Did US Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin say: “I can see Russia from my home”?

On the Internet you can often find a phrase about Russia allegedly uttered by American politician Sarah Palin. We checked to see if Palin actually said it.

The saying is popular not only in Russia, but also in the USA, where it is periodically quote local Media. Palin faced increased press interest after John McCain named her as his vice presidential candidate in August 2008. Before this, the American had been the governor of Alaska since 2006 and was not remembered for any special oddities in her post.
However, the election race made itself felt, and, for example, shortly before the vote, Canadian comedian Marc-Antoine Audette called Sarah, introducing himself as French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Palin, who did not notice the catch, accepted the invitation to hunt seals, complimented the Frenchman’s wife and spoke in a confidential conversation about her political ambitions. At the same time, she admitted that in eight years (apparently, so as not to interfere with McCain) she could become a good president.
The quote we are considering fits well into the stereotypical image of Palin that this and other cases have built. After all, every person versed in geography understands that Palin’s residence was clearly not located in the extreme western point of Alaska.

However, this statement cannot be counted among Sarah Palin's funny speeches, and here's why. On September 13, 2008, on NBC's Saturday Night Live, actresses Tina Fey and Amy Poehler performed a parody dialogue between Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton. In particular, there was this episode:

Clinton (Poehler): “I believe diplomacy should be the cornerstone of any foreign policy.”

Palin (Fey): “And I can see Russia from my house.”

The parody became very popular and was widely quoted, and Fey even received an “Artist of the Year” award from the Associated Press for her role. Over time, the humorous context of the phrase was forgotten, and it began to be mentioned in quite serious articles.

However, this fragment of parody did not arise out of nowhere. Two days before the broadcast, on September 11, 2008, Sarah Palin gave her first big interview as a candidate for US Vice President. When an ABC journalist asked what she had learned from living near Russia, Palin replied:

“They are our closest neighbors, you can practically see Russia from Alaska, from an island in Alaska.”

Thus, Palin's quote "I can see Russia from my house" had a real prototype, but it itself is a parody.

Incorrect quote attribution

What do our verdicts mean?

Read on topic:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXL86v8NoGk&feature=emb_title

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSOLz1YBFG0&t=1m18s

3. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/sarah-palin-russia-house/