Cindy McCain doesn’t say any of what you imply, Steven.
She basically dodges the question, “Duh! Governors don’t have national security experience.” She says, “She understands what’s at stake…she has a great mind…she focuses…yada yada yada.”
Did you hear her “suggest that the governor of Alaska has any actual interaction of any serious nature with the government of Russia”???
I didn’t.
Comment by doug — Sunday, August 31, 2024 @ 9:20 pm
Actually, I think Dr. Taylor has represented her words quite well. But I don’t know that this says as much about Sarah Palin as it does about Cindy McCain.
Cindy McCain says exactly what she’s quoted by this author as saying.
I don’t see how anyone can deny it.
Comment by George Sorwell — Sunday, August 31, 2024 @ 9:55 pm
Compared to Obama’s original “I once went on a college trip overseas” foreign policy credentials, I’ll take Palin any day.
Comment by Max Lybbert — Sunday, August 31, 2024 @ 10:51 pm
Doug,
Did you read this part of my post:
And yes, I know that Mrs. McCain didn’t specifically say that Palin has directly interacted with Russia, but she is clearly suggesting that geographic proximity to the hinterlands of Russia means that Palin has some operative understanding of the politics of Russia’s international behavior.
And, as Polimom notes above, the issue here is really about Cindy McCain. It is simply a ridiculous argument and it will end up being a punchline–I have little doubt.
I would note, btw, that I never actually criticized Palin herself.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Sunday, August 31, 2024 @ 11:06 pm
Would you say the same thing if someone implied that the governor of Texas or Arizona “has some operative understanding of the politics of Mexico’s international behavior”? Or the governor of Minnesota or Washington vis-a-vis Canada? Maybe it’s not to the extent that everyone would like, but I’m not sure the implication is as ridiculous as you state.
Comment by El Kabong — Sunday, August 31, 2024 @ 11:25 pm
[...] to PoliBlog for posting this Cindy McCain clip from ABC’s “This [...]
Ok, it semi-works to say that a governor of, say, Texas or California has some international relations experience because of the very real relations that the governments of those states have with the governments of those countries. Even then, the degree to which those things equate to “foreign policy” experience is a bit much.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Monday, September 1, 2024 @ 10:14 am
And, regardless of anything else, this (Cindy McCain’s statement or the defense thereof) is pretty much grasping at straws to establish some sort of foreign policy knowledge.
Plus: some basic geography: the part of Russia that is near Alaska is, to paraphrase a line from Star Trek III, the “hind end of” Russia. It is hardly the same as, say, the border between Washington state and Canada or Texas and Mexico.
And really–is there anything that she might have encountered in her two years in office that would inform her about the serious issues where Europe meets Russia? I think not.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Monday, September 1, 2024 @ 10:19 am
Like I said a bit up the page, this is stuff that is just too good to be true.
And not to quibble too much, but I don’t think Magadan qualifies as Russia’s “hinterland.” More like fringe or periphery. I mean, Alaska is almost “metropolitan” US, by comparison.
Comment by MSS — Monday, September 1, 2024 @ 2:35 pm
More like fringe or periphery. I mean, Alaska is almost “metropolitan” US, by comparison.
Indeed.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Monday, September 1, 2024 @ 2:36 pm
I truly believe the LEFT will say/do anything to discredit Sarah Palin. On a Daily Kos site, I read 1,924 adults (some parents) say that they would do anything to make Sarah Palin a Liar. They then proceeded over the course of Saturday to list one lie after the other, to justify themsleves. One did admit to being ashamed. This is not politics, it is trailer trash at it’s lowest form. SHAME on Daily Kos. We all need to be more responsible when posting gossip, untruths for shock value, and pure lies.
Comment by Backgammon — Monday, September 1, 2024 @ 4:57 pm
Geez…
I watched the video. Twice.
Cindy McCain doesn’t say any of what you imply, Steven.
She basically dodges the question, “Duh! Governors don’t have national security experience.” She says, “She understands what’s at stake…she has a great mind…she focuses…yada yada yada.”
