Katie Couric, Sarah Palin, and Alaska's proximity to Russia.

[daboese]

Franzl, if you live abroad, you also read the newspapers of the different country, you get involved in the politics, and you start to learn to think differently.
Possibly, someone who did that can agree or disagree.

[Ban my account ffs!]

If we wanna talk about governors with foreign policy experience, both Bill Richardson and Tim Pawlenty have more experience than Palin.

Pawlenty has made several trips to India and China and many other countries to promote Minnesota and set up business deals.

I think it is laughable that Palin is trying to say she has foreign policy experience.  She doesn't... and she doesn't necessarily have to right now.  She should run on the experience that she does have:  Energy and reform.

But then again it was Katie Couric who asked the question... but I still think Palin could ahve answered it a lot better.

[Franzl]

Franzl, if you live abroad, you also read the newspapers of the different country, you get involved in the politics, and you start to learn to think differently.
Possibly, someone who did that can agree or disagree.

Hey, I do live abroad, but that doesn't make me qualified to be president.

[daboese]

Hey, I do live abroad, but that doesn't make me qualified to be president.

It qualifies you to be able to negotiate with other countries much easier. And to understand where they come from. And you are talking politics here, right? IMO, you have some foreign policy/politics/culture experience. More than GW Bush had, for example.
Yes, that does not make you qualified- there is a lot more to it, obviously.

[Thomas Jackson]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

FTW

[Lunar]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

FTW

I had to Google that.

Am I getting old?

[cinyc]

Of course. But does this make her an expert on foreign policy? And how much trade is there between Yukon and Alaska, and Kamchatka and Alaska? I don't think this is a lot (especially Kamchatka has been a Russian military zone for decades and is now finally opening up).

Anything that's trucked to Alaska goes through Yukon.  Anyone who drives from Anchorage to Juneau drives through Yukon and B.C. (before getting on a boat).   Alaskan exports to Canada were $445 million in 2006.  

 Japan ($1.1 billion) and South Korea ($726 million) and China ($474 million) were bigger trading partners in 2006 - they import a lot of Alaskan seafood.  Palin has met with the consul from Japan.  Trade with South Korea is so important that South Korea recently re-opened its permanent consulate.  And Governor Palin has met with the South Korean consul in Anchorage, too.  He had glowing things to say about governor Palin after she was named veep.

[daboese]

ok, I agree, that qualifies her a bit, though I won't concede that easily and don't know by how much it quelifies her. She has been governor only for 1 3/4 years, as you know. And I don't know why she keeps riding on that Russia thingy (even the Russians here laugh about her comment, since they don't think Siberia is really Russia to them), whereas the trade with the other countries are much higher and this is obviously much more important.

[cinyc]

ok, I agree, that qualifies her a bit, though I won't concede that easily and don't know by how much it quelifies her. She has been governor only for 1 3/4 years, as you know. And I don't know why she keeps riding on that Russia thingy (even the Russians here laugh about her comment, since they don't think Siberia is really Russia to them), whereas the trade with the other countries are much higher and this is obviously much more important.

She raises the Russian thing because the media keeps asking her about it.  It's not her strongest foreign policy point. 

If I were advising the McCain campaign, I'd be playing up her ties with Canada (especially her 3 meetings with the Yukon Premier and renewed Yukon-Alaska accord - which included a new provision on climate change), South Korea (the consul told a Korean newspaper in Korean "Palin is one of the few politicians who understands the importance of Korean related trade and diplomacy, and if she wins the election on November 4th, and becomes the vice president, Korean-American relations will likely become much stronger."), Japan and China.  Heck, Alaska may be one of the few U.S. states with a trade SURPLUS with China.

It's not the highest level stuff, but everyone needs to start somewhere.  She understands the benefits of free trade more than most.

[Kalimantan]

Of course. But does this make her an expert on foreign policy? And how much trade is there between Yukon and Alaska, and Kamchatka and Alaska? I don't think this is a lot (especially Kamchatka has been a Russian military zone for decades and is now finally opening up).

Anything that's trucked to Alaska goes through Yukon.  Anyone who drives from Anchorage to Juneau drives through Yukon and B.C. (before getting on a boat).   Alaskan exports to Canada were $445 million in 2006.  

 Japan ($1.1 billion) and South Korea ($726 million) and China ($474 million) were bigger trading partners in 2006 - they import a lot of Alaskan seafood.  Palin has met with the consul from Japan.  Trade with South Korea is so important that South Korea recently re-opened its permanent consulate.  And Governor Palin has met with the South Korean consul in Anchorage, too.  He had glowing things to say about governor Palin after she was named veep.

Makes sense. What on earth they were doing pushing the 'she can see Russia from Alaska' line god only knows - but thats one narrative that has well and truly stuck. A second narrative appears to be developing that she can't cope with interview pressure - will be interesting to see if that comes out in the debate.

[cinyc]

Of course. But does this make her an expert on foreign policy? And how much trade is there between Yukon and Alaska, and Kamchatka and Alaska? I don't think this is a lot (especially Kamchatka has been a Russian military zone for decades and is now finally opening up).

Anything that's trucked to Alaska goes through Yukon.  Anyone who drives from Anchorage to Juneau drives through Yukon and B.C. (before getting on a boat).   Alaskan exports to Canada were $445 million in 2006.  

 Japan ($1.1 billion) and South Korea ($726 million) and China ($474 million) were bigger trading partners in 2006 - they import a lot of Alaskan seafood.  Palin has met with the consul from Japan.  Trade with South Korea is so important that South Korea recently re-opened its permanent consulate.  And Governor Palin has met with the South Korean consul in Anchorage, too.  He had glowing things to say about governor Palin after she was named veep.

