I've always wondered about this though. How do they verify that it's a world leader on the phone? Even here, how often does the US President call someone and then have to spend time trying to convince them that it's really the president?

I can assure you that she's not the least bit amused, mildly or otherwise.

Barricaded Gunman
Not to be all partisan and all, but I just can't picture Obama or Biden falling for this.

I doubt the call would have even got that far. Ditto for John McCain. Even if it had, I'd bet that those three would know what Sarkozy sounds like, so yeah. Palin's pretty much an easy mark, dontcha know?

WorldCitizen: I've always wondered about this though. How do they verify that it's a world leader on the phone? Even here, how often does the US President call someone and then have to spend time trying to convince them that it's really the president?

caller ID. No, really!

"I wanted to see how (Palin) was on an intellectual level," Audette said, comparing the latest prank to the duo's crank call with pop idol Britney Spears.

"You can see that she's, well, not really brilliant."

Link (new window)

ruta: Not fake

"Palin was ``mildly amused to learn that she had joined the ranks of heads of state, including President Sarkozy, and other celebrities in being targeted by these pranksters,' said Schmitt." (new window)

Begin posting your guesses at what "mildly amused" really means.

It means that no one has explained to Saint Sarah that she really wasn't speaking with the President of France.

A: I follow your campaigns closely with my special American adviser Johnny Hallyday, you know?

P: Yes, good.

-

Wow. The woman is clueless.

Although it's embarrassing she fell for it, I don't condone this sort of thing and I'm not gonna listen to it.

horonto: Best thing to come out of Quebec evar!


Begs to differ

John Paul Jones: Yaknow, Mordant, you're getting a little too good at this.

Yeah, you're going to have to throw some of those back. You're way over the limit...

McBatt: WorldCitizen: I've always wondered about this though. How do they verify that it's a world leader on the phone? Even here, how often does the US President call someone and then have to spend time trying to convince them that it's really the president?

caller ID. No, really!

So political leaders at all times have on them a list of all legit phone numbers from which other world leaders might call them? I can see that of a president as they have that huge staff with them at all times and have all the resources of all the years of the office of the presidency to develop them. But do VP candidates have all of this same information with them at all times?

Talon: unit63: Setting up a call like this ought to take days spent coordinating every last detail between the respective parties' aides (for example, who gets on the line first is something of a power play and never done by accident).

lol You watch too much tv or are only thinking of "international crisis" calls between state leaders.

Didn't they notice the caller ID wasn't from France, or their email domain names, or that something was not right with whoever they were communicating with? Heads of state don't just call other people out of the blue and hope they're at their desk or not in the middle of dinner or something.



Sure they do. It's not like this is the 1960s and it was Krushchev calling.

Mildly amused Eh?

// dripping baby juice on a long jet flight amused, i'm sure

Sarkozy is such a good example to us.

Isn't the Canadian Prime Minister Steve Harper?

Holy shiat he busted her bad on that one.....and, I don't believe Quebec has a Prime Minister.


Freakin' gold

Gosh...we're SO close to being able to start World War III with a prank phone call and a fake Russian accent.

JohnBigBootay: Although it's embarrassing she fell for it, I don't condone this sort of thing and I'm not gonna listen to it.

Yeah I understand you feel cheated that your VP pick is a total moron that has stupid aides at her side. That really is embarrassing.

On the other hand, welcome to fark.

Also FTFA:

"In an interview Saturday, Audette told The Canadian Press it wasn't easy setting up the interview with Republican presidential candidate John McCain's running mate, and described the accomplishment as the pair's biggest triumph to date.

"It really took a lot of work," he said.

"We had to go through the Secret Service, the people in her entourage. It's the biggest coup so far. We're proud to add (this prank) to our top hits.""

....Yes, yes, I understand, we have the equivalent of Joe the Plumber in France , it's called, Marcel, the guy with bread under his armpit, oui.


In canada its called "Laura, the girl with two beavers."

Oh, and pranksters also have gotten through the White House switchboard to the President impersonating other state leaders. Some good links on this around here somewhere. Seems like there was another recent one where some kid from Iceland got Bush on the line. I recall some with Clinton and Reagan, too.

ruta: Not fake

"Palin was ``mildly amused to learn that she had joined the ranks of heads of state, including President Sarkozy, and other celebrities in being targeted by these pranksters,' said Schmitt." (new window)

Begin posting your guesses at what "mildly amused" really means.

Being fooled by pranksters just means she's a maverick.

WorldCitizen:
So political leaders at all times have on them a list of all legit phone numbers from which other world leaders might call them? I can see that of a president as they have that huge staff with them at all times and have all the resources of all the years of the office of the presidency to develop them. But do VP candidates have all of this same information with them at all times?

