McCain Aides Say Palin Couldn’t Name Countries in North America, Didn’t Know Africa is a Continent
On the O’Reilly Factor, Fox News’ Carl Cameron reported that a McCain-Palin rift was due in no small part to Gov. Palin’s lack of knowledge of basic civics, politics, and geography - and her unwillingness to prepare in light of those those deficiencies. Reportedly, McCain aides said Sarah Palin had:
“Major gaps in her knowledge… real problems with basic civics, government structures, municipal, state, and federal government responsibilities. She didn’t know the nations involved in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)… She wasn’t actually able to name all of the countries in North America… and she didn’t understand, McCain aides told me today, that Africa was a continent and not a country.”
And what is perhaps just as astounding is that Bill O’Reilly basically replies to Cameron, “but you can get tutored in that stuff…”, as if preparing to be the vice president is like cramming for midterms. Watch it:
The fact that this story became public via Fox News so quickly after the election should raise a few red flags. Is Palin just being thrown under the bus for the good of the Party? Or is she really as clueless as this report suggests?
There were news stories that came out before the election indicating that the choice of Sarah Palin was strictly based on a need to ‘do something bold’ to enliven John McCain’s campaign. There was a strong feeling that had he picked a white male who was a seasoned politician (like Joe Biden) the campaign would look like ‘the same old Republican ticket’. Thus, the campaign was looking for a ‘game changing’ option.
It was clear early on that while Palin may have a political career ahead of her, she was in no way ready to lead the nation at this point in time. As a friend put it, “It’s like asking your dentist, who may be a wonderful friend and a great dentist, to perform brain surgery.” This choice was not only an embarrassment to McCain and the Republican party, but to our entire political system.
Not too surprising, at all. But I’m glad it’s out there now.
Wow, that is a ridiculous find.
If I was on her staff and she greeted me in a bathrobe, I don’t think my first reaction would be to criticize her for being unprofessional…
*oh sarah, you came and you made men like politics, but they took you away, oh sarah*
“Is Palin just being thrown under the bus for the good of the Party?”
I don’t understand what good that does for the party. I don’t think coming out a day after the election and saying “Yeah, she is as unqualified as you guys thought. We just tried to dodge, hide and lie about that so it wouldn’t hurt us in the polls” helps them. It makes it seem as if they openly lied.
I think her lack of knowledge remains an especially important issue given that an AP article asks today if Palin can “resurrect” the Republican party. Hopefully not in her image.
WOW, now I really believe she has less intelligence than her “grandson”.
Unbelievable that this would come out so soon. Unfortunately, no one should be surprised. It was the downfall of McCain’s campaign when he chose her in the first place. Unlike his Democratic counterpart, it undermined his candidacy when he sold out his strengths of character, experience and wisdom by making an irrational and impulsive choice for his running mate. He totally misunderstood the concern of most American’s, like myself, who worried about his health, constitution and fortitude due to his past bouts with cancer and his age. Instead he let those around him undermine his most important decision and then reacted irrationally and contemptuously, as if it didn’t really matter. The choice of Pailin demonstrated a sharp contrast with Obama who was the epitomy of pragmatism and thoughtfullness in his decision to bring in Biden, a good man who is a pillar of foreign policy strength and has a depth of knowledge in the international arena. Obama realized his perceived weakness and corrected the problem with his choice. It showed McCain to be a reactionary as opposed to Obama who turned out to be the wiser of the two. Just the oposite of how it should have been and what would have carried McCain through. The experience of 30 years in the Washington political stew had jaded McCain into believing that the correct path was that of compromising his principles in the name of electability.
Make no mistake, we elected the right man. It takes more than hubris and demigogery to run a country, er the world. Sometimes brains, integrity and focus are required.
The Republican Party is responsible for all of this mess.They haven”t learned their lesson yet,and still
keep on pointing fingers at everybody else except them self’s.That’s the Republican Party for you.
Everybody knew that Palin was not qualify for VP,if you dont know what NAFTA,means or what’s the VP’s job
or just not knowing that Africa was a Continent.I learned that in second grade.One thing that really got to me was that on live TV Palin said that all the suits and jewels that were bought by the Republican Party were just borrowed just like the lighting.So if it was borrowed why are the Lawyers from the Republican Party going to Alaska to make an inventory of everything bought with the Republicans money.The money was for her not for all the family.
Thank God she is not the VP,we be in a bigger MESS.
If super qualified Dick Cheney could ‘lead” this country into this gigantic mess, perhaps, putting someone with the qualifications of Palin would be a blessing. The beauty of democracy is that we can elect people but we do not even know their intentions until they are elected. God save us all since now, in the throes of the last days in office, Mr. Cheney is up to his worst behavior by attempting to implement more of the same anti regulatory fiction that has gotten us into this mess we find ourselves.
Folks,
Get real, Does any-one else agree with me?
I don’t believe for one second that the Republicans wanted to win and deal with the mess that has been created , they wanted out.! Why else would they allow such an under qualified vice president nominee. Some one so under qualified that you would only vote for her as a die hard party member.
I feel that for all the american people with family members serving , this was a VERY disrespectful choice.! LIVES are on the line here folks.! We are in not 1 ,but 2 wars. SHE HAD NO BUSINESS ACCEPTING THE NOMINATION.! It’s a slap in the face with our kids lives at stake. Go back to Alaska Sarah.! I wish you the best and good riddance to the present administration as well. POWER TO THE PEOPLE!