Charles Gibson interviews: Sarah Louise Palin flubs entitlement question, admits backing earmarks

By GottaLaff

Round 2:

Sarah Palin, talking about domestic policy with ABC's Charles Gibson in his second day of exclusive access on Friday, seem confused about entitlement programs--and unaware that Congress has little say in significantly reducing the costs of Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare.

When she seemed to equate these entitlement programs to agencies "where we can find efficiencies in every department" Gibson lectured her that agencies are not involved in entitlements.

Didn't Andrea Mitchell play mommy and chide her as she would a child, too? Why yes she did.

She referred to the Arizona senator as "McCain" several times in the interview.

Didn't Grandpa J Sid teach you to address him as "Mr. Grandpa"? You are so grounded.

Of note:

*For someone running against Washington--an act of Congress helped define Palin's life. Palin, 44, a high school basketball player, said, "I am a product of Title 9," a reference for the section of the 1972 act of Congress to force female sports equity.

* On earmarks--McCain is on a crusade to ban them--Palin did not make full use of an opportunity by Gibson to persuasively explain why she was for the infamous Alaskan Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it--after it was dead in Congress.

She said she just read the "writing on the wall....that project is going nowhere... circumstances have so drastically changed," she said. [...]

*She justified an earmark for an Alaskan study on the "mating habits of crabs" because it was done, she said, in the open.

So as long as you screw over Americans out in the open, it's okay? BushCo will be relieved to hear that.

*Palin differs with McCain on abortion. John and Cindy McCain would allow abortions for victims of rape and incest. Palin would only allow an exception if the life of the mother was in danger. "This is my personal opinion," she pleaded.

*On stem cell research, the McCain campaign released a radio ad Friday touting his support for stem cell research the Bush White House--and Palin opposes. [...]

*She's not a gay basher. Gibson asked Palin if homosexuality was genetic or learned and she said it's not for her to "judge" people.

*Palin said Barack Obama may regret not tapping Hillary Clinton to be his running mate. "I think he's regretting not picking her now, I do. ..."

It's good to see she's not trying to use Hillary to stir things up. And it's swell that she's refusing to judge genetics, especially when that wasn't the question. Now, about those earmarks:

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, in a new installment of her interview with ABC News's Charlie Gibson, backed earmarks and her right, both as a governor and a mayor, to request and secure them -- just don't call them earmarks. Call it "infrastructure."

"I was for infrastructure being built in the state," she said, "and it's not inappropriate for a mayor or for a governor to request and to work with their Congress, their congressmen, their congresswomen, to plug in to the federal budget along with every other state a share of the federal budget for infrastructure."

Oh-h-h, so that's what the kids are calling it these days.

In common Washington parlance, that is called an infrastructure earmark, a piece of the transportation and public works budget secured for specific state projects. [...]

Palin decried the abuse of the earmark process at first, pledging to join McCain in his campaign against earmarks. But Gibson pressed her hard to get her to concede that she backed the so-called "Bridge to Nowhere," linking tiny Ketchikan to tiny Gravina Island.

She finally gave in.

"What I supported was a link between a community and it's airport," she said.

She'd make the bestest vice president ever! She's readier than anyone could be to take the reins of the U.S. government if Pappy McCain were to kick the bucket. The readiest nominee in town... if she were running for vice president of the 5th grade.

Re: Palin-- "A hypothetical war with our once adversary is not the best way to start."

By GottaLaff

The quote in the post title is similar to what Andrea Mitchell said last night in response to Sarah Louise Palin's ABC interviews. Some more responses to Ms. War-with-Russia-is-an-Option:

ABC News is reporting that newly minted Republican superstar and vice presidential nominee, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, has said war “may be” necessary if Russia invades another country. Um, yeah.

But, when campaigning in Michigan, back when the Russians invaded Georgia, Sen. John McCain stood next to his wife, Cindy, Sens. Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham, and insisted that he didn’t want to restart the Cold War.

