Charlie Gibson's Palin Interview Reviews: "Annoyed," "All Business," "No Nonsense"

ABC's Charlie Gibson is drawing positive reviews for his interview of Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

New York Times' Alessanda Stanley:

Ms. Palin didn't look rattled or lose her cool in her first interview with Mr. Gibson, the network anchor, on Thursday night, 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. When Ms. Palin seemed not to know exactly what the Bush doctrine is, Mr. Gibson made a point of explaining it -- pre-emptive self-defense -- and demanded that she tell him whether she agreed with it.

ABC News delivered the first glimpse of Ms. Palin without a script or a cheering audience, and it was a strained and illuminating conversation. Ms. Palin, who kept inserting Mr. Gibson's nickname, Charlie, into her answers, as if to convey an old hand's conviviality, tried to project self-confidence, poise and even expertise: She let Mr. Gibson know that she had personally reassured the Georgian president and correctly pronounced his last name, Saakashvili. At times, her eyes looked uncertain and her voice hesitated, and she looked like a student trying to bend prepared answers to fit unexpected questions.

Mr. Gibson, who sat back in his chair, impatiently wriggling his foot, had the skeptical, annoyed tone of a university president who agrees to interview the daughter of a trustee but doesn't believe she merits admission.

Washington Post's Howard Kurtz:

Anyone who said that Charlie Gibson might go easy on Sarah Palin might want to quickly delete those comments.

What the ABC newsman conducted yesterday was a serious, professional interview that went right at the heart of what we want and need to know about the governor: Could she be president? Does she understand the nuances of international affairs? Does she have a world view?

He was all business, respectful but persistent.

The Baltimore Sun's David Zurawik:

ABC anchorman Charles Gibson came across as a stern, no-nonsense senior professor putting a graduate student through a tough exam in the first part of his interview with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

It was round one of a three-part interview that will air on the network through tomorrow night, and you had to give it as a split decision to Gibson. But he was far from perfect, and he clearly received a lot of help from the way the interview was edited.

The usually genial Gibson was firm and authoritative without being hectoring as he and the Republican vice presidential candidate sat stiffly knees to knees in leather chairs discussing God, national security and the possibility of military action against Russia if it invades Georgia again. Gibson wasted no time in the excerpted portion of the interview that aired on ABC World News in asking about her qualifications.

Comments

[sheaftosser]

I was struck by her expertise as a liar. She's apparently had a lot of practice.

[lvogt]

I was skeptical about Gibson but for this kind of interview I thought it was pretty good. I thought Palin kept her cool while saying almost nothing. She's clearly not up to the task of VP.

[htm2us]

i thought gibson was terrible---he looked uncomfortable and looking over his glasses and it appeared he was too aware that he was being watched by the world to ask some pertinent questions. he looked like a stern principal---

[azyuwish]

That's called serious journalism. Our "Freedom of the Press" is just that. Journalists should be watch dogs, not lap dogs.

Was Gibson supposed to be awed by her? Defer to her? Wink back at her? Be overcome by her female charms?

He wasn't buying into her cross her legs and shift her body and say "In what respect Charlie?"

She tried to play the "I'm so cute when I'm tough" card, but he wasn't buying it for a second. He interviewed her, as he would interview a man. No b.s. .

It is a high ranking position she is seeking; let us not forget that. She needs to get as good as she gives.

[thebeerdoctor]

Take a look around my fellow Huffpo posters. Much of the world now takes exception to the idea of the United States telling everybody else what to do. Being a successful political mediocrity is simply not good enough. If ever there was a time that required intelligent rational thinking, this is it. Planetary survival depends on it. The promotion of violence and greed is a threat to every one of us. People who hide the true motives of that agenda, whether it is behind the flag, patriotism, or church, need to be exposed for the dangerous fraud they adhere to. Despite all the biographical glitter thrown out to distract, this election is indeed important.

[daddydamon]

"successful political mediocrity"

Well put. That's exactly what she is.

[azyuwish]

Exactamundo.

[Elcaro]

Charles Krauthammer in his opportunistic article in Washington Post seems to be suggesting that since Charlie Gibson was not right on defining the Bush Doctrine then Americans should vote for Sarah Palin as potential president of the United States.

Anyway; trying to attribute any doctrine to seven years of Bush Administration is a futile exercise in digging up incoherencies.

The closest President Bush himself came to formulating a coherent doctrine was in early 2007, when Admiral Fallon asked for policy advice on how to deal with the Iranians. President Bush declared … THESE ARE ***HOLES…

[Wuzzup]

This woman Palin is as dumb as they come, 5 different colleges in 6 yrs says it all.

[era996]

And your screenname says a lot about how smart you are

[granamica]

Chortle, but she's stll a dolt.

[roneco]

Thanks Dumocrats. Just keep shoveling the votes to Mc Cain !

[dadw5boys]

PALIN IS NOT JUST A V.P. CANIDATE SHE IS 80 % LIKELY TO BE THE PRESIDENT BEFORE 4 YEARS ARE UP.

INSURANCE TABLES SUGGEST McCAIN HAS ONLY 20 % CHANCE OF MAKING IT 4 YEARS.

ADD THE PRESSURES OF THE JOB AND IT MUST BE LOWER THAN THAT !!!!!!!

[Wuzzup]

As President she will follow B in Laden to the gates of Stoopidity­.Yup, yup.

[roneco]

Bin Laden is a multi-millionare, are you ?

[Probus]

Any person who says "nucular" instead of nuclear is unfit to serve. She's too much like W.

