Palin Challenges Obama's "Rhetorical Flourishes" Defense of Biden

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Palin Challenges Obama's "Rhetorical Flourishes" Defense of Biden

October 23, 2008 6:48 PM

ABC News' Imtiyaz Delawala and Lisa Chinn Report: Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin challenged Sen. Barack Obama's comments yesterday dismissing as "rhetorical flourishes" his running mate Sen. Joe Biden’s warning of an international crisis in their first six months in office, while charging that Obama is untested and not prepared to handle such crises if they do arise.

"And yesterday, we got a sample of how Barack Obama handles trouble when he hastily assembled the press to remind them after Biden’s quote, he said, ‘now Joe sometimes engages in some rhetorical flourishes,’" Palin told a crowd of thousands packed into an indoor area in Troy, Ohio today. "We’ll all concede that Barack Obama knows a thing or two about rhetorical flourishes. But I question dismissing Joe Biden's moment of truth-telling as nothing more than a social embarrassment."

Palin then charged that Biden’s comments at a Seattle fundraiser on Sunday predicting an international crisis during the first six months of an Obama administration were a warning that Obama would "invite dangerous international crisis because he is untested" and that he would not be "ready to deal with" such a crisis if it did occur.

"And here his own running mate has just warned America -- and it’s not the first time -- he warned us throughout the primaries that Barack was not ready to be president. He reminded them that the election of Barack Obama will invite dangerous international crisis because he is untested," Palin said. "Senator Obama's own running mate, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has informed us that a serious international crisis is certain if Obama is elected, and that he is not ready to deal with it."

"I want a president who is ready on day one," Palin continued. "I want a president with the experience and the judgment and the wisdom and the truthfulness to meet the next international crisis, or better yet, to avoid it."

Biden had said at the Seattle fundraiser that Obama would be tested by a "generated crisis" but he did not say in his remarks that he thought Obama would not be ready for that test.

"Mark my words. It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy," Biden said. "The world is looking. We're about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don't remember anything else I said. Watch, we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy."

"As a student of history and having served with seven presidents, I guarantee you it’s gonna happen," Biden added.

While Obama yesterday dismissed Biden’s comments as "rhetorical flourishes," recent history does back Biden’s claim that the first months of a new presidency are often challenged by international and domestic crises.

President George W. Bush faced his first international challenge in April 2001, when a U.S. Navy reconnaissance plane collided with a Chinese fighter jet over disputed airspace, and was forced to land on a Chinese island. The U.S. crew of 24 was detained for 11 days before their release, in an international incident that foreign policy experts at the time thought may be the start of a new cold war with China. Such concerns receded five months later, when the U.S. was attacked on September 11, just nine months into Bush’s presidency.

In February 1993, just one month after President Bill Clinton’s inauguration, the World Trade Center was bombed in New York, killing six people and injuring over 1,000. Eight months later, Clinton faced the first major overseas challenge of his presidency when 18 U.S. soldiers were killed in Mogadishu, Somalia.

President George H.W. Bush faced an international crisis before his inauguration, when Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed over Scotland in December 1988, killing 180 Americans. And President Ronald Reagan, who Palin often cites on the campaign trail, faced an unexpected crisis just 69 days into his presidency, when he was shot and seriously wounded in an attempted assassination in March 1981.

October 23, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (204)

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So what would she do - run screaming through the Oval Office that there is aproblem and have to have the doctor give her a valium? What a wackjob - of course he handled the issue with calmness and even tempurment - unlike her like hysterical response. If you look back in history you'll see that most new presidents are challenged with a problem - and Obama handles them exactly how I would want them handled - smoothly and without hysterics!

Posted by: jozy | Oct 23, 2008 7:08:49 PM

THE GREATEST ATTACK ON OBAMA IS COMING AND WILL COME FROM BIDEN
THE GUY IS A MOOSEHEAD.
WITH $700 MILLION AND ALL, THE TWO DEMO CLOWNS ARE BOUND TO BLOW THIS ELECTION.
ANYWAYS, AMERICANS DO NOT WANT OBAMA COMMUNISM.
WE WANT A WAR HERO, NOT A ZERO
I AM VOTING MCCAIN FOR THE SANITY OF THIS NATION
THIS IS NO TIME TO WADE INTO THE UNKNOWN, CALLED SOCIALIMS OR SPREAD ANY WEALTH..

Posted by: TJ, THE CLINTONITE | Oct 23, 2008 7:10:17 PM

Posted by: TJ, THE CLINTONITE | Oct 23, 2008 7:10:18 PM

HERE IS WHAT AMERICANS WILL BE FACING IF BARACK OBAMA IS ELECTED - THE DARK AGES FOR AMERICA HAVE ALREADY STARTED!

PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, October 23, 2008:

"A knife-wielding man robbed a McCain-Palin campaign volunteer and etched a “B” into her face after he saw a McCain bumper sticker on the woman’s car, Pittsburgh police said.

Ashley Todd, 20, of College Station, Texas, was using an ATM at Liberty Avenue and Pearl Street in Bloomfield just before 9 p.m. Wednesday when a man approached her, put a knife to her throat and demanded $60, police said.

Todd handed the man $60 she had in her pocket and stepped away from him, investigators said. The man then noticed the bumper sticker on the woman's car, which was parked in front of the ATM. The man became very angry, made comments to Todd about John McCain and punched her in the back of the head, knocking her to the ground, police said.

