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Palin & World Leaders (Cont'd)
September 23, 2008 1:04 PM
From Kate Snow -- in midtown Manhattan:
Well, here's what I can tell you so far about Governor Sarah Palin's meeting with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai. Her hair was pulled up in a bun. That's all I know. Several journalists were waiting for Palin to arrive at the front entrance of the Intercontinental Hotel in midtown Manhattan but she snuck in a side entrance. Reporters-- save for one producer from CNN who was let in for a few minutes-- were not allowed to enter the hotel. We have been promised a pool report, which will cover those minutes that our camera and producer were allowed in the room. After we figured out we'd missed our shot and she was already inside the building we ran around to the side and awaited her exit, hoping maybe we could shout a question about how the meeting had gone. As we set up to get the shot from across the street- the only place we were allowed to be- a police cruiser pulled up and blocked our view of the entrance, followed by a large blue US Secret Service expedition. He told me he was "under orders". We moved to a spot further from the door but with a clearer view. And Palin emerged. Too far away to hear our shouted questions. Flanked by her foreign policy advisor Steve Beguin. Once inside the car, she looked down, appearing to study notes. She is on her way now to meet with the Colombian President. All these meetings in a row might be considered baptism by fire for someone who had never before met with any foreign head of state and only recently obtained a US passport. But she can draw a crowd without saying a word. "Who's here? Palin? Baby, now we're talkin," said a man passing by her motorcade.
Then comes the "pool report" from a CNN producer:
The press pool (still and TV cameras only, plus this producer) entered into Karzai's sizeable suite at the Intercontinental shortly after noon. One handler, who did not appear to be with the campaign but rather with Karzai's entourage, repeatedly said "No writers," and he tried to keep this pooler from entering the room when he saw my notebook. However, Chris Edwards, Palin's deputy chief of staff, allowed me to pass. Palin was seated in a large chair a few feet from Karzai, with a table in between them. From the view of the pool cameras, Palin sat on the left, and Karzai to the right. Seated slightly behind Palin were foreign policy advisers Steve Biegun and Randy Scheunemann, who are accompanying the governor in her motorcade today. As the pool entered, the Afghan president appeared to be telling Palin about his young son, who was born in January 2007. Palin, her legs crossed and at one point patting her heart, was leaning in eagerly and smiling. Karzai, wearing his traditional clothes but without his trademark karakul hat, was also grinning while discussing the child. His remarks were unintelligible as the noise from the clicking cameras drowned them out.
This was the only exchange that was heard:
"What is his name?" Palin asked.
"Mirwais," Karzai responded. "Mirwais, which means, 'The Light of the House.'"
"Oh nice," Palin responded. "He is the only one we have," remarked Karzai.
At this point, the pool was hustled out the room and down to the hotel lobby. Pool was in the room for a grand total of 29 seconds.
September 23, 2008 in Vote 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (69)
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Palin as a VP pick is really a comedy now.
Now, America is a laughing stock to the whole world.
Can't we deserve better than this woman?
Posted by: zen | Sep 23, 2008 1:14:06 PM
America, here is your next Vice President, potentially next president! Imagine! She's going to continue spreading democracy around the world? This is getting ridiculous!
Posted by: D | Sep 23, 2008 1:14:29 PM
Geeze McCain will call this a sucessful foreign exchange, what a joke a f ing joke.
Posted by: depravedmaniac | Sep 23, 2008 1:15:02 PM
Hopefully Karzai realizes that he is being used...
and says something.
anything seeing how our own Vice Presidential nominee
can't...
because she is a moron.
Posted by: dl (the real one) | Sep 23, 2008 1:15:34 PM
I'll say it again; You are just Paper Tigers.
You covered her and given her press and still have gained nothing.
How does it feel to be used so easily and effectively?
Posted by: Thinking | Sep 23, 2008 1:16:07 PM
WHAT A JOKE
Posted by: YEA BUDDY | Sep 23, 2008 1:17:24 PM
Well, by her use of negative adverbs and adjectives. This reporters opinoionated news is not worth reading. To even suggest that Sarah Palin snuck in to her meeting is offensive. If these scum bag reporter didn't have their political agenda's to perform, maybe people would not treat them like they had the plague.
Posted by: john jacobs | Sep 23, 2008 1:17:50 PM
Karzai knew there was no point intalking about anything outside his kid.
He knew he was being used to fool the American people.
Posted by: dl (the real one) | Sep 23, 2008 1:18:01 PM
did they exchange family photographs?! Inquiring minds want to know!
The late-night comedy shows are going to have a blast with this.
Posted by: Truth17 | Sep 23, 2008 1:19:19 PM
JOhn Jacobs
SHE DID SNEAK INTO HER MEETING duh.
she took the side door. duh.
and asking her real questions they are never allowed to ask...is attacking her?
only if she is an idiot...
so I guess yeah it would be attacking her...because she IS an idiot.
as much as she has been taught to memorize cliff notes on how to rule the world.
Posted by: dl (the real one) | Sep 23, 2008 1:20:11 PM
By the way I wish you people would take the monkey face boy. You know the sixty-five percent white guy off your front page. He makes me want to puke when I see it. Put an American hero up there, not a Muslim dictator.
Posted by: john jacobs | Sep 23, 2008 1:21:54 PM
well, well. charles gibson, do YOU know the meaning of the bush doctrine?
not according to the originator of this phrase, charles krauthammer. in your pursuit of a "gotcha" moment you actually showed your own ignorance. Ms. Palin acted very cool under the fog of your question, and i hope you can show the same class and admit to your mistake on the air. i won't hold my breath.
Posted by: jmap54 | Sep 23, 2008 1:22:49 PM
In what respect, Charlie?
Posted by: Teebob2000 | Sep 23, 2008 1:23:21 PM
Is Palin meeting with any of our European allies? Or, is she meeting only with leaders from countries that hold little/no leverage with the US? Is Karzai going to say 'no' to a meeting with Palin? Would Sasha?
More importantly, did Karzai and Palin exchange family pictures? Or, schedule a play date!
Posted by: Truth17 | Sep 23, 2008 1:23:33 PM
Oh ZEN. You are so negative. Like Barrack has any exp. Give me a break. She has taken the country by storm and you and all the other libs are worried. Serves you right.
Posted by: Dennis | Sep 23, 2008 1:24:40 PM
"He is the only one we have" remarked Karzai.
Palin rolls her eyes. "Oh, that's nothing. You don't know how crazy life gets until you've had a few more!"
Next!
Posted by: Truth17 | Sep 23, 2008 1:25:57 PM
Obama no experience.
Palin Experience......
Hmmmm. Who do you want to be President? Go PALIN!!!!
Posted by: Joe V | Sep 23, 2008 1:27:04 PM
If I were meeting a world leader, I would not have to ask him his only child's name.
Posted by: hang | Sep 23, 2008 1:27:39 PM
That's it, yipeee.. Palin has international experience now, she can see Russia from her house and she knows Karzai's kids name. It's all over demoncRats, Palin is a foreign policy expert. Why do we allow this farce to continue, she's an idiot plain and simple.
Posted by: Bob Lees | Sep 23, 2008 1:28:36 PM
And we still are talking about Governor Palin. As hard as Obama has tried to change the focus back to him, he can't even get this one right. Poor poor Obama.
Posted by: Kitty | Sep 23, 2008 1:32:15 PM
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