"Blank page" Palin to be the new agent of the neocon agenda

As her public statements have made obvious, Sarah Palin is thin on knowledge, but fast to repeat the talking points (and the errors) of her tutors.

Think Progress has picked up on some great articles explaining why some of her statements sound so familiar: Palin has been embraced by neoconservatives as the vehicle to move their agenda forward. That includes tapping a long-standing neocon and former Executive Secretary of the National Security Council under W., Steve Biegun, as her foreign affairs trainer.

From the Telegraph:

A former Republican White House official, who now works at the American Enterprise Institute, a bastion of Washington neoconservatism, admitted: "She's bright and she's a blank page. She's going places and it's worth going there with her."

Newsweek also has a list of the Bush aides called in to move Palin from zero to hero in the weeks before the election.

TP's M. Duss has an assessment that is right on target:

In a way, neoconservatism is a perfect fit for Palin. It’s an ideology is built upon a reflexive skepticism toward scholarly expertise, tending toward more emotionally satisfying — not to mention politically profitable — policy answers than the boring, reality-based stuff offered by analysts who have spent their entire careers studying these questions. The presentation of Palin as a rebel reformer is of a piece with the neoconservatives’ presentation of themselves as rebel intellectuals, and resistance to their ideas is offered as proof of the corruption of American governing institutions, rather than proof that their ideas are just really, really dumb.

Palin’s simplistic, moralistic answers to complicated foreign policy questions shouldn’t be taken as evidence that she’s not smart, she clearly is. Rather, Palin’s simplistic, moralistic answers stem from the fact that neoconservatism is a simplistic, moralistic ideology, one unsuited for actual governance, as the last eight years should have demonstrated beyond all doubt.

A sometimes doddering president supported by an aggressive and moralistic VP who, in turn, is surrounded by advisers of questionable character and competence.

Sound familiar?

Oops, one less "National Security Credential" for Gov. Palin

A lot has been talked about "readiness" and "experience" this campaign. Symbolic gestures like visits to war zones have been used to communicate national security cred. But these photo-ops can be put in perspective by dishonesty and ignorance.
Unfortunately, the Republican Vice Presidential nominee displayed both.

1) Sarah Palin did not set foot in Iraq. Her campaign aides said on her behalf that she visited a "military outpost" in Iraq. The evidence now shows that she was at a border crossing in Kuwait, and the records show that she was not granted permission to step across.

2) On September 11, 2008 she told a group of soldiers deploying to Iraq that they will ‘defend the innocent from the enemies who planned and carried out and rejoiced in the death of thousands of Americans.’” “America can never go back to that false sense of security that came before September 11, 2001,”. People still say that?

Barack Obama has consistently told the same line since before the invasion, that it was the wrong decision for the wrong reasons. He is temperamentally and intellectually far more qualified to be commander in chief than his opponents.

McCain flips, Palin flops

Sam Stein at HuffPo dug up an interesting debate point used by McCain in October 2007:

"I am prepared. I need no on-the-job training. I wasn't a mayor for a short period of time. I wasn't a governor for a short period of time."



As luck would have it, here's an example to validate the point he was making - a painful-to-watch clip of Palin bluffing when she doesn't know about the Bush Doctrine (of pre-emptive self-defense):



ABC News did a great fact check on Palin's answers in the Gibson interview. The only statement verified as "true"? That Russian territory can be seen from Alaska.

The Economist agrees: McCain shows poor judgment

That vaunted bastion of free-market economics, The Economist, has published an article outlining what McCain's VEEP selection says about his poor decision-making.

Mr McCain’s appointment also raises more general worries about the Republican Party’s fitness for government....

The Palin appointment is yet more proof of the way that abortion still distorts American politics. This is as true on the left as on the right. But the Republicans seem to have gone furthest in subordinating considerations of competence and merit to pro-life purity. One of the biggest problems with the Bush administration is that it appointed so many incompetents because they were sound on Roe v Wade. Mrs Palin’s elevation suggests that, far from breaking with Mr Bush, Mr McCain is repeating his mistakes.

Words matter, Governor Palin

Imagine you are on your third date with someone. After the waiter picks up the check, there is an awkward silence. You get the sense they probably like you more than you like them, and you don’t see much future. Can you just blurt out: “Do you see us going anywhere, I don’t.”??? No, of course not. It might evoke an emotional, irrational reaction in the other person, or it could force both of you into committals that you don’t want to make on the spot without reflection.

At the dinner table you must be careful since people are involved, just two people. In the international arena, lots of people are involved. Thus words matter.

