Campaign tries to explain Palin's Putin comment (sends an email to AP)

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

Campaign tries to explain Palin's Putin comment
By MARTHA MENDOZA – 23 minutes ago

Gov. Sarah Palin cites vigilance against Russian warplanes coming into U.S. airspace over Alaska as one of her foreign policy credentials. But the U.S. military command in charge says that hasn't happened in her 21 months in office.

"When you consider even national security issues with Russia, as (Prime Minister Vladimir) Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America, where — where do they go? It's Alaska," the Republican vice presidential nominee said in an interview last week with CBS News' Katie Couric.

The spokeswoman for the McCain-Palin campaign, Maria Comella, clarified in an e-mail to The Associated Press that when "Russian incursions near Alaskan airspace and inside the air defense identification zone have occurred ... U.S. Air Force fighters have been scrambled repeatedly."

The air defense identification zone, almost completely over water, extends 12-mile past the perimeter of the United States. Most nations have similar areas.

However, no Russian military planes have been flying even into that zone, said Maj. Allen Herritage, a spokesman for the Alaska region of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, at Elmendorf Air Force Base.



Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iAcsX7Yhs3ti5f5TRL92779QzvlQD93H9VNG0

---

NORAD: Sarah Palin has no role in guarding U.S. airspace despite claims in Katie Couric interview
BY JAMES GORDON MEEK
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU

Tuesday, September 30th 2008, 5:21 PM


WASHINGTON - When Russian bombers approach American airspace and U.S. Air Force fighters are scrambled, Sarah Palin's phone doesn't ring.

The Alaska governor has no command authority over the guardians of U.S. airspace despite her recent suggestion otherwise.

"She doesn't have any role in that process," Air Force Maj. Allen Herritage, spokesman for the Alaska North American Aerospace Defense Command, told the Daily News.

"The authority to launch and respond to a Russian incursion lies with the Alaska NORAD Region commander" - Air Force Lt. Gen. Dana Atkins, he said.

Palin said last week that her foreign policy experience includes facing the Russians.

"It's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia, as Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America - where do they go? It's Alaska," Palin told CBS' Katie Couric.


more:http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/09/30/2008-09-30_norad_sarah_palin_has_no_role_in_guardin.html

[TwilightGardener]

1. Sure, the officers at Elmendorf say there's no Russian PLANE incursions

into our airspace, but what about PUTIN'S HEAD??!??11?

[Norrin Radd]

15. They'll start claiming that Putin's head is the reason for global

climate change, and not emissions; it's so large, it's gravity is drawing the Earth off it's axis.

[mcg]

28. Putin's head over Alaska - this needs a cartoon ...

This reminds me of someone telling me about an acid trip he had while at a Grateful Dead concert. In a hallucination, he saw Jerry Garcia's neck stretch out and his head go over the audience.

[progressivebydesign]

39. you mean his UGLY head... cuz she didn't quite go there, but "rears his head" we know what she meant

sounds like a damn horse..

[redqueen]

2. Unbelievable...

the comedy writes itself. Can't wait for next week's SNL... or heck... the election update show they're starting.

[crossroads]

3. Typical Palin response... clueless! nt

[redqueen]

6. Yeah of course she is... we know that... but the campaign staff too?

They just make up a reason without bothering to check if it'll hold any water?

[maddezmom]

5. have you seen this?

http://boingboing.net/2008/09/25/failin-palin.html

[redqueen]

7. No I hadn't... it's hilarious!

:rofl:

[maddezmom]

9. I thought so as well

:D She's from the Cheney school of Diplomacy.

[Indenturedebtor]

11. Funniest thing I've seen all month LOL

:rofl: :rofl:

[kellyflan1]

4. this isn't even funny

can anyone take her serious? I would run a hose from the exhaust pipe to my office if I worked for the mccain campaign.

[lark]

63. Nah, you'd know that your party would steal the election again

since no real laws have been passed to prevent it.

Can you tell this socialism for the rich's losses is getting me down, especially now that the bill has been changed to help the rich even more with again nothing for their victims. It makes me sick!! From What I've heard about the Senate bill so far, I am absolutely sick and even more sick that the Dems will vote for this atrocity and will really hurt our nation more in the long run.

:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

[4lbs]

8. The only planes who were "Russian" that flew anywhere near Alaska were those carrying Smirnov vodka.

n/t

[pipi_k]

10. Oh good lord...

the more they try to "explain", the stupider she looks.


They ought to just leave bad enough alone and hope it goes away...why keep stirring the pot....


Poor McCain might be forced to suspend his campaign just to find time to make excuses for Sarah's stupid comments....

[yellodawgDem]

40. will someone

Will someone....anyone please encourage Sarah to open her mouth

[renate]

43. welcome to DU!

:hi:

[tpsbmam]

12. Can you imagine being a lawyer and having her as a client in a criminal case....

in which she insists on testifying? Picture the lawyer sinking in her seat as Palin digs herself deeper and deeper. At the end of the trial, Palin is led out of the courtroom in handcuffs.....if only she hadn't opened her fool mouth.