[MikeKilo]

Like that great Democrat, Jimmy Carter?

[era996]

Or Mondale, Dukakis, Gore, Kerry and Obama

[Probus]

Palin doesn't even know what the Bush Doctrine is. Gibson had to explain it to her.

[terilynnAZ]

imagine the disdain we have for this woman and we didn't even know who she was a couple of weeks ago . I only know that my gut tells me that she is a dangerous fraud and if the electorate gets sucked into voting for her it wil rock this country to its core. We cannot live under the Karl Rove
doctrine any longer we must do everything we can to support the real change agent. Do everything you can in the next 54 days to elect Obama.

[roneco]

You had better start liking her, she will be our next President !

[JBDial]

So now Karl Rove has a doctrine too? Let's ask Obama if he knows what that is.

[SwingVoter82]

She has the nerve to come onto the scene as a freshman and try to out-wit Gibson? C'mon Sarah - no matter your sex, education or hunting hobbies, you have no right to make such bold claims and ignorant remarks as a national figure. Go home.

[rockyrococoAZ]

I'm glad Gibson held her feet to the fire.

If she can't take it, she should get out of the race.

[marymansour]

Tim Russert would have done it better.

[teachnotpreach]

Did anyone notice that she couldn't even put a sentence together correctly? Her sentences were a mish-mash of disconnected thoughts. It was difficult to follow her logic. David Gergin called her answers "incoheren­t." And sorry, her grammar needs some work! She said, "We want to do a few things GOOD." Look, that's fine for a casual conversation off the record, but it just sounds ridiculous coming from a potential future VP. She's going to be holding discussions with highly educated leaders. She needs to come across as a braniac.

[MikeKilo]

>>She needs to come across as a brainiac.

[MikeKilo]

Let's retry that...

If your man's such a brainiac himself, why did he chicken out of going head to head against McCain in series of town hall formats?

The honest answer is that he doesn't do very well unscripted. Put him in an unstructured setting and take away his teleprompter, and he starts flopping like a fish on a sand bar.

We need an adult in the White House. We need John McCain.

There's just too much at stake.

[newgeneration]

An Adult? MacCain is despicable, he has change every position he was for The POW is getting very tiring,, he is as illiterate on the issues as Bush was . NO more morons in the WH ... Oh please ,,, Palin is so ignorant ,,the interview was painful to watch, Obama is intelligent and know what is happening around the world ,, Palin got her first passport last year ,, I am more qualified than she is .. this is a joke .

[stevea66]

Nice try. Neither Palin nor McCain even come close to having Obama's intellect and vision. And the reason Obama didn't do the town halls is because McCain put the challenge out there a day after Obama had the nomination. It was too quick and was clearly a ploy. Had Obama accepted, it would've made McCain look like he's leading this thing. Even if Obama had kicked his ass, he would've been following a McCain lead, which he should never do if he can avoid it.

[buckbuck11]

There was absolutely no reason for the Obama to have to share a stage with McCain. McCain can't draw crowds on his own. It would lend far too much credence to his miserable li es.

[kadene]

"We need an adult in the White House. We need John McCain."

John McCain's not just an adult: he's a ger.iatric with mela.noma in remission, and on the verge of de.mentia. Do you folks read or ever think before you hit the keyboard or open your mouth?

[Swerinjer]

She asserted Russia attacked first when it's well-known that Georgia was the instigator. This is isn't opinion, this is just basic world knowledge. Huge gaffe. Where's the fallout please?

[MikeKilo]

Politics makes strange bedfellows, indeed. You mean to say you're defending RUSSIA?

[jpknight]

Looks like a defense of the facts. This is not some old world history quiz. It's an event weeks old and she's skipping over the real reason for the conflict. She's reframing the conflict to suit her position. Facts are such tricky things for rethugs.

[Swerinjer]

Yes I'm defending Russia. Like they need it.

[granamica]

Chosing sides based on feeling instead of facts is the whole history of the US foreign policy. And it sucks. We have no morale compass, we have no higher authority. We could if we followed or even had principles.

[Willow712]

The Georgians did start this little caper in South Ossetia. The South Ossetians want to join up with North Ossetia, even tho N. Ossetia is under Russia. They want to unify. Georgia says "no go". And started being aggressive and bringing Georgian troops into the area. Russia pushed them out. So the original aggressor was Georgia.

[sheaftosser]

Sashkavili visited Washington just weeks before the invasion. He left with the impression, conveyed by Bush and Condi, that the US would back him up on the Ossetian secessionist issue. He started behaving more and more beligerantly toward Russia as a result. After twisting the tiger's tail for a few weeks Putin finally smacked him down.

Yet more thousands of lives lost due to Bush Administration incompetence.

[kellygrrrl]

ReThug Pundits should do themselves a favor and just come right out and say

We know he's lying
We know she's a trainwreck
We don't care
We have an agenda and we're going to steal this thing

[cia1018]

Exactlt!

[cia1018]

Exactly!

[roneco]

The nation can't afford to let you Dumocrats set the agenda !
We don't need another socialist in the Presidency,

[LemonMeringue]

I think more highly of him than I did before.

[momforbetterworld]

Charlie Gibson did a great job! I was surprised since the media has been under pressure on being politically correct, he was very fair in the way he presented the foreign policy questions for Sarah Palin to show us if she could potentially run this country as a Vice President. She, apparently, is not ready for leading this country in any way. The more she tried to fake it, the more I am annoyed by her lack of international life/work experience and the lack of knowledge on foreign relationships.