As I’ve noted before here and here, there seems to be this talking point circulating in the McCain camp that argues that Sarah Palin has foreign policy experience because of her states proximity to Russia and her supposed status as commander of the Alaska National Guard.
Witness, for example, this exchange between CNN’s Campbell Brown and the McCain Campaign’s Tucker Bounds where Bounds continually repeats the argument but fails to provide a single example of a decision that Palin made as the supposed CinC of the ANG:
And what does the General in charge of the Alaska National Guard say ?
Maj. Gen. Craig Campbell, adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard, considers Palin “extremely responsive and smart” and says she is in charge when it comes to in-state services, such as emergencies and natural disasters where the National Guard is the first responder.
But, in an interview with The Associated Press on Sunday, he said he and Palin play no role in national defense activities, even when they involve the Alaska National Guard. The entire operation is under federal control, and the governor is not briefed on situations.
That, it would seem, covers both the CinC issue and the proximity to Russia issue, there’s no there there.
What’s laughable about this line of reasoning is that, sixteen years ago Republicans were laughing at Bill Clinton when he said that he had military experience based on the fact that he “commanded” the Arkansas National Guard. It was a stupid argument then, and it’s a stupid argument now.
All this talk of Foreign Policy Experience got me to thinking. It’s been said to be an anomaly to have two senators competing for the White House, and usually governors are seen to be better suited to take on the position. Is it normal for state governors to have foreign policy experience being that they are state leaders and are ostensibly not involved in politics on the national/international level? Sorry if this is an ill informed question.
Sarah Palin has more foreign policy experience than Barack Hussein Obama. She has much better judgement than Obama.
If you are supporting the Dems, why not just say so?
James,
Republicans need to be honest about this…..
She has NO foreign policy experience
Considering that its McCain who was arguing that experience is what matters in this election, his choice of someone like her as the person who would succeed him raises questions about his judgment.
And I think it should be clear by now that I don’t like McCain, and I don’t like Obama either.
“Sarah Palin has more foreign policy experience than Barack Hussein Obama.”
Just because you say something does not make it true. I’d love to see details on her foreign policy experience James. Got sources?
I’d also like feedback on my question. Or was it really that stupid?
Foreign policy isn’t a state function so, no, I wouldn’t expect that any Governor has any real foreign policy experience.
George W. Bush didn’t have any foreign policy experience in 2000.
[...] foreign policy experience because Alaska is close to Russia” meme that Republicans just keep repeating) will be repeated, jumped on, You-Tube’ed, and played endlessly on The Daily Show and The [...]
[...] foreign policy experience because Alaska is close to Russia” meme that Republicans just keep repeating) will be repeated, jumped on, You-Tube’ed, and played endlessly on The Daily Show and The [...]
[...] Palin tries to continue to absurd meme, started here (and continued here and here) that she has foreign policy experience because Alaska is close to [...]
[...] Palin tries to continue to assert the absurd meme, started here (and continued here and here) that she has foreign policy experience because Alaska is close to [...]
[...] This isn’t the first time we’ve heard this stupid argument of course. Back in August 2008, Steve Doocy at Fox News was the first one to make the claim that Palin’s experience as Governor of Alaska somehow endowed her with foreign policy experience. Cindy McCain repeated that comment shortly thereafter, and the McCain campaign continued to push the claim even after the Commander of the Alaska National Guard that neither he nor Palin participated in miss… [...]