

    Actually, based on the picture, it looks like he thought he was meeting Zach Braff of “Scrubs.”

  88. 88.

    Scott Alloway

    Palin is clueless. Worse, she is batshit insane. Contemplating reasons for a war with Russia? To rephrase Barry M., “The American World, it is implodin’…”

  89. 89.

    Eric

    I take back all of the nasty things I’ve said in the past week about Charlie Gibson.

    And really, WTF? How can she not know what the Bush Doctrine is? We’ve been talking about it damn near daily for 6 years! Jesus, doesn’t she read the fucking paper?

  90. 90.

    4tehlulz

    Then Charlie Gibson brought the pain.

    I have nothing to add; I just wanted everyone to marvel at this sentence.

  91. 91.

    colleeniem

    And, Charlie, you’re in Alaska. We have that very narrow maritime border between the United States, and the 49th state, Alaska, and Russia. They are our next door neighbors.We need to have a good relationship with them. They’re very, very important to us and they are our next door neighbor.

    GIBSON: What insight into Russian actions, particularly in the last couple of weeks, does the proximity of the state give you?

    PALIN: They’re our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.

    GIBSON: What insight does that give you into what they’re doing in Georgia?

    PALIN: Well, I’m giving you that perspective of how small our world is and how important it is that we work with our allies to keep good relation with all of these countries, especially Russia. We will not repeat a Cold War. We must have good relationship with our allies, pressuring, also, helping us to remind Russia that it’s in their benefit, also, a mutually beneficial relationship for us all to be getting along.

    I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again.
    Holy fuck.

  92. 92.

    Shygetz

    Chris Andersen Says: Important Talking Point: We should not go after Palin as if she was advocating for war with Russia because she clearly was not. She was making an academic point that the NATO treaty would require us to go to war if Georgia were admitted to NATO and Russia were to invade again. That is correct, on the technicalities.

    I’d buy that if and only if it had been followed by “But no one would be stupid enough to admit a country currently in a violent border dispute with Russia into NATO. Certainly not me!”

    Unfortunately, it was preceded with “I happen to be stupid enough to admit a country currently in a violent border dispute with Russia into NATO. Bring on the Ruskies!” So yes, she was advocating war against Russia, either Cold or Hot depending on the Russian response to Georgia joining NATO.

  93. 93.

    JL

    We are SCREWED!!! My statement does not mean that I won’t continue the good fight but listening to McCain’s bullshit, t is discouraging. We all have to fight IMO and we have to fight hard.

  94. 94.

    Steve S.

    Just saw the interview here on the west coast. Yes, she was comically inept. However, there was nothing that will disqualify her amongst the base, and as to how the independent fence-sitters will react I can’t begin to guess. One thing this performance will do, I think, is raise huge red flags with the foreign policy elite in both parties. Some years down the road we will find out what exactly they are currently saying to one another, but I’m guessing it will be a hashing out of strategy on how to keep this imbecile away from any genuine levers of power. It’s a complex problem for them, because she is desperately needed as an electoral prop on the Republican side, but it can’t even be contemplated that she be given any real responsibility in a McCain administration. If McCain wins it will be interesting to see just how she is finessed out of the picture.

  95. 95.

    Notorious P.A.T.

    Just think of how embarrassing it would be if they had sheltered Palin from the media for over a week to get her ready for this, and cherry-picked an interviewer they thought would be easygoing and deferential! ! !

  96. 96.

    BFR

    Then Charlie Gibson brought the pain. lobbed softballs in her direction and watched, utterly flabbergasted, while she whiffed on all of them.

    At the conclusion of the Pakistan segment, I was waiting for him to say “I award you no points, and may god have mercy on your soul.”

  97. 97.

    Brian J

    Jesus, doesn’t she read the fucking paper?

    That’s an elitist thing to do. Newspapers, books, reading? Fag stuff, as Bill Maher says.

  98. 98.

    Ted

    I watched the damn thing tonight. Wow, what an atrocity. Incoherent neo-con babble.

    Unfortunately, that never did anything bad for Bush’s electoral prospects, and he was on the TOP of the ticket.

  99. 99.

    BFR

    However, there was nothing that will disqualify her amongst the base, and as to how the independent fence-sitters will react I can’t begin to guess.