Um, seconding the Caller ID thing: you don't even need to know what France's country code ACTUALLY IS to know that it's not "1" (Canada's). That's why this is so unbelievably dumb on the part of her staff, and dumb on the part of Gov. Palin for having such dumb staff.

/Poor carpenter blames his tools etc...

jackc126: Talon: unit63: Setting up a call like this ought to take days spent coordinating every last detail between the respective parties' aides (for example, who gets on the line first is something of a power play and never done by accident).

lol You watch too much tv or are only thinking of "international crisis" calls between state leaders.

You quoted the wrong person. I didn't say what's quoted. Unit63 did :P

Guys, she knew it was prank call all along:

Palin: Very confident and we're thankful that polls are showing that the race is tightening and...

Skleenar: Sarkozy is such a good example to us.

I'm pretty sure she meant that he was a good example as a leader. By the way, what kind of government does France have ?

total fail. the team gave her so many clues that it was fake, from the name of the canadian PM to the name of the special american adviser.

shame on her, really.

jackc126: Oh, and pranksters also have gotten through the White House switchboard to the President impersonating other state leaders. Some good links on this around here somewhere. Seems like there was another recent one where some kid from Iceland got Bush on the line. I recall some with Clinton and Reagan, too.

He didn't actually get Bush on the line but he did call some kind of private number that earned him a visit from the cops.

eRico: The best part is when he says "I see you as President some day!" and she just giggled like a 13 year old girl!

Yeah, I especially liked that part too.

She is so NOT amused. Oh, poor John McCain. Seriously.

Video and transcript (new window)

Mordant: Figures all you libs would stand by and laugh as her first amendment rights are trampled like this.

Props for the nice haul. I didn't know WTF you were talking about either at first. Luckily this is one of those rare occasions where I read the thread first before shooting my keyboard off.

/Thanks for the discount clue, Five Minute Standup

"Hajlooo!" i'll start answering my phone that way too.

jackc126: Talon: unit63: Setting up a call like this ought to take days spent coordinating every last detail between the respective parties' aides (for example, who gets on the line first is something of a power play and never done by accident).

lol You watch too much tv or are only thinking of "international crisis" calls between state leaders.

Have you ever placed or received a call for someone who thinks they're pretty important? This stuff matters a lot.

oops, sorry bout that, Talon

RogerDodger - thanks, you rock!

Ah, uh Miss Paleen....is your refridgahchrator ruinin?

Aaannnnnnnnnnd CUT!

unit63: jackc126: Talon: unit63: Setting up a call like this ought to take days spent coordinating every last detail between the respective parties' aides (for example, who gets on the line first is something of a power play and never done by accident).

lol You watch too much tv or are only thinking of "international crisis" calls between state leaders.

Have you ever placed or received a call for someone who thinks they're pretty important? This stuff matters a lot.

Yes. XD

Good thing they didn't do this to Biraq Obama. They would be charged with a hate crime by the media.

The fact that Sarkozy doesn't speak English ought to have given them a clue that something was up.

Seems to me that she is not the only one who they have tricked. So guess Bill Gates and all the others are dumb, hicks, etc. etc. etc. too. Oh I forgot because she is a REPUBLICAN that makes her DIFFERENT.

Get a life you morons.

Are these the same guys who got through to Queen Elizabeth a few years ago? They had her on the line for several minutes too, don't think she ever caught on either.

And to think she could be in charge of our National Security some day.

Whargarbl.

nelbuts1: Seems to me that she is not the only one who they have tricked. So guess Bill Gates and all the others are dumb, hicks, etc. etc. etc. too. Oh I forgot because she is a REPUBLICAN that makes her DIFFERENT.

Get a life you morons.

Did Bill Gates not know who the head of Apple was when a fake name was thrown out?

Just because they "pranked" other people doesn't mean they all lookd as foolish.

She was trying to compliment "Sarcozy" on his wife, but then she couldn't remember what her name was.

But that's OK--I remember all the gossip, but I don't remember her name either.

She got picked because she's a wicked easy target, which makes it essential if you're a comedian.

Besides, stupidity like hers and those she puts on her staff needs exposure. There is no way I would ever vote someone like her into our Executive Branch.

on pourrait tuer des bebe phoques, aussi!

Bad_Seed: The fact that Sarkozy doesn't speak English ought to have given them a clue that something was up.

You're giving Palin and her staff wayyyyy too much credit.

Glenechocreek: Does she answer e-mails from Nigeria, too?

Not after the first 4 times didn't work out...

ruta: Not fake

"Palin was ``mildly amused to learn that she had joined the ranks of heads of state, including President Sarkozy, and other celebrities in being targeted by these pranksters,' said Schmitt." (new window)

Begin posting your guesses at what "mildly amused" really means.

Trig won't be getting his seizure medication tonight.

They got her so bad they ran out of things to say after getting down to the documentary Nailin' Pailin


When's the last time America was clever enough to have their radio DJs prank a prominent foreign politician?