Sarah Palin's Border War
Sept. 26, 2008
"We have trade missions back and forth. We do — it's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where — where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is — from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to-- to our state."
—Sarah Palin, in an interview with Katie Couric of CBS Evening News, when asked to clarify a previous statement in which she said Alaska's proximity to Russia enhances her foreign-policy credentials.
The rambling, confused statement was arguably the low point of a disastrous interview with Couric that helped cement Palin's image as unqualified for the vice-presidency. As for the facts, according to Maj. Allen Herritage, a spokesman for the Alaska region of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, no Russian military planes have flown into that zone during Palin's 21 months in office.