I've heard variations on this from conservatives for a while now, but Governor Palin hit it head-on in her ABC interview.
[A president's] top priority is to defend the United States of America
With all due respect, Governor, that's simply wrong.
But don't take my word for it. Let's go straight to the source and see what it is we require a new president to swear to before they can take office. (Emphasis mine, obviously):
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States
We don't make them swear to "defend the United States".
Nor to defend our borders. Nor to defend our citizens. Nor to defend our territory or our markets or our ethnic or religious make-up or anything else.
The only thing we make them swear to defend is the Constitution.
You know, the one with all those pesky checks and balances.
The one that says Congress can't suspend Habeus Corpus unless there's an invasion or rebellion.
The one that most Americans believe gives the women among us a right to reproductive choice.
The one that says American citizens can't be spied upon without a warrant.
The one that requires a separation of church and state.
The one that suggests we are subject to the rule of law, not the rule of individuals.
Yeah, that one.
The point here is not that the President shouldn't defend the United States--of course he or she should. But I keep hearing little things like this from the right that make me suspect they think of America not as I do--as a collection of ideals and freedoms--but like home base in a game of laser tag, or a territory in some all-too-real game of Risk. Like it only should be defended because it's ours, and it's only ours because we happen to be here now.
Don't get me wrong--I like this place (mad props to Palo Duro Canyon and the wildflowers in my great state of Texas). But it's not the turf that make America great. There could be a truly horrible country here instead of us. Heck, the things that make America great could move to some other piece of land.
No, the point is that "defending the United States" should mean--first and foremost--defending our Constitutional values. And something in the way the esteemed Governor said that makes me think she had something else in mind.