Palin digs herself in deeper

Katie Couric asked the vice-presidential candidate to explain her claim that Alaska's proximity to Russia is a foreign policy credential; the answer didn't go well.

Published September 25, 2008 8:58PM (EDT)

The portions of Katie Couric's interview with Sarah Palin that were broadcast on Wednesday night were pretty bad. But if the excerpt that CBS News has released so far is any indication, tonight's segment is even worse. Couric asked Palin to explain why she cites Russia's proximity to Alaska as part of her foreign policy experience. The exchange that followed didn't help Palin's case much.

You can watch the video, and read the transcript, below.

COURIC: You've cited Alaska's proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?

PALIN: That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and on our other side, the land boundary that we have with Canada. It's funny that a comment like that was -- kind of made to -- carry -- I don't know, you know? Reporters --

COURIC: Mocked?

PALIN: Yeah, mocked, I guess that's the word, yeah.

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

PALIN: Well, it certainly does because our -- 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 -- 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 -- where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to -- to our state.


By Alex Koppelman

Alex Koppelman is a staff writer for Salon.

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