Palin and Africa, Etc. (The Real Story)

National Review ^

[mathwhizz]

I talked to Steve Biegun, the former Bush NSC aid who briefed Sarah Palin on foreign policy, and he considers the leaks against her on the international stuff "absurd."

He says there's no way she didn't know Africa was a continent, and whoever is saying she didn't must be distorting "a fumble of words." He talked to her about all manner of issues relating to Africa, from failed states to the Sudan. She was aware from the beginning of the conflict in Darfur, which is followed closely in evangelical churches, and was aware of Clinton's AIDS initiative. That basically makes it impossible that she thought all of Africa was a country.

On not knowing what countries are in NAFTA, Biegun was part of the conversation that led to that accusation and it convinces him "somebody is acting with a high degree of maliciousness." He was briefing Palin before a Univision interview, and talking to her about trade issues. He rolled through NAFTA, CAFTA, and the Colombia FTA. As he talked, people were coming in and out of the room, handing Palin things, etc. She was distracted from what Biegun was saying, and said, roughly, "Ok, who's in NAFTA, what's the deal with CAFTA, what's up the FTA?"—her way, Biegun says, of saying "rack them and stack them," begin again from the start. "Somebody is taking a conversation and twisting it maliciously," he says.

In general, according to Beigun, Palin had a steep learning curve on foreign issues, about what you would expect from a governor. But she has "great instincts and great core values," and is "an instinctive internationalist." The stories against her are being "fed by an unnamed source who is allowed by the press to make ad hominem attacks on background." Biegun, who spent dozens and dozens of hours briefing Palin on these issues, is happy to defend her, on the record, under his own name.

[earmarksrus]

For the record, Warren Buffett released a very short video giving praise to Palin when she won the race for Governor.

During the time of the pipeline negotiations, Warren Buffet’s MidAmerican was rumored to be in the running in possible companies getting the bid.

But news came out on Darfur via Sinopec and Warren Buffet’s investments were being looked at in Alaska. She was very aware of the Darfur problem. So much so, the PFD people were looking at investments to see if any companies were tied to Darfur.

[informavoracious]

Barry still thinks there are 57 states.

[jeltz25]

I love how Newsweek rips her for not appearing in NH with Sen Sunnunu because he was pro choice, when Sunnunu had a 100% from NRLC and a 0% from NARAL. They said she also wouldn’t appear with him because he was against ANWR, even though McCain himself is against ANWR and that didn’t stop her from appearing with him.

The facts are just so rediculously wrong.

The names will come out.

She’ll be fine. Some time to regroup, recharge. Focus on being a good Governor and maintaining and building a national presence. A lot can happen in 2-4 years. She has 100% name ID and base and party support that others would kill to have. Mitt Romney for example spent 2+ years and 50M+ of his own money and he couldn’t get what Palin got in a matter of weeks at no cost to her. She starts out way ahead of where others have to get to.

Similar in a way to Obama. After his speech in 2004 every Dem and Liberal knew who he was and loved him. He had a huge base right away and that helped big with fundraising. It was enough to win a 3 way race in IA, and once Edwards was out he consolidated the black vote and took advantage of the caucuses and the timing of the primaries to win an extremely close victory. If OH and PA voted the week after Super Tuesday instead of LA, VA, MD and WI, Hillary would have won. Given that this was a virtual lock dem year, that was big. He also had huge media backing, which Palin won’t have.

But she will have a good shot at having big conservative media backing which is very helpful in a GOP Primary. One of the reasons McCain won is because is because conservatives never really gotbehind one guy until it was too late and they tried to pump Mitt up in FL. They split between him, Fred and Huckabee and that allowed McCain to squeak through. If they’re all behind one guy, as we saw with W in 2000, or one gal as the case may be, that makes a big difference.

McCain also has a big network of fundraisers, email lists, field workers, state party contacts, GOP VIPs, donors, military contacts, especially in NH and SC that could be very helpful to someone. I assume he’d help her out with all that and turn it over if she asks. It’s the least he could do.

A lot depends on what happens with Obama. If he’s popular around November 2010 or so, the dems picked up more seats, and his reelection looks like a lock, I say Palin and Jindal and any future hopes stay out, a Romney or Huckabee runs as the next in line and likley loses. Meanwhile Palin and Jindal both etsablish two term records as Governor with a buunch of achievements and get ready for 2016 to take on Jeb Bush for the nomination. Biden isn’t running for the dems so I predict Mark Warner or Jim Webb of VA will be the nominee, with a small chance of Hillary.

If Obama sinks by 2010 and the GOP makes gains and it looks like we can win, you’ll see a bunch of folks jump in.

But Palin’s future can be very bright, and if not, she already had a 2 month span that just about anyone in politics would dream of, and memories and experiences that very few and certainly no Republican or conservative woman has ever had in US Politics.

Her presence was the one thing that got me excited about the election, and whether she runs in the future or not, I hope she sticks around as a leader and a voice in the party. She’s exciting and fun there are plenty of opportunities going forward.

One thing is sure, the Bush-Cheney-McCain-Delay-Frist-Hastert GOP is finished. It’s time for new leadership and Palin, Jindal, Romney, Ryan, Cantor and a few others with be a big part of it. I think Palin and Jindal by virtue of their youth and diversity and appeal have very bright futures. If the GOP wins the WH in 2012 or 2016 it will likely be with one of them, with Petraeus or Jeb Bush being outside possibilities.

I think finally being unshackled from Bush has the potential to be an exiting time for conservatives and Republicans. W is a good man and he did a lot of good things, but by the end he really had nothing left(especially domestically and he even gave up on Iran and going hard after AQ in Pak and Afgh). His time is up and I think that’s a good thing.

[MathDoc]

I talked to Steve Biegun, the former Bush NSC aid who briefed Sarah Palin on foreign policy, and he considers the leaks against her on the international stuff "absurd."

Three cheers for Steve Biegun. This will cost him his career if a Palin hater takes charge of the party in 4 years. He did it because it's right, and that makes him a real man in my eyes.

[Diogenesis]

Myth Romney: "You will embrace this attack on Gov. Palin
and her little children and baby using 20% of our junior staff. Use Jindal's, McCain's and Huckabee's names
like our attacks on McCain and Thompson using Huckabee's name.
Make her look stupider than a first grader - contrast that to me. Make her family look ugly - contrast that to mine.
Create, then support, the attack on Palin from our lands and Belmont sanctuary mansion in
the north using the fake law enforcement badges we fabricated and enjoy.
I will gain GOP favor by condemning the attack and
ordering it opposed from our lands in the south, in the Hive, and some at Fox News and Newsweek. Whichever way
the tide runs, we will rise. "

[sazerac]

What really gave this gossip legs was Carl Cameron on Fox.

I was so mad at him! You're exactly right! And O'Reilly said it was their job to report it. I thought that was the most absurd thing for him to say. They had no source!

[Kid Shelleen]

The real story is that the alleged gaffe of made by Palin made prime time news while the thoroughly documented outright moronic statements of Biden and Obama were routinely ignored..

[Mogollon]

We need to find out the names of the McCain staffers that are trashing Sarah. Rush and Sean will make them famous.