What Sarah Palin didn't know, as reported by Fox's Carl Cameron

(UPDATE: See below.)

Now it can be revealed, Fox News Channel reporter Carl Cameron just told network anchor Shepard Smith.

There WAS tension between John McCain staff members and Sarah Palin (as other news outlets previously reported), and part of it stemmed from some rather glaring gaps in what the governor of Alaska knew about the rest of the world.

Cameron, the Fox beat reporter for the Republican presidential ticket, said he had been told by unnamed sources -- and on the condition he not report the details during the campaign -- that Palin could not name all of the countries that are part of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

He did not mention which one (or ones) she whiffed on, but there are only three: Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.

Nor, according to Cameron, was Palin aware that Africa is a continent. (Perhaps she was hamstrung by the fact that no part of that land mass can be viewed from her homestate.)

Asked if she damaged the Republican ticket, Palin today expressed doubt. (See video below.)

Cameron also related that the anonymous McCain aides were frustrated that Palin blew off their suggestions that she put in a little prep time before her interview with CBS journalist Katie Couric. That sit-down in late September, it will be recalled, did not go so well for Palin.

(UPDATE: CNN has more on the dysfunction that marred the GOP presidential campaign. It reports that Randy Scheunemann, a senior foreign policy adviser to McCain who bonded with Palin while helping bring her up to speed for her debate with Joe Biden, was fired from the campaign last week for talking out of school with the media. It appears that tales of the conflict within the staff could well develop into a cottage industry.)

-- Don Frederick

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Photo credit: Getty Images

Comments

[mike]

not know anything about NAFTA? Not know Africa is a continent? Who cares, only the biased media and not pro-America parts of the country think she was unqualified.

[Justin Massey]

Is it a violation of journalistic ethics to withhold newsworthy information to protect the interests, as opposed to the identity, of a confidential source?

[Peter]

And yet she may be the next U.S. senator from Alaska! If Stevens wins, he will be expelled by the senate in January and Palin can resign and be appointed to fill his vacancy. She will then face the voters of Alaska in a special elelction 90 days later as the incumbent! Not that has to scare you.

[Michael]

I get it. I get it. The Republicans are really dumb and the Democrats are really smart. For some reason, dems feel a need to insult Gov. Palin to try and prove the point. President-Elect Obama will get the vetting he never got during the campaign. I honestly wish him nothing but success, but I am afraid that the media and his supporters will turn on him as he tries to govern in the middle. It will be sad to watch.

[Vermonter]

Bush will probably pardon Stevens, making him able to keep his Senate seat- that's my take.

'Not pro-America"? "Biased media"? Sounds like a huge amount of whine and cheese to me. Palin was highly inexperienced, bullheaded, and unpalatable to a lot of Americans. The true "not pro-America" people are the ones that attack others for exercising their freedoms as afforded by the Constitution!

[tdub]

Oh, more lies from the liberal media..........Oh, WHOOPS! That was from the right wing media.........

[Tom]

Carl Cameron should be fired for this. Awful, just awful. So he basically protected the McCain/Palin campaign from further questions and ridicule because a source asked him not to report these things? Why on earth would he agree to keep this confidential? Carl- as a young reporter in New Hampshire you may (or may not !) have learned that reporters are bound to protect their source's identities, not their political aspirations. Were you gunning to be the White House Communications Director?

You shill.

[QuoterGal]

This... this was who was contending to be a heartbeat away from the presidency? And sneered at educated folks for their elitism?

I knew it was bad - the Couric interview and the McCain campaign leaks made it clear that she was profligate, untutored and unpleasant - but I had no idea it was anywhere near this bad. So glad we escaped a fate that involves her as any kind of national leader. Hopefully she will disappear back into the wilds of Wasilla.

Bill O'Reilly's sad attempts (in the video of the Fox interview) to explain it all away were as inept as what we now hear about Ms. Palin. He is to "journalist" what Sarah is to "qualified to lead" - i.e., not at all.

[steve rodriguez]

Dear Bias Down stream press, leave Sarah Plain alone for awhile! You've done her enough damage!