Apparently, though, it’s game on.

Maybe Sarah should consider blinking once in awhile.

But from 1945 to 1991, the world lived under a cloud of fear — knowing that one word, one diplomatic slip-up, could cost millions of lives. Even the relatively inexperienced President John F. Kennedy understood the consequences of killing Soviet personnel, and so, working against the advice of his own military leaders, did his best to prevent escalation during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Yes, these are just words. And we are all Georgians. I get that. But Palin has a great deal to prove not only to the country, but to the world, that she’s ready for the job she is seeking.

A hypothetical war with our once adversary is not the best way to start.

And this:

I couldn’t find any examples of Palin making any statements on either Russia or Iran before she became McCain’s running mate, so I contacted the McCain campaign press office to see if they could help me find such a quote.

The response: when McCain said “she was right” about Russia and Georgia, he was referring to her speech at the Republican National Convention, said McCain-Palin campaign spokesman Ben Porritt.

He directed me to the following excerpt:

“With Russia wanting to control a vital pipeline in the Caucasus, and to divide and intimidate our European allies by using energy as a weapon, we cannot leave ourselves at the mercy of foreign suppliers. To confront the threat that Iran might seek to cut off nearly a fifth of world energy supplies … or that terrorists might strike again at the Abqaiq facility in Saudi Arabia … or that Venezuela might shut off its oil deliveries … we Americans need to produce more of our own oil and gas. And take it from a gal who knows the North Slope of Alaska: we’ve got lots of both.” (Gov. Sarah Palin, Remarks At The Republican National Convention, Saint Paul, MN, 9/3/08)

It was widely reported that Palin’s speech was written by Matthew Scully, a former speech-writer for President George W. Bush. Yes, Palin does mention the names of both countries, but she doesn’t take much of a position on either country, other than we need to become more energy independent. I guess she is right there.

However, McCain implies Palin “was right” for taking positions that he defined in the interview, and as he defined them, they are shockingly similar to his own. There’s no evidence that she shared any of these positions before she joined the ticket. The campaign’s explanation seems a stretch, to say the least.

Are we the only ones who realize these things, besides the authors of these two articles? Sometimes it feels that way.

The Sarah Palin reviews are in, Part Deux

By GottaLaff

Via the L.A. Times:

It was a fascinating and unsettling interview nonetheless, first and foremost because it's been nearly two weeks since Republican presidential nominee John McCain announced the Alaskan governor as his chosen running mate and these are the first non-scripted words the American people have heard from her.

For days now, the media has obligingly reacted as if J.D. Salinger had suddenly decided to break his decades-long silence. Caught up in an anticipatory frenzy usually reserved for damage-control celebrity sit-downs -- Paris Hilton on "Larry King," Tom Cruise on "Oprah"-- everyone seemed to forget that this is a vice presidential candidate, a public servant who should not be playing hard to get with reporters and whose main job it is to articulate the positions and policies of her ticket.[...]

Even Gibson acted as if he feared this might be the one shot the entire Fourth Estate gets, conducting what was essentially a high-level, high-pressure interview with a job candidate who quickly revealed that her skill set is heavy on can-do-attitude, and light on company policy comprehension. Appearing momentarily stricken by some of the almost professorially pointed policy questions -- and embarrassingly baffled by his reference to the Bush Doctrine -- the Alaskan governor never missed a beat, though in fine political style she managed avoid to more questions than she answered, or at least answered in a way that had little connection to the question. [...]

Still, the inevitable parsing and analysis of Palin’s answers and performance in this interview, however tempting, is almost beside the point. In this case, her actions, or non-actions, have spoken much louder than any words. She didn’t blink, she told Gibson, when McCain asked her to join his ticket. But she certainly blinked after. What sort of reform-minded politician waits two weeks before giving an interview?

Since when it is OK that the American people have to wait in breathless anticipation for its nominated candidates to speak to them en masse? Since when do we have to rely on a single interview, from a single source, to introduce us to a woman who claims she would be privileged to lead us?

