This bit of news really caught my eye today:
“… On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, she [Palin] is expected tomorrow to meet US anti-terror ally and Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.
The talks will offer Governor Palin some diplomatic cover ahead of her debate with Democratic vice presidential nominee Senator Joseph Biden – a noted foreign policy expert – on October 2.”
Click this link for entire story: World leaders, Bono await Palin
And check out this bit (emphasis/italics are mine):
“Palin on Monday plans to attend a rally outside the United Nations by several American Jewish groups to protest Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who nearly won the Democratic presidential nomination, canceled her plans to attend the rally after finding out that Palin would be there.” [Excerpt from: Palin cancels Wyoming visit, The Associated Press Thursday, September 18, 2008 2:06 AM MDT]
Am I the only one who finds it highly amusing that Hillary can’t be there to offer her side just because Sarah Palin will be there? Visions of haughty cattiness ensue, and suddenly Paris Hilton comes to mind. Ewwww.
Normally, I stay far away from political debates and generally keep my opinions mostly private between close family members and myself. After all, I have friends and family on both sides of the political fence, and others who are in different pastures all together – therefore one must be diplomatic.
But after reading these two news articles (and others, see below) I began to wonder aloud about how Team Obama seems to be missing from this crucial world stage, the UN General Assembly.
Why aren’t they attending the Debate? Surely it’s not a case of “we can’t handle the competition…”
And isn’t it kinda cool that Palin, with all her reported inexperience vs. Obama’s “non-newbieness” …wait…. and Biden’s expertise on foreign policy, actually has the guts to meet with a couple world leaders and represent possibly America’s future leadership?
Early morning musings over a cuppa……
Something else occurred to me whilst browsing today’s news stories on the UN Debate, and that is: wouldn’t US politics look like a completely different animal if the media were barred from commentary? The candidates would have to win or lose based soley upon their public appearances, participation in global events such as the UN Debate, or meetings with other world leaders, and representations of their policies and agenda. If ever an election were to be won (or lost) thanks to the American media machine, it would be this one.
General Debate of the 63rd Session (23 September – 1 October 2008)
Click here for today’s schedule and link to Live Webcast.
Further reading:
The United Nations General Assembly
UN General Assembly Transcripts and Quotes (as of Tuesday, 23 Sept 08)