to Sal, London: there will be no WW3 whoever be the next president of the US. After Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq, all lost wars, no ally will be so stupid to follow a nation unable to protect NY sky on 9/11.

Betty, Florence, Italy

First real interview and empty headed Palin stumbles. No wonder the Republicans keep her hidden away from public and media scrutiny. What is Palin but a decorative piece for an aging lack lustre politician?She is bound to be revealed for what she really in the nex 50 days--- .AN EMPTY HEAD.

Brian Musah, Hertford,

Don't the American people want someone ABOVE average to be the LEADER of the nation?

Ellen, Oregon, USA

I seem to remember that Mrs Thatcher too, when first elected, was accused of being able to just manage her kitchen, or something to that effect.
One does learn on the job... you know. Sarah Palin will be just as good.

Cecile, Hong Kong, China SAR

Palin is no where near the standard of a vice president,alaska is not even recognised on most maps, so neither should she be. Although Obama is not without flaw at least he has enough sense to have a vice president up to date with current policy, so vote Obama OR prepare for WWW3!!.

Sal, London,

Keith in Winnipeg:
How's diplomacy working (6 years) in talking Ahmadinejad out of his nuclear weapons program? Or preventing Putin from sending tanks across the borders of Georgia? Who's next? EU member Poland? A few French soldiers into the Rhineland in 1936 would have likely prevented WW2.

Russ Armstrong, Becker (pop 2600), Minnesota, USofA

Hmmm..,from reading these comments, it seems that to be qualified for president you need to:
A. Not be very good looking.
B. Define the Bush Doctrine in the most simplistic and cynical way.
C. Say that you would never confront the Soviet Union by joining NATO.
D. Have no religious views.

R. Megahan, St Michaels, MD,

Palin truly is an average hockey mom, she knows or has cared for little about anything beyond her neck of the woods. She would be great at PTA and so terribly wrong for the vice presidency.

Lucy L., Anchorage, AK, USA

Palin's remarks linking Iraq to 9-11 and contemplating a war with Russia made my blood run cold.

Whatever her talents and gifts are, she is abysmally ignorant about national and international affairs. It is dismaying to see people react only to the surface , not thinking about what is
inside.

Anne Roberts, Washington, D.C., United States

Henry from Walnut Creek - I agree that she doesn't have to use multi-syllable words, but I would at least like to see those common words display a depth of knowledge that would make me feel comfortable with the thought of a President Palin. Unfortunately, she hasn't convinced me she's ready.

Marian, Sacramento, USA

Don't you love the spin of some of the comments here? Now she has demonstrated her ignorance, somehow her lack of experience is a breath of fresh air, stuff she didn't know wasn't worth knowing anyway, going abroad is not important . I guess these folks used to ace their exams with this approach.

Paul, Cincinnati, USA

Congrats to Obama. He has the approval of 80% of the rest of the world. Thank god the rest of the world does not vote in the american elections.
Palin is what is good about america. Raising family the best she can, supporting our troops and respecting unborn life. Mccain/Palin have my vote.

Joe, Philadelphia, USA

Sarah Palin is an intelligent, articulate woman who does not need to display her acumen and intellectual prowess with multi-syllable words unless a common word is unable to convey her intent. She is refreshing because she is not pompous as many in D.C. who destroy others & are inherently selfish.

Henry Morgan, Walnut Creek, CA, USA

Palin has above average looks, average intelligence and seriously below average ethics.

I could never have imagined that the first female to possibly be elected to the White House would so embarrass me as a professional, a mother and woman of integrity.

Debra , Cumming, US

Generally Americans never go abroad.They are provincial and nationalist, speaking only English-American, sure the US are the number one, because media say this.

Betty, Florence, Italy

Let's compare Governor Palin to Obama. What executive experiences does he have? NONE.

Now, let's compare Obama to McCain. McCain outshines Obama at every level.

Sarah does not care about the Bush Doctrine. She and Senator McCain will be presenting the McCain doctrine when they they are elected.

Rich Swier, Sarasota, USA

This woman believes the world is 12000 years old. God, if existent, help us all.

J. Seel, manchester, Uk

Hail the Walmart Republicans! I actually heard an interviewed female republican delegate say she likes Palin because "she doesn't use any big words". She's "just like me"! Apparently repeating the words "drill", "hockey" and "the bridge to nowhere" makes you qualified to be VP.

Jennell, Vancouver, Canada

Scary isn't she? That's what you get when you pander to your base and not put "county first". Perhaps not everyone knows what the Bush doctrine is (it does change depending on what lies Mr Bush is trying to cover up)but we aren't running for Vice President.