    I don’t think anything is going to move the base but as far as the independents go, I don’t know – jeez, she’s a walking, talking Daisy commercial. Some of them have to see this and start worrying.

  100. 100.

    Stuck in the Fun House

    I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again.
    Holy fuck.

    Shorter Palin — yea yea, Russia Smussia, we don’t need no Godless Bolsheviks no how. They fuck with us, we’ll blow em to hell and back. That’s the Lords will. You can print that Charlie. Your in Alaska you know.

  101. 101.

    Kali's Little Sister

    Fuck.

    So you’re telling me being a plucky gal with a nice smile and a fine pair of gams isn’t going to guarantee my spot at the top of the world?

    Fuck, fuck, fuck. The braces, the pilates, the hours and hours of reading my big sister’s Nancy Drew set is all for naught?

  102. 102.

    Ted

    TBogg did his usual comedy when predicting the Palin debate with Biden by posting that video of the beauty pageant winner asked about Americans not being able to locate Iraq on a map.

    I thought it was exaggerative comedy, but I guess it wasn’t too far off the mark.

  103. 103.

    Incertus

    I don’t think anything is going to move the base but as far as the independents go, I don’t know – jeez, she’s a walking, talking Daisy commercial. Some of them have to see this and start worrying.

    The real question is, are these truly independent voters, or are they low-information voters who are more interested in who America’s Next Top Model will be and can’t be bothered to pay attention yet? I suspect there are relatively few of the former left.

  105. 105.

    PeakVT

    One thing this performance will do, I think, is raise huge red flags with the foreign policy elite in both parties.

    Yeah, well, pro-Israel cranks in both parties just creamed their jeans. So the universe is still in balance, I guess…

  106. 106.

    Louise

    She scares the shit outta me.

    She didn’t hesitate for a second when asked to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency. You know why? Because she believes she’s called by God for this task. I can hear it in her voice and see it in her eyes. It’s George W. Damn Bush all over again.

    We’re so fucked.

  107. 107.

    Laura W

    OH HAI! There you all are.
    I know it doesn’t even begin to keep pace with Palin annihilating Russia, but in his first few minutes on the service forum Obama mentioned the vast # of volunteer firefighters in this country, protecting communities in which they are the only protectors.

    I know that is a very elitist point to bring up, but having lived in many of those communities (and having dated a few of those volunteers in my youth…wink wink nod nod…) I thought it was a very “nuanced” point to make.
    I wish he would STOP saying “John McInsane is right. John McI has a good point. John McI. and I do not differ on that.”
    I hope to shit this man knows what the hell he is doing.

  108. 108.

    Davis X. Machina

    . If McCain wins it will be interesting to see just how she is finessed out of the picture.

    Murphy’s Law virtually guarantees that McCain will do the William Henry Harrison shuffle.

    Tippecanoe and Barbie too!

  109. 109.

    Martin

    She was making an academic point that the NATO treaty would require us to go to war if Georgia were admitted to NATO and Russia were to invade again. That is correct, on the technicalities.

    Actually, it isn’t.

    NATO does not provide for an immediate and irreversible declaration of war. Just because a NATO nation is attacked doesn’t force NATO to declare war. They can levy economic sanctions, they can put forces up to prevent the further advance of the aggressor, they can call for an arms embargo, and all manner of other things. What NATO ensures is that if NATO decides to do any of these things including declaring war, that all member of NATO will jump on.

    So attacking Georgia means that whatever NATO decides will be enforced by pretty much all of Europe and North America. That alone is a damn big stick, but war is not a requirement of NATO action (it’s a leading threat, however). Now, if Russia attacked a *nuclear* NATO nation, it’d be damn hard to step back from a war declaration, and if Russia launched a nuclear attack against, well, anyone in or out of NATO, it’d also be damn hard to step back, but I cannot imagine that a Russian attack against a NATO member Georgia would result in NATO declaring what would almost certainly turn into a global nuclear war. There’s simply no way that any European nation would sign onto that. I can see a return of the cold war happening from such an act, but not a war.

    That’s simply a ludicrous position to suggest – hypothetical or not.

  110. 110.

