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Palin: Obama Not Qualified to Be Commander-in-Chief
October 03, 2008 2:02 PM
ABC News' Teddy Davis, Rigel Anderson, and Arnab Datta Report: Speaking to Fox News on Friday, Sarah Palin indicated for the first time that she does not consider Barack Obama qualified to be commander in chief and sharply criticized him for saying last year that U.S. troops in Afghanistan are "just air raiding villages and killing civilians."
Calling Obama "reckless," Palin said that where she comes from Obama's remarks "disqualify someone from consideration for the next commander-in-chief."
"Some of his comments that he's made about the war, that I think, in my world disqualify someone from consideration for the next commander-in-chief," said Palin. "Some of the comments he's made about Afghanistan, what we are doing there, 'just air raiding villages and killing civilians.' That's reckless."
Palin invoked Obama's "just air raiding villages and killing civilians" remark during her Fox News interview as an example of the kind of issue that she wanted to be asked about by Katie Couric, the CBS News anchor who recently stumped the Alaska governor by asking her to name a Supreme Court case other than Roe v. Wade with which she disagrees.
The Alaska governor first brought up her objection to Obama's comments at Thursday's debate.
"That's not what we're doing there," said Palin, referring to Afghanistan. "We're fighting terrorists, and we're securing democracy, and we're building schools for children there so that there is opportunity in that country."
Obama made his controversial remarks while campaigning in New Hampshire on Aug. 13, 2007. His comments came when he was asked how he would refocus U.S. troops out of Iraq to better fight terrorism.
Watch Obama's remarks here: LINK
"We've gotta get the job done there," said Obama, referring to the U.S. mission in Afghanistan, "and that requires us to have enough troops so that we're not just air raiding villages and killing civilians, which is causing enormous problems there."
The Obama campaign responded to Palin's criticism by standing by the Illinois Democrat's 2007 remarks, directing ABC News to an Associated Press fact check from Aug. 14, 2007 which says of Afghanistan that "Western forces have been killing civilians at a faster rate than the insurgents have been killing civilians."
The McCain campaign slammed Obama for not retracting the "just air raiding villages and killing civilians" remark and instead pointing to data about civilian deaths in Afghanistan.
"Americans have at times questioned Senator Obama's support for American troops because of what were believed to be ill-considered remarks," said McCain spokesman Michael Goldfarb. "The fact that Barack Obama and his campaign would stand by this statement is a stunning admission to the contrary -- Barack Obama actually believes American troops are engaged in war crimes as a matter of routine."
October 3, 2008 in Obama, Barack, Palin, Sarah, Vote 2008: Democrats, Vote 2008: Republicans | Permalink | User Comments (1066)
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I like the way she slams Obama for not voting for our military when in fact he has a rating with Vets of 85% vs McCains 20%.
Look at McCains voting record is all you have to do to see that McCain has vote 90% of the time against our men in women in the military.
Vets are not stupid and neither are the american people.
I hate it when McCain and Palin try to play us like we are.
I totally agree with Obama and his comment. How dare we just go into another country and start bombing and killing children and women. We need to track down the terrorist and take them out.
Posted by: beck | Oct 3, 2008 2:26:19 PM
HE is not ready? Well hockey mom you might want to get a little more experience yourself before you claim that. What a joke.
Posted by: Pablo P | Oct 3, 2008 2:26:29 PM
Just so people know what they're voting for...From OBAMA'S book Audacity of Hope: 'I will stand with the MUSLIMS should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.' More quotes that expose OBAMA as a RACIST: 'It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names.'...'I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother's race.'
Posted by: LofC | Oct 3, 2008 2:26:31 PM
So now Palin joins Biden and Hillary Clinton as going on record to say Obama is unqualified to be president (Biden and Hillary during the primaries said Obama was not qualified to be president).
Posted by: It's a beautiful day | Oct 3, 2008 2:27:12 PM
Obama/Biden continue to look backwards and point fingers. McCain/Palin are looking to change the future for the better.
