CNN

[...] ADN and CNN finally reported on the trip hours after RedState.com broke the story. Meanwhile, the [...]

Here's a clue Palin haters (CNN included) – this is a standard trip for all state governors with state National Guard troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

So, Palin can't make the same trip that every other governor does?

Plus, Palin's son is serving in Iraq.....I mean really serving – not in the JAG corps (lawyers behind desks) like Biden's kid.

Does she think this will help her beccome president in 2012? It won't get my vote. She will NOT ever make a good president.

Govenors should stay home and govern.

She's getting her "foreign relations" experience to prepare for her next candidacy, folks. Seeing Russia from Alaska doesn't cut the mustard. I hope that on the return flight the US port of entry airport examines her luggage for unclaimed duty items and follows procedure.

Sorry, I'm not too pleasant this evening, but I find Palin embarrassing to the USA as a public office figure. I'd prefer she start a TV show rather than run for public office again. I'd wish her all the success in the entertainment field.

I hear later tonight she and Tina Fey are going to have a pole dance competition and mud wrestle for our troops. That ought to lift their moral .

Desperately trying to drum-up more supporters, eh Gov? You are so very transparent; and yet when it comes to ethics in Alaska...not so much. You can run ~ but you surely cannot hide!

We are watchin' your every move. You betcha!

Wouldn't it be nice if mothersof soldiers serving in Iraq, that were not tied down with their jobs as important as a govenor, got to go oversees on the pentagon's (taxpayers) dime!!!!!

I guess she is taking her Kids along for free Plane rides at Government expense. She will return the Money later. That is a good idea.

More people will have to contribute to her web site for her legal fund expenses, so she can use that money too. Alaska you got suckered in twice in a row. You guys must feel good about that. I guess going over there to see her son, his better than going seing him in jail. It was said he either goes to jail or join the service for trouble he got into. Wonder if she has any of the clothes left from campaiging in the election from last year that she can wear over there.

another example of republican hypocrisy.

our president gets slammed for doing exactly this sort of thing, and yet she goes with republican kudos.

once agan the republicans prove they are the party of no.

Shame on you all, Sarah's haters. Her son is defending your right to write this crap. Shame on you.
On a separate note (to Tom):
According to all political mass media in the world, Obama miserably failed his first serious test – Iran turmoil. This is just the beginning.
He will fail in everything because building socialism is a task that is doomed from day one. I know that for a fact since it failed in EVERY SINGLE COUNTRY where it was tried (unfortunately, I used to be a citizen of one of them for 30 years, so I now what I'm talking about). But history has to repeat itself – at the expense of the American people.

isnt it 100% obvious this nitwit has been campaigning since she lost the election for mccain? this is crazy somebody tell her it was because of HER mccain lost as many votes as he did!! o well i def wont be voting for republicans while they have these imbeciles campaigning instead of actually helping the people! its all just one big campaign. she is going to try and spend the next few yrs traveling so she doesnt have stupid excuses to make up for her lack of foreign policy experience.

Is she taking her kids & hubby??

Commander in Chief...ha dont make me laugh!...Sarah Palin will never be POTUS!

First off, as an Obama supporter, Palin as POTUS or a VP scares me to no end. That being said, many governors have gone over to Iraq or Afghanistan to visit troops from their state, so why is this even news. People need to cut her a break. She is just doing what all governors do. She is (frighteningly) Commander-In-Chief of the Alaska National Guard, so cut her a break. All the Liberals complaining about this are making the rest of us Libs look bad. This is much ado about nothing!

She will do anything to get in front of a camera...

Idiot

I agree, the liberal media, liberals and Dems all fear Sarah Palin. Makes me like her more and more.

@ Sea.gem, who said "Wonderfully dismissive comments…by the logic here, Obama's visits are just publicity stunts since he was not in the military and has chastized the troops…"

When he was running for POTUS, yes, publicity stunts...all part of campaigning. Now, however, he IS POTUS, ergo, COMMANDER IN CHIEF...visits to troops, etc., are part and parcel of his job.

Sooo, this begs the questions: is Palin campaigning and, if so, what for? AND, if so, should she be while she's got a job to do?

Most governors and senators at some time go overseas to see their national guard units at work. It is considered part of their job. Pelosi went to Syria on taxpayers money against the administrations wishes and the libs didn't complain about that.

So the only real news here is how many liberals are going to cry and complain and try to turn this into something news worthy when it isn't.

