Jul 24, 2010 -- 7:55AM, BillThinks4Himself wrote:

 I hope the GOP runs Romney and Palin on the same ticket.  She can see Russia from her backyard and he can spot the ICBMs hanging from the wings of Russian MiGs.  

 I find it intriguing that liberals still use the old "I can see Russia from my house" quote as if she really said such a thing and that it  can  be used as evidence against her.   

There are left leaning folks that are still absolutely convinced she actually said said such a thing and have no idea that it's from a SNL sketch.  There are others, of course, who know full well it's from a sketch but seem to have some desperate need to perpetuate the myth.

I find it intriguing that liberals still use the old "I can see Russia from my house" quote as if she really said such a thing and that it  can  be used as evidence against her.  There are left leaning folks that are still absolutely convinced she actually said said such a thing and have no idea that it's from a SNL sketch.  There are others, of course, who know full well it's from a sketch but seem to have some desperate need to perpetuate the myth.

The SNL sketch is based on Palin's interview with Charlie Gibson back in September 2008, which included the following exchange:

GIBSON: What insight into Russian actions, particularly in the last couple of weeks, does the proximity of the state give you?

PALIN: They’re our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXL86v8NoGk&feat...

What made the comment memorable - and worth lampooning in the first place - was not which pronoun she used (I can see Russia vs. You can see Russia) but the sheer silliness of her reply.  That whole interview had begun with questions about her ability to be a heartbeat away from the presidency:

GIBSON: Governor, let me start by asking you a question that I asked John McCain about you, and it is really the central question. Can you look the country in the eye and say “I have the experience and I have the ability to be not just vice president, but perhaps president of the United States of America?”

PALIN: I do, Charlie, and on January 20, when John McCain and I are sworn in, if we are so privileged to be elected to serve this country, will be ready. I’m ready.

GIBSON: And you didn’t say to yourself, “Am I experienced enough? Am I ready? Do I know enough about international affairs? Do I — will I feel comfortable enough on the national stage to do this?”

PALIN: I didn’t hesitate, no.

GIBSON: Didn’t that take some hubris?

PALIN: I — I answered him yes because I have the confidence in that readiness and knowing that you can’t blink, you have to be wired in a way of being so committed to the mission, the mission that we’re on, reform of this country and victory in the war, you can’t blink.

So I didn’t blink then even when asked to run as his running mate.

GIBSON: But this is not just reforming a government. This is also running a government on the huge international stage in a very dangerous world. When I asked John McCain about your national security credentials, he cited the fact that you have commanded the Alaskan National Guard and that Alaska is close to Russia. Are those sufficient credentials?

PALIN: But it is about reform of government and it’s about putting government back on the side of the people, and that has much to do with foreign policy and national security issues . . . [Palin continues talking about government reform.]

GIBSON: I know. I’m just saying that national security is a whole lot more than energy.

Getting back to Palin's actual foreign-policy credential, Gibson continues the following line of questioning:

GIBSON: Did you ever travel outside the country prior to your trip to Kuwait and Germany last year?

PALIN: Canada, Mexico, and then, yes, that trip, that was the trip of a lifetime to visit our troops in Kuwait and stop and visit our injured soldiers in Germany. That was the trip of a lifetime and it changed my life.

GIBSON: Have you ever met a foreign head of state?

PALIN: There in the state of Alaska, our international trade activities bring in many leaders of other countries.

GIBSON: And all governors deal with trade delegations.

PALIN: Right.

GIBSON: Who act at the behest of their governments.

PALIN: Right, right.

GIBSON: I’m talking about somebody who’s a head of state, who can negotiate for that country. Ever met one?

PALIN: I have not and I think if you go back in history and if you ask that question of many vice presidents, they may have the same answer that I just gave you. But, Charlie, again, we’ve got to remember what the desire is in this nation at this time. It is for no more politics as usual and somebody’s big, fat resume maybe that shows decades and decades in that Washington establishment, where, yes, they’ve had opportunities to meet heads of state … these last couple of weeks … it has been overwhelming to me that confirmation of the message that Americans are getting sick and tired of that self-dealing and kind of that closed door, good old boy network that has been the Washington elite.

By this point in the interview, it's obvious that Palin wants to talk more about reform than about her foreign policy credentials - and for good reason: She doesn't have any.  When Gibson moves on - to give her a specific situation - she can't help but go back and argue the relevance of Alaska's location to her foreign-policy experience:

GIBSON: Let me ask you about some specific national security situations.

Palin's problem is not that she got lampooned by Tina Fey but that the country finds the real her and the cartoon her so interchangeable.  While Joe Biden is a total gaffe machine (Did you see the footage of him chewing out the frozen custard guy?) Palin would have been the daffiest veep since Dan Quayle, who was the daffiest one since Spiro T. Agnew. 

Acts, you are right.  Sarah Palin's foreign policy experience as well as her qualifications to be mayor, governor and vice president, did involve hyperbole.

Jul 24, 2010 -- 8:17PM, MMCSFOX wrote:

 What will it take to finally end this war and further heartache?

*

Sadly, without war there is only servitude to those willing to war. Withour war the adversary would control the planet and call it his.

Jersse F.

Boy, it's a good thing that's not happening.

Apparantly Russia is our neighbor  :)

Not sure what we owe them tho, I know we owe the Chinese.