    Incertus

    Laura,
    I keep thinking that he’s trying the whole Marc Antony “but Brutus is an honorable man” bit, but then I remember that Americans don’t really dig Shakespeare.

    Still, I do think he’s got it. He has to walk a careful line, because if he ever comes off as the angry black man, he’s done. And I think that’s part of the McCain strategy right now with these bullshit ads.

  111. 111.

    Davis X. Machina

    I hope to shit this man knows what the hell he is doing.

    He took the nomination away from the odds-on favorite, in the teeth of a huge recognition deficit, most of the party regulars, media presumption, and a popular ex-President.

    He may not be perfect, but I think we’ve got to at least consider he knows what he’s doing.

  112. 112.

    KT

    Kali’s Little Sister Says: Fuck, fuck, fuck. The braces, the pilates, the hours and hours of reading my big sister’s Nancy Drew set is all for naught?

    It’s not too late. Start reading the bible, go on a few moose hunts and you’re in like Flynn!

  113. 113.

    lampwick

    There are approximately 100 million women in America better qualified to be President than Sarah Palin.

    At least 100 million.

  115. 115.

    Brian J

    It’s a complex problem for them, because she is desperately needed as an electoral prop on the Republican side, but it can’t even be contemplated that she be given any real responsibility in a McCain administration.

    If there are Republicans who think that she needs to be ushered out of the room when decisions are made, then they have to have some urge to speak up. I’m thinking of Lugar, Powell, and Hagel, among others. Some of these guys probably carry particular electoral weight. Imagine what an endorsement from Lugar would do in Indiana. And perhaps Powell could help him in the military-heavy areas of Virginia. You get the idea. If people are as nervous about her as you suggest, this news must be on the minds of Obama’s advisers. I hope they act accordingly and work to make this hypothetical support for Obama public.

  116. 116.

    t jasper parnell

    Nato Treaty 1949

    Article 5

    The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

  118. 118.

    JL

    We are SCREWED My statement does not mean that I won’t continue the good fight but listening to McCain’s bullshit, it is discouraging. We all have to fight IMO and we have to fight hard.

    We have not MSM to report the facts but we can. Hey, I live in the south and I am willing to call a lie a lie.

  119. 119.

    Darkrose

    I keep thinking that he’s trying the whole Marc Antony “but Brutus is an honorable man” bit, but then I remember that Americans don’t really dig Shakespeare.

    Elitist!

    Still, I do think he’s got it. He has to walk a careful line, because if he ever comes off as the angry black man, he’s done. And I think that’s part of the McCain strategy right now with these bullshit ads.

    Yes, exactly. All of the people saying, “He needs to attack!” and “He needs to show more emotion!” are apparently forgetting that Obama is, in fact, still black, and if there’s anything that scares the racists, it’s the idea that a black man in the Oval Office will be looking for payback.

    I’m also betting that Obama’s playing it cool so that he’ll look even better in contrast to McPOW during the debates. I really think we should have a betting pool on when in the next 54 days McPOW will lose it and drop the n-bomb.

  120. 120.

    jrg

    Fuck, fuck, fuck. The braces, the pilates, the hours and hours of reading my big sister’s Nancy Drew set is all for naught?

    Well, hotness is important, but it’s not the only thing. Is Jesus Christ your lord and savior? Do you have kids? Do they play Hockey? Can you name the president of Russia? If so, you might be in.

    This is just like a cute Disney movie (thanks Damon!) – we’ll elect the smoking hot Hockey Mom, and go on an intense personal journey as a country, discover just how fun and wacky theocracy can be, and learn that a bankrupt government does not matter when we all have consistent, federally mandated family values.

    It’ll be just like when Jack Black learned that it’s wrong to make fun of fat people, only this time it will be Americans who will learn that it’s wrong to read certain books. I can’t wait.

  121. 121.

    Jake

    I’d like to nominate

    You can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska.

    as a new Balloon-Juice tag. That was awesome.

  122. 122.

    Steve S.

    as far as the independents go, I don’t know – jeez, she’s a walking, talking Daisy commercial. Some of them have to see this and start worrying.