People really need to get off the republican AND democrat bandwagons, stop reading the propaganda pamphlets and start thinking for themselves for a change.

I don't get why conservatives think liberals are "afraid" of Palin.

The only fear liberals have from her is that such an idiot could actually convince all of you to give her access to our nuclear arsenal.

She had better make sure she visits where her son is located. Her being able to hug her son while she is visiting is the only reason I will not bash her this time.

If it turns out she doesn't visit the area where her son is located, I will let her have it, verbally, of course.

Who cares!

Guess she needs to visit her son and now the taxpayers of Alaska can foot the bill and she will get all of that experience.

This should add to her foreign relations experiences!

Can't she just see the troops from her house?

Why anyone cares where this person goes or what she does is quite beyond me.

Colber should be there this week to interview her. That would make for some real good political comedy.

Oh Lordy, here we go again. The Hillbillies are coming to town. Those poor troops.

Who cares? While she is there, get her a rick-shack-Wallah.

Don't forget the new wardrobe she'll need for the visit. And all the new things she'll get for her husband and kids with taxpayers money.

You gotta wonder if any other parents of service personnel in the Armed Guard will get a chance to see their kids by flying themselves over to the region where their kid is stationed. What? She's not paying for this trip out of her own pocket? It's a publicity stunt? I'm SHOCKED, I tell you. Shocked!!

Palin has a son serving in Iraq -

What say you vulgar tongued liberals never missing an opportunity to display offensive remarks!

Doesn't she have a state to run? It's so obvious that she's going to run in the presidential primary. Why doesn't she just admit it?

@Bill Sampson: Her PAC (SarahPAC) will most likely foot the bill since she can't get away with charging her state anymore.

Good for you Palin show that you care don't pay attention to these people most of them couldn't find their way to San Jose. God bless you sara.

I would like to know who is footing the bill?

I'm glad they are letting her go; do they have to let her come back? OTOH, she's the gift to Dems that keeps on giving, so I hope she comes back alive and well and ready to amaze us with her verbal footwork.

I guess this will mean she will now claim she has Foreign Affairs credentials. What a joke!!

You think she'll take her kids this time?

Who's running Alaska?

Pat's right, leave her there while she's trying to look for the other side of Russia.

This is very common for National Guard Soldiers. Having just finished my third tour in Iraq, every govenor comes out to visit the troops from their state Guard units. Fairly harmless, but the Soldiers could care less to see them, and it forces them to play nice.

It looks like the state of Alaska is running by itself considering how much time the governor spends on traveling. I wonder what is the benefit for the state of Alaska that she is visiting the troops.

Haven't our troops suffered enough?

What a waste of money that well taxpayers find it hard to come by. Watch it, she will confuse the folks overseas as much as she confuses her sentence structure and thought processes. I truly resent any of MY tax money being spent on Palin.

Men in the service always enjoy seeing a pretty wman. But I sure bet they'd rather see Britney Spears than a has-been politician! It's just the first of many trips she'll be making as she campaigns foir the presidency! Poor guys. They're a captive audience. Maybe Dick Cheney will go with her to check on his oil interests! If she takes her kids, I'd cancel that trip!!!! They wsould be in harms way!

It's no small thing to go support our troops. Don't be too quick to condemn her.
Now, on the other hand, if she uses this trip even once to further her political aspirations, she will have proven herself once again to be a hypocrite. I for one will be watching.

Whey does she need to fly all the way to Europe? I guess she couldn't see Europe from Alaska the way she claimed she can with Russia

palin ,going to see the troops for what, to flirt her way to approval. i thought she could see the troops ,from her house. why , what does this mean , she will never be the president of elks club, as well of the united states, you need a brain for that job, yea i said it, a brain, give it up palin, why dont you go on the david letterman show and talk to the troops, give america a break, you lost, and while your at it, tell john mccain he lost along with you. try to take care of your own state, where you can see russia, stop this insanity, its over for you!

I totally agree with Randolph Carter. If only CNN would listen, but I don't think so. Please CNN could you give everyone a week from Sarah Palin news.

Now this is what I call a waste of tax payers money. What possibly could she say to the troops? This women knows nothing about nothing. I'd like to see a question/answer session so we can witness her fall on her face again.

Obama flies all over for Campaigning,instead of doing it from Washington D. C. and you complain of what Sara Palin is doing? Why would we pay for Nancy Pelosi to go to China,what business did she have over there,I thought we had a Secretary of State? Why did we pay for Obama to go to Cairo,He could have made that speech from Washington?..Sara has more Executive experience than Obama and Biden do put together,so get off the Experience crap,since Obama has None.

