ABC's Gibson grilled Palin hard, but it may backfire

UPI ^ | Sept. 12, 2008 at 11:47 AM | MARTIN SIEFF

[NewMediaFan]

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- There were no surprises, no knockout zingers, but also no bloopers Thursday night in Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's first TV interview since becoming the Republican vice presidential nominee.

Charles Gibson of ABC News was out for blood and inherently applied a double-standard compared with the kid gloves George Stephanopoulos used on Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois on Sunday night.

Gibson was out to embarrass Palin and expose her presumed ignorance from the word go. By contrast, when Obama referred to his "Muslim faith" on Sunday and did not correct himself, Stephanopoulos rushed in at once to help him and emphasize that the senator had really meant to say his Christian faith.

By contrast, Gibson tried to embarrass Palin by referring to her Christian faith in asking people to pray for U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Palin countered by pointing out she was following the precedent set by Abraham Lincoln.

Palin also expressed her support for Georgia and Ukraine joining the U.S.-led NATO alliance. That statement was predictable and consistent with the current policy of the Bush administration. The policy has dangerously raised tensions with Russia, but Palin is hardly alone in the conservative/Republican consensus in expressing her support for it.

Palin's assessment of foreign policy was competent and not embarrassing. Although she initially exhibited ignorance of the Bush Doctrine on pre-emptive strikes that has been a central pillar of U.S. foreign policy after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, she recovered quickly and then made the case clearly. Tactically, she made the mistake of trying to be friendly and informal with Gibson, who assumed a superior, professorial and critical stance toward her. She would have been far better going on the attack to rattle him.

[johnnycap]

If one compares the softball interviews and lame answers Obama had 19 months ago, one would have to walk away with a feeling that this thing was outrageous. Charlie Gibson came across as a jerk trying to score condescending cheap points. Give Sarah Palin three interviews and she’ll have the drill down.

Then maybe they can start actually asking Obama questions other than, “How did it feel to grow up without a father?”

[OKIEDOC]

SHOWED A GREATER PROFESSIONALISM.

[arrogantsob]

Fortunately the Treason Media just doesn’t get it. It will continue in this vein and make new voters for the GOP every time it does so.

[KansasGirl]

Too bad Obama has never had to.

[beebuster2000]

You can put white wash on a fraud, but he is still a fraud.

you can put lipstick on a pigs butt, however you probably shouldnt

[alice_in_bubbaland]

It would be nice if Obambi answered some hard questions. I'm getting real tired of Sen. Fraud (D-IL) and his naive rhetoric.

[Political Junkie Too]

Not a bad article for the UPI.

-PJ

[icwhatudo]

NEW DEBUNKED LIST ENTRIES

Palin would go to war with Russia if they "attacked another country"-DEBUNKED

Palin did not know the "Bush Doctrine"-DEBUNKED

You can't see Russia from Alaska-DEBUNKED

Palin said "“Our national leaders are sending them (our troops) out on a task that is from God,”-DEBUNKED

Palin thinks Dinosaurs were around 4,000 years ago (as actor Matt Damon mentioned)-DEBUNKED

Palin claiming Iraq behind 9-11-DEBUNKED BELOW:

This Washington Post page A1 story claims "Palin Links Iraq to 9/11, A View Discarded by Bush"

"Gov. Sarah Palin linked the war in Iraq with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, telling an Iraq-bound brigade of soldiers that included her son that they would "defend the innocent from the enemies who planned and carried out and rejoiced in the death of thousands of Americans."

Nowhere in the article does it quote Palin saying Iraq was behind 9-11. It was al Qaeda who "planned and carried out and rejoiced in the death of thousands of Americans".

According to Obama's own website:

"Under the Obama plan, a residual force will remain in Iraq and in the region to conduct targeted counter-terrorism missions against al Qaeda in Iraq"

So Obama promises to keep troops in Iraq to fight al Qaeda, the group who carried out 9-11, just like Palins son will be doing.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Whoever wins, the ugly old cultural and political divisions in America remain -- and they are deeper than ever."

Sadly, a truer line was never written.

[driftdiver]

“She’s running for one of the most powerful offices in this nation, I WANT her answering the hard questions.”

Of course but thats not really the point. The point is the Dem Presidential candidates gets velvet glove treatment and she (a conservative woman) gets clobbered.

[Chaguito]

ignorance of the Bush Doctrine

A term invented by the media, not by the White House. A term covering a multitude of "doctrines," including GWB's worldview. I'm still not convinced that she was "ignorant" of the Bush Doctrine; she simply didn't want to fall in a trap laid by the kindly professor Gibson.

[kingattax]

obwana wants to "make government cool again"

unreal

[Sweet Hour of Prayer]

“She’s running for one of the most powerful offices in this nation, I WANT her answering the hard questions.”

I agree. But it must be done the exact same way they’re handling Biden. People can barely stand the media, much less credit them with an elevated position to speak condescendingly to a candidate running for office. Heck, Obama is running for president! Where are the difficult questions for him? Why is the Arab press referring to him as a “Muslim Brother?” The networks can shut the outrage up about the handling of Governor Palin by doing some real “vetting” of Barack Obama, his money, and his unclear work history.

[NTHockey]

I saw slimy Lanny Davis on H&C last night, expressing fear that Gov. Palin would go to war over Georgia. In his words, that is frightening.

I guess feeling all warm and fuzzy trumps honoring commitments. If Lanny REALLY feels that way, let's disband NATO. While we're at it, let's disband the UN. You can argue, quite successfully, that more people have been killed under UN auspices, than Vietnam + Iraq.

[mulligan]

Sarah Palin is more than qualified to be President. Gibson in not qualified to be a reporter. The biased jackass must be in his spot due to affirmative action or political correctness, ‘cause he is not there because of talent.

[r9etb]

Martin Sieff calls this one for Palin and suggests that Mr. Gibson is biased, to boot.

Excellent.

[The Bronze Titan]

-" Tactically, she made the mistake of trying to be friendly and informal with Gibson, who assumed a superior, professorial and critical stance toward her. She would have been far better going on the attack to rattle him."

TRUE!! TRUE!! TRUE!!

Sarah is better when she's on OFFENSIVE mindset. Also... SIT THE HELL 'FURTHER AWAY' FROM THAT CREEP!!!

[BigEdLB]

Because Laura had a “best of” show, I listen to Doug McIntyre on KABC coming to work. He called Charlie Gibson a pr*ck because he thought Gibson was so condescending.

[mpackard]

Let me tell you, I’m a woman who, at 18 joined the military. This was in 81 and not a time when there were a lot of women. I’ve been, since then, in many male dominated jobs and I had an overbearing, abusive husband for several years. I’ve been spoken to with that condescending, “Smile Pretty” attitude about 1000 times in my life and when I watched Charlie use that voice and that look on Gov. Palin I thought “you just lost the women” Charlie.

[LibWhacker]

What's wrong with Republicans? We don't give interviews to Pravda. Why to Charlie Gibson? Or to any of the hard-left POS in the MSM? They're just a bunch of cowardly low-blow artists. If it were me, they'd go begging for interviews.

You did great, Sarah! (But don't do them any more favors.)