Ellen, Hamburg, USA

I don't see how anybody can even pretend to be qualified to be the Vice President of a country having travelled out of their own country so few times. It is impossible to have any real understanding of the world through without experiencing different cultures and instead relying on briefing papers!

Nick, London,

Condemning Islamic fundamentalism, when at the same time Palin invokes "the will of God" in reply to questions on foreign affairs? I fear for the future should a Republican ticket be successful. The European Enlightenment would appear not to have illuminated all the dark corners of the US,

Cliff, Nottingham , UK

It is time for the UK to be much more wary of the US - the oil and arms lobbies that have dominated for 8 years and will continue to do so under McCain would have a field day if Palin ever ended up in charge.
We have a long shared history with the US but unfortunately they cannot be trusted now.

Sozza, london,

well now I am no longer worried about certain scientists at CERN destroying the planet. We have a much greater theat to world security and it comes in the forma little lost girl from Alaska has no clue of international affairs. Good Choice McCain!!

Scott, London, UK

Do I read above of complexities in American foreign policy and national security? Oh my giddy aunt, like what? You're either with us or, against us? Saddam Hussein was behind 911? Like proclamation of victory in Iraq? Give us a break you folk from America. Stay away please!

Nigel Bramble, London, England

TV interviews seem to be more about finding mistakes with people, than finding solutions to issues. How many policy ideas, can you name, that have come from TV interviews?
If people in America would like smaller government, then she has expertise in running smaller government.

Hugo van Randwyck, London, UK

Are American women so immature they will switch from Obama to naive "redneck" Palin, because Clinton is not the VP candidate? She is anti pro-choice, anti stem cell research and pro the Iraq war. Are they really going to let their sons goto Iraq because they are peeved about Hilary?

R G James, Brasschaat, Belgium

The right-wing christian types are happy with war. Also, they would give a damn if the US sank under the sea, as long as Obama doesn't get in.

Look at the history of christian right-wingers, especially in the southern states. Actions have changed but the mentality is still there.

John, London,

Only in America would they ask a politician whether they'd ever travelled outside the US. Because it's a given in any other country.

Oscar, london,

Where have all the great men and women of america gone? These are indeed the last days of the American Empire.

Andreas Andreou, Cyprus,

David Nevers, Dallas TX,
If the polls show that the world wants Obama i dont see how that can be a bad thing. From history we have seen that the world has always been right when bush decided to go into iraq rather than listen to the rest of the world. Maybe its cos USA is on another planet.

Adegbola, London, UK

Well I suppose even a president who needs to consult Wikipedia would be an improvement on Bush. Trouble is that you ol' boys and girls on the other side of the pond suffer from from the same problem we have in the UK- no decent candidates on any side of the political divide.

Tim, Exeter, UK

Its absolutely amazing that a country with a population of 290 million+ comes up with hockey mom pitbull Palin as one of its vice presidential candidates. No wonder the USA is viewed with such scorn by the rest of the world. McCain, you have shot yourself in the foot...

Aidan, Dublin,

Isn't democracy a beautiful thing to behold? Voters with the allegiance of the average Man U fan who saw Palin as some kind of beacon for femininity are now waking up to the realisation that she may just be a pretty face

James, Windsor, UK

Rachel in Dallas
Terrific advice! We'll all sleep soundly in our beds knowing the the potential Commander in Chief of the world's most destructive military arsenal may also be consulting Wikipedia to help decide what to do with it.

Esther, London,

Mr Putin VS Sara Palin...must be interesting....

Maria, St Petersburg,

I am staggered that possibly the 2nd most powerful person on earth has only left her continent once! What would be the reaction if our PM had visited Wales, Ireland and Kuwait (once)!? Four years of Bush Lite on the cards here.

dan, london, england

The McCain quotes about Georgia and NATO say it all. Why the US want to make allies they won't fight for (Georgia, Ukraine) , in order to goad enemies they won't fight against (Russia), is total madness. The Russians called their bluff in Georgia and the US folded. It will happen again and again.

Andy, Bath,

Opinion polls show that the world wants Obama -- yet another reason to vote for McCain-Palin.

David Nevers, Dallas TX, USA

If McCain/Palin are elected then may the world eventually learn to forgive the next 4-8 years some time in the future. I proudly protested the War, campaigned for John Kerry and have been against the Bush administration since 2001. To see this happen ALL over again is a nightmare.

Carlos, New York, USA

What a snide article. Is there any politician that doesn't give "long and prepared answers"? She is aware of the NATO treaty obligations on common defence, she doesn't want to unilaterally invade Pakistan & quite frankly ignorance of the Bush Doctrine is probably a good thing.