In a world that is measured by milliseconds, a broken-up hour is too short to offer, a week is simply too long to wait. Such manipulation of a public moment is simple exploitation. If Palin was trying to prove that she’s just a sense-talkin’ hockey mom from Alaska, she couldn’t have gone about it in a more wrong-headed way.

There is still some sanity in the corporate media, and for that I am grateful.

Palin's Big Interview: The reviews are in

By GottaLaff

I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out if Lynn Sweet saw the same interview I saw:

Sarah Palin showed herself as steely and supremely confident--even when she stumbled over a question about the Bush Doctrine --and brushed off whether it mattered that she had never met a foreign head of state in her much anticipated first network interview as John McCain's running mate.

I'm sorry, what? IMHO, she came off as studied, yet unprepared, and played the role of "confident" without convincing me she actually was. When she stumbled over that question, she looked like a deer caught in the headlights, and very un-ready to be a heartbeat away from the Big Red Button.

Sweet gave her points for being able to pronounce "Saakashvili". So that's what it takes to be v.p.! Please ... Get real.

Here's more:

Gibson tested her when he asked about the "Bush Doctrine" (regarding pre-emptive strikes to protect U.S. interests) waiting to see if she knew about the doctrine that paved the war for the Iraq war. Gibson asked her if she agreed with the Bush Doctrine.

She tried to wing it---using the technique of asking "in what respect?" to get some clues about its essential elements--but Gibson made her squirm some until he gave up some details. [...]

A low point: trying to pass off she was some Russian expert because Alaska is near Russia's edge. "They're our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska."

Time for a quick fact check:

Sarah Palin attempted to deflect a question about the fact she has never met head of state by saying that "many" other vice presidential nominees in history hadn't met a head of state either.

However Palin was mistaken.

Every vice presidential nominee over the last 30 years had met a foreign head of state before being elected vice president.

"Have you ever met a foreign head of state?" Gibson asked Palin Thursday.

"I have not," Palin said, "and I think if you go back in history and if you ask that question of many vice presidents, they may have the same answer that I just gave you."

However Palin, who obtained her first passport two years ago, would in fact be the first vice president in 32 years who hadn't met a foreign head of state.

But never mind. She's pretty and wears the kewlest eyeglasses and she likes mooseburgers and never blinks. That's all you really need to worry about when you vote for the person who could potentially control a nuclear arsenal (and yes, she pronounces it "nuc-u-lar") and otherwise profoundly affect our lives.

It's Bush all over again. The country cannot be this easily fooled again, can it?

VIDEO-- Palin on ABC: I didn't blink

By GottaLaff



This is a longer clip, about 10 minutes, that includes the "I didn't blink, Charlie" moment, reform, Charlie, and unfortunately, another look at the "my security credentials = energy" declaration, the Bush Doctrine blank-out , the Pakistan-blinkiness... and, yes! ::fanfare:: The ever popular "war may be necessary with Russia" quote.

PALIN: But.. but.. don't lose sight of the fact that... and Charlie I... because... And did you know, Charlie, that we can actually see Russia from Alaska? I'm ready to be president right now! I don't blink!

She believes that Russia was "unprovoked" when they invaded Georgia. This is someone running for vice president? She hasn't so much as learned that Georgia started this?

See how many non-answers you can find! It's a game the whole family can play!

VIDEO-- Palin on ABC: Pakistan

By GottaLaff

My apologies, but the Bush Doctrine segment shows up in this video, too. But then Caribou Barbie gets into Pakistan:

PALIN: Charlie, we're gonna work with these countries, Charlie, but war is a last option, Charlie, but in order to stop ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS, TERRORISTS, we must NOT BLINK, Charlie.

CHARLIE: I'm getting lost in a sea of words.

VIDEO-- Palin on ABC: God, Charlie, God

By GottaLaff



Oil Mom, Part 3:

CHARLES: Are we fighting a holy war?

