Sarah Palin 'believed Queen was in charge of British forces in Iraq'

[Proud Lieberal from Northeast]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/sarah-palin/9094048/Sarah-Palin-believed-Queen-was-in-charge-of-British-forces-in-Iraq.html

It's nice to know there are people who still consider the British Queen somehow relevant.

[Snowguy716]

The Queen is very relevant!... to the over-the-top ridiculous hat industry.

[So the Heroes Fall]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/sarah-palin/9094048/Sarah-Palin-believed-Queen-was-in-charge-of-British-forces-in-Iraq.html

It's nice to know there are people who still consider the British Queen somehow relevant.

Well she's more relevant than Sarah Palin is now at least.

[J. J.]

She might have meant, "The Crown."

I can understand an American making that mistake.

[Dr. Cynic]

She might have meant, "The Crown."

I can understand an American making that mistake.

I find it very likely that an American can make a mistake. Doesn't make it sound any less ridiculous.

[J. J.]

She might have meant, "The Crown."

I can understand an American making that mistake.

I find it very likely that an American can make a mistake. Doesn't make it sound any less ridiculous.

She could have said "the government," but that would a different connotation in the US.

[Jacobtm]

Part of the continuing Republican effort to make people who know things seem like egghead know-it-all assholes who no one cares about anyway.

[So the Heroes Fall]

I'm noticing a pattern with J. J. defending every inane thing that should be indefensible which is quite similar to his inability to own up to any erroneous statements or predictions he makes...

And "many Americans might make that mistake" is not an excuse, most Americans probably don't know anything about the differences between Sunnis and Shi'ites or tribal politics in Pakistan, but that does not mean that it's OK for the Vice-President to be just as ignorant on those topics. And it's pretty obvious from other statements Palin has made she's just as ignorant in those areas as well. That Palin is anything other than a completely clueless bumbling fool in regards to foreign policy is a position I do not understand why anyone would even bother defending today, especially as Palin is no longer relevant at all to electoral politics...

[dead0man]

We're still piling on this half wit? 

What, she hasn't cried "uncle" yet?  le sigh

Carry on boys.

[shua]

You mean it's not really Her Majesty's Armed Forces?

[J. J.]

I'm noticing a pattern with J. J. defending every inane thing that should be indefensible which is quite similar to his inability to own up to any erroneous statements or predictions he makes...

No, I would have said "The Crown," or "Her Majesty's Government," or "Her Majesty's Armed Forces."  Getting the terminology wrong, however, does mean that Palin (Sarah or Michael) actually thinks that Elizabeth II, takes off her crown, puts on a helmet, and leads troops into battle (well, not since George II).

And "many Americans might make that mistake" is not an excuse, most Americans probably don't know anything about the differences between Sunnis and Shi'ites or tribal politics in Pakistan, but that does not mean that it's OK for the Vice-President to be just as ignorant on those topics. And it's pretty obvious from other statements Palin has made she's just as ignorant in those areas as well. That Palin is anything other than a completely clueless bumbling fool in regards to foreign policy is a position I do not understand why anyone would even bother defending today, especially as Palin is no longer relevant at all to electoral politics...

Ignorance of the terminology, which she shares with most people, does not mean that she doesn't understand that the Queen does not make military decisions.

[Gravis Marketing]

J.J., did you read the article? It says Sarah said she would talk to the Queen in order to influence government policy.

Giving Sarah Palin the benefit of the doubt in the face of evidence is no longer the Republicans' burden. I won't defend John Edwards, you guys can stop trying to make the point that she's secretly smart.

[Inks.LWC Supports Chuck Hagel]

She might have meant, "The Crown."

I can understand an American making that mistake.

I find it very likely that an American can make a mistake. Doesn't make it sound any less ridiculous.

In fact, most Americans (sadly) probably don't know who's in charge of British forces.  Most Americans probably couldn't tell you who the Prime Minister of Britain or even Canada are.

That being said, there was a lot of bad blood between the McCain staffers and Palin, so I take anything not on film with a grain of salt.

[J. J.]

J.J., did you read the article? It says Sarah said she would talk to the Queen in order to influence government policy.

And she may have meant "the Crown" and used the wrong phrasing.  The article doesn't say anything about talking to the Queen to influence "the government."  She would, obviously, would talk to "the Crown," to influence government policy; "the Crown" is the government in a corporate sense.

Giving Sarah Palin the benefit of the doubt in the face of evidence is no longer the Republicans' burden. I won't defend John Edwards, you guys can stop trying to make the point that she's secretly smart.

I'm saying she's wrong in phrasing.

[Stranger in a strange land]

You mean it's not really Her Majesty's Armed Forces?

No they aren't, in the sense that she has no control over when and where they are deployed. Palin was mistaken about this very basic point, and while it may be fine for the Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska to be unaware of the role that the monarch plays in the government of one of America's most important allies, it's not at all fine for the Vice President of the United States to be unaware of this.