Damian, LONDON,

If so many Britons are against her, she must be the right choice. You have gotten right since Margaret Thatcher left office.

Jean, Carlisle, USA

I am not a fan of Palin, and will be voting for Obama. However, it is wrong of the British poster to assert that the American electorate has a responsbility to elect a world president. The US president is beholden to the American people, and no one else.

Marlene, Alexandria, VA, USA

Sarah Palin is a breath of fresh air.

There is much comment here about her lack of knowledge and experience of foreign affairs - a little unfair when three of the last four US presidents (not VPs) Ronald Reagan and George Bush Mk 1 and Mk2 would have failed any elementary georgraphy test.

john rigby, kenilworth, england

Rachel Doyle
Where did the Bush admin exactly spread democracy? Afghanistan? Iraq? Saudi Arabia, Qatar , Kuwait & Emirates are not democracies so why didn't he invade them? Buh cared less about spreading democracy or about wellfare of americans.

heath, surrey, UK

What has never come out in the last twelve months is - Whose finger do you want on the nuclear trigger? Obama, McCain, Palin or who else. It's beyond comprehension that this has never been tossed at the American public.

Fiddlespom, China,

Sarah Palin turned from pitbull to a sacrificial lamb during the interview.

SS, Pennsylvania,

The US has a responsibiIity to the rest of the world, whether its citizens like it or not. Both VP picks were weak, but McCain's was irresponsible.

James, London,

Unfortunately, the celebrity culture infected politics a long time ago. When the "fans" have done screaming at this attractive and telegenic white woman, perhaps they'll get their sense back and vote in an attractive and telegenic black man.

Kate, Vienna,

This cannot be serious. This Mrs Palin represents the very bottom line of a most ignorant and idiotic America. God blessing the oil piplines! Is that Republican industrial policy? It must be giving Putin and the Chinese a good laugh. Which God is this? Is he the almighty version or just a local guy?

Colin, Carmarthen, United Kingdom

Dear God, this is the woman who might be president?

The United States is in big trouble. I'm certainly no fan of Obama's, but I have to say, McCain could have done better. Choosing this lady has clearly shown that he lacks good judgment.

God bless the Queen and God bless America.

Gbenga Williams, London, UK

I wouldn't agree with Gibson's interpretation of the Bush Doctrine.

I think that it can be better summed up thusly: The United States makes no distinction between terrorist organizations and the countries that harbour them.

That was what was enunciated in 2001.

John Louis Swaine, Colchester, United Kingdom

During Palin’s interview with Charles Gibson, according to Palin: 'For Russia to have exerted such pressure in terms of invading a smaller democratic country, unprovoked, is unacceptable.'
Palin is totally clueless! Whilst I do not advocate the fall-out, it was Georgia who started the whole sorry mess and Russia had no choice but to defend. Perhaps, Palin was confusing this with the US attack on Iraq, which was unprovoked and unacceptable.

Sam E, Redhill, UK

Whatever the gung-ho say, Russia cannot be defeated in conventional war, and McCain needs to read history and learn fast. The quicker you, and we, learn to live WITH Russia, the better for all. Criticise Obama’s peace-talk all you like, but the alternative hasn’t worked and never will.

Mike, Bristol, UK,

I'm English and will stand corrected. But be honest , would you give the maintenance of your car to a monkey that said I know what a car is but don't ask me what goes on inside it? So God help America if this person gets near the levers of power. We have had enogh donkeys who can't walk and chew gum

john, Kouvola, finland

Laurine London,

She was actually saying that YOU should actually verify what the doctrine is before condemning someone else's supposed insufficient knowledge on it. You didn't know that the doctrine included the concept that spreading democracy would decrease war, did you?

Daniel, St. Louis, USA

How do Americans get it wrong when they come to select their leaders?

emma, london, uk

"rabid far left" - in America?

You have cannot be serious.

Mike S, London, UK

An Obama-Biden ticket is just a brain aneuryism away from total disaster. The very thought of Obama one on one with Putin, with Biden in the emergency unit of a hospital is scary!! Obama with no executive power whatsoever, and just 143 workding days in the US Senate is not fit to be President.

Derek Columbus, New York, USA

"...anyway she's nominated as VP NOT President."

VP to a 72 yr old who has had 5 occurrences of cancer. She needs to be ready to take over as President if McCain falls ill or dies before the end of his term in office. She should be treated as a potential President in case the worst happens.

