NEW YORK (CNN) – Before heading out for a trio of well-publicized meetings with foreign dignitaries on Tuesday, Sarah Palin received a national security briefing from the Director of National Intelligence, Admiral Michael McConnell, who met with the governor this morning in her New York hotel.
Palin’s top foreign policy adviser informed reporters of the meeting at a small briefing following Palin’s visits with Afghan president Hamid Karzai, Colombian president Alvaro Uribe and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
The adviser, Stephen Biegun, formerly a senior official on the National Security Council under President Bush, characterized the intelligence briefing as “routine” and said it was the sort of meeting that “is standard for candidates for the vice president and president.” Biegun said several officials were present to brief Palin.
Palin then departed her hotel for a series of motorcade trips around Manhattan, visiting with foreign leaders for the first time in her career.
“These are relationships that she intuitively understands are very important for the next President and Vice President of the United States,” Biegun said of the meetings.
In those get-togethers, Palin kept the focus primarily on energy issues and the growing influence of Russia, according to Biegun. Palin found Kissinger particularly engrossing - their meeting had been scheduled to last 30 minutes, but the two met for nearly an hour and a half.
“In talking to Dr. Kissinger,” Biegun said, “she certainly had a lot of questions about how the United States can develop a cooperative relationship with Russia, what are some of the unique challenges to the current state of Russia's political development, and having been in particular, some of the recent developments we've seen with Russia - backsliding democracy, Russia’s incursion into Georgia.”
Asked about her meetings with Karzai and Uribe, Biegun said Palin “liked them very much” and “established a great personal rapport.”
With Karzai, Palin chatted for half an hour about John McCain’s desire to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. With Uribe, she listened for about 20 minutes as the president discussed the country’s security situation and its handling of the FARC guerillas.
According to Biegun, “rather than make specific policy prescriptions, she was largely listening, having an exchange of views, and also very interested in forming a relationship with people she met with today.”
Biegun, who is helping prepare Palin for her debate with Sen. Joseph Biden on October 2 in St. Louis, would not say what specific topics the governor was concentrating on in her study sessions.
From CNN Politics
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Gov. Palin's visit to the UN is fitting, because everyone knows you can't spell "unqualified" without UN!
This is hilarious! Who in their right mind could vote for this ticket? They are just simply liars all the way!!! All they can do is lye and cry, poor me everyone is picking on poor Sara cause she ain't got no sperience! Whatever loosers, I cannot wait until the McComplain ticket is dead and gone!
hate and more hate from obama supporters. How can any woman support a campaign who feels it's ok to demean women. I guess you all don't have much respect for yourselves, that's all I can think of.
Bush and Cheney both have years of experiences under their belts. But they did not have the judgement, vision or patience to carry us to the new frontiers, to propel America to the future.
We need judgement, vision and patience. It aint McBushain and PalChINEY
I can't believe people think a community orginizer from perhaps the most corrupt political machine in modern history with less than 100 days experience in the us senate is fit to be dog cather, let alone President. What a terrible mistake to put this clown in charge of anything except an Out House....
Foreign policy 101: Look out from Palin's compound and there is Russia...God Save Us!!
Are people really buying this? Appalling!
Like a child who wants to become a doctor visiting with hospital proclaiming that she can now perform open heart surgery...what an incredible joke!!! Can't wait to see how this one is spun up by Republicans.
More of the same from John McShame
John McLame says, “I don’t know much about the economy, I still need to be educated”
“It would be acceptable if we had to stay in Iraq for another 100 years.”
We need to “bomb, bomb, and bomb Iran”
“I have voted with Bush 90% of the time because he has been right 90% of the time”
Sarah Failin says,
“I have foreign policy experience because you can see Russia from Alaska and I went to Mexico on vacation once.”
“I welcome any investigation into my past because I have nothing to hide, oh never mind I will not meet with any investigators for any reason ever.”
She believes the Bush Doctrine is a “World View” hahaha
She says she said “No Thanks” for the Bridge to nowhere when she was actually the one who got it approved
She says we may have to go to war WITH RUSSIA
She decreased her own responsibilities when she was the mayor of a town small enough to be run by a fifth grader
i'll bet she can't repeat anything he briefed her on...
I find it hilarious that Palin thinks she can handlea conversation with a foreign head of state yet cannot talk intelligently, or at all, to the media. This is smokescreen to think she might have any credability. She needs to let the public grill her and then we will see is she can cut the mustard,. So far she's been hiding behind this smoke screen. It appears she has been hiding alot that needs to be heard and talked about.
Why is she being kept behind closed doors?
And only released out to give the same broken record speech, at the town hall meetings with McCain.
She is odd....I think the republicans now know she is a loose cannon.
So who was the brain child to let her speak with heads of states, when she is not allowed to speak to the press???????????
To EDW: I totally agree with every word you said. It is unbelievable that McCain has chosen Palin to start a cultural war in this election. If we as a country cannot see thru this, then we get what we deserve. Say NO to Palin/McCain if you want this country to get back on the right track.
Once again, why should we care who's she's meeting with if she doesn't talk to the press? The press is asking questions for the American people, and if she's not ready to talk to us, then why should be vote for her?
We won't.
Obama/Biden 08
Careers are not judged by the time spent on a job, but rather on accomplishments. In both Cases Governor Palin the VP candadate has it all over Obama the Community do nothing....know nothing..incharge of nothing....
i can't believe you were allowed to talk with these people palin, you won't even talk to the press, what are you afraid of, and you wonder why America is terrified of you. get back to alaska before America is completely made the laughing stock of the whole world.
She would make a good journalist, and I think she's on the wrong side of the camera.
Obama/Biden 08
i can picture this.
the "briefing" probably amounted to things being pointed ou on a globe to Palin.
"You see this country? BAD things happen there..."
this is such a joke. The saddest part is some people are GUILLABLE enough to buy into it.
Throw $700 Billion or a Trillion Dollars that the US does not have (You owe so much to China that US schools should now teach Chinese instead English .... your schools aren't even doing that well if 88% of Grade 8 Stendents in tje District of Columbia are illiterate) that the US Government will join the Dominoes falling into Bankruptcy. Why throw good money and bad .. why reward the losers and shysters, scoundrels and scallawags who have akready ripped off the American taxpayer!
WHEN IS ENOUGH ENOUGH! NO BAILOUT REWARDS FOR STUPIDITY!
Terrifying.
No, I mean it.
Well to anyone who does think being 'scrutinised' actually means answering questions from someone other than your hubby... get out the vote. Its the only way.
Get out the vote!
The real truth is Palin had to be briefed on how to look intelligent.
Take strength from your God, Sarah!
These people are very unkind.......take strength from Him.
The other countries are saying that Americans are dumb and racist people.
The american people should be mad as hel_ at the GOP for insulting there intelligence. Using a photo op and telling the people that Gov Palin has big time foreign experience. Just because you meet foreign heads of state doesn't make you a foreign expert.