[J. J.]

You mean it's not really Her Majesty's Armed Forces?

No they aren't, in the sense that she has no control over when and where they are deployed. Palin was mistaken about this very basic point, and while it may be fine for the Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska to be unaware of the role that the monarch plays in the government of one of America's most important allies, it's not at all fine for the Vice President of the United States to be unaware of this.

Actually it is "Her Majesty's Armed Forces," though the person of the sovereign has no role in policy:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Armed_Forces

I think Palin meant to say "the Crown," i.e. the government of the day (the politicians supported by a plurality of the Commons) that exercises the royal prerogative.

[Joe Republic]

I think Palin meant to say "the Crown," i.e. the government of the day (the politicians supported by a plurality of the Commons) that exercises the royal prerogative.

Nah, she is pretty clueless.  And don't forget, this story came from the time when she had only just been plucked from Alaskan obscurity and became expected to know how things actually are in the world.

Plus, she's just not the brightest bulb.

But your undying faith in her is quite charming.  Maybe you could ask her to the prom one day?

[Landslide Lyndon]

I think Palin meant to say "the Crown," i.e. the government of the day (the politicians supported by a plurality of the Commons) that exercises the royal prerogative.

Nah, she is pretty clueless.  And don't forget, this story came from the time when she had only just been plucked from Alaskan obscurity and became expected to know how things actually are in the world.

Plus, she's just not the brightest bulb.

But your undying faith in her is quite charming.  Maybe you could ask her to the prom one day?

Do you mean that JJ sees starbursts every time sister Sarah flashes her smile on TV?

[Proud Lieberal from Northeast]

J.J., being a Devil's Advocate is not something you're best suited for.

[Secretary Polnut]

You mean it's not really Her Majesty's Armed Forces?

No they aren't, in the sense that she has no control over when and where they are deployed. Palin was mistaken about this very basic point, and while it may be fine for the Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska to be unaware of the role that the monarch plays in the government of one of America's most important allies, it's not at all fine for the Vice President of the United States to be unaware of this.

Actually it is "Her Majesty's Armed Forces," though the person of the sovereign has no role in policy:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Armed_Forces

I think Palin meant to say "the Crown," i.e. the government of the day (the politicians supported by a plurality of the Commons) that exercises the royal prerogative.

The woman's a doofus...accept it and move on.

[J. J.]

You mean it's not really Her Majesty's Armed Forces?

No they aren't, in the sense that she has no control over when and where they are deployed. Palin was mistaken about this very basic point, and while it may be fine for the Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska to be unaware of the role that the monarch plays in the government of one of America's most important allies, it's not at all fine for the Vice President of the United States to be unaware of this.

Actually it is "Her Majesty's Armed Forces," though the person of the sovereign has no role in policy:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Armed_Forces

I think Palin meant to say "the Crown," i.e. the government of the day (the politicians supported by a plurality of the Commons) that exercises the royal prerogative.

The woman's a doofus...accept it and move on.

I think that is a difference between an American misusing the terminology (which still makes her a doofus, BTW), and an American thinking Elizabeth II is the political leader of the UK who makes policy.

I can remember a post from one your fellow countrymen, er, excuse me, "mates," Hugh, about "gridiron."  I've never heard American football called that by anyone in the US, but that didn't make him an idiot for using the term wrongly ("gridiron," can refer to the field on which the game is played).

And "mate," has a very different connotation that how you would use it.  That doesn't make you an idiot either.

[Joe Republic]

I think that is a difference between an American misusing the terminology (which still makes her a doofus, BTW), and an American thinking Elizabeth II is the political leader of the UK who makes policy.

Why do you seem so convinced it wasn't the latter in Palin's case?  That's by far the likelier scenario.

[So the Heroes Fall]

Sheesh if you want to defend the woman for whatever inexplicable reason (as noted she has no relevance to electoral politics anymore), you might as well do it from the more logical position noted above that McCain's aides might have some bad blood against her and this isn't a completely accurate account. It's certainly more likely than that Palin said "the Queen" really meaning "the Crown" intending to inaccurately use that term as a stand-in for the government especially with the aide's reply.

[A cowboy always follows his beard]

Freddie would have been disappointed. Brian, John, and Roger should have known better. But hey, the're rock and roll ledgends, we'll let it fly.

[J. J.]

I think that is a difference between an American misusing the terminology (which still makes her a doofus, BTW), and an American thinking Elizabeth II is the political leader of the UK who makes policy.

Why do you seem so convinced it wasn't the latter in Palin's case?  That's by far the likelier scenario.

She didn't say that she'd invite the Queen over or she'd be meeting with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, or that she'd sit down with the Queen.  The quote was "continue to have an open dialogue" with the Queen.