Sarah's going to visit her son, Track, at tax payer expense – how clever and fiscally responsible from an opportunistic, thrill-seeking, presidential-pretender!!!

Remember folks, Sarah has to get through the angry, old, white men of the GOP in a primary – no more 11th hour opportunity picks-without-competition like last time. This time she has to campaign against the mob in the GOP!!!

She just says she's leaving the country. She's actually going hiking on the Appalachian trail. Have a nice day!

Ah... collecting that foreign policy experience beyond the backyard, you betcha.

I don't particularly care what that brainless twit does next and I wish CNN would stop reporting on her.

Why does a GOVERNOR of ANY state need to go overseas? That makes no sense. If Eliot Spitzer or Claire McCaskill had traveled overseas to see the troops the media hypocrites would be all over the craziness of the situation. I respect that her son is serving in the military, however, she shouldn't get a publically funded trip overseas, no matter who she is or where she is from.

Only US Senators on relevant committees should even possibly be traveling to these areas.

Is she a governor or an entertainer? If she looked like Janet Reno, she wouldn't be approved to go anywhere.

Maybe she can stay there?

I hope she decides to stay.

Good, as a result she will be a foreign policy expert. Is she thinking she is the subject in the making of a president? No matter how she tries to expand her expertise, she will never be America's choice.

This will go about as well as that USO show in Apocalypse Now . . . .

Go away Sarah Palin and why is she still in the news...she will NEVER be president of the the US . She is the party of No and HYPOCRISY with their moral preaching and bible thumping hypocrites...The democrats are not the party of morality but at least they don't preach it and make it part of the election mantra...:-(

@Randolph Carter June 24th, 2009 4:47 pm ET
I hereby declare that next week will be a Sarah Palin free week. No news stories or coverage of any kind involving her will be in the media. Who's with me on this? Have a nice day!***I am with you 100%

Please, keep her away from anyone. She is an embarassment to this country.

A personal trip at the taxpayers expense, I'm sure. Or maybe she is funding this trip completely on her own and not as a "Governor". The same old same old republican party. Of course this should make her a foreign policy expert now. She'll be able to at least say overseas in a speech.

Wonderfully dismissive comments...by the logic here, Obama's visits are just publicity stunts since he was not in the military and has chastized the troops...

Why all the fear of Sara Palin?Are you all afraid of the truth,as the Main stream Media is?

This is no bigger of a photo-op than Obama's before his Presidency, photo-ops he also claimed as political experience.

The difference is before she even thought of running in the national spotlight, she made visits like this. It's less likely a political tactic. She also now has a son overseas. She has a lot of good reasons to visit.

Leave her there!

I wonder what the people of Alaska think about all the leisure time Palin has been spending out of the state. Ms. Unethical figures that a photo op with the troops and a trip to the region will give her foreign policy knowledge.

Sorry Carter, but I do believe the press will follow her and report on every move.

Is she taking her kids too on the taxpayers $$$? Maybe an incoming will take her out once and for all. Isn't she suppose to be running Alaska anyway and not in the lower 48 or overseas for that matter. What a waste of OUR money to send this useless human being on any trip.

@Faye, NV I agree with you. She will also say that she has foreign policy experience too. This lady is a hoot. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go and don't come back!

It better not come at the Ak. taxpayers expense or she'll come under another ethics violation

And stay there.

Nobody could have predicted that!

I hereby declare that next week will be a Sarah Palin free week. No news stories or coverage of any kind involving her will be in the media. Who's with me on this? Have a nice day!

How shallow can we get? This is about her not the troops. Do people really want this as commander in chief? How would she have reacted to the Iran situation, the Koreans ? Do you really think there is enough up there to deal with the world. This isn't about abortion,gay rights, and hating Mexicans . This about real stuff like War, Health Care, Diplomacy and the ability to form complete sentences.

Palin, this is just another of your stupid photo ops.

Give it up. There's no way you'll ever make it to the White House. No one in their right mind would vote for you.

why does she need to go overseas,.. when she can probably see them from her kitchen window?

Brace yourselves, oversea folks, brace yourseves.!!!

Will Alaska taxpayers fund this political trip? Visiting troops does not constitute foreign affairs experience, Sarah.

She will claim this as overseas experience. lol