TIMES ONLINE: Sarah Palin’s first ever visit to East Asia began with a monologue that invoked the spirit of Margaret Thatcher, sounded “unmistakably” like a pitch for the 2012 presidency and was described by several members of the audience as “long, humorless and George W Bush-like”.
Described by some as “safe” and by others as “uncomfortable”, the speech called for closer ties between the United States and China, and attacked the recent decision of the Administration of Barack Obama to impose heavy tariffs on imported Chinese tyres.
But it also warned of China’s own “internal contradictions” and America’s need to stand up against oppression.
It was a rare foreign outing for the former Vice-Presidential candidate who committed a series of foreign policy gaffes during last year’s campaign. She claimed to be familiar with Russia, thanks to Alaska’s proximity to the country, and had only visited Kuwait and Germany before - on both occasions to meet US troops stationed there.
The former Alaska governor’s speech was delivered in Hong Kong to the CLSA Asia Pacific Markets Forum - a lavish annual beano where over 1,000 of the world’s most astute investors come to hear the views of the foremost political and business minds on earth.
“I’m going to call it like I see it and I will share with you candidly a view right from Main Street, Main Street USA,” the former vice-Presidential candidate declared, before launching into prepared remarks on the Alaskan fishing industry.
Several audience members reportedly walked out of Ms Palin’s speech 30 minutes before the end, citing “more important things to do” or describing the talk as “too partisan and too much like a speech at the Republican convention”.
One senior fund manager told The Times that the 80-minute lecture, and the lack of an opportunity to fire any questions at Ms Palin, was a disappointment. “You would think that with her team of speechwriters and a supposedly media-free environment Palin could have afforded to be either funny or thought-provoking, but she was neither,” she said. >>> Leo Lewis, Asia Business Correspondent | Wednesday, September 23, 2009
