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ABC News Edited Out Key Parts of Sarah Palin Interview
Newsbusters ^ | 09/13/08 | P.J. Gladnick

Posted on 09/13/2008 5:08:24 AM PDT by coffee260

A transcript of the unedited interview of Sarah Palin by Charles Gibson clearly shows that ABC News edited out crucial portions of the interview that showed Palin as knowledgeable or presented her answers out of context. This unedited transcript of the first of the Gibson interviews with Palin is available on radio host Mark Levin's website. The sections edited out by ABC News are in bold. The first edit shows Palin responding about meeting with foreign leaders but this was actually in response to a question Gibson asked several questions earlier:

GIBSON: Have you ever met a foreign head of state?

PALIN: There in the state of Alaska, our international trade activities bring in many leaders of other countries.

GIBSON: And all governors deal with trade delegations.

PALIN: Right.

GIBSON: Who act at the behest of their governments.

PALIN: Right, right.

GIBSON: I’m talking about somebody who’s a head of state, who can negotiate for that country. Ever met one?

PALIN: I have not 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. But, Charlie, again, we’ve got to remember what the desire is in this nation at this time. It is for no more politics as usual and somebody’s big, fat resume maybe that shows decades and decades in that Washington establishment, where, yes, they’ve had opportunities to meet heads of state … these last couple of weeks … it has been overwhelming to me that confirmation of the message that Americans are getting sick and tired of that self-dealing and kind of that closed door, good old boy network that has been the Washington elite.
 

Next we see that Palin was not nearly as hostile towards Russia as was presented in the edited interview:

GIBSON: Let me ask you about some specific national security situations.

PALIN: Sure.

GIBSON: Let’s start, because we are near Russia, let’s start with Russia and Georgia.

The administration has said we’ve got to maintain the territorial integrity of Georgia. Do you believe the United States should try to restore Georgian sovereignty over South Ossetia and Abkhazia?

PALIN: First off, we’re going to continue good relations with Saakashvili there. I was able to speak with him the other day and giving him my commitment, as John McCain’s running mate, that we will be committed to Georgia. 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 and we have to keep…

GIBSON: You believe unprovoked.

PALIN: I do believe unprovoked and we have got to keep our eyes on Russia, under the leadership there. I think it was unfortunate. That manifestation that we saw with that invasion of Georgia shows us some steps backwards that Russia has recently taken away from the race toward a more democratic nation with democratic ideals. That’s why we have to keep an eye on Russia.

And, Charlie, you’re in Alaska. We have that very narrow maritime border between the United States, and the 49th state, Alaska, and Russia. They are our next door neighbors.We need to have a good relationship with them. They’re very, very important to us and they are our next door neighbor.

GIBSON: What insight into Russian actions, particularly in the last couple of weeks, does the proximity of the state give you?

PALIN: They’re our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.

GIBSON: What insight does that give you into what they’re doing in Georgia?

PALIN: Well, I’m giving you that perspective of how small our world is and how important it is that we work with our allies to keep good relation with all of these countries, especially Russia. We will not repeat a Cold War. We must have good relationship with our allies, pressuring, also, helping us to remind Russia that it’s in their benefit, also, a mutually beneficial relationship for us all to be getting along.

We also see from Palin's following remark, which was also edited out, that she is far from some sort of latter day Cold Warrior which the edited interview made her seem to be:

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.

We will not repeat a Cold War. We must have good relationship with our allies, pressuring, also, helping us to remind Russia that it’s in their benefit, also, a mutually beneficial relationship for us all to be getting along.

Palin's extended remarks about defending our NATO allies were edited out to make it seem that she was ready to go to war with Russia. 

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.

That answer presented Palin as a bit too knowledgeable for the purposes of ABC News and was, of course, edited out. Palin's answers about a nuclear Iran were carefully edited to the point where she was even edited out in mid-sentence to make it seem that Palin favored unilateral action against that country:

GIBSON: Let me turn to Iran. Do you consider a nuclear Iran to be an existential threat to Israel?

PALIN: I believe that under the leadership of Ahmadinejad, nuclear weapons in the hands of his government are extremely dangerous to everyone on this globe, yes.

GIBSON: So what should we do about a nuclear Iran? John McCain said the only thing worse than a war with Iran would be a nuclear Iran. John Abizaid said we may have to live with a nuclear Iran. Who’s right?

