Sarah Palin: Hillary Clinton ill-suited for president
September 23rd, 2013
09:21 AM ET
10 years ago

Sarah Palin: Hillary Clinton ill-suited for president

Washington (CNN) - Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said she would be "disappointed" in the American electorate if Hillary Clinton becomes a serious candidate for president in 2016.

The 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee argued Clinton would not be right for the role as commander in chief after four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador to Libya, died last year in a terrorist attack against a U.S. consulate in Benghazi.

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"If (Benghazi) doesn't have an impact on the 2016 presidential election, if she is a candidate, then America, I am very disappointed in our electorate," Palin said Sunday on Fox News, where she's a contributor.

She said "anyone who would just throw away 200 years of military ethos and leave our men behind to be murdered" should "never be considered as a commander in chief."

The lack of security at the consulate and the September 11, 2012 attack are poised to be a major point of contention by Republicans if Clinton decides to run for president. Clinton ultimately took responsibility for diplomats' safety, and was grilled before two congressional committees in January.

At one point she lost her temper while responding to questions from Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin. He was asking her about the erroneous, initial talking points that claimed the attack stemmed from a spontaneous protest against an anti-Islam video, though the administration later defined it as a terrorist attack and said a protest never happened.

"What difference at this point does it make?" Clinton responded. "It is our job to figure out what happened and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again, senator."

The attack on Benghazi is still a matter of congressional investigation by House Republicans.

"That's why I'm so grateful for Congress to be pursuing what happened in Benghazi," Palin said. "Because at this point, it still makes a difference what happens in Benghazi."

"Anyone who doesn't understand that and dismisses it as being indifferent, they should not be our commander in chief," she continued.

For her part, Clinton said in a recent interview with New York Magazine that she is in no hurry to decide about a potential 2016 bid for the White House, saying it is a decision "not to be made lightly."

Asked how she plans to combat any conflicts she may face related to her political legacy, she said the best course is to "find common ground."

"I have a lot of reason to believe, as we saw in the 2012 election, most Americans don't agree with the extremists on any side of an issue," Clinton said in the interview. "But there needs to continue to be an effort to find common ground, or even take it to higher ground on behalf of the future."

Palin's comments mark a stark contrast to high praise Clinton received Sunday from House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, who said if Clinton decides to run, "she will win."

"And when she becomes president, she'll be one of the best-equipped, best-prepared people to enter the White House in a very long time," Pelosi said on CNN's "State of the Union."

Noting Clinton's experience as secretary of state, as a U.S. senator from New York and as a first lady, Pelosi said Clinton would be "more prepared than President Obama; certainly more prepared than President Bush; certainly more prepared than President Clinton I might admit."


Filed under: 2016 • Hillary Clinton • Libya • Sarah Palin
soundoff (1,017 Responses)
  1. jb1963

    and Palin was right for America? She couldn't name a mag she read. Did not even know what the Bush doctrine was. And game change only proved she was in it for herself. She knew losing the election would make her popular among all the uninformed republicans in the middle of the country.

    September 23, 2013 10:08 am at 10:08 am |
  2. Mathprof

    Dear Sarah Palin-Quit while you are ahead. (Oops-you already quit-sorry, my bad).
    Sincerely, The American Public

    September 23, 2013 10:08 am at 10:08 am |
  3. Tampa Tim

    Things to do today: Send a sympathy tomato did Palin for putting up with this mindless gas bag.

    September 23, 2013 10:09 am at 10:09 am |
  4. IamDuduer

    Sarah Palin telling anyone that they're unfit for politics, is like Greece telling Germany how to run it's economy.

    September 23, 2013 10:09 am at 10:09 am |
  5. Sawyer

    You need to go somewhere and pull a rock over your head, no one cares about your opinions.

    September 23, 2013 10:10 am at 10:10 am |
  6. Tampa Tim

    Things to do today : Send a sympathy card to Todd Palin for putting up with this mindless gas bag.

    September 23, 2013 10:10 am at 10:10 am |
  7. DF Wallace

    This is one of the funniest things I've read in a while....

    Barbie from the trailer park with the 87 IQ, the scoundrel who sells patriotism like a pimp....... doesn't deserve to be even mentioned in the same article with Hillary Clinton.

    McCain and the RNC were drinking the Koolaid when they picked her as VP... Palin largely responsible for losing many moderate Republican votes in that Presidential election to the Dems, imo.

    September 23, 2013 10:11 am at 10:11 am |
  8. WV Gleeman

    Keep up the anti Hillary fight conservatives. Made up conspiracies and out of context quotes are your only hope! Just pray (no really go ahead and pray) that the lack of education if your districts and gerrymandered electorate bring you to victory.

    September 23, 2013 10:11 am at 10:11 am |
  9. Kachar

    Sarah is a jerk. She is a political joker. I just listen to her for some amusement.

    September 23, 2013 10:12 am at 10:12 am |
  10. the hippies were right

    Not worth commenting on.

    September 23, 2013 10:12 am at 10:12 am |
  11. Skeeve

    This person is so entertaining... Keep on talking. Who need all these stand up failures when we have you, Sarah!

    September 23, 2013 10:12 am at 10:12 am |
  12. Bill

    How can you even respond to this baloney? Poor Sarah, desperately trying to remain relevant and, as with everything else in her life, is failing miserably. Go away loser.

    September 23, 2013 10:12 am at 10:12 am |
  13. julie

    good heavens she should talk......unfit.........that was too funny coming from her...........lawd what nerve she has

    September 23, 2013 10:12 am at 10:12 am |
  14. John

    How far does a bear go into the woods in Alaska? Answer: Until he runs into the excrement that comes from Sarah Palin's mouth, then he turns white and gets on an ice flow heading for the North Pole.

    September 23, 2013 10:13 am at 10:13 am |
  15. MaryM

    From the mouth of Palin, one of the most vile, irrelevant persons in the news.

    September 23, 2013 10:13 am at 10:13 am |
  16. Leo

    A breathing political abortion this lady is.

    September 23, 2013 10:13 am at 10:13 am |
  17. Silence DoGood

    Anytime anyone says Benghazi or anytime Palin says anything, it is like a vote for Hillary, because it shows the scary vision of the crazy folks that could get more power.

    September 23, 2013 10:13 am at 10:13 am |
  18. Anonymous

    How about a "cage match" between the two?

    September 23, 2013 10:13 am at 10:13 am |
  19. disgustedindc

    MEDIC!!!!!!!!!!!! she's off the range again!

    September 23, 2013 10:14 am at 10:14 am |
  20. bcrunner

    When I saw the caption, I started laughing... I didn't even read the article... No need.... lol...

    September 23, 2013 10:14 am at 10:14 am |
  21. Bob

    Thank God the majority of Americans realized that Palin is unfit for the White House.

    September 23, 2013 10:14 am at 10:14 am |
  22. Rowing Stone

    WHo is this crazy person, and why would anyone in their right mind listen to anything she has to say?

    September 23, 2013 10:15 am at 10:15 am |
  23. Carol

    It is very funny that Palin should comment on anyone's qualifications as Palin has none!

    September 23, 2013 10:15 am at 10:15 am |
  24. Rudy NYC

    Good article to generate web hits. This is one that will collect rants against both Palin and Clinton. Is anyone keeping score?

    September 23, 2013 10:15 am at 10:15 am |
  25. A

    Aww...Poor Sarah. At least she got another five minutes of our attention.

    September 23, 2013 10:16 am at 10:16 am |
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