ABC News' Lisa Chinn reports: During her interview with ABC News' Charlie Gibson Thursday Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin attempted to deflect a question about the fact she has never met a foreign head of state by saying that "many" other vice presidential nominees in history hadn't met a head of state either.
However Palin was mistaken, at least where recent history is concerned.
Every vice president over the last 30 years had met a foreign head of state before being elected.
"Have you ever met a foreign head of state?" Gibson asked Palin Thursday.
"I have not," Palin said, "and I think if you go back in history and if you ask that question of many vice presidents, they may have the same answer that I just gave you."
However Palin, who obtained her first passport two years ago, would in fact be the first vice president in 32 years who hadn't met a foreign head of state, if she were elected.
The current Vice President Dick Cheney is a former Secretary of Defense and met foreign leaders in that capacity.
Former Vice President Al Gore was a member of the Senate Armed Forces Committee and went on many congressional trips abroad, known as CODELS, where he met foreign leaders.
Former Vice President Dan Quayle was also a member the Senate Armed Committee and went on many CODELS.
Former President George H.W. Bush was the Ambassador to China before he became a vice president and eventually president.
Walter Mondale, who became vice president in 1977 under President Jimmy Carter, was a senator for 16 years before becoming VP and met foreign leaders
I can understand Palin trying to push the talking point that, while she may not have met a foreign head of state as Alaska's governor, she should not be judged unqualified for the vice president's office because of her lack of meeting any foreign leaders. That is fine. Where Sarah Palin really screwed up is when she claimed that "many" other vice presidential candidates also have not met foreign leaders. Another flat-out lie, only this time due to a combination of incompetence and hubris. Sarah Palin thought that she could turn lack of meeting foreign leaders from a weakness into a strength, hoping that Gibson and the American people would accept it, as is, because she is Sarah Palin--the Hockey Mom Mrs. Smith! Instead, she makes this stupid comment tying her lack of meeting foreign leaders with other vice presidential candidates having not met any foreign leaders before taking office, turning it from a weakness into a strength--look at all these other vice presidential candidates who haven't met any foreign leaders. It is a flat-out lie.
Another reason Sarah Palin should not become vice president.
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