PALIN: Abraham Lincoln, Charlie. God. Lincoln, Charlie. God, Charlie.

VIDEO-- Palin on ABC: My national security credentials? Energy.

By GottaLaff

Oil Mom, Part 2:

PALIN: Let me speak specifically about a credential that I do bring to this table, Charlie, and that's with the energy independence that I've been working on for these years as the governor of this state that produces nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of energy, that I worked on as chairman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, overseeing the oil and gas development in our state to produce more for the United States.

GIBSON: I know. I'm just saying that national security is a whole lot more than energy.

Suh-NAP.

VIDEO-- Palin on ABC: Stumped On Bush Doctrine

By GottaLaff

Oil Mom, Part One.
[Palin was] unable to answer whether she agreed with the six-year-old U.S. policy of military preemption.

Excerpts from Palin/Gibson interview

By GottaLaff

The following three excerpts are from the ABC News exclusive interview with Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in Fairbanks, Alaska, conducted by "World News" anchor Charlie Gibson on September 11, 2008:

Rule 1: When in doubt, never blink:

On Experience:

GIBSON: Governor, let me start by asking you a question that I asked John McCain about you, and it is really the central question. Can you look the country in the eye and say "I have the experience and I have the ability to be not just vice president, but perhaps president of the United States of America?"

PALIN: I do, Charlie, and on January 20, when John McCain and I are sworn in, if we are so privileged to be elected to serve this country, will be ready. I'm ready.

GIBSON: And you didn't say to yourself, "Am I experienced enough? Am I ready? Do I know enough about international affairs? Do I -- will I feel comfortable enough on the national stage to do this?"

PALIN: I didn't hesitate, no.

GIBSON: (INAUDIBLE -- Didn't that take some hubris?)

PALIN: I -- I answered him yes because I have the confidence in that readiness and knowing that you can't blink, you have to be wired in a way of being so committed to the mission, the mission that we're on, reform of this country and victory in the war, you can't blink.

So I didn't blink then even when asked to run as his running mate.

So, experience = not blinking. Glasses McNoBlink. Next:

Sarah Palin on God:

GIBSON: You said recently, in your old church, "Our national leaders are sending U.S. soldiers on a task that is from God." Are we fighting a holy war?

PALIN: You know, I don't know if that was my exact quote.

GIBSON: Exact words.

PALIN: But the reference there is a repeat of Abraham Lincoln's words when he said -- first, he suggested never presume to know what God's will is, and I would never presume to know God's will or to speak God's words.

But what Abraham Lincoln had said, and that's a repeat in my comments, was let us not pray that God is on our side in a war or any other time, but let us pray that we are on God's side.

That's what that comment was all about, Charlie.

GIBSON: I take your point about Lincoln's words, but you went on and said, "There is a plan and it is God's plan."

PALIN: I believe that there is a plan for this world and that plan for this world is for good. I believe that there is great hope and great potential for every country to be able to live and be protected with inalienable rights that I believe are God-given, Charlie, and I believe that those are the rights to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

That, in my world view, is a grand -- the grand plan.

GIBSON: But then are you sending your son on a task that is from God?

PALIN: I don't know if the task is from God, Charlie. What I know is that my son has made a decision. I am so proud of his independent and strong decision he has made, what he decided to do and serving for the right reasons and serving something greater than himself and not choosing a real easy path where he could be more comfortable and certainly safer.

Rule 2: Say "Charlie" a lot, so when you sound like a lunatic, you sound like a folksy, Oil Mom lunatic.

Sarah Palin on Russia:

We cannot repeat the Cold War. We are thankful that, under Reagan, we won the Cold War, without a shot fired, also. We've learned lessons from that in our relationship with Russia, previously the Soviet Union.[...]

GIBSON: Would you favor putting Georgia and Ukraine in NATO?

PALIN: Ukraine, definitely, yes. Yes, and Georgia.