[Save the Alaskan Parrot]

Ladies and Gentlemen, America has dodged the bullet. One question remains, why would the Republican Party have tried to perpetrate such a dangerous scheme?
O.K. two questions remain, How many Republicans would vote for a chimpanzee in a sequined costume if one ever makes it on to the Republican ticket?

[DCG]

Do you mean to tell me that two of the most inept campaign managers in recent history (Steve Schmidt and Rick Davis) decided to throw Sarah Palin under the bus for their absolute miserable campaign performance?

You're kidding me, right? If she was such a miserable drag on the ticket, why was she put on in the first place? I keep hearing that McCain didn't want her and Davis didn't want her and Schmidt didn't want her. Then why was she on the ticket? Did poor Sarah hold those guys at gunpoint? Because we all know that she's a savage barbarian gun owner.

If she is such an incompetent idiot and it's all her fault, then why was she even on the ticket? It's the bigger fool theory (kind of). Who's the bigger fool, the fool or the fool who hired the fool to be on the ticket?

Everyone is so bold to announce how stupid Sarah Palin is and what a moron she is when the man who is going to be President hasn't been nearly as well vetted. The media is going way over the top to make her look bad and of course, Schmidt and Davis just play along because they are basically the RNC counter to Bob Shrum. In other words, the best losers of the RNC.

[It's over, so you can stop dissing Sarah now]

Don Frederick writes "(Perhaps she was hamstrung by the fact that no part of that land mass can be viewed from her homestate.)"

Can Don Frederick name all the capitalcities in his homestate? Or bother to submit his bloviated blog to a copy editor? Perhaps all the copy editors at The Times have been fired.

[MagMan]

And Barack Obama thought there were 57 states, and Joe Biden believes "jobs" has 3 letters...

[Elisa]

Justin wrote: "Is it a violation of journalistic ethics to withhold newsworthy information to protect the interests, as opposed to the identity, of a confidential source?"

The LA Times would presumably answer "no", since they've refused to release the videotape of Obama attending a virulently anti-Israel, pro-violence meeting.

[Suz]

You have to be kidding me. My six year olds know that Africa is a continent. And if I told them what NAFTA stands for, they could GUESS the countries involved. Palin is a piece of work. Thank goodness for the outcome yesterday!

[Scott]

Take this stuff with a grain of salt. This is the unofficial start of the 2012 Republican primary. Staffers who would prefer other candidates such as Romney are trying to damage Palin's massive support from the Republican base and want to knock her off early. It's notable that they won't go on the record.

[steve rodriguez]

She wanted to go after Rev. Wright and Bill Ayres...both issues that should've been on the table all along...did Carl Cameron know that?

Sarah Palin 2012!

[Avi Logane]

So the great LA Times is still piling on Palin, who won't be VP, for not knowing about Nafta. But it refuses to write about Obama, who will be president, thinking Canada has a president and the US has 57 states. And withholds the incriminating Khalidi videotape with Obama paling around with Palestinian radicals. And thinks that good old Joe Biden, who will be VP, is obviously qualified when he doesn't even know who was president during the Great Depression? You're incredible, don.

[Richard Lyons]

It is shocking hearing these wild stories coming out about Palin. Quite simply she is an airhead. Doesn't know about NAFTA? Could not name a single newspaper that she read? Has no clue about world affairs? It shows a very serious flaw in McCain's thinking that she was even considered, let alone appointed, to be his VP. Opening the door to her hotel room wearing only a towel? Palin pulling her "nutties" and throwing papers around? All the Shopping trips stories have all yet to be told, but soon will be? Todd Palin having never worn a suit & tie in his life, let alone owned one till it was given to him by the GOP? A 17 year old daughter knocked up by an unemployed high school drop out and they are still not married? Baby is due at New Years? This sound more like a very bad TV show: The Alaska Hill-Billys. Trailer Trash. It is absolutely shocking what McCain tried to pull off just to court the Religious Right. He thought no one would notice? He needs to have his head examined. Thank God Obama won.