    Maybe, but we must try to disengage out own interpretations of things when looking at the broader picture. Like everyone else with functioning brain cells I saw the convention speeches of Giuliani and Palin as hysterical and offensive, but they produced a “bounce” anyway. It’s possible that people will see this interview and find her as “genuine” and trying her darnedest, doggone it.

  123. 123.

    Scrutinizer

    @Laura W

    I wish he would STOP saying “John McInsane is right. John McI has a good point. John McI. and I do not differ on that.”

    Obama and Biden will not stop doing that. Obama’s message has always been one of finding consensus and building bipartisan solutions to problems. Like it or not, it’s as much a part of his style to acknowledge areas of agreement as it is to state where he has differences. Ultimately he wants to build coalitions, not deliver righteous smackdowns.

    That’s annoying to people who want to see the Repubs get their own crap rubbed in their faces, but its a feature, not a bug.

  124. 124.

    Laura W

    He may not be perfect, but I think we’ve got to at least consider he knows what he’s doing.

    I know he does.
    I know he does.
    I know he does.
    I know he does.

    OK, while I’m waiting for WordPress to reject me for the 1,009th time today, I’ll continue…
    How come I have never seen Obama in a dress shirt that is not white? I have never seen him in a pastel blue, pink, purple, green, or even a stripe, for Bast’s sake.
    Is this because to wear a sissy color would portray him as an elitist pussy wimp priss?
    What a razor thin line this guy has to walk. Can’t be too “cosmopolitan” (the new word for “elitist”), and can’t be too powerful and assertive, thus the scary, primal, out-of-control, uppity, child predator, Negro, “Other”.

    So what have those of you who have been looking into Canadian citizenship discovered? Can we do it quickly and without too much pain?

    SUBMIT COMMENT and WAIT…………………………….

  125. 125.

    t jasper parnell

    Just so you know

    What does Article 5 mean?

    Article 5 is at the basis of a fundamental principle of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. It provides that if a NATO Ally is the victim of an armed attack, each and every other member of the Alliance will consider this act of violence as an armed attack against all members and will take the actions it deems necessary to assist the Ally attacked.

    This is the principle of collective defence.

  126. 126.

    Steve S.

    If people are as nervous about her as you suggest, this news must be on the minds of Obama’s advisers. I hope they act accordingly and work to make this hypothetical support for Obama public.

    What I was trying to suggest is that elites who also happen to be loyal Republicans will still support the ticket, but behind the scenes will be working to make sure that she doesn’t come within a time zone of genuine power.

  127. 127.

    t jasper parnell

    HOw many times did she say don’t blink? Is this the new motto? Non-blinking POW and Hockey Mom are very nearly ready from day 6 months from whenever. It sings the body electric.

  128. 128.

    zuzu's petals

    slip Says:

    Did you see the excerpt on ABC? Good old Charlie actually nailed her to the wall. “What is your view of the Bush Doctrine?” She went blank.

    Pretty clear that Charlie Gibson knows more about foreign policy than Sarah Palin.

  130. 130.

    Laura W

    Like it or not, it’s as much a part of his style to acknowledge areas of agreement as it is to state where he has differences. Ultimately he wants to build coalitions, not deliver righteous smackdowns.

    I know it is; I know he does.
    I know it is; I know he does.
    I know it is; I know he does.

    ooops, for the first time my previous comment (which has been hung up in WP hell for a long time now) is awaiting moderation. Is the “p” word forbidden here? I did not think any word was forbidden here.
    Thanks to all for talking me down tonight.
    You’re swell.
    I mean that.

  131. 131.

    lethargytartare

    I wish he would STOP saying “John McInsane is right. John McI has a good point. John McI. and I do not differ on that.”
    I hope to shit this man knows what the hell he is doing.

    he does.

  132. 132.

    donnah

    What I’d like to see now is an interview with Charlie Gibson to hear what his first-hand opinions are about Palin. I’d love to have been a fly on the wall when that interview was over and Charlie went off to discuss the interview with his co-workers.

  133. 133.

    Scrutinizer

    Oh, my. I just saw the Palin clip on the Bush Doctrine over on the GOS. She’s far worse than the transcript suggests.

  134. 134.

    Tsulagi

    That was pretty awesome. Wikipedia FTW! I can’t wait for her to answer a question about Iraq:

    She did…

    GIBSON: You said recently, in your old church, “Our national leaders are sending U.S. soldiers on a task that is from God.” Are we fighting a holy war?

