Sarah Palin: Hillary Clinton ill-suited for president
September 23rd, 2013
09:21 AM ET
9 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. JohnG

    I can not understand why news media still report anything that Palin blathers. She has proven herself to be less intelligent and relevant than road kill.

    September 23, 2013 03:38 pm at 3:38 pm |
  2. NameScott

    Can't wait to vote for Hillary.

    September 23, 2013 03:38 pm at 3:38 pm |
  3. RuckusTom

    "What difference at this point does it make?" is going to make a great bumper sticker and campaign slogan.

    September 23, 2013 03:42 pm at 3:42 pm |
  4. Hawkeye

    Palin: please go back under the rock you crawled out from and stay there. You may have made a lot of money giving lectures to people dumb enough to pay for a ticket just to hear your stupidity. You are not even close to being able to post anything about Hilary Clinton.

    September 23, 2013 03:52 pm at 3:52 pm |
  5. bill

    i had no idea lefties hate women so much

    September 23, 2013 03:57 pm at 3:57 pm |
  6. Rick Patel

    Gorgeous, gracious, gifted Gov. Sarah Palin is serious, sensible, & strategically sound. She is also slim, svelte, stylish, shapely, & seductive. Buffalo Billary is none of the above.

    September 23, 2013 03:58 pm at 3:58 pm |
  7. Anonymous

    Does anybody really care what #IREADALLOFTHEM has to say? She'll say and do anything to stay relevant. Can somebody please find her another TV show to do so she can #SITDOWN and #SHUTUP.

    September 23, 2013 03:59 pm at 3:59 pm |
  8. Joseph Loerzel

    I am part of the American electorate and I will vote for whom I think is the best candidate, and I could care less what Sarah Palin thinks about my decision.

    September 23, 2013 04:01 pm at 4:01 pm |
  9. LDH2O

    Pallain complains that Hillary "leave our men behind to be murdered."
    Did she complain when Regan left the Marines in the Lebanon barracks to be murdered as the guards were not allowed to have ammo?

    September 23, 2013 04:03 pm at 4:03 pm |
  10. AZ Girl

    Dear GOP, you keep looking for reasons why you didn't win, well here it is in a "nutshell" (pun noted and approved), party "leaders" like Palin. As a MODERATE democrat, neither she nor any other of your stellar party leaders speak FOR ME. Give me someone moderate, able to compromise, someone who will lead this country, I promise, I would cross party lines and vote for that person. But, you won't, I'm sure you could if you wanted, but you won't. The majority of this country is not left or right, it is smack down the middle. If you cannot provide us with a legitimate viable moderate candidate, you will continue to lose.

    September 23, 2013 04:06 pm at 4:06 pm |
  11. JustUsBikers

    Palin is a loser and has no credibility!

    September 23, 2013 04:07 pm at 4:07 pm |
  12. Anonymous

    Sarah, just shut up, please, just shut.... up!

    September 23, 2013 04:14 pm at 4:14 pm |
  13. Hogan's Goat

    " I can't fathom how someone could state that Americans have a fundamental right to free speech, and then rudely protest when someone actually does speak." How about when it's someone who has proven over and over that she has nothing good to say and is here to deliver a heap of insults, pick a fight or two, and then stroll lazily away after giving her own party a black eye? Free speech doesn't mean the children get to sit at the big table.

    September 23, 2013 04:22 pm at 4:22 pm |
  14. Rudy NYC

    Palin speaks. What difference does it make?

    September 23, 2013 04:23 pm at 4:23 pm |
  15. DBalt

    Re-order the letters in Palin and what do you get? Plain. As in Plain Jane, plain and ordinary. Those are actually compliments – more accolades than SP deserves. FYI, I'm a former Republican so don't call me a liberal.

    September 23, 2013 04:25 pm at 4:25 pm |
  16. Hogan's Goat

    "Compare Hillary's record to Palin's .... Palin boasts 20 years of outstanding public service and leadership. Her accomplishments as Mayor, as oil and gas bureaucrat, and Governor left a legacy of taking on corruption and winning (oil and gas) reducing public debt (governor) and city assets (sports center) in Wasilla to be enjoyed for generations. Palin created her career with powerful political instincts, daring and lots of hard work."
    Ha ha ha, are you for real? No, it doesn't compare. The mayor of my little town has a more impressive resume than Palin, and he didn't spend half a mil trying to get his brother-in-law fired like Palin did. Palin might make a better president if it was a sequel to SHARKNADO, but in the real world she's a clown.

    September 23, 2013 04:27 pm at 4:27 pm |
  17. Jim Browne

    And I guess not being able to hack even a full term as Governor of a State with less Population than San Francisco makes you something of an expert on leadership Sarah??

    September 23, 2013 04:28 pm at 4:28 pm |
  18. Hogan's Goat

    "Buffalo Billary" I had no idea you righties hated women so much. Oh wait, sorry. I did.

    September 23, 2013 04:31 pm at 4:31 pm |
  19. marky

    Who gives a squat what brain dead Sarah has to say. Hillary 2016!!!!!

    September 23, 2013 04:35 pm at 4:35 pm |
  20. Bernadette Grygielko

    Why do you allow yourself to interview Palin. You are not a good news show anymore. More like the national enquire on steroids. She needs to go away and stop embarrassing our country. Vote Hillary

    September 23, 2013 04:38 pm at 4:38 pm |
  21. Terri Pastorelli

    Instead of constantly stating Hillary's quote as, "What difference at this point does it make?" the entire quote needs to be viewed, "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." There's a major difference in the two. For Republicans to keep insinuating that she didn't and doesn't care what happened is completely inaccurate if you read or listen to the entire statement that was made.

    September 23, 2013 04:41 pm at 4:41 pm |
  22. Patrick in Wisconsin

    This is proof that Hilary Clinton would be an excellent President.

    September 23, 2013 04:42 pm at 4:42 pm |
  23. Corey

    The irony here is almost too much to bear.

    September 23, 2013 04:49 pm at 4:49 pm |
  24. Mac's thoughts

    Ahhh, and why is it we would listen to Ms. Palin? Okay. got it! She was a partially relevant Governor of Alaska, a fairly large flop at running as a VP, and since then has had nothing vital to add to much of anything. Now I get it, she isn't qualified to do much of anything but make nonsensical remarks about things she has no knowledge of. That's why she made a remark about a possible intelligent, remarkably talented and experienced lady who might run for President. I'm a registered Independent, but I'm sure not voting for or listening to people like Palin, nor their associates. Now we know why we are NOT listening to anything she says...

    September 23, 2013 04:52 pm at 4:52 pm |
  25. Hogan's Goat

    Pro Tip to Conservatives: this lipsticked pig lost you the election and is still making you look ignorant and mean. It's ok to not support her, really. Stop forcing yourselves.

    September 23, 2013 04:53 pm at 4:53 pm |
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