[ladywnch]

13. exactly what I said when she first made her ridiculous statement! n/t

[El Supremo]

14. ...

[greenmutha]

24. Bwahaaaaaa!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: Tears streaming... can't breathe... :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Wetzelbill]

16. I have told people that I cannot stress how dangerous it would be

to have this woman in office. It's indefensible and should automatically disqualify McCain from being president. An absolutely reckless choice.

[scytherius]

27. Oh absolutely

She is beyond any concept we have of dangerous. I have friends in the military, current and former, terrified of her. one even said that if she is elected I hope some patriotic General stages a coup. My friend was dead serious.

[iamjoy]

17. Really Dumb

When asked about foreign policy experience, Palin should have been charming and honest. She should have admitted she had none, but was quick study and - after all - Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush all came into office with no foreign policy experience.

It may not have been totally true (Clinton was after all, a Rhodes scholar and had at least lived out of the country). It may not really have been comparing apples to apples (Reagan and Dubya had been governors of states with large populations), but at least it wouldn't have sounded completely ridiculous.

Then all she had to do was say something accurate related to foreign policy - something simple like what a warm feeling she got when Reagan said, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." It might have been a little maudlin, but people would have been able to relate to her. She could also talk about how the world is changing, and throw out a few facts, statistics, etc.

It's really simple to fake like you know more than you do if you aren't too much of a braggart.

[madriver]

38. She's not smart enough to fake it

The problem is, this woman is so dumb she probably doesn't know that Reagan made that statement about the Berlin Wall. I mean, c'mon, you have to have at least a basic understanding of world events over the last 25 years to even be able to "fake it".

She simply doesn't and she's not bright enough to understand that faking it is part of politics at any level above small town America.

[glinda]

59. WHY CAN'T WE SEE IF SHE HAS EVEN A DEGREE IN HAND.

Does anyone know any more about this total lack of College education this woman has?

[Pacifist Patriot]

62. This is precisely what blows my mind.

How easy is it to say, "I do not have foreign policy experience, but I am a quick study. Just like ____, ____ and _____. In my opinion, judgment is just as important as experience."

Then of course we could nail her on judgment. I still feel like I'm living in a twilight zone when I see the huge ass McCain Palin billboard around the corner.

[iamjoy]

64. Well, Sure We Could

but nailing her on judgment is partisan - I mean, we think Obama showed good judgment on Iraq, Republicans see it differently. If, however, Palin was charmingly frank about her lack of experience, the intellectual conservatives and moderates might have some respect for her. Instead, the McSame camp dismisses the "Washington Cocktail Party" conservatives.

[crunchgarcia]

18. We knew that...

Her role in guarding U.S. airspace (aside from any extraneous oxygen found between her ears) is about as likely as McCain meaning "the American Worker" when he stated "the Economy is strong".

Yeesh.

Aside from our candidates, she might inadvertently be the best Democratic advocate we have available.

I'm just hoping her head either explodes or sprouts horns on Thursday.

[President Decider]

19. Jesus .... This just gets more embarassing by the day for the GOP

Worst campaign I've ever witnessed in my entire lifetime ....

[Joey Liberal]

20. Palin makes Dan Quayle look like a genuis nt

[FailureToCommunicate]

23. I knew Dan Quayle. Dan Quayle was a friend of

mine. Govenor Palen, you're no Dan Quayle!

[paparush]

21. The hard thing about shoveling sand, is it keeps filling in the hole as fast as you shovel it out.

nt

[TooRaLoo]

22. come.on.thurs.day. nt

[Sarah Ibarruri]

25. I think Palin has gotten this far by bullshitting her way through life....

She's clearly not an intelligent woman. She's obviously "okay-looking" and has milked that for all it's worth. For a while she was running her hands up and down her body and winking at men in the audience. I think that's how she's moved up in the world. As to how she ended up governor of Alaska.. Alaska is an unusual place with an unusual mix of people and an overwhelming number of males. What else needs to be said?

The woman is overconfident, truly stupid, I'm guessing she didn't do well in school and probably never picks up a paper. The rest is history.

Even her mannerisms are best at a redneck rally than in an interview of a candidate running for VP.

[Maraya1969]

51. What happened to the video of her quest for Ms. Alaska? There must have been a bathing suit

competition. A video of that would be the icing on the cake.

[NJCher]

52. Sarah Palin reads vast amounts of newspapers! She says so!

...and probably never picks up a paper. The rest is history.

There was a segment on yesterday where Katie Couric and Palin are walking and Katie asks her about what newspapers she reads. Palin responds that she reads all kinds, a huge variety, vast amounts.

So Katie pushes her and asked for the name of just one. Palin could not give the name of a single newspaper she reads. Here's the clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BndKZcAZBMEo

Note how she tries to turn the subject to the geocentrism of the media and about how Alaska is a microcosm.



