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

[ToddG]

This interview won't change anything for the Repbulican base. I also think that if people only read the transcript, it isn't quite as bad, except for the question about Israel which reads terribly because she says exactly the same thing to three slightly different questions. Fortunately, most people don't read the transcript, they watched the interview and her body language did not come off as confident in some parts of the interview.

I think that as people are getting to know her, her numbers will drop. The same thing happened to Obama as well. When people didn't know him, they liked him because for the ultra-liberals, they thought he supported everything they wanted and the centrists thought the same thing. Over time, people found he didin't fall in line exaclty with their believe system and his numbers dropped. The same is true with Sarah Palin.

But back to the interview. She did not come off nearly as strong as she did in her convention speech or as she does on the stump. I think that some centrist Republicans and independents will start moving over as they realize that she doesn't do nearly as well once she is off the prepared script.

I have to admit I was nervous going into watching the interview. I honestly expected her to do better. She looked weak to me and if you can't look strong against Charlie Gibson, you won't look strong to Putin, that's fo sure.

[shag11]

I was surprised, I thought it would be fluff. Especially since the rightwing selected him.

[indyleftist]

It is still amazing me to me how poor the media is
Nobody, not even Huffpost is actually pointing out the big gaffe she made

She incorrectly said that Russia's attack on Georgia was unprovoked. Which is very basic current events knowledge

And after she showed she didn't know anything about the Georgia/Russia conflict she said she had made a decision to put Georgia in NATO, which is a very serious action, and was infact already thinking about open war with Russia over a conflict she knows nothing about

This is a very serious mistake
I don't care if she doesn't know what the "Bush Doctrine" is, frankly I hope nobody ever speaks of it again. The real gaffe is the Georgia gaffe

[JBDial]

The initial retaliation may be interpreted as being provoked to a degree, but the further advancement past South Ossetia was not. It's funny howyou libs would have a cow if the US attacked South Ossetia on behalf of Georgia, but not the other way around. South Ossetia is not part of Russia, it is indpendent. So "provoke" is a bit fuzzy here. Georgia didn't invade Russia.

[peorgietirebiter]

Where' s all the Republican rage over Gibson's interview of McCain?
Because of that interview when I learned the McCain camp had chosen Gibson I honestly thought it would be a powder puff debut. I was dead wrong and I imagine McCain's Peeps feel the same.

[bascombe]

all the shills give sarah high marks.
kurtz is such a repug.

[findmucker]

For all the people who think the idea of going to war with russia over Georgia is crazy. If Georgia (pop. 4,630,841) had been a member of Nato, Putin never would have gone in. I would also remind you Latvia (pop. 2,245,423) and Estonia (pop. 1,307,605) are Nato members, so if Russia invaded either of these countries we would be expected to help. As far as the "Bush Doctrine" Charlie Gibson is ill informed.

"There is no single meaning of the Bush doctrine. In fact, there have been four distinct meanings, each one succeeding another over the eight years of this administration -- and the one Charlie Gibson cited is not the one in common usage today. It is utterly different.­'

"I know something about the subject because, as the Wikipedia entry on the Bush doctrine notes, I was the first to use the term. In the cover essay of the June 4, 2001, issue of the Weekly Standard entitled, "The Bush Doctrine: ABM, Kyoto, and the New American Unilateralism," I suggested that the Bush administration policies of unilaterally withdrawing from the ABM treaty and rejecting the Kyoto protocol, together with others, amounted to a radical change in foreign policy that should be called the Bush doctrine."
-Charles Krauthammer

[Chillinout]

I take back all the preemptive remarks I made about this not being a "real" interview and just a fluff piece.

[peorgietirebiter]

me too.

[JBDial]

Gee... you both were wrong. You both jumped to a conclusion not based on facts, but based on bias... Hmmmmm... I wonder if that may happen in other areas, like say who you're voting for or more accurately who you're voting against.

[krd 123]

Obama is ahead in the polls and up with women 26%. He also have the highest conversion rate of Republicans with 8% making the switch.

See....We can say ANYTHING! My polls say different than yours. Poles are for fishing. And NO I'm not talking about Palin just because I said Fishing! (Pathetic crutch of sexism)!

[stevea66]

Here's a poll that's REAL. KTVA in Alaska did this poll. The question was: Do you believe Sarah Palin when she says she knows nothing about the phone calls (TrooperGate)? 12.15% said they believed her and 87.84% said they didn't. This is the most popular Governor? Hmmm.

[MPinFlorida]

Sarah not so bright. Thanks, Mr. Gibson, for a piece of professional journalism. You allowed the true Sarah Palin to shine through.

[kadene]

The trouble is that the cheering masses were di.gging for an excuse to vote without voting for either McCain or Obama. Sarah Palin's given them that excuse, so they don't care about her readiness to be VP, her qualifications or her scrupulousness. The Reps only want to win. Barack thinks principle and clean campaigns will do it for the Democrats? He'd better learn fast! H.it them where it h.urts; there is a lot of amm.unitio­n!

[KatiaK]

Thank you Charlie Gibbs!

This white female voter got what she needed out of the interview.­...