Jen, York, UK

Can the Great USA really let this beerglass-bespeckled cheerleader from a backwood state loose on the world stage? Surely not , surely the 'in your face' American Femininist Voice is a bit more saavy than that ! Also - none of her kids have Biblical names, odd , considering her Creationist views !

Hugh, Buckfastleigh, England

alexey from ural,

Allahu akbar means God is Great., it doesn't mean "let's pray that God's in our side".
please learn before make comment!!!!!

Lucia, London,

"Alaska: a place where you can't be too fat or too drunk, a place where no one says, ‘Let's see your high-school equivalency certificate.'"

Homer J. Simpson

Sven, Germany, EU

clearly this woman was not hired for her knowledge, intelligence or political experience. she was simply hired to appeal to those who agree with her ridiculous views - unfortunately she may end up vice president due to the racists and zealots amongst US voters.

Carla, Glasgow, Scotland

We knew she was no good for the job, now she is proving it. A vote for her is a vote for aggression and ignorance. Women who claim she represents them - it is your children she will be sending off to pointless wars to protect the interests of big money. Vote wisely.

S.C. Huldig, London,

Rachel, Dallas - you think a potential VP of the US should get her political knowledge from Wikipedia? That source renowned for its accuracy and viability? (Sarcasm btw) What an embarrassing and quite frankly scary thought - just as scary as Palin being voted into the White House - please US - NO!

Laurine, London,

Sarah P is the collective populist result of an American political culture sleep walking into a catastrophic Apocalyptic war using the language of false religious doctrine to justifies is mad Frankenstein mentality! Heaven help us!

martin felt, patu , Italy

She couldn't even handle a few gentle questions from an interviewer that appeared to be sedated. What happens when she has to negotiate with Putin? In a country which has produced so many Nobel prizes is she really the best you can find? Scary.

Christopher, Manama, Bahrain

"let us pray that we are on God’s side ... there is a plan for this world and that plan for this world is for good."

Sounds like "Allah akbar !" (usually the last words of Islamic therrorists), the meaning is the same at least.

Is it going to be protestant jihad or what?

Alexey, Ural, RF

Give her a break for god sakes. Even Bush doesn't understand half of his own doctrines and anyway she's nominated as VP NOT President. On foreign policy no one knows what an appropriate response should be before hand and if anyone suggest they can, they're lying, you constantly re-assess situations

Mike, Alicante, Spain

Its scary that she doesnt seem to have any knowledge or grasp of foreign affairs. But she has big appeal on domestic issues - religion, drilling, guns, and the economy - which is where the election will be won. Obama will have to fight McPalin there, much harder for him than foreign policy.

Rod, Vienna, Austria

Please do not let Sarah Palin anywhere our nuclear codes. What the heck was McCain thinking making such a reckless decision?

She has absolutely no grasp of the complexities of our foreign policy or national security.

KatiaK, Minneapolis, MN,

To Kevin Finnerty: Are you kidding me? There is only one definition for the Bush Doctrine! If she watched Frontline a couple of times, she would have known what it was. But what can you expect from someone who has only once left North America (to visit American troops). What an embarrassment.

Kam, Glendale, USA

We are in BIG TROUBLE if this woman is just 1 heart beat away from the Presidency. When Charlie asked her about the" Bush Doctrine", she didn't have a clue what it meant. Where in the world has she been for the last 6 years?? In an Alaskan iglo without TV wrapped in a bear skin? NO WAY NO PALIN

Judy, Manchester, USA

When I heard Gibson's Bush Doctrine question, I, too, wondered what he meant. I have heard many different definitions of the Bush Doctrine. One is that the spread of democracy will decrease wars; democratic countries don't attack other countries. That's one aspect of Bush Doctrine. See Wikepedia.

Rachel Doyle, Dallas, USA

It is pretty bad she didn't know what the Bush Doctrine is. I wonder if she knows what the Monroe Doctrine, the doctrine that preceded it, says.

She shares the "arrogant" attitude of those who have no time or faith in diplomacy, and who make the US signature international treaties worthless.

Keith S, Winnipeg, Canada

Anyone who follows events knows what the formal definition of the "Bush doctrine" is. Palin clearly didn't have a clue as to what it meant, so she tried to ad lib around it.

She said often that the US couldn't "second guess" Israel because that's all her handlers taught her to say.

Eric, Los Angeles, CA

Both Obama and Biden have also called for Georgia and Ukraine to be admitted to NATO as well.

Re Bush doctrine, it's prudent of Palin to first ask for a definition of 'Bush doctrine' since the term is thrown around by those on the rabid far left in reference to nearly anything Bush has done.

Kevin Finnerty, Atlanta, USA