(CNN) – Sarah Palin did not visit troops in Iraq, a spokesperson for the Republican VP nominee confirmed Saturday, as new details emerged about the extent of the Alaska governor’s foreign travel.
In July of last year, Palin left North America for the first time to visit Alaskan troops stationed in Kuwait. Palin officials originally said her itinerary included U.S. military installations or outposts in Germany and Kuwait, and that she had visited Ireland. An Alaska spokeswoman for Palin had said Iraq was also one of the stops on that trip.
The Boston Globe reported Saturday that Palin visited the Iraqi side of a border crossing - but never journeyed past the checkpoint.
Earlier: McCain defends Palin's experience level
Earlier, campaign aides confirmed reports that Palin’s time in Ireland on that trip had actually been a re-fueling stop.
(UPDATED with campaign statement after the jump)
The Obama camp – which has increasingly accused the McCain campaign of deliberately lying in ads and on the stump – was quick to highlight to that story, along with a news report that explored whether the McCain campaign have been sending out wildly inflated crowd estimates.
The McCain team has twice pointed to law enforcement as the source for those estimates – but the same officials denied to Bloomberg News that they had provided the numbers cited by the Republican nominee’s campaign.
"The McCain campaign said Governor Palin opposed the Bridge to Nowhere, but now we know she supported it,” said Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor in a statement. “They said she didn't seek earmarks, but now we know she hired a lobbyist to get millions in pork for her town and her state. They said she visited Iraq, but today we learned that she only stopped at the border. Americans are starting to wonder, is there anything the McCain campaign isn't lying about?”
A Palin spokesperson also confirmed Saturday that the governor had visited Mexico on a personal vacation trip. She has also visited Canada.
UPDATE: The McCain-Palin campaign issued a statement late Saturday in which they said Palin had traveled into Iraq, although she did not go beyond the border crossing:
"Last summer, Governor Palin travelled to Kuwait where she visited Alaskan National Guard troops deployed to the war in Iraq at Camp Arifjen. While she was there she travelled to the K Crossing on the Kuwait-Iraq border, and a quarter mile into Iraq. According to the General who travelled with her, while she was there she presided over a re-enlistment ceremony of an Alaskan National Guard soldier. En route back to the United States, she travelled to Ramstein Air Base in Germany. While in Germany, Governor Palin visited wounded soldiers at the Landstuhl military hospital. She then returned home. She has also visited Canada, as well as Mexico for a vacation."
From CNN Politics
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If I had a dime for every lie she's told so far, I'd be able to pay off my mortgage! Unbelievable...
Ohhh whats new...... More lies from the Re-Pub Party
That's all......... No kidding?
why is she lying so we see what king of person she is
Wow...
The Republicans are really a piece of work. They want to win at any cost. When will all "revelations" end....
just laughing my butt off here. the big talker who brandished russia for its move, could do no more than tip toe in a real war zone. once again another big military repub scared to do the dirty work themselves, but lets send our troops to georgia. a complete joke!
So she didn't step foot in Iraq and only spent a few hours at an airport in Ireland? Is she even a woman? Are those kids hers or did the McCain campaign hire them? I guess those questions will be answered next week.
So what haven't they been lying about?
The public deserves honest answers!
Palin = Sham!!!
Why don't they ask McCain if that on the Pakistan Iraq border? What a pair of losers.
but we all know palin is a big liar
If someone is willing to lie and distort things this badly to the American public during the election campaign, do you really think they won`t do the same thing if they get in office.......
I hope the next time McCain spouts off about being right about the surge that someone pins him down and asks if he still feels he was right about the war in Iraq in the first place. I mean, he claims to have such vision on the surge yet he never talks about his cheerleading for the war in the first place........Do you want another leader who would rather be right about a scenario that is put in place to clean up the mess he was wrong about in the first place.
Yeah, and republicans are taking the chance of making our foreign policy on ..... refuelling stops.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a sad day for America and jorunalism as well. This is the lady the media is propping up to be the vip of this country if god forbids, the GOP gets its cheating way into its 3rd term.
What?!? The McLiar campaign has been untruthful? What a shocking revelation!
What a Fraud, I Hope the Media will Vet this fraud for who she really is, this is one of the most serious jobs on earth, we can't have crazies that are unqulified continue to take leadership roles in this country
What a life changing trip. She couldn't even remember where she went.
More lies dribble out...
What!? Sarah Palin lied!? Shocking.
I would love nothing more to see a woman in the White House but it should be one who is seasoned and have TRUE experience and knowledgeable about foreign policies and can identify with majority of Americans, etc...
Palin scares me with her angry tone and our country does not need further alienation. Take it from someone who has been on the outside of US borders. The view of Americans overseas is dreadful and shameful!!!! Have you ever wondered why we had to pull teeth and roots to get others to join with us in the Iraq War??? Think about it??
Are we surprised? It's almost as funny as McCain putting out an add targeting illegal immigrants (non voters) in a few states . A lie is a lie is a lie. What happen to honorable capagining?
another lie that will be brushed off by the republicans, the republicans wanted a woman and they didn't care which one they got, as long as they got one. if the republicans win the white house......we are are in trouble......big trouble.
of course not. what's the next lie to be exposed? there are so many i cant keep track. false ads, lies on tv shows ,at campaign rallies ,the entire convention. why would anyone believe anything john/sarah say, anymore? oh .i know . it's all about the wealthy not wanting to pay a little more in taxes ,to get the nation out of the mess they put it in. what happened to country first? it sounds more like me,me,me,!
Yet ANOTHER lie from the McCain camp. Echoes of Bushisms. Anyone who supports this dishonesty will get the lousy government they deserve.
What's the difference between a Hockey Mom and a Liar? Apparently, in the case of Ms. Palin, not much.
well I have lost count of the lies this week especially the ones specific to Mrs. Palin's so called experience. a gimmick that looks like it will blow up in McCain's face I'm afraid. But only if the media sticks to the facts not the noise coming out of the McCain camp. Funny how Mr. McCain blames his negativity on Mr. Obama not agreeing to townhalls. Anyone actually believe he wouldn't be going Karl Rove if Obama agreed? Is McCain running for the people or his own ambition... he promised honor and leadership. If this is the way he runs a campaign – lieing day after day how is he going to run the country?
I'm 36 and have travelled to over 16 nations around the world. Palin only last year left North America? This is an insult to our country. She should not be on any ticket until she buys a ticket around the world. This is scary. She would make America the laughing stalk of the world.