Hmmm......it's obvious who the next POTUS will be...John McCain!
Posted by: carpe' diem | Oct 3, 2008 2:27:42 PM
Well, first of all, Obama is right -- it doesn't make him unpatriotic to state the facts. Palin is SCARY AS HELL -- reminds me of Richard Nixon during the anti-war years -- disagree with his position and he spied on you, had you audited, and otherwise tried to make your life miserable. Palin has already shown her leanings in that regard with her own former brother-in-law. This gal's a NAZI!
Posted by: Deborah from NC | Oct 3, 2008 2:28:54 PM
JOE BIDEN’S 14 LIES TONIGHT
1. TAX VOTE: Biden said McCain voted “the exact same way” as Obama to increase taxes on Americans earning just $42,000, but McCain DID NOT VOTE THAT WAY.
2. AHMEDINIJAD MEETING: Joe Biden lied when he said that Barack Obama never said that he would sit down unconditionally with Mahmoud Ahmedinijad of Iran. Barack Obama did say specifically, and Joe Biden attacked him for it.
3. OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING: Biden said, “Drill we must.” But Biden has opposed offshore drilling and even compared offshore drilling to “raping” the Outer Continental Shelf.”
4. TROOP FUNDING: Joe Biden lied when he indicated that John McCain and Barack Obama voted the same way against funding the troops in the field. John McCain opposed a bill that included a timeline, that the President of the United States had already said he would veto regardless of it’s passage.
5. OPPOSING CLEAN COAL: Biden says he’s always been for clean coal, but he just told a voter that he is against clean coal and any new coal plants in America and has a record of voting against clean coal and coal in the U.S. Senate.
6. ALERNATIVE ENERGY VOTES: According to FactCheck.org, Biden is exaggerating and overstating John McCain’s record voting for alternative energy when he says he voted against it 23 times.
7. HEALTH INSURANCE: Biden falsely said McCain will raise taxes on people's health insurance coverage -- they get a tax credit to offset any tax hike. Independent fact checkers have confirmed this attack is false
8. OIL TAXES: Biden falsely said Palin supported a windfall profits tax in Alaska -- she reformed the state tax and revenue system, it's not a windfall profits tax.
9. AFGHANISTAN / GEN. MCKIERNAN COMMENTS: Biden said that top military commander in Iraq said the principles of the surge could not be applied to Afghanistan, but the commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force Gen. David D. McKiernan said that there were principles of the surge strategy, including working with tribes, that could be applied in Afghanistan.
10. REGULATION: Biden falsely said McCain weakened regulation -- he actually called for more regulation on Fannie and Freddie.
11. IRAQ: When Joe Biden lied when he said that John McCain was “dead wrong on Iraq”, because Joe Biden shared the same vote to authorize the war and differed on the surge strategy where they John McCain has been proven right.
12. TAX INCREASES: Biden said Americans earning less than $250,000 wouldn’t see higher taxes, but the Obama-Biden tax plan would raise taxes on individuals making $200,000 or more.
13. BAILOUT: Biden said the economic rescue legislation matches the four principles that Obama laid out, but in reality it doesn’t meet two of the four principles that Obama outlined on Sept. 19, which were that it include an emergency economic stimulus package, and that it be part of “part of a globally coordinated effort with our partners in the G-20.”
14. REAGAN TAX RATES: Biden is wrong in saying that under Obama, Americans won't pay any more in taxes then they did under Reagan.
Posted by: One_American | Oct 3, 2008 2:28:55 PM
Wisdom from a Wasilla hillbilly who's only qualifications are being good at being a windup toy and taking six years to struggle through four of the lowest ranked schools in the world. WOW!
Posted by: geneonlbk | Oct 3, 2008 2:29:05 PM
Robert: When they are running against each other they all said that the other person was not qualified. Stop playing people like we are totally stupid.
Posted by: beck | Oct 3, 2008 2:29:20 PM
"It's the economy, stupid"
We just lost 195,000 jobs last month and the Congress just past a $750 billion bail out.
