Gibson's Palin Interview: Alaska Paper Offers Tough Questions

Talking Points Memo's Josh Marshall wrote yesterday that Sarah Palin's upcoming interview with ABC's Charlie Gibson will be a "farce ... close to unwatchable."

The Anchorage Daily News offers Gibson some questions that could make it a real interview instead of a puff piece. Here are a few:

• You present yourself as a Republican maverick who took on your own party's corrupt political establishment. In November's election, your party is running an indicted U.S. Senator, Ted Stevens, who is awaiting trial on charges he accepted more than $250,000 of unreported gifts from the state's most powerful lobbyist. Will you vote for his opponent? Will you urge Alaskans to help you change Washington and vote him out of office? If not, why not?

• Why have you reneged on your earlier pledge to cooperate with the Alaska Legislature's investigation into Troopergate?

• McCain spokesman Rick Davis told Fox News the media didn't show you enough "deference." How much deference do you expect to get from Vladimir Putin or Hugo Chavez?

Read the rest here.

Comments

[simkmer]

The Media and Press are in control but they seem to be just playing along with the McCain-Palin hide-and-seek political game. If Palin can shut the media out, the media should simply turn the tables. With no exposure to her lies and exaggerations, she would be reduced to her natural element-a secretive example of political emptiness.

[ReasonableBill]

I think it is about time the American people woke up and realized the Religious Right in the "clothes" of the Republican Party whose leadership and politics they have assumed, will say and do whatever it takes to accomplish their Agenda. They will, as we have all seen but not all accept the fact they, evade, control and "half truth" facts, trash and demean anyone who might mount any level of disagreement.
I remember their logic and mantra of but 2 years ago. One would say "I do not like George Bush" and their immediate response was "oh, you do not support the troops dying in Iraq". Their logic and ability to follow a simple statement certainly questions their ability to do more than tie their shoes, after checking and judging the appropriateness of someone else's life and clothes closet..

[jackstpaul]

Gibson's a lightweight. This will be a Potemkin interview.

On Stevens question: Has she endorsed anyone? Stevens? If so, that's damning. Has she denounced (and renounced) him? He’s an example of the worst in corrupt government.

ASK:

Why haven't you given a “real” (and clearly define that) press interview until now, 2 weeks after being chosen?

Isn’t it ludicrous for a Governor to bill her state for a per diem for when she's at home? You did it X gazillion times. And you billed for (somehow unofficial) flights, for your husband, kids, etc. Isn’t that corruption?

What's the difference between Shiite (can't spell) and Sunni?

Do you think there should be an exception for abortion if the woman is a former POW?

Who was Charles Keating?

Why do you think the Soviet Union collapsed?

Would you continue our current Cuban policy? What threat does such a tiny nation pose to the US? Why don't we treat other dictatorships the same way?

Define terrorism.

Do you believe Obama is a patriot?

Do you think Obama lacks the foreign policy experience to be president?

Do you think that, at swearing in time, your 2 years as Governor and X years as Mayor of Podunk with 6700 people gives you more important governance experience than Obama's 4 years as US Senator and 7 years as state legislator?

Would you disown your daughter if she had an abortion?

Is Israel occupying the Palestinians, or are the Palestinians occupying the Israelis?

[ACG322]

Can we at least wait until the interview is done?

[maveman]

unfortunately, good old charley will probably ask--who does your hair?--did you like being a cheerleader?--who cleans the fish your husband catches?---I can't wait!!!

[pattyg77]

I, for one, DO NOT have any FAITH in Charles Gibson doing a fair & impartial interview of Palin...th­is is the same CLOWN (along with George Stepnopilous(sp) who was very unfair to Obama during the primaries when he Hillary were in a debate spear-headed by these 2 morons! I stopped watching anything on ABC after that which included anything with Charles Gipson or Boy George....­they both seemed to be employed by FOX NEWS considering the way Obama was attacked by these 2 CLOWNS asking him about FLAG PINS & other idiotic questions! I expect him to ask Palin soft-ball questions that will leave even more questions about Palin than b-4. Make no mistake, there is a reason the McSame camp has chosen ABC's Charles Gibson to do this!

