The wording is different but the meaning is the same, both wanted clarification.
We can come at this with two premises. One is Palin had no clue about what Bush’s foreign policy was or that she did have a clue and knew the question wasn’t specific enough to answer.
So, we have a woman who son is about to go to Iraq. I’m no policy wonk but when my son was scheduled to go to Iraq I read everything I could about Bush’s policies on war even though I follow much of it here on FR.
Then we have a woman who ran for Governor 2 years ago as a Republican. If you didn’t notice, just about every Republican that was running was running against Bush’s record. She would have fielded many questions in that campaign about the war. The entire election season became a vote regarding the war. For Palin to have no idea about Bush’s foreign policies, she would have had to go through that election cycle completely clueless about Bush’s policies in the face of heavy national scrutiny.
Then, we have a Governor who sees the troops off to war and sees them come home maimed or dead. She has to face families and friends regarding the effect of Bush’s foreign policies. So, for to be completely stumped by this question she had to enter a bubble, stick her fingers in her ears and say I’m not listening really loud.
Finally, we have a woman who was deliberately prepped for this event. We have a press who hates Bush and his foreign policies. Given this, the foreign policies of Bush was never reviewed? For her to have been clueless through her role as mother to a son going to fight, a republican running for office 2 years ago, a Governor in charge of National Guard, she then has to be clue less about her preparation for this interview.
Your premise that she had no clue at the outset of the question what the Bush foreign policies were is nonsensical on its face.
Premise 3 - Palin knows what the Bush doctrine says, but also knows that most of the left, including "Charlie", have their own idea of what the Bush doctrine is. And, Palin knows that one of the premises of Obambi's campaign is that McCain and Palin are the same as Bush.
Given these two pieces of knowledge, it was in Palin's best interest to draw Gibson's opinion of the Bush doctrine out before answering the question. Elsewise, she would be on Obama's next ad, depicting McCain/Palin as "more of the same".