[doug kaiser]

If anyone bothered to read Sarah's bio by Kaylene Johnson, he or she would have found more to the person than the media cared to reveal. If McCain had selected anyone else, I would have stayed home. If our nation's news media had given BO the scrutiny Sarah and even Joe the Plumber experienced, we would have had a better informed electorate 4 Nov. The future will show what happens when the media abdicates its responsibility to inform.

[Derek]

McCain is little more than another older country club Republican that was losing big before Palin got there, picked her late in the process in desperation before she was ready even though he knew he had the nomination for quite some time, and now his insiders are throwing her under the bus because he voted with Bush 90% of the time, had no new ideas & got beat. Who's McCain's PR person? Probably the same back stabber that leaked the clothing costs. McCain lost to a man who showed up to work 140 days & voted "present" 124 times. That must be very hard for him to swallow, as it was no doubt for Hillary, but it shows NO class to throw Palin under the bus in this manner. As for Palin being an airhead, you don't speak at rallies the way she does & be an airhead. Biden asked a paralyzed man to stand up at a rally & then said FDR was president during the great depression & he's been there half his life. Let's stop the partisan nonsense already. All these attacks on Palin galvanize the right base against Barrack and this does him no good whatsoever.

[Charlie Rodgers]

GOv. Palin's handlers must have been the most incompetent buch of dim wits ever to work in a national campaign. McCain knew he was the the Republican nominee seven months before the Convention . So either his staff was so lazy, incompetent and stupid that they recommended a idiot of this magnitude without vetting her. Or they are lieing now to cover thier behinds which means they the most dishonest, vindictive, bunch of imbeciles to work ina Presidential campaign. Either way come as dumber than than tey are portraying Sarah Palin.

[Demand sources]

CALL/WRITE FOX NEWS AND COMPLAIN !

Ontherecord@foxnews.com

Reporting on mud slinging RUMORS from UNKNOWN sources? Shame on gleeming Carl Cameron!

I urge everyone to call, write FOX NEWS ASAP and let them know we demanded the names of the annonymous source or a public apology to Gov. Palin.

Funny the McCain staff is trying to blame someone for their loss. Pathetic!

Want change-then make it know to the media this RUMOR SPREADING will not be toleratedl

[Howard Gaber]

Clearly the Palin episode shows that Mccain was never presidential material. Like Bush, his decision making was not about making our country and the world a better place, but was more about him. Why else would he pick someone he knew little about nor was qualified to aid in important decisions or take over the position as president. Like Bush, Mccain let many others make decisions for him. To blame his campaign management, is the same as blaming Cheney or Rumsfeld for our present problems. The buck stops at the presidents desk. Mccain, as with Bush, cannot blame anyone else but themselves. To lead is to be the leader.

[Tim Fort]

Thank God Obama won......say Richard Lyon above. Give me a break.

Even if Obama is sincere, had good intentions for the USA, his development from childhood onward was formed by mentors and colleagues with world views that are hostile to America.

Case in point:
RELATIONSHIPS and ASSOCIATIONS
1. Franklin Marshall Davis (boyhood mentor, alleged communist and early influence on Barack Obama). He had been active in Chicago’s post War Communist Party. Frank Marshall Davis had lived in Chicago for many years until moving to Hawaii in 1948. In his memoir “Dreams from My Father”, Obama recounts how he visited Mr Davis on several occasions, apparently at junctures when he was grappling with racial issues, to seek his counsel. At one point in 1979 Mr. Davis described the university system as “an advanced degree in compromise” that was designed to keep blacks in their place: “they’ll tank on your chain and let you know that you may be a well-trained, well-paid n?#@*#, but you’re a n?#@*# just the same.”
2. Reverend Wright (spiritual advisor for 20 years: married him, baptized his kids and admits to attending his church 2 times monthly for 20 years: 2 times 12 months times 20 years = 480 times minimum attendance). Look up Black Liberation Theology at Trinity Church.
3. Father Pfleger
4. Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrne (a leader in the radical terrorist group the Weatherman Underground. The group bombed several government buildings, including the Pentagon, killing civilians and police officers and does not regret it, as a matter of fact, feels they didn’t do enough. Got Obama’s Political Career kicked off with fundraiser in their living room.
5. Raila Odinga
6. Acorn
7. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (direct link to economical collapse). It made sure that unqualified borrowers could get mortgages. Acorn and the Community Reinvestment Act programs made sure that unqualified borrowers could buy homes with no down payment. Some had no credit or worse yet, bad credit. Even the infamous, liberal, Ninja loans (No Income, No Job or Assets).
8. Community Reinvestment Act
9. Louis Farrakhan
10. Tony Rezko
11. Franklin Raines
12. Dr. Khlalid al Mansour
13. Saul Alinski
14. Rashid Khalidi