Yawn...
Posted by: Sandra | Oct 3, 2008 2:30:00 PM
If you really feel Palin did great last night, it would explain why you also feel she is qualified and a good VP pick. In both cases, you show a real lack of knowledge and lack of understanding about the job she is up for in this election. Cute and downhome are not skills for this position. You are letting your emotions and or disdain for Democrats cloud your judgement and perception. The woman is truly scary. She is the type of person that uses her looks and charm to lead you to think that she is a sweet and regular person. Listen to her tone and comments when on the attack. She is very very scary.
Posted by: dw | Oct 3, 2008 2:30:12 PM
This woman is an halirus moron. Let's send her back to her hole in ALASKA.
Posted by: Basil | Oct 3, 2008 2:30:42 PM
Plain isn't qualified to say that Obama isn't qualified.
Posted by: GetaLife | Oct 3, 2008 2:30:54 PM
If she thinks that Obama is not qualified to be commander in chief, what is she? Two yrs. as governor and that makes her qualified? That comment reflected more on her!!!
Posted by: Ursula Shea | Oct 3, 2008 2:31:07 PM
Look at her approval ratings as governor, most of them are 90% or more. She must be doing something right up there!
Posted by: supermom | Oct 3, 2008 2:31:16 PM
The only way Sarah Palin could be considered the Reagan candidate is the fact that neither one of them could remember their names if they weren't written on a name tag. Fortunately Reagan was already out of office before that happened. That is one pathtic VP choice for the Palin/McCain ticket isn't it?
Posted by: Bob Lees | Oct 3, 2008 2:31:24 PM
To believe that all you palin supporters are American voters at all is absurd to me. America is far more critical of who they are going to vote in. (Now that we've had it with 8 years of the republicans dismantling our country down to its roots).....Keep worshiping this lady as your party goes down in flames.....She didn't even answer one question straight..... and she flies on the straight talk express?? this lady needs to be put in a mental hospital with her insane running mate mccain. Go look at 270 to win.com and try to overcome obamas lead.....the horizon is dim indeed isn't it you poor grasping republicans.
Posted by: tehevo | Oct 3, 2008 2:31:58 PM
I cannot understand the mentality of those who want an “average Joe” to be in charge of running the greatest country in the world. If you were having a life threatening surgery, would you want an “average Joe” operating on you? If you were wrongly accused of committing a serious crime, would you want an “average Joe” as your attorney? If you were in trouble with the IRS would you want an “average Joe” for your accountant. Do you want an “average Joe” teaching your children their college classes, or for that matter elementary school classes? I sure don’t!
Yes, I am an “average Joe” myself and most of my friends are, too. Neither I nor a single one of my friends is qualified to run this country. We need extraordinary people running this country--people with superior intellects. I would have thought we would have learned our lesson by now after having an “average Joe” running the country for the last 8 years.
Posted by: Gary | Oct 3, 2008 2:32:01 PM
As we come into a new election the things of the past have not worked, it's time for some change in any direction other than the direction we have been going in over the years. Palin seems to be oblivious to what the norm is in the political circles and this is probably the best thing that could happen to us. Obama is aspeaking charmer but a snake in the grass, be3fore you know it we will all be into a socialist pile of garbage with him and Biden! Biden has been on the hill so long he is removed from reality. Obama has no military background or experience. McCain has plenty of experience in the miliatry. The democrats have not done anything to help this country out, they are all abotu specialist interest groups. I wish one candidate would say "Americans first" when asked about foriegn policy. Our best chances for "Americans First" is without doubt McCain Palin.
Obama had bveen a Senator for 143 days and announced his run for the presidency, you cannot even be a manager at McDonlads in 143 days!
Posted by: J Carr | Oct 3, 2008 2:32:39 PM
Barrack Obama is not qualified to be Commander in Chief. But, if you apply affirmative action to that job, he should qualify being an African-American. What is wrong with that??
Posted by: shyam | Oct 3, 2008 2:33:03 PM
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