When a serious candidate for vice president speaks in a cavalier tone about war with Russia, still equates the invasion of Iraq with the forces of 9/11, and lacks understanding of how the Bush Administration has perverted the art of statecraft, there is cause for concern.

Note that Obama and Biden may agree with her on some issues, but they would not handle a sensitive hypothetical in a campaign. It’s one thing to study briefing books. It’s another thing to be educated and traveled. But you’re not ready to be a world leader until you possess a certain maturity. What John Kerry called a “global test”.

Think Miss Manners or Emily Post for Diplomats. Sarah Palin doesn’t have that savior fair. Even John McCain is questionable. Remember “bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran” sung to the melody of the Beach Boys’ Barbara Ann?

Resource (mis)allocation

Three stories this week illustrated how the McCain/Bush foreign policy is failing our military structure and national strength in general.

First, Bob Woodward reports how President Bush ignored the advice of his military chiefs at the Pentagon and surged five brigades that we could ill afford to use. The Washington Post and his new book show that the narrow-minded view of Iraq has drained needed resources from our force and from Afghanistan. Speaking of Afghanistan...

That leads to the second major story this week. Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said that "I'm not convinced we're winning in Afghanistan," and that "frankly, we are running out of time." Barack Obama has said from 2002, that we should focus of ridding al-Qaeda and the Taliban from Afghanistan, and rebuilding a viable state should be the only priority. Even before John McCain, he called for additional brigades to go to Afghanistan.

Lastly, tonight Sarah Palin gave an interview (link, link) that raises concerns about her knowledge and judgment. As Thomas Friedman says, a president or vice president needs the judgment to decide when the two two smartest advisors disagree.

She cavalierly discussed the possibilty of having to fight Russia over Georgia. With what resources Governor? McCain and Bush have advocated stretching our resources too far while cutting taxes on the wealthy.

Declaration of Support by over 290 Former Diplomats (Updated)

EXPERIENCE SPEAKS OUT: FORMER US DIPLOMATS FOR OBAMA

We are a diverse group of 292 former Foreign Service officers. Each of us has had extensive experience in implementing the international affairs and national security policies of both Republican and Democratic administrations. We have first hand knowledge of the grave multiple challenges of the Cold War, a period of peril but one in which the United States wore with honor the mantle of leadership. In cooperation with other democracies, and dialog with countries that were not, our nation found solutions to problems which seemed intractable. Senator Obama can place our nation again in that position of trust, credibility and respect.

With him, we call for a return to the successful reliance on bipartisan cooperation at home and close coordination on the use of active diplomacy with our friends and allies abroad, to face the challenges posed by those who are neither. We have watched with profound regret the frequent, costly failures of the current administration to apply these fundamental principles.

We, the undersigned, are firmly convinced that new American leadership is critical at this juncture in world history. We urge Americans, regardless of party affiliation, to select as our next president Senator Barack Obama, a leader with courage, intelligence, energy, a fresh perspective and a focus on the future. We believe based on our long foreign policy experience that he has the qualities needed to restore American leadership, credibility and respect in the world, the persona to make bipartisanship a possibility once again, and the judgment and vision to set our nation on the path to a better future.