We are not saying Barack is a terrorist. We are saying he got his current ideas from people who, like Bill Ayers are proud to be photographed stepping on the American flag, who in a house of God take God's name in vain to "damn America".

Obama can't see himself how radical his ideas are because he has surrounded himself with radicals. Though Americans can grant he is sincere, they can't be expected to ignore not one, but at least 12 questionnable relationships, including one person whose real estate abuses MADE HIM A convicted felon (Tony Rezko). Americans can't afford to elect somebody so vulnerable to radicals.

Finally, as Gov. Palin has said: the question is not so much why Obama was attracted to these radicals, but why they were attracted to him.

Shame on the MEDIA for not vetting Obama on all these associations and relationships so that to Americans can make an informed decision: WE DO NOT KNOW who Obama really is and what he stands for.

[ceejay]

yeah mike, that just kind of shows how idiotic the people that support her are. Not really anything to be proud of. Thank god the majority of america, 60 percent, considered her unfit, and voted accordingly.

[ceejay]

DCG, the media didnt have to do anything to make her look bad. Opening her mouth and spewing ignorant, divisive comments was enough. How on earth was this so evident to me, and lost on so many americans? Incredible.

[cee jay]

Avi, I hope the L.A. Times, as well as every other media outlet, NEVER lets this story drop. This ignorant woman was so close to the highest office in the nation, and had she won, would have caused irrepairable damage. Personally, I hope everyone watches her, reports on her, and as a result, makes it impossible for her to continue on any kind of path to the white house. Her smug, divisive, condescending, idiotic demeanor have no place in American politics. She is a disgrace to the "real" America

[TmH]

highly inexperienced, bullheaded, and unpalatable to a lot of Americans.
Posted by: Vermonte

Wow it sounds like you're describing the President elect... Remember 46% percent (counted) voted against Obama, and that doesn't include the 200,000 potential votes stolen in Ohio or the Virginia military vote the Dems. have delayed counting. So, we'll see how the no experience Messiah fares now that he can't live on rhetoric and the media giving him a free pass anymore.

[Alex]

Patriots?

McCain almost put a woman who is either retarded or - at the age of 44 has not encountered a single article or book, or even a map of the world (in 44 YEARS!) - into the position of president of the US on the event of his death (and at 72, it's not as if he's in the spring of his life).

Patriot? Does anyone really believe a woman who does not know that Africa is a continent is fit to lead a nation, much less the US? This is treasonous: this is just beyond belief. How do you put your nation at peril like this solely for the sake of winning an election? HOW?

If this woman, at 44, cannot name the continents of this planet, does she even know that there are countries in Africa? What else does she not know - seriously, if you don't know the names and location of continents, what the hell other gaps does this woman have in her education? Does she know about europe? Does she know who our allies are? Does she know the history of NATO? Does she know what NATO EVEN IS?!

McCain a patriot?

[John S.]

I like some of these comments so far. However, anyone who has half of an education, would know that the media is very liberal. Quite frankly, I don't know WHY there has been so much talk about Palin being unqualified. She wasn't running for President. What has Obama done to make him qualified to be President? That should be the important question. Look at the statistics of Illinois and especially Chicago (where Obama has supposedly done sooo many good things). Cook County-highest tax rate in the entire country. Chicago-murder capital of the country. Chicago schools-among the WORST in the nation. I sure hope Obama does a little better with the US than he has done with Chicago! Why don't we focus on the things that Obama/Biden don't know?? It's not important what Palin doesn't know right now!

[Lori]

I am so happy that Barak Obama won the presidency, and yes I vote. I would like to defend Sarah Palin, however, in that if anyone lost the election, it was John McCain himself, not her. He should have had better judgement in the choice of the VP pick, end of story. He was acting as his usual Maverick self, and honestly, that's what happens when you don't listen to advisor and go it alone. We have seen this kind of thinking for the last 8 year, and I feel the voters saw right through his trump card. John McCain lost because the American public decided they did not want more of the same for the next 4 years. It's typical of the Republican party to displace blame instead of looking in the mirror or realizing that they just didn't have what it takes to win. I'm so tired of the media buying into that kind of rhetoric. Let it be, let's move on, and let Sarah Palin go back to being govenor of Alaska. To say that she is the sole reason for the loss, is ridiculous.

[jen]

sarah palin 2012!

Let the excitement begin

There is a woman who knows how to get things done....THAT's the kind of woman who SHOULD be running this country

[Escogido]

Reformation for the republicans party is interesting to watch... which way will they go? The intellectual route (George Will, Peggy Noonan, David Brooks, David Frum, Andrew Sullivan etc.) or will they go the ignorant route (joe the plumber, rednecks, racist, sarah palin, cessationist ..etc)
I can't wait to watch!!!

[Susan]

You blog writers that have any type of defense for Sarah Palin are really scary. She doesn't know anything. She was a heartbeat away from the highest office in the land. She continuously spins and dodges from taking any accountability for her actions. She's an embarrassment to all intelligent, beautiful women who could have a chance at holding a responsible office. Thank God the intelligent people voted in Barack Obama. Maybe now some of you right-wing whackos can be held in check. Stop whining about Barack Obama and enjoy what is to come. We've all had a lot to contend with for the last eight years with an inept president and vice president. Perhaps now we can start to repair our damaged relationships with many of our allies and have pride that our president can string together coherent sentences.

[ag]

So sick of the treatment she gets...!!! Think the treatment is deliberate..!! Hmm..wonder why.... think the Democrats are worried!!!!

PALIN 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DET]

This sounds like someone in the McCain campaign trying to cover up his (and it's probably a guy) own inadequacies. I seriously doubt that Sarah Palin is as dumb as the McCain staffer via Carl Cameron would have you believe.

Let's just remember that Joe Biden thought that President Roosevelt made addresses to the nation on TV in 1929, four years before he in fact took office, and only a year or so after television had even been invented (and thus was still very early in the experimental stage).

[alexa]

CARL CAMERON = SHOULD BE FIRED. Carl Cameron should be fired for this type of reporting. These are smear on Sarah Palin. The McCain campaign did a terrible job. So terrible that they leak untruthful stuff on Sarah Palin. All this McCain campaig should be fired.

McCain Campaign did a very terrible job. This was the main McCain defeat. They did not run a very good campaig. This news that came out is a very good testament of their stupidity.

I say it again, the McCain campain was the downfall of McCain himself.

[Diane Halliwell]

Are you people kidding me . . . Sarah Palin was the only reason we actually had any hope in this ticket. This is a thoughtful, smart, and talented woman who connected. McCain would have lost by alot more except for the enthusiasm that she brought among the conservative branch of the Republican party. I hope to see a lot more of Sarah Palin going forward.

[Alice Click]

Most of the attacks on Palin are just plain "sexist"... and, in my opinion, unreliable journalism.
Sarah Palin invigorated millions in this 2008 Election and ignited a movement, attracting tremendous crowds and support. So many of us were hungry for sincerity and authenticity in our office holders and we have found it in her. She connects with real human beings. She provides a new model of women in politics.
The crowds that came to see Sarah reveals the enthusiasm, talent, ingenuity and intellectual prowess of this new movement. Sarah Palin's candidacy provides a foundation on which we can build politically for campaigns to come. There is no doubt, she is a bright political beacon for the future.
Alice Click, Mount Alto, WV 25264 304-895-3590 304-593-3145

[Stacy]

I do not believe that Sarah Palin is dumb, but the fact that she is ignorant of a key relationships with our neighboring countries means that she was not qualified to serve as our Vice President. What really bothers me is that she was chosen over other more qualified candidates just because she is a woman. I am a woman and I am insulted that Republicans thought that I would vote for someone just because they have a woman on the ticket. We want more women in office, but we want intelligent, informed, and capable women in office.