PALIN: No, no. I agree with John McCain that nuclear weapons in the hands of those who would seek to destroy our allies, in this case, we’re talking about Israel, we’re talking about Ahmadinejad’s comment about Israel being the “stinking corpse, should be wiped off the face of the earth,” that’s atrocious. That’s unacceptable.

GIBSON: So what do you do about a nuclear Iran?

PALIN: We have got to make sure that these weapons of mass destruction, that nuclear weapons are not given to those hands of Ahmadinejad, not that he would use them, but that he would allow terrorists to be able to use them. So we have got to put the pressure on Iran and we have got to count on our allies to help us, diplomatic pressure.

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.

Laughably, a remark by Gibson that indicated he agreed with Palin was edited out:

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. And I do believe, though, that this war against extreme Islamic terrorists is the right thing. It’s an unfortunate thing, because war is hell and I hate war, and, Charlie, today is the day that I send my first born, my son, my teenage son overseas with his Stryker brigade, 4,000 other wonderful American men and women, to fight for our country, for democracy, for our freedoms.

Charlie, those are freedoms that too many of us just take for granted. I hate war and I want to see war ended. We end war when we see victory, and we do see victory in sight in Iraq.

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.”

Gibson took her point about Lincoln's words but we wouldn't know that by watching the interview since it was left on the cutting room floor. I urge everybody to see just how the unedited version of the first interview compared to what we saw on television  by checking out the full transcript. It is a fascinating look into media manipulation via skillful editing.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Alaska
KEYWORDS: 2008; abc; abcnews; bias; charliegibson; chucklestheclown; democrats; dncmediamachine; dnctv; elections; enemedia; gibson; gibsonpalin; inquisition; interrogation; interview; marklevin; mccainpalin; mediabias; mediagestapo; msm; obamedia; palin; propagandawingofdnc; sarahpalin
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To: coffee260

Disgraceful. Another example of the media making news instead of reporting news.


21 posted on 09/13/2008 5:24:23 AM PDT by donnab (some people use change to promote their careers...others use their careers to promote change.)
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To: tobyhill

Has the McCain campaign said anything about this ?


22 posted on 09/13/2008 5:24:34 AM PDT by se_ohio_young_conservative (Reagan conservatism is back ! .. Thank God for Sarah.)
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To: coffee260
McCain and Palin should only do live interviews and make it known that the reason is because of the editing process many "new" organizations use. I would assume the one interviewing Palin or McCain will end up being the one looking like the ignorant fool.

wait, that's why they have to edit, because they have to make their bumbling idiot newsmen appear intelligent and wipe out all their gaffes.

23 posted on 09/13/2008 5:25:10 AM PDT by normy (Don't take it personally, just take it seriously.)
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To: coffee260

Somewhere last night I read a summary of this that said:

Those that were against her are still against her - and
those that were for her are still for her.

I think that’s a fair assessment and represents a win for Sarah given the way ABC acted.

I would like to see a juxtaposition of the questions Gibson asked Obama during his first interview with him and the questions he asked Sarah.


24 posted on 09/13/2008 5:25:35 AM PDT by palomonte (see the light or feel the heat)
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To: coffee260
GIBSON: You believe unprovoked.

Charlie is a first-class jackass!

25 posted on 09/13/2008 5:25:42 AM PDT by Virginia Ridgerunner (Sarah Palin is a smart missile aimed at the heart of the left!)
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To: ajwharton
Like I said before......

The debates will clinch it. Palin will nuke Biden and McCain (who has finally found his brass knuckles) will KO NObama.

I can't wait 'til Sarah debates the gaffer Biden. And if McCain can just get (one) townhall debate with the Oboomerang du-du-au-au lost my teleprompter Hussein, the polls will go out the top.

I see a landslide victory for the McCain/Palin ticket and the Republicans running for congress from these debates. When Evil is exposed to the Truth it loses its false powers and consumes itself in it's own excrement.

26 posted on 09/13/2008 5:25:51 AM PDT by Evil Slayer (Sarah Palin reminds me of the story about David and Goliath)
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To: All

McCain/Palin do any more interviews the must insist zero, nada no editing done.