Declaration Signatures

Abbott, Luisa
Abbott, Wilson Lynn
Adair, Marshall
Ahlgren, Charles S.
Apsler, Ruby
Arndt, Richard T.
Arnold, Terrell
Austin, Sheldon
Aylward, Rayna
Ayers, Patricia Connor
Baldyga, Leonard
Bahl, Byron
Baker, Robert
Barnes, Ambassador Shirley Elizabeth (Ret.)
Barnett, Elizabeth
Barry, Ambassador Robert L. (Ret.)
Bathrick, David D.
Battle, Ambassador Vincent M. (Ret.)
Bay, Janice Friesen
Beebe, James
Bennett, David C.
Benson, Raymond E.
Bentley, Robert
Berrington, Robin
Berry, Ann R.
Bigge, Joan
Binns, Ambassador Jack R. (Ret.)
Bitondo, Ron
Blane, Dianne
Blaney III, Harry C.
Blodgett, Steve
Booth, Richard
Bouton, Norman
Bova, Michele
Bowers, Gerard
Bresler, Ralph
Bridges, Ambassador Peter S. (Ret.)
Broderick, Amelia Fitzjohn
Brungart, Robert
Brynn, Ambassador Edward (Ret.)
Bumbrey, Sallybeth M.
Bumpus, James N.
Burleigh, Ambassador A. Peter (Ret.)
Butler, Letitia Kelly
Byrnes, Jill F.
Byrnes, Shaun M.
Cahill, Ambassador Harry A. (Ret.)
Calingaert, Michael
Carr, Robert K.
Cecil, Ambassador Charles O. (Ret.)
Cheek, Ambassador James R. (Ret.)
Cheshes, Ambassador Martin L. (Ret.)
Chester, Geraldeen
Chester, George
Chock, Alvin Keali'i
Clark, Jennifer
Clear, Taylor JESSE
Coe, Robert
Coffey Jr., Fred A.
Cohen, David
Coker, Irv
Conly, Jonathan
Coon, Ambassador Carleton S. (Ret.)
Coon, Ambassador Jane Abell (Ret.)
Cooper, Ford
Cotter, Ambassador Michael (Ret.)
Cronk, Ambassador Edwin (Ret.)
Crumpton, Sandra Ann
Curran, Ted
Cutler, Ambassador Walter L. (Ret.)
Czuczka, George
Dameron, Ambassador William H. (Ret.)
Darkins, William C.
Davidson, Duane
Davnie, William F.
Dawson, James W.
De Pree, Ambassador Willard A. (Ret.)
Dembro (née Mercurio), Sharon
Demitz, Sherwood H.
DiPaolo, Donna M.
Doggett, Clinton
Dolan, Daniel
DuBose, Robert
Duline, Charlene C.
Dunford, Ambassador David J. (Ret.).
Easum, Ambassador Donald B. (Ret.)
Ehrman, James
Eicher, Peter
Eisenbraun, Stephen
Elam-Thomas, Ambassador Harriet (Ret.)
Ely, Michael E. C.
Engle, Ambassador Gregory W. (Ret.)
Fairchild, Albert E.
Farley, Vince
Farrand, Ambassador Robert W. (Ret.)
Ferch, Ambassador John A. (Ret.)
Fernandez, Aurelius
Finberg, Donald
Fischer, Ambassador David (Ret.)
Flannery, Terence
Fromowitz, Sam
Frederick, David
Fry, Samuel
Gaines, William
Garon, John
Garon, Patricia
Gary, Phil
Gary, Viviann
Gerlach, Frederick H.
Gerson, Leslie
Gong, Richard D.
Gosende, Robert R.
Grant, Gail Milissa
Gray, David L.
Gray, Victoria
Gregory, Bruce
Gregory, Jerry
Gulliksen, Gail
Gunning, John
Haahr, James C.
Hardy Jr., Howard W.
Harrod, John P.
Harrop, Ambassador William (Ret.)
Harter, John
Hartman, Jan
Hatton, Charla
Head, Al
Heaphy, Eileen M.
Hill, Ambassador H. Kenneth (Ret.)
Hirsch, Ambassador John L. (Ret.)
Hoganson, Jerome
Holfeld, Joyce M.
Holmes, Brooke
Holmes, John W.
Hornblow, Michael
Houlahan, J. Michael
Howard, Barbara D
Huggins-Williams, Nedra
Hughes, David
Humphreys, Liam Jackson
Hutcheson, James W.
Huxtable, John A.
Illing, Robert
Johnson, Joe B.
Johnson, Charles N.
Johnson, Ambassador Darryl N. (Ret.)
Jones, Ambassador George F. (Ret.)
Jones, Ralph T.
Keene, Douglas R.
Keiswetter, Allen
Kemper, Joseph M.
Kendall, Harry
Kiesling, John Brady
Kilgour, Mary C.
King, Wayne
Korff, Michael
Korky, Ann
Kuchel, Ambassador Roland K. (Ret.)
Kushlis, Patricia
Kushlis, William J.
Laroche, Dick
Lambert, Lynne
Lanpher, Ambassador Edward Gibson (Ret.)
Latham Jr., Ernest H.
Leidel, Ambassador Donald C. (Ret.)
LeMaistre, Alice
Lerner, Patricia J.
Levin, Ambassador Burton (Ret.)
Lewis, Ambassador Samuel (Ret.)
Lippe, Michael
Loftus, Gerald
Lundin, John
Lundy, Walter A.
MacManus, Elizabeth Keys
Magee, Ambassador Charles T. (Ret.)
Mahan, Val
Malloy, Edward M.
Martin, Thomas M.
Marks, Ambassador Edward (Ret.)
Marwitz, Toni
Matheron, Ambassador Richard C. (Ret.)
Matthews, Wade
Mattox, Henry
Maule, Robert W.
Maushammer, Robert J.
McCoo, Millie
McGuire, Ambassador Kevin J. (Ret.)
McGuire, Harriet
McKee, Richard
McKniff, Joan
McNeil, Ambassador Frank (Ret.)
Meeks, Bill
Meer, S. Ahmed
Miller, David Norman
Molldrem, Vivikka
Monblatt, Steve
Monk, Amy
Monk, David B.
Moore, Alice
Moser, Leo John
Mueller, Richard W.
Murphy, Peter K.
Murphy, Sandy
Myrick, Ambassador Bismarck (Ret.)
Nagy, Ernest
Nance, William B.
Nethercut, Richard D.
Norris, James
Oakley, Ambassador Robert P. (Ret.)
Oakley, Phyllis
O’Connor, Thomas E.
O’Donnell, Thomas J.
O’Farrell, Paul
Oglesby, Donna Marie
Olds, Suzanne
O’Neill, Rosemary D.
Orley, Ray
Palma, Carole
Parker, Donald
Parker, Norma J.
Patterson, Sue
Peck, Ambassador Edward L. (Ret.)
Perrin, Patricia E.
Perry, Ambassador Jack R. (Ret.)
Pomeroy, Thomas Alexander
Pope, Ambassador Laurence (Ret.)
Powers, Robert A.
Precht, Henry
Rackmales, Robert
Ransom, Marjorie
Reeber, Mary K.
Reinhardt, Ambassador John E. (Ret.)
Richmond, Yale
Rose, Victoria
Ross, Sherman
Rucker, Robert L.
Savage, John
Schacknies, Rosina
Schaffer, Ambassador Howard B. (Ret.)
Schertz, Mary Lou Kate
Schiff, Stanley
Schoonover, Ambassador Brenda (Ret.)
Schwartz, Deborah R.
Sebastian, Ambassador Peter (Ret.)
Segars, Ambassador Joseph M. (Ret.)
Senser, Robert A.
Serwer, Daniel
Sharpless, Ambassador Mattie R. (Ret.)
Sheinbaum, Gilbert
Sinding, Monica Knorr
Sinding, Steven W.
Smith, Ambassador Pamela H. (Ret.)
Smith, Paul R.
Spalding, Peter
Spiro, Joel
Springer, Richard L.
St. John, John J.
Stahnke, Paul K
Stern, Robert
Sterner, Ambassador Michael (Ret.)
Streeter, Alvin
Stefan, Adrienne
Sundquist, Alexandra
Sutton, Gerald
Svengsouk, Thvanh
Swain, Diana
Takahashi, Lorraine
Tetro, Robert
Tompkins, Tain
Tomseth, Ambassador Victor L. (Ret.)
Tongour, Nadia
Tonkin, Thomas
Troy, Carl
Tuch, Hans N.
Turner, Linda
Usrey, Gary
Villareal, G. Claude
Vincent, John
Virden, Dick
Von den Steinen, Erwin
Weinland, Helen
Wells, Sharon
Wheeler, Evelyn
White, Robin L.
Williams, Albert N.
Williams, Nicholas
Williams, Ambassador Richard (Ret.)
Wilson, Dwight
Wolcott, Peter
Wood, Susan
Wozniak, Robert
Zelle, Susan W.