[bwunderlick]

For the people who keep talking about how Palin is smart and Palin 2012, you seriously aren't bothered by the fact she couldn't name the other countries in NAFTA? NAFTA? I'm seriously interested, this doesn't give you pause in anyway?

But whatever, nothing launches a national campaign better than losing a national campaign in a major way. Good luck!

[Kev the tech]

You guys really need to find something else to do. Bush is gonna be gone soon, McCain will go back to the senate, Palin will go back to Alaska and hunt moose. You have Democrats running everything now. You should enjoy the moment and let go of this nonsense, it doesn’t help anybody. You got what you want, you won! But you’re still looking for someone to hate. If you’re so convinced that conservatives are bad for the country then show us how it should be done. If you guys represent compassion and caring and we’re cold hearted and mean spirited conservatives, then show us by example. That’s the problem, you all want to talk about it but who is actually getting it done? Let’s see if you can fix this mess the country is in. If you’re looking for a solution and you think Sarah Palin is such a fool, then why focus on her? All of you highly educated intellectuals should be able to solve these problems we’re having, let’s get to work.

[Josefin Erlando]

Those who are anti-American are those who gave a person like Palin the possibility to even end up as president when they knew what an ignorant person she is. What a horror it would have been !! Think about how much damage she could have done.

[The End OF A Political Party]

Sarah Palin is by far the single most ignorant public official to run for any office this election. Why not support a trained parrot for VP? Since intelligence is not a requirement to be a Republican candidate, you might have selected an inanimate object for the job like a stick, or maybe a toe-nail clipping.
Why stop there, The Republican candidates shouldn't even be restricted to physical forms, nominate concepts like Vice President Freedom. That will certainly carry forward to VP Retribution, and VP Loyalty Oath.
Did Republicans begin running cartoon characters as candidates because they have exhausted all viable party members and there is just nobody left who is worth a damn?

[Seni]

Carl Cameron should go work for a tabloid paper. Have you Obamaniacs forgot the presidential race is over? Sarah Palin is good for this country and would have made a great VP or president. She's back in Alaska now and can do your messiah, Barack Obama or you no harm. Stop hating, give Palin a rest and worry about how LITTLE Obama knows about improving the economy and keeping americans safe from terrorist.

[Irene]

Had Sarah Palin behaved like a human being rather than a snarky, biting attack dog, spewing hate filled inuendos if not absolute lies at every juncture, I would be the first in line to defend her, as a woman, despite my politics. Her nasty, careless utter disregard and disrespect for her opponents (pallin' around with terrorists, give me a break) deserves her no comfort from me!

[Ramesh]

I am a Obama supporter, but McCain campaign should stop highlighting Palin's mistakes. Reading these things about, Africa & NAFTA, makes me feel embarassed.

I think Palin is a decent individual but she put herself on a stage that was beyond her knowledge; I feel sorry for her.
Instead of Palin, I blame the individual responsible for selecting her.

And, please do not tell that Palin is the future of RNC; that is a shocking, to even apolitical people.

[danzig]

This candidate reminded us daily how totally Unqualified she was from day one

[Ashley]

to the person who asked "Can Don Frederick name all the capital cities of his homestate": I hope he can name only one, given that there usually (if I am not mistaken), one capital city per state...

Anyway, it's not a matter of whether Gov Palin can be brought up to speed or is a quick study. Of course Obama will need to be brought up to speed on many things, and of course every politician makes gaffes when speaking. But Obama doesn't have to start studying facts that are basic in a high school, if not middle school, education. And for Gov. Palin's other mistakes blamed upon the liberal media and gotcha journalism, she studied journalism in college and is a governor. I can't imagine that she never spoke to the press whilst running.