In her interview with Charlie Gibson yesterday, Gibson asked her whether she had ever met a foreign head of state. Palin, who only obtained a passport just two years ago, replied, "I have not 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." I don't know how far back in history she wants to go, but in the past 30 years every VP had previously met a foreign head of state. Palin would be the first of that class to not have done so.
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
Of course this isn't about glad-handling leaders at some meet-and-greet. What it does is illuminate the fact that one of the qualifications for a Vice President is for some foreign affairs experience and engagement at that state, and further it's another example of her pattern it seems for overstating and exaggerating her resume. Here she excuses herself by pointing a finger and saying "Oh the other guys didn't do it either!" Well, she is wrong. Palin, don't besmirch the role of a Vice President by bringing it down to your unqualified level.
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