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."
looks like Palin is now jealous of Hillary's background and expr. Keep trying Palin since you are only good for looks and that's it.
She is so irrelevant–why even print anything she says..
ACriticalEye – you make some good points, but remember the far right don't won't issues clouded with FACTS. They rely on gossip, BS, & any lie that comes around. They will never mention the thousands of Americans that died on Bush's watch. When the attack on NYC came to his attention he cowards and sits in a grammar school students chair and stars off into the book he has, probably waiting on his puppet master to tell him what to do. We as Americans don't know how many 'outpost' there were/are in these countries, and we don't have the need to know. As far as Hilary she didn't leave office as Mayor early, or as governor early. SP hasn't completed anything in her life Remember she can see Russia from her house. I was station at Shemya, 1440 miles west of Anchorage and I couldn't see Russia and it was only a 100 miles or so await. So this woman either doesn't know where Russia is or has the best eyes of any human in the world.
I agree if Sarah Palin is against someone – then I am for that person! SP is as ignorant as they come!
It's a sad commentary on this country that this incompetent windbag still has an audience.
Sarah Palin, Professionals Troll
Does anyone still take this ditz seriously???? Is Dancing with the Stars is the next stop on her career-ladder?
The American Electorate is sooo tired of hearing from the ex-Alaskan governor. I can't believe the media continues to listen to or to print anything she has to say. Like George W. Bush, ex-Alaskan governor, you are an embarrassment to the American people. The American Electorate would be blessed to have someone like Hilary Clinton as our Commander in Chief!!! Hilary is the most knowledgeable and poised person among democrats and republicans alike to run this amazing country. If you want to continue to be safe and continue regaining our country's respect, get out and vote for Hilary in 2016!!
@blakenaustin,
Clinton is not the "far left's darling" - if she was, she wouldn't be getting so much attention.
We in the Far Left don't currently have a darling Presidential hopeful. But don't worry, Blake, I'm sure he or she will be marginalized by your "liberal media".
Sarah does a very poor impersonation of an intelligent human.
hmmm.. a woman who quit office to avoid being indicted or the experienced, former Sec of State, wife of former POTUS. I was disappointed that our electorate still has to listen to failin Palin. Open mouth remover foot. Unfortunately, too many Americans actually listen to her and consider her relevant..
As a Republican, and as I understand her comments to be, Gov Palin's comments speak to why the GOP is losing national elections. Her approach, again as I understand it, is from the GOP playbook of the 1980's and 90's. That is to attack an opponent over one or a combination of family values, love of country, moral, or commitment to our nation's defense. This, and at the time it worked, was, "well, that person is either bad, unpatriotic, a sinner, etc" so vote for me instead. Americans have gotten tired of this approach. Ok, then, given what happened, what would the Governor had done instead? Now, I am not a Clinton fan. I do realize that when one is in a leadership such as hers, bad things happen on anyones watch. What I did respect was how the former Sec of State took on the follow on heat. She is a tough lady and no ones fool. I do think that what the former Gov is dishing out, she must think we are the fools for continuing to listen to her. Her 15 minutes are over, she was a part of an overall horrid 2008 GOP national campaign, can she not just be on her way.
I believe they occasionally permit Palin's comments to surface to show us all the best "the right" has to offer. And they are still beating the Benghazi drums.....sad.
Utterly amazed that Palin of all people has decided that she is capable of deciding who is fit for Presidency and who isn't. Palin's opinion on *anything* counts for less in my book than the opinion of a high school drop out
On a side note, anyone running for President from the GOP had best have Nothing to do with the current mess involving the GOP holding our nation's well being hostage against the ACA. I would hate to see our Nation run by someone representing a group that would dangle our Nation over a cliff to get what they want.
We *need* someone like Hillary Clinton to prevent the GOP from doing any further damage to our Nation.
I thought I was reading "The "Onion" until I saw CNN at the top.
Palin, you have already proven yourself as a joker. Please do not talk. Hillary would be a much better choice than GOP.
I can believe she knows a little about being unfit for the VP slot.
SP is unfit to breathe the same air as the rest of us! SHUT UP!
This is may well be the endorsement that clinches the nomination for Hillary Clinton in 2016.
News Flash! Sarah Palin knows what a Benghazi is! LOL
Palin has shown the ability to lead, and Hillary has not.
And if there was ever an expert on being unfit for elected office, it's Sarah.
I wish Palin would run against her. I'd love to see how women in general react on both sides of the party lines when an educated and experienced leader unafraid of fighting for her beliefs and proven to stick with her commitments goes against a real life cartoon character that can't identify one magazine she's read and is proven incapable of committing to anything.
Yes, it would be one-sided, but it would also be a small golden age for comedians, and these days we could use the laughs.
Hillary is unfit for the HW no matter who says it. She hasn't answered the piper on Benghazi, but that is the Liberal way, commit the crime, then deny deny deny everything.
who is Palin?