(Updated from original post on 8/20/08)

Palin's Top Foreign Policy Experience Exaggerations!

Given that the McCain camp is manufacturing distortions and outright lies faster than most of us can keep track of, I thought I'd do a quick outline of the campaign's top exaggerations of Palin's FP Experience:

1) Alaska is close to Russia!


2) She has "command" over Alaska's National Guard units



3) Negotiating fishing treaties is significant FP experience (see the post from 9/5/08)


The US Center for Global Engagement has a more detailed look at her scant actions related to international relations during her short tenure as Governor.

While some are laughing at the absurdity of her nomination, according to today's Politico, GOP foreign policy experts are not happy with McCain's decision.

A strong case for Obama's foreign policy strengths

In case you missed it, you should take a look at Gov. Bill Richardson's convention speech in Denver. It focuses entirely on foreign policy and does a great job of outlining Sen. Obama's national security credentials.

Here's an excerpt:

After 9/11, John McCain turned his sights toward Iraq—a country that had nothing to do with 9/11—and called for a full-scale invasion. Barack Obama foresaw chaos. John McCain said we'd be welcomed as liberators, and that Iraq would pay for its own rebuilding. John McCain was wrong. Barack Obama was right!

Barack Obama was among the first to call for a timetable for responsible withdrawal. But John McCain, to this day, condemns the idea. The Iraqis are calling for a withdrawal timetable, but John McCain would keep us in Iraq for 100 years. John McCain is wrong. Barack Obama is right.

And Barack Obama saw the foolishness of embracing Pakistan’s Musharraf. John McCain thought we should support the dictator and let him take care of the Pakistani terrorists. Musharaff is now gone, and the terrorists are stronger than ever. John McCain was wrong. Barack Obama was right.

[...]

Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe we must fight the terrorists—not where we imagine them to be, but where we know them to be—like Afghanistan and Pakistan. We must lead a global effort to secure loose nuclear materials, not where we imagine them to be, but where we know them to be, in Russia, and the countries of the former Soviet Union.

It's time we had a president committed to fighting poverty in the Third World and ending the genocide in Darfur; who leads international efforts to stop global warming, strengthens our friendship with Mexico and Latin America, and stands behind Israel with full-time diplomacy to achieve peace in the Middle East; a president who ends the global scourge of AIDS in our time and sets an example of moral leadership by following our constitution, shutting down Guantanamo, and ending torture

Watch the video below, read the entire transcript here.

Carville: McCain has blown his advantage on FP

James Carville, who famously ushered Bill Clinton to victory in 1992, has released an Op-Ed in today's Financial Times. It's a quick read and effectively argued. Here are the key points:

In all my years in national politics since 1982 there had been one constant until August 29. It was that the Republican party cornered the national security market.

He goes on:

Then Mr McCain picked Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. We often say September 11 2001 changed the world (and it did); we can now say August 29 2008 changed the future of the Republican party for ever. To pacify some talk radio blowhards and the pro-life crowd, the party has thrown away 60 years of successful branding.

Fish me a terrorist

As long as the McCain campaign wants to make Palin the poster child of the republican ticket instead of the Arizona Senator himself, we'll take them up on the offer.

This is a politician with zero foreign policy experience. And you won't believe the Republican's latest attempt to try and hide that. GOP strategists are now claiming that her foreign policy experience stems from "fishing issues" between Alaska and Russia.

Even the FOX News anchor cannot take such absurdity (and that says a lot):

Palin: Swagger and lipstick, but not much foreign policy

Sarah Palin's speech at the RNC has endeared her to those seeking a "pit bull with lipstick" to head up McCain's attack strategy against a formidable (and honorable) Democratic ticket.

For those of us interested in responsible American leadership in foreign policy, there really wasn't any "there" there. I've culled a transcript of the speech for substantive elements related to foreign policy. That is, not empty talking points or jabs at Senator Obama, but affirmative statements of Republican governing philosophy and strategy related to foreign policy.

There's nothing new in the speech, but here we go:

1) McCain was in the military, her son is, too. McCain wants continued occupation of Iraq, where her son will serve.

"He's a man who wore the uniform of this country for 22 years, and refused to break faith with those troops in Iraq who have now brought victory within sight.

And as the mother of one of those troops, that is exactly the kind of man I want as commander in chief. I'm just one of many moms who'll say an extra prayer each night for our sons and daughters going into harm's way."

2) Alaska has oil that can substitute for foreign oil.

"That pipeline, when the last section is laid and its valves are opened, will lead America one step farther away from dependence on dangerous foreign powers that do not have our interests at heart...

With Russia wanting to control a vital pipeline in the Caucasus, and to divide and intimidate our European allies by using energy as a weapon, we cannot leave ourselves at the mercy of foreign suppliers.

To confront the threat that Iran might seek to cut off nearly a fifth of world energy supplies ... or that terrorists might strike again at the Abqaiq facility in Saudi Arabia ... or that Venezuela might shut off its oil deliveries ... we Americans need to produce more of our own oil and gas."

3) Negotiating with rogue states is inappropriate.

"Terrorist states are seeking nuclear weapons without delay ... he wants to meet them without preconditions."

4) Un-uniformed militants do not merit legal rights or protections.

"Al Qaeda terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America ... he's worried that someone won't read them their rights?"

I'll let you all take her on in the comments....

Don't miss Harry Reid's Oil Speech

"The history of the last 100 years has been a toxic mix of oil and war."

Of all the speeches I saw last week, Senator Reid's oil speech best articulated the Party's view of the role of oil in distorting power globally and within the United States. It is forceful, rational, and clearly articulates why a democratic administration is vital to break the power of oil interests.



While McCain is clearly beholden to Big Oil, the speech clarifies why McCain's VP selection would please them. Sarah Palin, in the words of a Republican surrogate, is "CEO of America's largest oil state". Her husband was employed by the oil industry, she opposes wildlife protections that might impede oil exploration in Alaska, and she is a key linkage between the industry and the push for a petro-centric energy policy extending at least another four years. While her claim to fame in Alaska has been her willingness to squeeze the Big Three oil companies for increased tax revenue, she's far from a crusader for breaking our addiction to oil. Quite the contrary.

Full transcript of Reid's speech is here: http://www.demconvention.com/harry-reid/

In case you were living under a rock for the past week...

Here's the next President of the United States accepting the Democratic nomination: