Charlie Gibson's Attempt to Twist Sarah Palin's Words

NewsBusters.org ^ | September 11, 2008 - 21:03 ET | John Stephenson

[TexasCajun]

Hubris was indeed revealed in the ABC interview with Sarah Palin, and it wasn't coming from Sarah Palin, but Charlie Gibson. But there was more than Charlie's sneering condescending tone, looking down over the rim of his glasses like some snobby intellectual that bothered me. Twisting her words into a fabrication feeding the fear of theocracy was utterly insulting. It was especially insulting to claim that these were her "exact words" after being challenged on it. Watch this video excerpt from the interview to see the exchange.

Here is the transcript of the exchange:

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.”

Actually, Charlie, that is totally untrue. Here is what she actually said:

“Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending [U.S. soldiers] out on a task that is from God,” she exhorted the congregants. “That’s what we have to make sure that we’re praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God’s plan.”

Here is a tip for the future Charlie. Try not to rely on the AP for your "exact quotes". It makes you look like a total fool, especially after condescendingly insisting you are correct.

[MeekOneGOP]

And as a footnote ...

I don’t recall whether it was El Rushbo or Mark Levin
who noted that it was ONE thing to be SMART and ARROGANT,
but quite another thing to be IGNORANT and ARROGANT!!

Charlie Gibson was definitely ignorant with his
arrogance in this grilling !!