I was quit puzzled by the revelation that Sarah Palin only obtained a passport last year in order to visit the Alaskan troops in Kuwait and Germany! in other words, she never visited any other country outside the US at all for 43 years of her life! I have visited, lived and worked in 43 countries, a country for each year of her life, and yet I still feel awfully ignorant about this world!

I hope you will indulge me here, but for someone who is only a heartbeat away from the most important job in the world, was it wise of McCain to choose someone with almost no exposure to the world and its rather complex politics and conflicts that are deeply rooted in history and religion?


For me it is a frightening prospect!

I'm sure you've heard the whole "She's lived next to Canada and Russia!" schtick, as have I.

And that's it, period.

She's got nothing of any substance that's be shown, as far as I can see, and if she actually did, it would have already been announced with great fanfare.

It doesn't make me surprised that the campaign is keep her cloistered away from the press.

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All things serve The Beam

I'm surprised your still repeating this claim.

It took all of 5 seconds to locate an interview with a major news organization on Google:

Transcript: TIME's interview with Sarah Palin -- Printout -- TIME

Matt

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De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

Yes, but it's controlled, as they themselves specifically and cynically stated. To whit:

Yesterday, McCain adviser Nicolle Wallace dismissed the fact that Gov. Sarah Palin has yet to take any questions from the press. “So what?” she scoffed. Today on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, campaign strategist Rick Davis suggested Palin might never sit down for an interview if, he said, it’s “in our best interest” to keep her away from the media:

SCARBOROUGH: Yesterday Nicolle Wallace suggested that she was sitting right there and told Jay Carney of Time magazine ‘Sarah Palin doesn’t have to talk to you, she doesn’t’ have to talk to the press.’ … Can we expect Sarah Palin on Meet the Press and other one on one interviews throughout the course of this campaign?

DAVIS: We’re going to do whatever we think is the best to win. We have 60 days left and if we think it’s a good idea to go out there and do those shows, we’ll do them.

SCARBOROUGH: Can you avoid it? Meet the Press?

DAVIS: We can afford anything we want to do. … We’re going to do what we think is in our best interest. If that means access to the press, we’ll give it to you.

Think Progress » McCain Campaign Plans To Keep Palin Away From The Press

The fear from that campaign is palpable and, IMO, justifiable, given the upcoming scandals she'll have to confront.

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All things serve The Beam

I would settle for knowing what her foreign policy would be. Other than talking about doing God's work in Iraq, I haven't heard much.

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"Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world, and behold I guard it until it is ablaze."
Gospel of Thomas

Yeah, I agree. I think the media would leave her alone if she just came out and did a few televised interviews and gave some opinions and outlined the McCain/Palin platform.

And Obama experience is.......

oh that right, he has gave a speech in Germany before a free rock concert......

Kind of hard when the biggest women forum for talk shows on TV refuses to have her on because of her political party and not just because she is a woman......

That is one talk show. I'm sure the rest of the networks would die to have an interview with her--it would boost their ratings tremendously.

The topic of this thread is Palin her knowledge of the world and the press.
There are many Obama threads, if you want to discuss him please go to one of them, thank you

I appreciate your concern. Foreign experience is VITAL for an American President. Why, just since World War II we have had such experienced chief executives as Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, and George H. W. Bush. John F. Kennedy actually LIVED in England for a while, although he had no practice in dealing with governments of other nations.

Of course, we've also endured such inexperienced presidents as Lyndon B. Johnson, Jerry Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and the incumbent, George W. Bush. Maybe we can give Clinton credit for a year at Oxford and a trip to St. Petersburg (the one in Russia, not Florida). But it's a wonder that the Republic has survived with leaders who never took the "Grand Tour."

Should we petition McCain to dump her?

You'll pardon me if, consistent with the last time you cited them, I don't put much stock (read: none) in partisan blog sites like thinkprogress, the Daily Kos, WND, freerepublic, etc (of any bent, left or right).

Matt

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De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

Nope I like it here.

But why dont you take your own advise. Thank you

Why is this, pray tell?

Does mere exposure to Europe (as an example) impart some vast wisdom through osmosis?

Every president on your list traveled to many countries following their elections. The difference being they had access to the political leaders of those countries while on state visits. I suspect that would be far more useful than some tourism.

Matt

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De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

What does having a passport have to do with anything? I've had one for about 40 of my 47 years. Does that make me a "expert" on foreign policy? I've been to Australia. Does that make me a "expert" on U.S./Australian relations?

Common sense and good judgment are far more important, and she seems to have that.

Next frightening prospect please.

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Andy
Cynical Optimist