[Jacob77030]

She's more secluded than a Mynamar Military Junta.

[maxamillca]

Just one question. if you are experienced enough to be a heart beat away from the Presidency ... why can't you give interviews or, for that matter, attend campaign events by yourself without your Bush/McCain training wheels on? Mavericks indeed. More like hobby horses!

[pilgrim7]

Do you really think Americans with 6th grade literacy skills who don't know the meaning of words like "strategic" actually care about the facts or give a hoot about which candidates have the best judgment and intelligence to successfully run a nation?

[kimk3]

I'd like to hear him ask: "You're a believer in End Times and the Rapture... Can you tell us exactly what that means?"

[rsaillant1]

Oh, and what are you planning to do to bring it about?

[pilgrim7]

What Americans want:

According to Kilkenny . . . Palin reduced progressive property taxes for businesses while mayor and increased a regressive sales tax which even hits necessities such as food . . . property taxes . . . rose during the Palin regime.

To an outsider, it would seem hard to do, but an oil-rich town with zero debt on the day she was inaugurated mayor was left saddled with $22 million of debt by the time she moved away to become governor – especially since nothing was spent on things such as improving the city’s infrastructure or building a much-needed sewage treatment plant. So what did Mayor Palin spend the taxpayer’s money on . . .?

For starters, she remodelled her office. Several times over, as a matter of fact.

Then Palin spent $1 million on an unnecessary, new park that no one other than the contractors and Palin seemed to want. Next, Sarah doled out more than $15 million of taxpayer money for a sports complex that she shoved through even though the city did not own clear title to the land; now, seven years later, the matter is still in litigation and lawyer fees are said to be close to at least half of the original estimated price of the facility.

She also worked hard to get voters approval of a $5.5 million bond proposal for roads that could have been built without borrowing. . .

http://www.laprogressive.com/2008/09/05/alaskans-speak-in-a-frightened-whisper-palin-is-%E2%80%9Cracist-sexist-vindictive-and-mean%E2%80%9D/

[Manx]

The question Chuck Gibson won't ask Sarah Palin: "Like Bush, you are a conservative ideologue. What is the difference between you and President Bush?"

[Northwestmichael]

"What is the difference between you and President Bush?"


Lipstick

[grata2ude]

I have never ever seen a candidate that is being so babied in all my life. The AP isn't allowed to be on the plane with her? I bet they screen and devise all the debate questions.

[pricearizona]

Babied? How about the Liberal Media simply "prostrating themselves" in front of Barack Bin Laden (I'm sorry, I mean Obama) - that's the real babying... You'd think the clouds had parted and Obama came down from heaven - of that's right, the lib's don't believe in God, or heaven, my mistake.

[x1soundgarden1x]

Gibson ey? How bout, "Do you believe your evangelical pastor loves America?" Or, "why don't you wear an American flag pin?" That's the kind of hardball interview I expect from Gibson.

[pjtx]

Governor Palin, you and John McCain are the perfect team. You believe in the end times and John McCain has the temper to make it happen. What is your timeline for our nation's destruction?

[LeawoodKansas]

Breaking News .... here are Gibson's questions for Sarah

1. Vice President Palin, first let me tell you how beautiful I think you look tonight and that I loved the swimsuit picture. Here is my first question. Do you believe that Senator Obama is a Muslim?

2. Where did you buy that red jacket?

3. As Vice President, can we expect more children from you and your man, Todd, and if so, would you consider naming it Gibby?

4. The main stream media has been just awful to you, can you tell me how it makes you feel?

5. Which presidential candidate was a POW?

Thank you so much VP Palin. I hope we weren't too hard on you.