    PALIN: You know, I don’t know if that was my exact quote.

    GIBSON: Exact words.

    Yeah, that’s what we need, McCain six feet under then a President Palin channeling God using the military to implement His tasks on Earth. Holy fuck. What could possibly go wrong?

    Read the interview. Obviously she had no clue what the Bush Doctrine is. Probably okay as Bush doesn’t either. Demonstrated a Republican pre-school level of knowledge of the Cold War; No one did anything until Ronnie showed up.

    However, without seeing the video and how well she composed herself and her lines, she did pretty well. From a sales standpoint. Sizzle being important, not the steak. The Base, God’s currently chosen people, will eat it up.

  135. 135.

    t jasper parnell

    Charlie went off to discuss the interview with his co-workers.

    I think you meant get undergraduate drunk with his equally depressed co-workers. But that’s just me.

  137. 137.

    Brian J

    What I was trying to suggest is that elites who also happen to be loyal Republicans will still support the ticket, but behind the scenes will be working to make sure that she doesn’t come within a time zone of genuine power.

    I got that, but I suggested that if people are that nervous, then there must be some who would come out and do the obvious: not let them get into power, as opposed to merely trying to pull it away from them time and time again.

  138. 138.

    zuzu's petals

    Scott Alloway Says:

    Palin is clueless. Worse, she is batshit insane. Contemplating reasons for a war with Russia? To rephrase Barry M., “The American World, it is implodin’…”

    Give her a break. She obviously got her index cards mixed up.

  139. 139.

    Krista

    You can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska.

    And when I look out my window I can see the moon. Doesn’t make me a fucking astronaut now, does it?

  140. 140.

    The Other Steve

    LOL! I’m still amazed that this is their VP nominee.

    Maybe they’re planning on her quitting shortly after the election if they win?

  141. 141.

    Darkrose

    And when I look out my window I can see the moon. Doesn’t make me a fucking astronaut now, does it?

    Krista, where would you like your internets delivered?

  142. 142.

    tBone

    And, Charlie, you’re in Alaska. We have that very narrow maritime border between the United States, and the 49th state, Alaska, and Russia.

    Hi, I’m Sarah Palin, formerly Sarah Heath, and I’m running for the Vice-Presidency of the United States of America, also known as the USA, the US or simply America. My qualifications include being able to see Russia – formerly known as the Soviet Union – from my backyard, and a propensity for injecting oddly specific yet completely irrelevant modifiers to my speech in order to make myself sound smarter.

  143. 143.

    t jasper parnell

    And when I look out my window I can see the moon. Doesn’t make me a fucking astronaut now, does it?

    Actually for the contemporary Republican Party it does. Astronaut means something like star sailor and sailors travel so to see the moon, which while it is not a star is where the men with the right stuff went, is a kind of traveling even if it is only an imaginative travel. You see in your mind you went to the moon and in here mind when Palin didn’t go to the island but thought about traveled in her mind to a place near Russia and then in her mind went to Russia and wrestled Putin to the ground and made him cry Uncle Joe after which, she imagines, he returned Georgia to the neo-Stalinist running it. QED

  146. 146.

    dr. bloor

    Murphy’s Law virtually guarantees that McCain will do the William Henry Harrison shuffle.

    Tippecanoe and Barbie too!

    I’m thinking Kevin Kline and a reeeeally good makeup artist might be our only chance.

  147. 147.

    rawshark

    She sounds like a talk radio caller.
    We’re fucked. They’re going to win. All the bad movies are going to happen.

  149. 149.

    Steve S.

    I got that, but I suggested that if people are that nervous, then there must be some who would come out and do the obvious: not let them get into power, as opposed to merely trying to pull it away from them time and time again.

    I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. Colin Powell coming out for Obama has been rumored for a while, if he actually did it that might be a clue as to what they’re thinking.

  151. 151.

    t jasper parnell

    Uh oh, they’re Freep’ing the PBS Palin poll.

    And like all things freep and Republican they are doing Brownylike work

    Do you think Sarah Palin is qualified to serve as Vice President of the United States?

