McCain said he relies on Palin for foreign policy advice!

If McCain's erratic behavior and political stunts last week didn't convince you he isn't fit enough, or possibly even sane enough, to lead - this ought to do it. During an interview on NPR this morning, McCain said he has often turned to Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) for foreign policy advice:

NPR: Given what you’ve said Senator, is there an occasion where you could imagine turning to Governor Palin for advice in a foreign policy crisis.

MCCAIN: I’ve turned to her advice many times in the past, I can’t imagine turning to Senator Obama or Senator Biden because they’ve been wrong. They were wrong about Iraq, wrong about Russia –

NPR: But would you turn to Governor Palin?

MCCAIN: I certainly wouldn’t turn to them, and I’ve already turned to Governor Palin particularly on energy issues and I’ve appreciated her background and knowledge on that and many other issues.

Just how many times in the 'past' McCain has turned to Palin for foreign policy advice since he's only known her about 4 weeks? And if he has, that's reason enough to vote against him. Palin didn't own a passport until last year, had never traveled anywhere except to visit the Alaska National Guard at an outpost in Kuwait, and had never met a foreign leader before inserting herself into last week's United National General Assembly session for some speed-meetings with McCain's foreign allies.

Beyond that, Palin's vast foreign policy credentials include the fact that you can see a remote, virtually unpopulated area of Russia from a remote, virtually unpopulated island off the coast of Alaska (a place she's never set foot on). Palin claimed, and McCain reasserted on NPR, that she is also involved in mysterious trade missions with Russia. But once again, it looks like McCain-Palin fibbed.

There's no mention of trade missions with Russia on the Governor Palin's web site or in any press releases since the time she took office. When asked by a reporter for examples of trade missions with Russia that have taken place under Palin's watch, gubernatorial spokeswoman Kate Morgan refused to answer the question. According to the reporter, Alex Koppelman:

"Morgan said she could not legally discuss any trade missions with me because she's a state employee and I had first heard this claim through the Couric interview, which was part of Palin's campaign for the vice-presidency. When I pointed out that any trade missions that occurred would have been official state business, Morgan again noted that I had learned about them in the context of the campaign. 'The law is very stringent,' she said, and recommended that I contact the McCain-Palin campaign. Two spokespeople did not respond to requests for comment."

Two weeks ago, the Seattle Times published an article quoting one of Palin's trade specialists as saying that no trade missions with Russia are currently on the agenda: "I am not aware of any plans but that doesn't mean she wouldn't [arrange any]."

If John McCain is turning to Palin for foreign policy advise, he is not just reckless, he's stupid.