Cher

[mikeytherat]

56. You'd think she could remember this one:

Especially considering it hit the newsstands just two weeks ago. And check the ironic title of the article.

mikey_the_rat

[happygoluckytoyou]

26. Putin rears his head..... AND PALIN PUTS HER HEAD IN HER REAR..... coincidence? I THINK NOT! ! !

[underpants]

29. Jesus *I* could run this campaign! DROP IT for crying out loud

you can't change and the very LAST thing you should do is bring it back up

:rofl:

[Amonester]

30. No! Don't drop it!! Keep 'em coming!

The more they keep 'em coming, the less likely they'll be able to steal it without their robbery looking VERY suspicious!

Or make the "gap" so wide BEFORE Election Day that they won't even TRY to fix it!

[minnesota_liberal]

31. She's seen those Ruski planes from her back porch

That's gotta count for something!

[foxfeet]

60. Umm, those were Alaskan mosquitos.

[beyurslf]

32. But see if they were trying to TUNNEL their wayover, then she would

have to be ready to catch them right away. It's obvious, really.

[RBInMaine]

33. Here's an explanation: SHE'S STUPID !

[subterranean]

34. It seems like every time Palin & McCain say anything

they have to issue "clarifications" the next day.

[minnesota_liberal]

35. Coming soon: A Youtube video with Palin & Herve Villechaize

De plane! De plane!

[Lugnut]

36. I'm stuck for words.

I'd laugh but it's really not funny anymore.

[progressivebydesign]

37. it's like someone tapped that nice girl at the verizon store near your office for the VP Slot.

Wait... "nice" might be overstating things.

She's a fucking moran. Does she even have a CLUE that her careless words could start an international incident. She is dumber than George Bush.. at least Dubya knew he was a fool and didn't give a fuck. She is dangerous.

[madmax]

41. Pootie Poot must be laughing his ass off. n/t

[progressivebydesign]

42. Perhaps they can remake this 1966 classic, and Palin can do a cameo.

http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie/the-russians-are-coming-the-russians-are-coming!/

Sounds just about right.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

44. But will Chuggo accept this explanation?

[mikeytherat]

57. Oh, c'mon f**king guy!

mikey_the_rat

[stevenleser]

45. K&R The farce that is Palin's selection by McCain Continues

Hmmm... wonder to whom the selection of Palin was meant to appeal...






Ahhhhhh

:rofl:

[Warren DeMontague]

46. Maybe they weren't planes; they were Pteranodons, Sarah- you know, those flyin' dinosaurs?

And Jesus was ridin' em.

[neuvocat]

47. Isn't that mysoginistic?

I mean, the GOP is doing the talking for the woman, who clearly in their view should only be seen and not heard.

[happygoluckytoyou]

48. IF THE BAR FOR THE DEBATE WERE ANY LOWER... it would be under water

nobody even talks about the affair she had with her husbands business partner....f'in slut

[krkaufman]

49. So does Palin even know the name of the Alaska NORAD Region Commander?

I highly doubt it. And then she should be asked how many times they've met and what's been discussed.

[onager]

50. And she ignored the past experience of her buddies...

Trying to officially drag the U.S. military into a political catfight has always backfired on the GOP. Palin (AGAIN) should have known better.

In the 1990's, Jesse Helms (R-NC) said President Bill Clinton should "watch himself" when visiting North Carolina military bases, since he "might not be welcome."

The Pentagon slapped Helms down immediately, reminding the addled old asshat that the President is Commander-In-Chief of all US armed forces and is always welcome on any military base.

During the Balkan interventions, Rush Limbaugh started screaming about Evil Furriners being put in command of U.S. troops, and said that had never happened before in U.S. history.

That was hilarious. A Pentagon military historian started by asking: "How far do you want to go back?" Then he rattled off a list of all the times Americans have been put under foreign commanders. Starting with Rochambeau (FRENCH!!!) in the American Revolution and ending with Desert Storm.

[happygoluckytoyou]

53. see HEH HEH sarah is so smart HEH HEH you didnt understand her answer HEH HEH

[radfringe]

54. I feel sorry for

the clean-up crew, they no sooner "clean up" one screw-up and there's another one to explain away

John Stewart or Keith Olbermann should run a montage of the campaign staff/surrogates "explaining" whatever it is that mccain or palin blurts out

SNL could do a skit with an interpretor interrupting a mccain-palin speech to explain what they just said... :rofl:

[workinclasszero]

55. Genius!!!

***SNL could do a skit with an interpretor interrupting a mccain-palin speech to explain what they just said...***

OMG, that would be too funny! Cmon SNL, do it!:rofl:

[redqueen]

58. That's a great idea, really... will you send it to them?

I'd love to see that on the election update show they'll be starting soon.

[leftyladyfrommo]

61. So its not just me. I can't ever make heads or tails of what they

say. I thought maybe it was Alzheimers coming on.