    Yes 33%
    No 66%
    Not Sure 0%

    Total Votes: 161081

  152. 152.

    S.G.E.W.

    . . . did she jump the shark?

    The shark has long been jumped, and is now rotting, unobserved, on the beach.

  153. 153.

    tBone

    So tell me, did she jump the shark?

    She was absolutely awful in the clips I saw, and clearly way, way out of her depth.

    Which will make the fucking idiots in her fan club like her even more, no doubt. Anyone with a brainstem would have to be somewhat taken aback at the thought of her having her finger on the button after seeing that, though.

    I can’t even imagine what she must have been like before the weeklong cram session.

  154. 154.

    Stuck in the Fun House

    ooops, for the first time my previous comment (which has been hung up in WP hell for a long time now) is awaiting moderation. Is the “p” word forbidden here? I did not think any word was forbidden here.

    The Hold for moderation thing is from getting caught in spam filter, I suspect. I guess certain words get the comment sucked into it.. There are a few words that connotate sexist that are very much discouraged and sometimes deleted. Cole doesn’t want that moniker hung around his neck, and I don’t blame him. Besides, I think he hearts Jeralyn over at Talkleft and wants to stay on her good side.

  155. 155.

    Shygetz

    The real question is, are these truly independent voters, or are they low-information voters who are more interested in who America’s Next Top Model will be and can’t be bothered to pay attention yet? I suspect there are relatively few of the former left.

    I thought that too, until I found out a very good friend of mine (who is by no means low-information) is undecided. He agrees with Obama on most of the issues, but he has never before supported a Democratic candidate and is still hesitant to do so. I would guess that he is not the only one in this position.

  156. 156.

    Conservatively Liberal

    “Palin’s Foreign Policy Creds”

    None. She was a total FAIL. She seemed anxious in that her responses were quick yet it was clear that she was parroting what she was told, including the usual fall-back lines when nothing else is working for her.

    It was like she was repeating five sentences fifty times, each time trying to use a different word order in each sentence. It came across as repetition of keywords that are supposed to rev up the base.

    The Bush Doctrine question was a massively EPIC FAIL. She had absolutely no idea what it was about and she flailed around for an answer that would fill the gap, even trying to put it back on Gibson to clarify what he meant.

    The repeated answer regarding our backing Israel taking action, not “second guessing” them, was really weak and exposed her lack of any nuance or depth in the subject.

    She does not weigh what her response is, she just fires away as if an immediate response will show what a leader she is. If Palin’s handlers don’t get a handle on that problem, she is going to quite entertaining during the veep debate.

    Entertaining if you like political slaughter. :)

    Total FAIL. But the perfect candidate want to start wars around the world. The keyboard commandos have to be playing this over and over furiously fwopping away to bust a nut.

  157. 157.

    zuzu's petals

    Maggie Says:

    Please, please, please someone post that on YouTube.

    No video, but transcript:

    GIBSON: Do you agree with the Bush doctrine?

    PALIN: In what respect, Charlie?

    GIBSON: The Bush—well, what do you—what do you interpret it to be?

    PALIN: His world view.

    GIBSON: No, the Bush doctrine, enunciated September 2002, before the Iraq war.

    PALIN: I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hell bent on destroying our nation. There have been blunders along the way, though. There have been mistakes made. And with new leadership, and that’s the beauty of American elections, of course, and democracy, is with new leadership comes opportunity to do things better. . . .

    But you have to actually SEE the little finger snap and wink after “and that’s the beauty of American elections, of course, and democracy.”

    Just adorable !

  158. 158.

    Texas Dem

    Holy shit! Charlie Gibson actually asked some tough questions, and there was follow up! What planet am I living on?? Maybe I’ll wake up and find myself in an episode of the Twilight Zone. I’ll wake up on a gourney and find myself surrounded by people with pig faces.

  161. 161.

    jake

    I don’t know what would be worse.

    That Joe LIEberman actually did tutor her on FP issues or she’s blurting this crap out on her own.

    There have been blunders along the way, though. There have been mistakes made.

    Sprinkled about by the magickal Blunders and Mistakes Faeries.

    And with new leadership, and that’s the beauty of American elections, of course, and democracy, is with new leadership comes opportunity to do things better.

