International Law

Sarah Palin: Old China Hand?

By Stan

I almost pissed myself when I read this, even though the story itself was no surprise. In fact, I blogged about this recently (check it out here). Consider this fair warning - do not read while eating or drinking.

Former US vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin is expected to speak about US foreign policy and China in her first keynote speech outside North America, Hong Kong organisers said on Monday.

Palin, mocked during last year’s presidential campaign for her lack of experience in foreign affairs and for her verbal gaffes, is due to address hundreds of financial big-hitters at the CLSA Investors’ Forum on Wednesday.

“We have asked her to address US foreign policy, to discuss her views on governance, healthcare, and of course, China,” Jonathan Slone, chief executive officer of the Asia-focused brokerage, said in an interview with AFP.

Palin was chosen to speak since she’s a possible Republican candidate in the next US presidential election and because of her influential role in politics, he said.

But CLSA, an arm of French bank Credit Agricole, decided to close Palin’s session to the media after the former Alaska governor indicated that she would have to adjust her speech if reporters were present, Slone said.

“We are very pleased with her attitude towards us. Sarah could have come here and made a media circus,” he said.

“But we said to her, ‘Look, we want you to give the most information to our clients. Do you feel comfortable doing that with the press around?’

“She said, ‘If I do that with the press in the room, I will have to say different things.’”

Slone said they decided to close the event to media because the primary objective of the annual forum was to let their clients get hold of as much industry-related information from the speakers as possible. (Yahoo)

Um, what to say with this? I’ve already commented on this speech, tongue-in-cheek of course. The latest news here is the issue of the media. Let’s face it, Palin does not have the best relationship with the media, probably since she does not always perform all that well when someone actually has the chance to ask her substantive questions.

Look, this whole thing is hilarious. The organizers are touting Palin as an authoritative figure, with knowledge that their “clients” will want to hear. This alone is very silly. I doubt she is expert on any issue at all, even something related to U.S. domestic politics, but to pretend that she has special insight to U.S.-China relations? Holy crap, Batman . . .

Everyone knows that Palin is “uncomfortable” with the press around because they have the nasty habit of making her look like an idiot. Therefore the organizers are suggesting, I guess, that her insider knowledge of U.S.-China policy is of such a sensitive nature or something that it must only be imparted in a closed-door meeting. The organizer’s PR guy has a good copy writer, but the argument is still so funny that I’m still working the coffee out of my nose after laughing so hard (it was quite painful, I might add).

© Stan for China Hearsay, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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Full post as published by China Hearsay on September 21, 2009 (boomark / email).