How Does Sarah Palin Rank in Foreign Travel Experience?*
Travel Blog • Jim Benning • 09.02.08 | 10:52 AM ET
Inquiring traveler minds want to know. Of course, John McCain earned big points in our U.S. Presidential Candidates Travel Scorecard earlier this year. And while we’ve yet to complete a full analysis of his new running mate, initial reports on the Alaska governor are not promising.
Take this passage in the New York Times: “Ms. Palin appears to have traveled very little outside the United States. In July 2007, she had to get a passport before she visited members of the Alaska National Guard stationed in Kuwait, according to her deputy communications director, Sharon Leighow. She also visited wounded troops in Germany during that trip.”
Kudos for visiting Kuwait and Germany, but why no passport before then?
Beyond that, a spokeswoman has said she has visited Ireland but offered no details.
Because Joe Biden was running for president when we published our report, we’ve vetted him. Barack Obama’s running mate earned no less than four out of five Air Force Ones.
Wrote our own Julia Ross:
There’s nothing like dodging Janjaweed raids to liven up a road trip. Iraq, Afghanistan, Darfur, the Balkans—three decades on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have seen Biden land in the world’s hottest conflict zones. Our go-to guy for places to avoid—we’re sure he’s got strong opinions on Burma—but not the ideal source for where to find the best tapas in Madrid.
* Update, Sept. 11: Looking back, those initial reports appear to have been pretty accurate. In Palin’s first interview since becoming McCain’s running mate, she was asked about her travel experience. From the ABC News transcript:
Charlie Gibson: Did you ever travel outside the country prior to your trip to Kuwait and Germany last year?
Palin: Canada, Mexico, and then, yes, that trip, that trip was the trip of a lifetime to visit our troops in Kuwait and stop and visit our soldiers in Germany. That was the trip of a lifetime and it changed my life.
She went on to acknowledge that she has never met a foreign head of state.
Related on World Hum:
* 2008 U.S. Presidential Candidates Travel Scorecard
Photo by http2007 via Flickr, (Creative Commons).
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Jim Benning is the editor and co-founder of World Hum.
MagikJack 09.02.08 | 2:57 PM ET
“America First” or “Family First” Which is it going to be?
Sarah may be able to take her baby to work with her and nurse during a meeting as Governor of Alaska - a state with a population of 626,000 people. It is a different story being the VP of the United States. No CEO in any corporation would do such a thing. I think a woman with children is certainly capable of being the VP or president of the US, but I do question the judgment and “family first” priority of a new mother with a newborn having special needs.
When it comes down to it, where will her allegiance be? With the MILLIONS of people relying upon her to lead the country, or with her children, whether they be pregnant, sick or whatever the issue? Will she be in the Middle East brokering a peace deal and suddenly have to fly home to attend to the health care needs of her infant son? She would be a cruel, heartless mother if she did no less, but she will be an ineffective, laughable joke of a world leader if she places her family priorities ahead of her country.
Rachel 09.02.08 | 7:17 PM ET
Apparently, her visit to Ireland consisted of waiting for the plane to refuel.
Louise Barry 09.02.08 | 9:06 PM ET
You’ll find all the info on Palin in Ireland on the website of the Irish blogger who questioned Palin’s trip.
http://www.mamanpoulet.com/?p=437
and
http://www.mamanpoulet.com/?p=440
Ling 09.03.08 | 2:23 AM ET
All it needs is for Biden to make one crack about Palin not being able to manage motherhood with the job, and you can count this election as over. Women, especially independent women, will cross over to the Republicans in bucketloads.
Manish Sinha 09.05.08 | 9:21 PM ET
How does it matter - the other side has not travelled much either - it hardly takes more than a couple trips to get used to it- regarding the infant care - how is it diffrent than millions of women travelling and working every day on work and still managing?
hugo chavez 09.07.08 | 8:00 PM ET
has she traveled to New York ? or Los Angeles ?
khorne 09.08.08 | 2:19 PM ET
To heck with Ireland, Germany and Kuwait,what is her travel experience in the US?? Has she been to North Carolina?? Anywhere in the South?? I HAVE been to Alaska. Where has she been?? What is her favorite national park outside of Alaska?? So she likes hockey, has she ever been to a major league ball game? Who’s her team?? Was she a Girl Scout? I don’t relate well with snowmobiles, can she surf??? So many questions. The fact that she is a woman isn’t enough. And the only people making an issue of her being able to juggle nursing and nation governing are a few male blogs and the Republicans trying to creat something out of nothing.