Sarah Palin Defends Experience, Takes Hard Line Approach on National Security

ABC News ^

[Chet 99]

ABC News

Sarah Palin Defends Experience, Takes Hard Line Approach on National Security

Republican VP Candidate Speaks with ABC News' Charlie Gibson in Exclusive Interview

By RUSSELL GOLDMAN

Sept. 11, 2008—

On the anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history, Gov. Sarah Palin took a hard-line approach on national security and said that war with Russia may be necessary if that nation invades another country.

In her first of three interviews with ABC News's Charles Gibson and the only interview since being picked by Sen. John McCain as his Republican vice presidential nominee, Palin categorized the Russian invasion of Georgia as "unacceptable" and warned of the threats from Islamic terrorists and a nuclear Iran.

The Governor advocated the accession of Georgia and Ukraine into NATO.

When asked by Gibson if under the NATO treaty, the U.S. would have to go to war if Russia again invaded Georgia, Palin responded: "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.

"And we've got to keep an eye on Russia. For Russia to have exerted such pressure in terms of invading a smaller democratic country, unprovoked, is unacceptable," she told ABC News' Charles Gibson in an exclusive interview.

[Chgogal]

Did I miss Gibson's interview with Obama regarding Ayers and the Annenberg Files, his affiliation with ACORN, Rev. Wright and his 20 year stint at "The God Damn America Church", his earmark which led to a HUGE salary increase for his wife, his vote for the Bridge to Nowhere and his vote against the victims of Hurricane Katrina, Rezko’s financing of his house....need I go on?

ABC/Gibson you are disgusting. You think we Americans are dimwitted. We are not.

[SideoutFred]

ping

[popdonnelly]

“And the ABC intro that she is “definitely Christian”!!!”

And is Obama definitely a Muslim?

[LibertyRocks]

A special ping to the “Palin Pingers” List - in lieu of our “regularly scheduled” newswire issue, please direct your attention the the following Activism “alert”. (Yep, I’m still having computer problems, and I’m on my daughter’s comp right now...)

Credit to NW_Arizona_Granny for posting this on another thread. The following concerns the misquote by Gibson on Palin’s address to the Wasilla AOG Church.

~~***~~***~~***~~***

Dear IRIS subscriber,

A just-posted article at IRIS is making waves on Little
Green Footballs and Digg. See the story and the video
that started the controversy here:

http://www.iris.org.il/blog/archives/2865-Gibson-Hits-Palin-Below-the-Belt.html

(Warning: this is not directly Israel-related.)

Please help us get the word out. If you use Digg,
please digg the story here:

http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/BREAKING_Gibson_Hits_Palin_Below_the_Belt

It is important to digg as soon as possible. If you
don’t have Digg it is easy to register and then Digg
the story.

Thank you for your help.

The IRIS Staff

Information Regarding Israel’s Security (IRIS)
http://www.iris.org.il

[a snippet below, good to see it all and even better to have it come from the Israel site....friend of Sarah, I would say..granny]

In Sarah Palin’s first media interview since her nomination, Charlie Gibson has insisted on forcing Sarah Palin to defend something she did not say:

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.

The problem is that her full statement simply asked people to pray for soldiers to do the right thing and for US leaders to do God’s will in general when sending out soldiers:

[continues, with the full session/quotes]

~~***~~***~~***~~***~~

Another suggestion on how to combat against this blatant smear attempt would be to write to the “powers that be” over at ABC.

Here is one way to get word to them via their Online Contact Form:

http://abcnews.go.com/Site/page?id=3271346&cat=World%20News%20with%20Charles%20Gibson

[that specific link will automatically put the subject of the comment as World News with Charlie Gibson]

Another, and probably BETTER, way to make SURE that the “head honchos” know that this smear attempt was not “missed” by their viewers is to write a hard copy letter to the management of the news division, and ABC in general. The following is the ONLY address I could find online. I will keep searching, and if anyone else has a good address, as well as “names” please post a reply, or FReepmail me, and I will get the info. out there to the list...

ABC News
Washington Bureau
1717 DeSales St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20036

Keep in mind that hard-copy letters (and phone calls) make a MUCH bigger impact than emails which are easily deleted and/or passed over in their e-mail inboxes.

[Thanks again for everyone’s understanding of my computer problems and such — and thanks to everyone who has offered their help. I truly appreciate it — FReepers are such a WONDERFUL group of people! - LibertyRocks]

[LibertyRocks]

You are correct — the interview is on right now in my area...

[Norman Bates]

The McCain List.

Governor Palin was interviewed by ABC earlier today. As you can imagine, the distortions are palpable. As if journalistic credibility existed anymore!

[papasmurf]

Thanks for the ping. I’ve already downloaded and converted the video. :O)

I wished I’d had time to get the Katie Couric one that SeeBeeEss pulled.