"He continued to kick and punch her repeatedly and said he would teach her a lesson for supporting John McCain," said police Chief Nate Harper."

Is this criminal a member Barack Obama's "Truth Squad"?

Posted by: One_American | Oct 23, 2008 7:11:18 PM

HERE IS WHAT AMERICANS WILL BE FACING IF BARACK OBAMA IS ELECTED - THE DARK AGES FOR AMERICA HAVE ALREADY STARTED!

PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, October 23, 2008:

"A knife-wielding man robbed a McCain-Palin campaign volunteer and etched a “B” into her face after he saw a McCain bumper sticker on the woman’s car, Pittsburgh police said.

"He continued to kick and punch her repeatedly and said he would teach her a lesson for supporting John McCain," said police Chief Nate Harper."

Is this criminal a member Barack Obama's "Truth Squad"?

Posted by: One_American | Oct 23, 2008 7:12:02 PM

Obama handled it with a calmness and smoothness that it should have been handled with - not hysterics like Palin would. I mean if she were in the WH and some major issue happened with another country she would need a valium in order to deal with it. Obama shows you that he is ready to be POTUS by not over-reacting to some minor (or major) issue by running screaming through the hallways

Posted by: jozy | Oct 23, 2008 7:12:52 PM

Sarah Palin is the most unqualified potential vice president and apparently she doesn't know what a vice president does because there is no way she would be ready for a crisis if she would have to be president.

Posted by: Kathy | Oct 23, 2008 7:15:00 PM

Bush didn't retaliate against those who attacked the US on Sept. 11, 2001.
Instead, he used it as a reason to attack Iraq. Stupid.
OBAMA would do better if faced with a crisis. God forbid he has to.

Posted by: Rev. Ike | Oct 23, 2008 7:16:04 PM

Sarah Sarah Sarah, you're so hilarious. Have fun at the deposition tomorrow. And keep promoting that working-class image with your $150K wardrobe.

I guess the Right won't be able to talk about $400 haircuts anymore.

Obama will be tested--and he will make wise, thoughtful decisions. Your guy made the decision to put the country in your unqualified, shallow hands. That's the kind of judgement we don't need, Ms Palin.

Posted by: james | Oct 23, 2008 7:16:17 PM

The fact is Sarah Palin is unqualified and should not be talking about experience. I hope I never have to see her again after the election.

Posted by: Kathy | Oct 23, 2008 7:16:33 PM

Sarah Palin needs to sit down and be quiet. Better yet, she needs to go back to Alaska on he road to nowhere and take care of her brats.

Posted by: Rev. Ike | Oct 23, 2008 7:17:40 PM

I'm surprised Sarah Palin knows what a "rhetorical flourish" is! Instead of scouring the media every day for something she can attack, she should pay more attention to her Troopergate deposition and the releasing of her health records as she promised to do. But I guess the polls dictate the tactics and if you're behind you head for the kitchen sink!

Of course presidents are tested when they first come into office, but we don't need a president who sings "bomb, bomb Iran", (as McCain did) when he gets tested.

Posted by: perumal11 | Oct 23, 2008 7:17:47 PM

AM VOTING MCCAIN FOR THE SANITY OF THIS NATION
THIS IS NO TIME TO WADE INTO THE UNKNOWN, CALLED SOCIALIMS OR SPREAD ANY WEALTH..

Posted by: TJ, THE CLINTONITE | Oct 23, 2008 7:10:17 PM

I can't believe you used McCain and sanity in the same sentence.

Posted by: Jwench | Oct 23, 2008 7:19:17 PM

One_American - what happened was due to some drug seeking scum - not from anyone in the Obama campaign - for you to say so shows your true ignorance and the fact your afraid that black people will become something they are not. You must be a) white and b) a closet racist.

And TJ, THE CLINTONITE - you live in a republic - it has been since the begining. If you don't believe me - just read the back of any one of your monetary bills in your pocket. Our society has already become socialistic due to our bailing out of Wall Street, so don't be blaming Obama for what has already happened.
ANd for your information - I - a disabled veteran do not want a war hero (war monger)for POTUS - he doesn't deserve it just because he was a POW. And he sure doesn't have the capability to stay cool under pressure - we have seen that already in the many times he has been under pressure while campaigning.

Posted by: jozy | Oct 23, 2008 7:19:50 PM

Colin Powell has OBAMA's back.
I'm not worried. In God We Trust

Posted by: Lucky Lucy | Oct 23, 2008 7:21:14 PM

Biden has foot in mouth disease. he is not the best choice for VP as he will really insult some foreign country or leader one day and make matters worse.

Posted by: Fran | Oct 23, 2008 7:23:18 PM

Palin is ignorant of world affairs. I wouldn't want her in charge in case something happens.
Her husband would probably end up making the decision for her.
They are AIP members and not worthy of setting foot in the White House.

Posted by: Lucky Lucy | Oct 23, 2008 7:23:34 PM

McCain = DISHONORABLE; Palin = SCARY!!!

Posted by: Howard Gallas | Oct 23, 2008 7:24:27 PM

OBAMA/BIDEN/POWELL - 08

Posted by: Lucky Lucy | Oct 23, 2008 7:24:32 PM

McCain = DISHONORABLE; Palin = SCARY!!!

Posted by: Howard Gallas | Oct 23, 2008 7:26:15 PM

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