Where's Sarah? The Palin Interview, Night One

thenextright ^ | September 12, 2008 | Kristen Soltis

[bahblahbah]

If Democrats and the media can't stop talking about Sarah Palin and "The Bush Doctrine" for the next week, take heart - it's going to be OK.

 

Following the first night of the Sarah Palin interview with Charlie Gibson, the big headlines of "Sarah Palin: Tough on National Security, Unsure of Bush Doctrine, Disagreed with McCain on ANWR" are fine by me.   And I don't think that America is going to laugh Sarah Palin out of presidential politics for not knowing what "the Bush doctrine" is. (In fact, I thought she handled the question pretty well.  Sure, she didn't state the academic "Bush doctrine", but her description of the Bush foreign policy worldview wasn't wrong.)

 

Her segment talking with Charlie Gibson about pipelines and her disagreement with with McCain over ANWR were both smart and charming.   She presented a view of global warming that I think can sit well with many Republicans and independents who don't write global warming off as a myth but aren't convinced it's all our fault.   She espoused a consistent, tough foreign policy, and handled questions about her views of God with humility and grace.

 

It's not the big headline grabbers that have me nervous following this interview.  

 

 

It was the fact that it didn't quite feel like the Sarah Palin I've come to adore. 

 

Perhaps I'm being unfair.  An interview is of course dramatically different from a speech.  The calm and poise that can come from speaking to a cheering stadium of adoring supporters is certainly going to be harder to find when being grilled by Charlie Gibson.  And with so much pressure on this interview, to take each word and each statement very carefully is smart.

But something felt off.  And in a way, it felt like deja vu.

 

The big strengths of Palin thus far have been her freshness, her confidence, and her authenticity.  In a world of politicians parroting talking points over and over and over until you're not even sure they believe that they're saying, Sarah Palin is different.  Sarah Palin is not canned. 

 

Sarah Palin last night felt canned. 

 

Maybe I am just one of those cynical Beltway insiders. (I would have given anything to be able to do a dial test of the interview last night with independent voters).  Maybe I'm being too critical.

 

But the assets that Sarah Palin has going for her - her authenticity, her freshness, and her confidence - were somewhat missing last night.

 

There were oh so many times when I could practically envision the talking points. "We shouldn't second guess Israel.  No matter what, they are our ally.  We don't second guess Israel."  And so it went. "We can't second guess Israel, Charlie."  

 

Whether that's the correct policy or not what I'm debating.  What matters is that it didn't seem like it was really her opinion. I can't see inside the mind of Sarah Palin, so I have no place saying if it is ACTUALLY her opinion or not.  But the feel of it? It didn't feel genuine.  It felt like a repeated talking point.  It felt "done".

 

And if you're going to try not to sound political, of all the things you can't afford to do, it's sound like Bush. Remember - he was the candidate of cowboy authenticity, shoot-em-straightness, of "lets do this thing, lets get them terrorists".   No doubt Palin has been prepped by Steve Schmidt (Rove's protege), Nicolle Wallace (former Bush staffer).  So maybe that's why I'm so sensitive to Bush-sounding language.  But this exchange in particular had me scratching my head, feeling I'd heard this before. 

 

GIBSON: But, Governor, we've threatened greater sanctions against Iran for a long time. It hasn't done any good. It hasn't stemmed their nuclear program.

 

PALIN: We need to pursue those and we need to implement those. We cannot back off. We cannot just concede that, oh, gee, maybe they're going to have nuclear weapons, what can we do about it. No way, not Americans. We do not have to stand for that.

Immediately after, the dodge of the Pakistan question had me on edge.

 

GIBSON: Do we have the right to be making cross-border attacks into Pakistan from Afghanistan, with or without the approval of the Pakistani government?

 

PALIN: Now, as for our right to invade, we're going to work with these countries, building new relationships, working with existing allies, but forging new, also, in order to, Charlie, get to a point in this world where war is not going to be a first option. In fact, war has got to be, a military strike, a last option.

 

GIBSON: But, Governor, I'm asking you: We have the right, in your mind, to go across the border with or without the approval of the Pakistani government.

 

PALIN: In order to stop Islamic extremists, those terrorists who would seek to destroy America and our allies, we must do whatever it takes and we must not blink, Charlie, in making those tough decisions of where we go and even who we target.

It's not the policy here I'm critical of.  It's a tough question.  There's no easy answer.  You're stuck between "No, we have to wait for Pakistan to OK our moves" and "Yes, we should disregard Pakistan and risk harming our security relationship with them."  There's no easy way out.   But while I appreciate the old Cuban Missile Crisis "blink" imagery, there's something about the "don't blink, just do" philosophy that feels rather Bush-ian to me.  

Maybe I'm overreacting.  But something about it all just made me feel uneasy, like I'd seen it all before in an exchange between President Bush and Helen Thomas...and I didn't want to see it all again.

I don't know to what extent anyone else out there in Cleveland or Richmond or Albuquerque felt what I felt last night.  But for the rest of the campaign, Sarah Palin has got to get back to being Sarah Palin again.   The assets she brings to the ticket are plenty, and to let them get drowned out or suppressed is something the McCain-Palin ticket can't afford.  I'm anxiously looking forward to tonight's portion of the interview, in hopes that maybe, just maybe, the real Sarah Palin will please stand up.

[olivia3boys]

Her speech at the convention was hard-hitting and “fun;” now her interviews are very, very professional.

I’m not feeling nervous about her.

[Dawn531]

I think this author needs to get a life. She has no concept of what pressure the woman was under, or of the editing process that takes place after an interview.

My personal opinion, Charlie Gibson’s interview will do more to help Palin, no matter what her answers, because of the condescending way he’s conducting it.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

Regarding the Pakistan question — I thought she should have said something like:

“Charlie, Charlie, Charlie where did that question come from? The only one in this race, who's ever advocated invading Pakistan is Barack Obama. Pakistan is our ally in the war on terror & I would want to keep things that way.”

[keats5]

From the limited interview parts I’m allowed to watch, Palin seemed careful and somewhat guarded, and rightly so. I’m glad she has the discretion to know when people are out to get her.

[Chaguito]

Well give Sarah a little break. Of course, she sounded a little canned. It was her first interview at national level, and the first goal was to avoid stepping in something smelly. She will get more spontaneous after she gets a feel for the remoras who are doing the interviewing and for the style of editing she can expect from them.

[spodefly]

“Sarah Palin and John McCain are 4 more years of Bush policies!!!!!!!111”

“OMG!!!! Sarah Palin doesn’t even know what the Bush Doctrine is!!!111”

[bicyclerepair]

gibson is a lying rat

[mnehring]

I absolutely HATE how Gibson tries to reword everything she says.. so let me summarize.... .. he is always wrong (and Gov Palin won't let it stand.. good for her..)

[DouglasKC]

In a way the author is right, but that is probably just an effect from the setting and editing of the interview. Tonights was much more relaxed, much more fresh. She didn’t back down from her conservative values and I loved the comments about Hillary.

[RobRoy]

Me neither. Take this little exchange:

GIBSON: But, Governor, I’m asking you: We have the right, in your mind, to go across the border with or without the approval of the Pakistani government.

PALIN: In order to stop Islamic extremists, those terrorists who would seek to destroy America and our allies, we must do whatever it takes and we must not blink, Charlie, in making those tough decisions of where we go and even who we target.

Her answer to his question was basically, HELL YES! She understands the meaning of the word “soveregn”. It means you do what you think is in your best interests up to the point that others have the power to stop you. She was saying that if that “final option” is necessary, we reserve the right to take it.

I liked her response very much.

[presently no screen name]

.........what I felt last night.

Perhaps, it a chrissy pee down the leg because Sarah is that good!!

Sarah Palin has got to get back to being Sarah Palin again.

Get lost with your crapola to even suggest she was off her game. Proganda is too old to play to those in the know. What's the prize given for a good attempt to bring 'doubt' to voters?

Go critique hussein - for starters - easy assignment - find out why his wife was not w/him in NYC on 9/11 - the REAL truth.

[new cruelty]

I thought she was great in the interview. AND it turns out that even Gibson doesn’t agree with his own defintion of the Bush Doctrine.

Governor Sarah Palin was right to ask Gibson to clarify his question. More over, it turns out that Gibson lied when he said he was using her “exact words”. Governor Palin was sharp enough to question the accuracy of his quote and it turns out she was right and Gibson was wrong.

She was brilliant in the interview and what others expected to be sour notes have actually made it evident that she knows what she is talking about even when others only appear to know what they are talking about.

[presently no screen name]

GIBSON: But, Governor, I’m asking you: We have the right, in your mind, ....

Gibson with his "what if's". She was very professional and way more kind than I am capable of (w/libs). Has anyone asked Hussein that question?

[4rcane]

everyone should watch her other interviews on c-span when she was taking questions from callers. Lots of smiles and humor.

In this gibson interview, it did feel like she was canned. Theres no humor in it. It was all serious and professional like

[presently no screen name]

Well give Sarah a little break

NEWSFLASH! Sarah DOESN'T need a break! She was great.

she sounded a little canned. It was her first interview at national level

Subtlety you are saying - she's not up to speed. You are SO wrong and you are mimicking the author. I'd like to see Hussein asked these questions - and not only for answers but for presentation. She is way above him in intellect, knowledge of issues and presentation.

[carmelanne]

Actually Palin calling Gibby by his first name before each answer is brilliant. She instinctly knows that he is just a little boy in long pants. I think he winced everytime he heard her say, “Charlie.”

Gibby already knows that he is over matched and out maneuvered and dreads the continuing embarrassment and red face that he will have when he hears her say; “Charlie.”

Gibby's blizzard of words comment was the result of his inability to follow the very quick responses delivered quickly by a focused communicator. Hell y'all, I myself can deliver quick sarcastic responses using a clear American voice and and a couple hundred well chosen words.

Hey girl, just give him “the look.”

Just sayin

[Chaguito]

She was great.

Agreed.

She is way above him in intellect, knowledge of issues and presentation.

Agreed.