27 posted on 09/13/2008 5:26:25 AM PDT by Bailee
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To: coffee260

Un-frickin-believable.

i hope the entire interview is aired sometime soon.


28 posted on 09/13/2008 5:26:28 AM PDT by Principled (Vaporize the "Divide and Conquer" taxes - Have everyone pay the same marginal rate!. NRST!)
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To: coffee260

bookmark


29 posted on 09/13/2008 5:27:05 AM PDT by GiovannaNicoletta
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To: coffee260

“ABC News Edited Out Key Parts of Sarah Palin Interview”

And we would expect less than a hatchet job by the MSM on Sarah because...? ;)


30 posted on 09/13/2008 5:27:41 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)
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To: coffee260
She did extremely well considering the circumstances.

That said, I would not give these clowns at the MSM the time of day after this performance. They should have demanded a copy of the raw video on this one.

31 posted on 09/13/2008 5:28:31 AM PDT by Former Proud Canadian (I would spend more time on FR but I have to make sure my tires are inflated.)
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To: coffee260
The game ain't over yet and we've got the ball!

Stand up, Chuck!

32 posted on 09/13/2008 5:29:57 AM PDT by maggief (Read my lip-stick!)
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To: se_ohio_young_conservative
Not yet but it will probably be discussed on the Sunday circuit.
33 posted on 09/13/2008 5:30:07 AM PDT by tobyhill (fraud -noun;(1)deceit, trickery, sharp practice, or breach of confidence, (2) Obama)
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To: tobyhill

“The rest of the MSM should be furious with Gibson because he may have just blown any chances they had to get interviews.”

McCain team should refer to this interview and the hack job they did when the rest of the media cries out that Sarah is not granting interviews. Then should point to the boohoo Hollywood crowd and mention that they should know what he is talking about because the tactic has been used with them for years in gossip mags and television interviews.
Its a shame that the supposed real media has descended into the levels of inaccurate gossip mags.


34 posted on 09/13/2008 5:31:06 AM PDT by donnab (some people use change to promote their careers...others use their careers to promote change.)
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To: coffee260
Charlie Gibson. Fake, but accurate.
35 posted on 09/13/2008 5:32:11 AM PDT by 6SJ7 (Welcome PUMAs!)
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To: coffee260

This is why Palin has to start holding press conferences.

The press has been screaming for them, she has to start providing them.

They can’t edit press conferences. (Sound-biting them isn’t the same as editing them. Too many opportunities for differing sound-bites, while an edit is a complete make-over.)

They can’t squelch the coverage of a press conferences.

Now it’s true, press conferences open you up to making mistakes.

But that’s a chance I think the McCain campaign should take.

I think it’s worth the risk to try to open up a big hole in the Media Line and run the ball right up the middle.

I bet Palin can pull it off. Just give her the ball. Let her run with it.


36 posted on 09/13/2008 5:32:26 AM PDT by samtheman
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To: coffee260
My comment:
I don't watch Network News anymore. (I used to be a very regular viewer.) But I was interested in the Palin interview so I tuned in Thursday (?) evening. It was an opportunity for you to bring me back.

But you failed miserably.

Instead you reconfirmed all of the negative opinions I have built up over the years about what you and the other mainstream news sources do. Your interview wasn't an interview. It was an interrogation.

I could go on; but your text limit forbids me.

Shame!

ML/NJ
37 posted on 09/13/2008 5:33:05 AM PDT by ml/nj
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To: coffee260

Well they had to edit it in order to have time for 15 minutes lead-in hit piece from that female DNC spokeswoman. And also all the DNC review panels and commentators who parsed, ridiculed and opposed every word she said.


38 posted on 09/13/2008 5:34:26 AM PDT by Hattie
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To: coffee260

Selective editing is nothing new to the leftist reporters. No, make that AGENTS instead of reporters.


39 posted on 09/13/2008 5:35:40 AM PDT by kitkat (EX DEO LIBERTAS (From God, liberty))
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To: Former Proud Canadian
The raw video is out there but only if you have access to the Internet. Hopefully, more and more of it will come out via Fox as well as alphabet tv and am/fm radio stations. The live debates will give McCain and Palin the opportunity to bring out what was buried as well.
40 posted on 09/13/2008 5:35:58 AM PDT by Evil Slayer (Sarah Palin reminds me of the story about David and Goliath)
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