Posted on 12/16/2010 7:47:27 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Sarah Palin's two-day visit to Haiti on the invitation of Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, garnered some controversy over a picture that the Associated Press ran with a caption that the former Alaska governor was having her hair done before a photo shoot.
It was a silly fight and the AP caption was a distraction. The interesting thing about Palin's visit wasn't how she pinned up her hair, but what she was doing in Haiti, with whom, and why. Directing a faith-based NGO called Samaritan's Purse, Franklin Graham has been a subject of other articles at NPQ. Read here, here, and here.
He seems to have struck a working relationship with Palin establishing him as her religious guide. Were she to become president, he might serve her the way his father functioned as sort of the nation's pastor during Nixon's presidency. In return, she has defended him, for example, for his repeated attacks on Islam that have made him unpalatable even to some conservative groups.
Her visit to learn about the challenges in Haiti occurred within the confines of Samaritan's Purse aid sites, so she didn't get to experience alternatives to Graham's approach, and she was shielded from the press—except for the accompaniment of Greta van Susteren, Palin's Fox News colleague.
What did Palin learn? That conditions in Haiti were "much harsher" than she expected, that Americans should "get out of [their] comfort zone and volunteer to help," that conditions merited "a military airlift to come bring supplies that are so needed here," and that she came away with "a better understanding of the problems facing the country now."
But she only saw the country through Franklin Graham's NGO lens. It was only the fourth foreign country she has ever visited. It's good that Palin is touching down in other countries. Though her time in Haiti was only a weekend, she showed up during a devastating cholera epidemic and presumably saw its horrendous effects. But her questions, as reported by Samaritan's Purse staffer Ken Isaacs, about why Haiti had such poor sanitation and infrastructure sounded naive and unresearched, and she needed to be talking to more than just Graham's aid providers. There's a big world to learn about, Governor Palin, and there is a world of NGOs to understand beyond Franklin Graham's often controversial religious group.
Wasn’t her daughter doing her hair? They really have to work at making people hate her....she is so normal, it drives the left insane!
I’m going to disagree with you 2ndDivisionVet. This is more of the full out barf alert story. This article is teaming with digs and snide remarks about Palin. The AP flap was not explained for the hoax it was in the opening paragraph. The writer tries to tie Palin and Nixon through the Grahams even though Billy counciled other presidents. Even that she looks at Haiti through Grahams lens because Sarah is a rube and dunce and can’t formulate her own views.
I do agree 100% with you that the MSM is finally wrapping their minds around the fact that Palin is a very viable candidate. I believe it helps that they are also coming to terms finally that Obummer is a 100% loser now and will be very beatable in ‘12.
Cohen missed the real story.. the creep..
You are so right!
They just can't conceive of the idea that a Christian might want to try and do some good. No mention of the fact that Billy Graham was a democrat, or that Franklin's criticism of islam is mild compared to what most Christians think of it.
Agreed: Another smear job on Palin in the guise of “oh, there are other alternatives”. So what? An epidemic is an epidemic no matter who visits. She saw more than most people and called for more aid.
Not bad at all.
Yes, the “hair stylist” was none other than her oldest daughter, Bristol. Apparently, Bristol is so talented that she didn’t even need a comb or gel to style her mother’s hair. Geez, a daughter can’t tuck in her mother’s loose ponytail without the msm blowing a gasket.
It was her daughter and she wasn’t “doing her hair”, she was simply fixing a clip in her mom’s hair. Big friggin’ deal. The left is so obsessed with trying to find fault with Sarah they have become characters of themselves. All they are doing is making themselves look like fools.
Obama began visiting foreign countries at a very young age.
The United States was the first foreign Country that Obama visited before he moved to Indonesia.
__________________________________________________________ excerpt IE.
"“But her questions, as reported by Samaritan's Purse staffer Ken Isaacs, about why Haiti had such poor sanitation and infrastructure sounded naive and unresearched, and she needed to be talking to more than just Graham's aid providers. There's a big world to learn about, Governor Palin, and there is a world of NGOs to understand beyond Franklin Graham's often controversial religious group.”"
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In Ken Isaacs eyes she should have been better prepared and naive ... No one can gain sufficient knowledge by reading about these things, Katrina, Ike, war torn Afghanistan, unless their feet are on the ground in these places and questions are asked about how it is more has not been done ... why so little improvement, after all this time.
Women know that reading about child birth and actually experiencing childbirth are two very different things, as is reading about nearly drowning and actually experiencing near drowning, and reading about Haiti and seeing pictures is nothing like seeing the pitiful state of the tent city slums and the children, sickness, cholera, etc. Give me a break ...None of us can imagine the smell and the squalor. This article is intended to cast Sarah in a poor light once again.
I praise Sarah for going. She does not make a big deal about her going on speaking tours, or participating in needed functions. She is a Christian and says so boldly. She has family values and she honestly desires America to be the best it can be; and we are not doing it by creating half our population to be on the dole, lifelong welfare. Terrible family relationships, and drugs, gangs, and the crimes that goes with all the idle time. No interest in education, etc.,
etc...
It is likely Ken is a liberal. We must stop allowing the liberals to tear down our best candidates. Anyone they approve will be another socialist, communist, etc.,
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