    Hurrah! Even more fuck ups at twice the speed as the old administration!

    Is it me or is she rather inarticulate?

  162. 162.

    dadanarchist

    “So tell me, did she jump the shark?”

    Yeah, but then she swung back round, shot it, and brought it in so that she can get $3 billion to have its DNA sequenced.

  164. 164.

    TenguPhule

    “We won the cold war”… Are you sure about that? Currently, Russia looks far stronger than the U.S. One could, possibly, argue that Russia is winning the cold war now.

    In Mother Russia, Lipstick wears the pig.

  165. 165.

    Kerry Reid

    I have been trying to explain to people for years why I see no functional difference between willful ignorance and overt evil.

    Palin makes the case for me.

    Sadly, I also suspect that anyone who hasn’t been able to make up their minds yet this year doesn’t have much of a mind to make up, so they will go with Dumb and Dumberer because it will make them “feel better” about their own underachieving lives. Because elections are all about emotional identification, catharsis, and indulging your pwecious fee-fees (See under: PUMAS and other disgruntled Hillaryites). Not, you know, putting the brakes on the Giant Engine O’ Doom unleashed by the last eight years of disastrous GOP policies.

  167. 167.

    WTF

    It always pisses me off when Reagan is given credit for ending the cold war – I didn’t have a lot of love for Bush the elder, but jesus christ, give the man some credit for some pretty intricate diplomacy in the final days of the USSR – they dissolved in 1991 you ignorant kook.

  169. 169.

    LabDancer

    SpotWeld at 5:31 pm USDSORST* re: Bollocks, Blackadder Goes Forth, and This is The End

    Or…IS it?

    That roar of snow mo-biling pack –
    Good folk, guard close your Constitution.
    Beware the deadly stupid yack,
    Per chance you lose your institution.

    Black Sarah, Black Sarah. She flies a pitch black plane.
    Black Sarah, Black Sarah. She running with McCain.

    Black. Her gloves of finest moose.
    Black. The shade of her life vision.
    Her family planning quite obtuse-
    Her lipstick blacker than derision.

    Black Sarah, Black Sarah. With many a cunning plan.
    Black Sarah, Black Sarah. You horrible wo-man.

    So soon the wage of sin repaid,
    Both sneakered feet caught in her mouth trap;
    The only sound across the glade
    Is Sarah’s lying through her big yap.

    Black Sarah, Black Sarah. A shame about the plan.
    Black Sarah, Black Sarah. You horrible wo-man!

  170. 170.

    Bedlam UK

    Uelen (Russian: Уэ́лен) is a village (selo) just south of the Arctic Circle in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug in the Russian Far East. Located near Cape Dezhnev where the Bering Sea meets the Chukchi Sea, it is the easternmost settlement in Russia and the whole Eurasia. Uelen is also the closest Russian settlement to the United States.

    Uelen has a population of about 500 (2002)

    The village, famous for its walrus ivory carvings, also serves as a base for archaeological expeditions to the area, which have uncovered a burial ground containing more than 300 burials of Early Whale Hunter cultures, covering a time span from 500 BCE to 1000 CE.

    Uelen is where Dimitri Kieffer and Karl Bushby entered Russia during their Goliath Expedition after crossing the Bering Strait. The two were then arrested for visa violations.

    The writer Yuri Rytkheu was born in Uelen.

    God loves Wikipedia

    I know its too much to ask, but I would have died laughing if Gibson had asked when Palin had given her credentials as the embarrassing’ I live across the baring strait’ bit,
    “Ah, so as an expert on history and politics based on visual sightings of land masses, please give me your opinion on Uelen.”

  171. 171.

    CMcC

    “We cannot repeat the Cold War. We are thankful that, under Reagan, we won the Cold War, without a shot fired, also.”

    OMFG. She forgot about our heroic invasion of Grenada.

  172. 172.

    LanceThruster

    Krista Says:

    And when I look out my window I can see the moon. Doesn’t make me a fucking astronaut now, does it?

    It would if you lived in Denver because you’d be closer to it.

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  3. Peter, I can see your house from up here.

    Lifted from John Cole: Sarah Palin:Pressed about what insights into recent Russian actions she gained by living in Alaska, Palin answered: “They’re our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island…