[LibertyRocks]

I just want to make one comment here at the first commercial break. I think (future Vice-President Elect) Sarah Palin is doing a WONDERFUL job in this interview. She is remaining calm, but firm. She is not allowing herself to be backed into a corner by the leading questions of Mr. Gibson. And, she is doing a great job asserting the facts that America needs to have all options on the table when it comes to the WOT. When I compare how she has handled this interview vs. some of the Obama interviews I’ve seen it is CLEAR that Ms. Palin is MUCH better prepared to LEAD than Obama OR Biden!

OK, the interview is back on...

[Lent]

I don’t have a problem with Charlie’s questions. She is doing a great job. I wouldn’t have wanted softball questions. I have great faith in her ability to handle whatever they throw at her.

Generally neither do I. However his truncated quote of her church exhortation was standard hatchet stuff. She however knew what she had said and put it in the proper context. He however persisted in asking further questions with his truncated version.

She needs more of these. Honestly, I was not at ease watching the interview. I felt that she was on the threshold of being much more relaxed and free flowing and that with more of these it will appear less restrained and rehearsed. I also think that having gone through probably several runs with her staff, she came across as a little wooden in her answers.

On the other hand, she doesn't punctuate her answers with ummms, ahhhs, etc. And quite frankly, I think she would excel in a Bill O'Reilly frenetic type interview. It would cause her to be her natural self, more spontaneous.

I'll give her a B on her first major interview though.

I'm curious of the strategy of the McCain camp though. I would have thought you start small and work up. Obama did mostly powder puff interviews for several months. Fox is the only one that would give her a balanced process. Why not get her comfortable with someone like Greta Van Sustern (whose husband worked for Hillary Clinton but apparently is now a McCain supporter)? Start a comfort level and move from there.

They must have tremendous confidence in her.

[Brizick]

I want to know who this offensive scum Martin Bashir is . . .

Sounds like a smarmy bastard to me. I haven't watched network news for so long. These jerks, Charlie and Marty, remind me why.

[LibertyRocks]

Here’s a copy of McCain’s Ad I found up on YouTube still — I advise grabbing it quickly before it’s removed again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w613nayrYwo

[papasmurf]

Woo-Hoo, thanks! I got it now.

[LibertyRocks]

Very cool — glad I could help. :-) You gotta love Google! LOL

[montag813]

I’m watching it now Nightline. She was very good.

What I like most about her is her refusal to provide the jackass Gibson with glib or simple soundbite answers. She says what she believes and makes no headlines to upset Russia, Pakistan or Israel.

Compare that to Obama, who just in the past 2 months caused a huge diplomatic row over Jerusalem at AIPAC. And then Obama caused a big row with India and Pakistan, when he said on O'Reilly that Pakistan was diverting aid to prepare for war with India.

And somehow Palin is less "experienced"? Obama has already shown enough foreign policy recklessness in a few months to make it clear to every American that he would be a dangerous menace as President.

[ARCADIA]

I think that most "low-information" voters, the PUMAs, and the evangelical base won't care about this. It was a pop quiz, for heaven's sake.

But ... most well-informed conservatives know what it is and would expect her to know. That's the problem, IMO.

Also, it dominates the talking points --- "Palin doesn't know..." etc, etc.

I am concerned about this. Most conservatives don't really like McCain; and if his choice looks like gimmicky opportunism, it will remind them of why they never liked him in the first place.

[arrogantsob]

It is completely media created. Bush foreign policy would be a real term.

[Scotswife]

“The links are to the transcripts. Notice any uh’s in Obama’s?”

oh ok! thanks.

Good point - you just KNOW there had to be a few “uh’s”.
More than a few.

[Scotswife]

Bashir’s claim to fame is that famous expose on Michael Jackson - the one where he creeped everyone out by holding hands with that young boy.

[Scotswife]

“Charlie Gibson sneering down his nose through those dopey glasses at Sarah.”

LOL!
The glasses thing was killing me!
A stupid attempt to appear intimidating.

[Chgogal]

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/12/america/12watch.php

“Gibson, who sat back in his chair and wriggled his foot impatiently, had the skeptical, annoyed tone of a university president who agrees to interview the daughter of a trustee, but doesn't believe she merits admission.”

Yes, Gibson you are a conceited, condescending, overrated son-of-a-bitch who has not given Obama one serious/tough interview in 19 months. Palin runs circles around Obama. You and your cohorts in MSM picked Obama by refusing to inform the American people about Ayers, Rev. Wright, the Annenberg files, Rezko, earmarks, etc. I am furious that you have NOT put Obama through a similar tough interview with the same condescending tone. I always expect more from you east coast self absorbed, shallow windbags and I am ALWAYS disappointed. You think you can get away with this, you cannot. America is on to you and your fellow "journalists". We Americans will fight for McCain and Palin. We know through our own efforts who the best candidates are and they are NOT your beloved Obama/Biden.