US Senator John McCain’s running mate Sarah Palin on Thursday sought to defend her qualifications but struggled with foreign policy, unable to describe US President George W. Bush’s doctrine of pre-emptive strikes against threatening nations and acknowledging she’s never met a foreign head of state.
The Republican vice presidential nominee told Charles Gibson of ABC News in her first televised interview since being named to the Republican ticket that “I’m ready” to be president if called upon.
However, she sidestepped on whether she had the national security credentials needed to be commander in chief.
PHOTO: AFP
Palin, 44, has been Alaska’s governor for less than two years and before that was a small-town mayor. She was McCain’s surprise selection for the No. 2 slot on the ticket, raising questions about her readiness to serve in the White House, particularly during wartime.
McCain has defended her qualifications, citing her command of the Alaska National Guard and Alaska’s proximity to Russia.
Asked whether those were sufficient credentials, Palin said: “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.”
She said she brought expertise in making the country energy independent as a former chairman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.
She acknowledged that national security encompasses more than energy but said: “I want you to not lose sight of the fact that energy is a foundation of national security.”
She also said she had never met a head of state and added: “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.”
Foreign policy questions dominated the first of three interviews Palin was giving Gibson over two days.
In the interview on Thursday, Palin:
• Appeared unsure of the Bush doctrine — essentially that the US must help spread democracy to stop terrorism and that the nation will act pre-emptively to stop potential foes.
Asked whether she agreed with that, Palin said: “In what respect, Charlie?” Gibson pressed her for an interpretation of it.
She said: “His world view.”
That prompted Gibson to say “no, the Bush doctrine, enunciated September 2002, before the Iraq war” and describe it to her.
“I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hell bent on destroying our nation,” Palin said, but added “there have been mistakes made.”
Pressed repeatedly on whether the US could attack terrorist hideouts in Pakistan without the country’s permission, she said: “If there is legitimate and enough intelligence that tells us that a strike is imminent against American people, we have every right to defend our country. In fact, the president has the obligation, the duty to defend.”
• Said nuclear weapons in Iran’s hands are dangerous, and said “we’ve got to put the pressure on Iran.” Asked three times what her position would be if Israel felt threatened enough to attack Iranian nuclear facilities, Palin repeatedly said the US shouldn’t “second guess” Israel’s steps to secure itself.
• Called for Georgia and the Ukraine to be included in NATO, a treaty that requires the US to defend them militarily. She also said Russia’s attack into Georgia last month was “unprovoked.” Asked to clarify that she’d support going to war over Georgia, she said: “Perhaps so.”
• Contradicted an assertion she made at her former church that “our national leaders are sending US soldiers on a task that is from God.” Asked whether she thought the US was fighting a holy war, she said she meant to convey that she agreed with Abraham Lincoln’s quote that “I would never presume to know God’s will or to speak God’s words.”
Later, in the second interview, Palin said she broke from McCain on climate change and oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. McCain has said humans have caused climate change and the federal government shouldn’t permit drilling in the protected wildlife reserve.
Palin, however, said: “I believe that man’s activities certainly can be contributing to the issue of global warming, climate change ... Regardless though of the reason for climate change, whether it’s entirely, wholly caused by man’s activities or is part of the cyclical nature of our planet — the warming and the cooling trends — regardless of that, John McCain and I agree that we gotta do something about it.”
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