Film lays bare Palin gaffes in presidential campaign

WASHINGTON — Sarah Palin believed Queen Elizabeth, not the prime minister was responsible for the decision to keep British forces in Iraq, according to research for a new film chronicling her political rise. The former Alaska governor reportedly made the comment during the 2008 presidential campaign as aides to John Mccain, the Republican candidate, tried to bring his surprise choice as running mate up to speed on foreign affairs. Palin’s confusion emerged during a coaching session with Steve Schmidt, a Mccain adviser, who asked her what she would do if Britain began to waver in its commitment to the Iraq war. In one of the many rambling responses that steadily eroded her credibility during the campaign, Palin reportedly replied that she would “continue to have an open dialogue” with the Queen. She also mistakenly believed Saddam Hussein ordered the Sept. 11 attacks. The incident was revealed during research for Game Change, an HBO “docudrama” based on a book about the 2008 campaign by two American journalists. While the film is a dramatization, its producers conducted dozens of research interviews and Schmidt confirmed its accuracy in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. Palin was initially enthusiastic, making notes on hundreds of coloured flash cards, but became increasingly sullen and was described by tutors as going into a “catatonic stupor.” Palin declined to cooperate with the film makers and her representative said it “distorted, twisted and invented facts to create a false narrative.”