The Sarah Palin Interview with Charlie Gibson, page 1

I have seen a few excerpts of the Palin interview with ABC's Charlie Gibson, but frankly, what I have seen sounded much like a memorized high-school History and Government verbal exam. Even the clips I saw were so edited, it was difficult to feel any kind of "flow" in the discussion or significance to her thoughts.

And it seems the general consensus among the media today is fairly negative.

US News and World Report

However, not all reviews are negative. USA Today says "early reactions were mixed" and in her New York Times television column, Alessandra Stanley says Palin "didn't look rattled or lose her cool," but she "skittered through with general answers, sticking to talking points that flowed out quickly and spiritedly, a little too much by rote to satisfy her interviewer that she was giving his questions serious consideration."

It was this "skittering through of general answers and talking points" that felt so rehearsed and superficial, as if she didn't have a real understanding of the meaning behind her words, but was spitting them out by memory. There were also some discrepancies and she sounded quite defensive at times.

Palin's Climate Remarks Conflict with Past Views

Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's assertion that she believes humans play a role in climate change — made in her first major interview since joining the Republican ticket — is at odds with her previous statements. Palin said she didn't disagree with scientists that the problem can be attributed to "man's activities."

"Show me where I have ever said that there's absolute proof that nothing that man has ever conducted or engaged in has had any effect or no effect on climate change. I have not said that," Palin told ABC News in an interview broadcast Thursday and Friday.

She was fairly adept at avoiding answering questions that might reveal her lack of experience and knowledge of world issues, which is a skill that nearly all current politicians possess.

Questions about Palin's knowledge of foreign policy dominated the interview with ABC's Charles Gibson. Palin repeated her earlier assertions that she's ready to be president if called upon, yet she sidestepped questions on whether she had the national security credentials needed to be commander in chief.

Unfortunately, she decided to try again the idea that Alaska's physical location gave her an insight into Russia's actions with Georgia.

Pressed about what insights into recent Russian actions she gained by living in Alaska, Palin told Gibson, "They're our next-door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska."

Apparently, this special insight neglected to mention that Georgia actually started the conflict. I don't think she can see Georgia from where she is.

Palin: US might have to go to War With Russia

"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," Palin said. "For Russia to have exerted such pressure in terms of invading a smaller democratic country, unprovoked, is unacceptable."

Noting that she had recently spoken by telephone with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, she added: "We have got to keep our eyes on Russia."
...
"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," she said.

And she mentioned "our mission" far too many times for my comfort. Eerie.

Video and text of the Interviews can be seen here and here.
Transcript

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