Did you hear her “suggest that the governor of Alaska has any actual interaction of any serious nature with the government of Russia”???
I didn’t.
Comment by doug — Sunday, August 31, 2024 @ 9:20 pm
Actually, I think Dr. Taylor has represented her words quite well. But I don’t know that this says as much about Sarah Palin as it does about Cindy McCain.
Comment by Polimom — Sunday, August 31, 2024 @ 9:24 pm
Cindy McCain says exactly what she’s quoted by this author as saying.
I don’t see how anyone can deny it.
Comment by George Sorwell — Sunday, August 31, 2024 @ 9:55 pm
Compared to Obama’s original “I once went on a college trip overseas” foreign policy credentials, I’ll take Palin any day.
Comment by Max Lybbert — Sunday, August 31, 2024 @ 10:51 pm
Doug,
Did you read this part of my post:
And yes, I know that Mrs. McCain didn’t specifically say that Palin has directly interacted with Russia, but she is clearly suggesting that geographic proximity to the hinterlands of Russia means that Palin has some operative understanding of the politics of Russia’s international behavior.
And, as Polimom notes above, the issue here is really about Cindy McCain. It is simply a ridiculous argument and it will end up being a punchline–I have little doubt.
I would note, btw, that I never actually criticized Palin herself.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Sunday, August 31, 2024 @ 11:06 pm
Would you say the same thing if someone implied that the governor of Texas or Arizona “has some operative understanding of the politics of Mexico’s international behavior”? Or the governor of Minnesota or Washington vis-a-vis Canada? Maybe it’s not to the extent that everyone would like, but I’m not sure the implication is as ridiculous as you state.
Comment by El Kabong — Sunday, August 31, 2024 @ 11:25 pm
[...] to PoliBlog for posting this Cindy McCain clip from ABC’s “This [...]
Pingback by Does Alaska’s proximity to Russia equate to foreign policy experience for Palin? | Bearing Drift :: Virginia Politics and Podcasts — Monday, September 1, 2024 @ 7:10 am
El Kabong:
Did you read the whole post?
Ok, it semi-works to say that a governor of, say, Texas or California has some international relations experience because of the very real relations that the governments of those states have with the governments of those countries. Even then, the degree to which those things equate to “foreign policy” experience is a bit much.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Monday, September 1, 2024 @ 10:14 am
And, regardless of anything else, this (Cindy McCain’s statement or the defense thereof) is pretty much grasping at straws to establish some sort of foreign policy knowledge.
Plus: some basic geography: the part of Russia that is near Alaska is, to paraphrase a line from Star Trek III, the “hind end of” Russia. It is hardly the same as, say, the border between Washington state and Canada or Texas and Mexico.
And really–is there anything that she might have encountered in her two years in office that would inform her about the serious issues where Europe meets Russia? I think not.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Monday, September 1, 2024 @ 10:19 am
Like I said a bit up the page, this is stuff that is just too good to be true.
And not to quibble too much, but I don’t think Magadan qualifies as Russia’s “hinterland.” More like fringe or periphery. I mean, Alaska is almost “metropolitan” US, by comparison.
Comment by MSS — Monday, September 1, 2024 @ 2:35 pm
More like fringe or periphery. I mean, Alaska is almost “metropolitan” US, by comparison.
Indeed.
Comment by Dr. Steven Taylor — Monday, September 1, 2024 @ 2:36 pm
I truly believe the LEFT will say/do anything to discredit Sarah Palin. On a Daily Kos site, I read 1,924 adults (some parents) say that they would do anything to make Sarah Palin a Liar. They then proceeded over the course of Saturday to list one lie after the other, to justify themsleves. One did admit to being ashamed. This is not politics, it is trailer trash at it’s lowest form. SHAME on Daily Kos. We all need to be more responsible when posting gossip, untruths for shock value, and pure lies.
Comment by Backgammon — Monday, September 1, 2024 @ 4:57 pm