Alaska Delegate: Palin Has Dealt With Mongolia and Iceland

It just boggles the mind that these are considered serious people. I'd pretty much bet that Dave Barry's head exploded immediately after this conversation.

Earlier today Mead Treadwell and Nick Stepovich, members of the Alaska delegation, were talking with noted humorist Dave Barry on the floor of the Republican National Convention, when the issue of Sarah Palin's national security experience came up.

Feeling humorous himself, when asked if Alaska's proximity to Russia made Palin more prepared for national office, as some supporters have suggested, Stepovich asked, “If you stand next to Einstein, does that make you a genius?”

Treadwell, chair of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, quickly interjected. Alaska, he said, shared a billion dollar fishing industry with Russia and is the home of a national missile defense system.

He said he had personally participated with Palin in meetings with foreign leaders. Asked which countries, he said, “Iceland and Mongolia. Admittedly, not major nations."