GIBSON: Because Putin has said he would not tolerate NATO incursion into the Caucasus.

PALIN: Well, you know, the Rose Revolution, the Orange Revolution, those actions have showed us that those democratic nations, I believe, deserve to be in NATO.

Putin thinks otherwise. Obviously, he thinks otherwise, but...

GIBSON: And under the NATO treaty, wouldn't we then have to go to war if Russia went into Georgia?

PALIN: Perhaps so. I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you're going to be expected to be called upon and help.

But NATO, I think, should include Ukraine, definitely, at this point and I think that we need to -- especially with new leadership coming in on January 20, being sworn on, on either ticket, we have got to make sure that we strengthen our allies, our ties with each one of those NATO members.

We have got to make sure that that is the group that can be counted upon to defend one another in a very dangerous world today.

GIBSON: And you think it would be worth it to the United States, Georgia is worth it to the United States to go to war if Russia were to invade.

PALIN: What I think is that smaller democratic countries that are invaded by a larger power is something for us to be vigilant against. We have got to be cognizant of what the consequences are if a larger power is able to take over smaller democratic countries.

And we have got to be vigilant. We have got to show the support, in this case, for Georgia. The support that we can show is economic sanctions perhaps against Russia, if this is what it leads to.

It doesn't have to lead to war and it doesn't have to lead, as I said, to a Cold War, but economic sanctions, diplomatic pressure, again, counting on our allies to help us do that in this mission of keeping our eye on Russia and Putin and some of his desire to control and to control much more than smaller democratic countries.

His mission, if it is to control energy supplies, also, coming from and through Russia, that's a dangerous position for our world to be in, if we were to allow that to happen.

Rule 3: When you talk about war, stop saying "Charlie". It's time to adjust the eyeglasses and put on your seriousl, go-to-war face. Bomb bomb bombs away.

Sarah Palin doing multiple interviews with ABC's Gibson

By GottaLaff

I can see it now: They'll sit by the fire and drink Moose Beer, eat mutton and suck on caribou pops. Then they'll share spouse stories and give each other sad eyes about 9/11... maybe wear each other's fuzzy socks and laugh until they cry! I can't wait! It's always so much fun when News Guys spend days and days getting to know their new bestest-friend interviewees:

But it turns out that she is spending much of Thursday and Friday with Gibson — at the ceremony in Fairbanks, Alaska, and at her home in Wasilla, Alaska.

Campaign aides said the anchorman will get extensive, repeated access to Palin throughout her first trip home since becoming the nominee.

“ABC News will have plenty of time to question her and examine her and spend time with her,” a campaign official said. “They’ll do multiple interviews over two days. No topics are off-limits – there are no ground rules. There’s tons of time to talk to her about every topic.”

The remarkable rollout reflects new confidence in Palin by her handlers, who initially had suggested it would be a while before she did interviews. Now, there will be several. [...]

The strategy carries risk. ABC is war-gaming tough questions – not gotchas, but some requiring policy knowledge — with the thoroughness that a network prepares for a debate.

The remarkable offer to ABC, made last Friday, is part of an ambitious project to sell Palin well beyond the right — to a broad swath of women and independent voters, including former supporters of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.). [...]

The official said Gibson will have the chance to “speak to her on 9/11 about her ideas for keeping America safe in the future; to speak to her as she goes back to Wasilla, where she grew up, about her life and her views and her vision for the country.”

Two interviews with Gibson are planned for Thursday, including a conversation about her support for a natural-gas pipeline – a key applause line in her convention speech. Then on Friday, Palin will spend “as much time as both parties need” in Wasilla and Anchorage, the official said. [...]

Officials wouldn’t say how the ABC anchor was chosen. “There were lots of tremendous and credible and fair journalists to choose from,” an aide said. “Somebody had to go first.”

Yep. Somebody all squishy and wishy-washy and cozy and stuff: The anti-Keith.