Makes sense. What on earth they were doing pushing the 'she can see Russia from Alaska' line god only knows - but thats one narrative that has well and truly stuck. A second narrative appears to be developing that she can't cope with interview pressure - will be interesting to see if that comes out in the debate.

Palin took reporters' questions after visiting Ground Zero today.  That meme isn't going to stick.

[daboese]

She raises the Russian thing because the media keeps asking her about it.  It's not her strongest foreign policy point. 

If I were advising the McCain campaign, I'd be playing up her ties with Canada (especially her 3 meetings with the Yukon Premier and renewed Yukon-Alaska accord - which included a new provision on climate change), South Korea (the consul told a Korean newspaper in Korean , Japan and China.

It's not the highest level stuff, but everyone needs to start somewhere.  She understands the benefits of free trade more than most.

I completely agree. But then either she is stupid, or the McCain campaign is. Why not lead the media to her- obvious strong- points, but keep on arguing that she has foreign policy experience with a country that she hasn't? This clearly doesn't make sense to me. And, according to CNN, she only answered like two or three (ok, four, Kalitmantan is the better source) questions, that is not very much, if you compare that to all of the other candidates. Plus she did extremely poorly in the other interviews.

[Kalimantan]

Makes sense. What on earth they were doing pushing the 'she can see Russia from Alaska' line god only knows - but thats one narrative that has well and truly stuck. A second narrative appears to be developing that she can't cope with interview pressure - will be interesting to see if that comes out in the debate.

Palin took reporters' questions after visiting Ground Zero today.  That meme isn't going to stick.

Oh, she has a chance of improving, yes - but only if she is capable of improving because the media won't give her any slack. Look at the headline of the link you posted though, "In a first, Palin takes press questions". In a first. Ouch.

and the first paragraph: Sarah Palin fielded four questions from a small group of reporters Thursday after touring several Sept. 11-related sites, articulating a forceful approach to the war on terror but offering mostly evasive answers to specific questions.

four questions, small group of reporters, evasive answers... its all part of the currently developing meme, but it does give her an opportunity to get out if she grasps it fully, does loads of interviews and gets specific. Then she blows it out of the water. Time will tell.

[Politico]

"I don't know, you know?"

Did she really say that?

[Politico]

I don't see how that transcript indicates she is over her head.

What kind of vice presidential candidate says, with an accent that would make Walter Mondale proud, "I don't know, you know?"

She's straight out of the movie Fargo, folks! This is a farce...

[Politico]

Wow. She may be stupider than Bush.

I don't think she is stupid. She seems like a lovely lady from Alaska, which is cool in and of itself. But she clearly does not belong a heartbeat away from the presidency. Another thing to consider is that being from Alaskan politics is kind of like being from Louisiana or New Jersey politics: There's way too much corruption in the state political machinery and it is hard to get anywhere without getting your hands dirty. I will not be surprised if she is not the lovely lady she appears to be. I guess we will find out when Troopergate Part 2 is settled in a couple of weeks...

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

OK - I'll admit it.

I'll take the elitist tag... It doesn't scare me.

She's shown in EVERY interview except when she's being handled by Hannity, that she doesn't know what she's talking about.

I don't find that charming, I find it terrifying.

She wants to play the big game, she has to cop everything she gets. If she were confident, and knowledgable they wouldn't have to play the bully card everytime someone asks her a question that shows how ignorant she is.

[MODU]

Hey, I do live abroad, but that doesn't make me qualified to be president.

It qualifies you to be able to negotiate with other countries much easier.

No, it doesn't.  Just because you live somewhere doesn't mean you are able to negotiate or understand the complexities of the international field.  Me being in over 16 countries doesn't make me more qualified to negotiate with foreign leaders, so how can someone living in one country qualify them?  That is such a ridiculous joke, I'm sorry to say.

[daboese]

Again, have you actually lived in those countries? Let me guess.
And of course you understand the complexities better. You can see the point of view from the other side.

[Zarn]

Wow. She may be stupider than Bush.

I don't think she is stupid. She seems like a lovely lady from Alaska, which is cool in and of itself. But she clearly does not belong a heartbeat away from the presidency. Another thing to consider is that being from Alaskan politics is kind of like being from Louisiana or New Jersey politics: There's way too much corruption in the state political machinery and it is hard to get anywhere without getting your hands dirty. I will not be surprised if she is not the lovely lady she appears to be. I guess we will find out when Troopergate Part 2 is settled in a couple of weeks...

You do realize why Alaskan republican politicians hate her, right?

[daboese]

Do they?
Her actual appearance on the national level might help Stevens, one of the most corrupt members, to stay in office.

[Zarn]

Some of the Republican Alaskan state senators (6) formed a coalition with Democrats (9) against her and the remaining Republicans (5). They have a majority of 15-5.

[daboese]

And yet she has some corruption investigations of her own, being less than two years in office, employing her friends and firing the people who dare to object to anything she says. I am not quite sure which side is better.

[MODU]

Again, have you actually lived in those countries? Let me guess.
And of course you understand the complexities better. You can see the point of view from the other side.

*dies laughin*  Uh, no, it's far from giving you a better hand in handing foreign policy.  Living a year in Canada isn't going to help you negotiate with Zimbabwe or China.  Living in Germany isn't going to help you negotiate with Yemen or India.  Unless you are actually involved with working with foreign governments while you are living there, all you are doing is interacting with a small social circle and community.  That would be like a New Yorker living in Georgia for a year.

[daboese]

Perhaps if the cultures are not as close as the US and Canada is. But Europe and the US is usually sufficient. Or the US and the middle east. It helps you with those nations, and to a certain extent with all nations. It is enough since you will get an insight into how these people think, what their views are and what their politics is about. You do not interact only with such a small social circle, since you will most definitely also meet some (albeit local) politicians, or those people aspiring to be a politician later.