Pitbull in the Headlights

It became increasingly clear to anyone watching CBS Evening News Wednesday that Republican VP pick Sarah Palin was not prepared for her interview on economics. Palin was unable to articulate any sort of clear stance on the enormous financial bailout being wrangled over in Congress; she failed to elucidate the nature of McCain campaign manager Rick Davis' controversial connections to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and could not cite one instance of leadership by John McCain on the issue of financial oversight. Katie Couric pushed Palin on this last issue, asking exactly how McCain would, as Palin has asserted, "reform the way Wall St. does business." Palin attempted to dodge the question by calling McCain a maverick in the Senate, but when Couric asked a second time for concrete examples of McCain's leadership on this issue, the VP hopeful said "I'll try to find some [examples] and get back to ya."

In the second portion of her interview with Katie Couric, Sarah Palin attempted to explain how being governor of Alaska has given her foreign policy experience. We think her remarks speak for themselves:

COURIC: Well, explain to me why that enhances your foreign policy credentials?

PALIN: Well, it certainly does because our next door neighbors are foreign countries. they're in the state that i am the executive of. And there in Russia --

COURIC: Have you ever been involved with any negotiations for example, with the Russians?

PALIN: We have trade missions back and forth. We do -- it's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia -- as Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America, where do they go?

It's Alaska, It's right over the border. It is from Alaska, that we send those out to make sure an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there, they are right next to our state.

-Marissa Colón-Margolies

Check out more great Nation videos on our YouTube channel.

• Get The Nation at home (and online!) for 68 cents a week!
• If you like this article, consider making a donation to The Nation.
• Reprint this article. Click here for rights and information.