Please do not let Sarah Palin anywhere our nuclear codes. What the heck was McCain thinking making such a reckless decision?

She has absolutely no grasp of the complexities of our foreign policy or national security.

A wonderful woman perhaps but I pray for my children's sake that she will never see the White House.

Another war mongerer cut from the Bush-Cheney cloth! She may be fine sending her son off to Iraq but I will never send mine into harm's way for a war that cannot be justified. Enough war!

For the love of God America…. .Wake up!

[bascombe]

her son is going into the army to avoid jail.

[fireguy]

Do you have any facts to support this charge?

[SENCvoter]

I must agree. Sarah Palin demonstrated that she has no knowledge of how the federal government works. When asked about reform, she talked about water, sewer, property taxes. These are all local issues, not federal issues.

She somehow thinks that there is this Disney version of the government where things happen magically. When asked specific questions, she answered so generically, gave vacuous points that, in the end, after having said so many words, she really said nothing. Thank you Charles Gibson. I thought that Palin might be a force to reckoned with, but she may just be big fluff.

[afgail]

The interview was a watershed moment. One doesn't have to be a foreign policy expert to recognize that Palin's claim that Russia being close to Alaska some how confers foreign policy expertise on her. The comment is so patently stupid that it makes you marvel at the morons running the McCain campaign.

[chitown8]

I agree she does not understand NATO formation or the truth of the Russia issue. Georgia attacked first. Russia responded. She seems driven by war. Also yesterday that quote with Abraham Lincoln that was not what she said and Gibson should have called her out on it.

I wish the debates would add the video of what each candidate said and make them respond.

[tresstine]

I agree with chitown8. I am disappointed in Sarah's new friend "Charlie" Gibson,
who let her slide when asked about God's cause...fr­om which Lincoln speech
or writing did she reference "her quote"?? and when she stated that Russia
was the aggressor/attacker on Georgia...­why didn't he call out her ignorance
of the the truth...or at least correct her mistake ??

Her answers were programmed with McCain script. And her refusal to revise
her "Thanks but no thanks" in the face of Gibson's factual evidence scares me.
And her not blinking or thoughtfully pondering her ability to lead our country is
beyond hubris. Palin is not fully conscious of the enormous challenges and
overwhelming responsibility of the position of vice-president.

Not surprising considering she attended five different schools to attain one degree!

[thirteen13]

Palin sends her son off to war in Iraq with great fanfare, to kill or be killed.

Anyone who destroys a fertilized human egg will be prosecuted to the full extent of Palin's law.

The moral is save the fertilized eggs and fetuses for the war zone where GOD wants them to be killed. ALLAH will help to kill them also.

[Seeker14]

Reflecting on the Gibson/Palin interview, the words of a wise man came to mind: "He
who forgets history is doomed to repeat it".

Television and film, since invention, and in conjunction with print mediums, have chronicled every major event of the 20th and 21st century, good, bad or horrific; in ways many times unforgettable.

I would offer at least two:
1. "The Manchurian Candidate"
(Film, 1962 http://www.filmsite.org/manc.html)
2. "The Rise and Fall of The Third Reich"
William L. Shirer
Book: Simon & Schuster (1960)ISBN-13: 9780671728687
Movie: http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/41503/The-Rise-and-Fall-of-the-Third-Reich/overview

I would also suggest consideration of an important book, among several,that is considered a signature work, if not required reading, for aspiring or in place public relations, marketing and political campaign managers:

"Doctor [Joseph] Goebbels: His Life & Death"
Roger Manvell and Heinrich Fraenkel Greenhill
Books 2006

"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to
believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the
people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus
becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent,
for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the
greatest enemy of the State.”

-Joseph Goebbels, Chief Propaganda Minister, Nazi Party

Points to ponder...s­eriously

[JBDial]

Read Bill O'Reilly's "Culture Wars" sometime..­.

I agree Seeker14..­. but I think I agree from a much different perspective.

There is story that says if you put a frog in an already boiling pot of water, he will jump out. But if you put him in a cold pot of water and slowly bring that to a boil, he will not jump out and will finallly be cooked to death...

Since the 50's (perhaps even before) little by little socialist ideals have crept into this country and have been championed by the liberals policy after policy. It even has a new name now: "progressive". Bigger government, more government control, re-distribution of wealth (tax the rich at a much higher rate than others until they are like everyone else), everyone should be equal in status, pay, etc., the government will do a better job of taking care of you and will make better decisions concerning your life than you can. Individuality is gone, but disguised as diversity. No moral compass, no one to answer to but yourself, and your own "choices" since God does not exist in the mind of the progressive.

continued.­..

[JBDial]

If your vision for the country is to have the United States become like San Francisco then I can see why you want Obama or Hilary or Joe Biden or Nancy Pelosi. On the San Francisco ballot this year is whether to legalize prostitution in the city. The reasoning? "To reduce violence against women and improve the health of sex workers and their clients." Hmmmmm... a "progressive" stance or a conservative stance?
continued from above...

At the very least we need to keep the checks and balances in place - Since the Democrats control the House and Senate, there should be a Republican president. John McCain would not be my first choice, but Obama and a democrat House and Senate scares the crap out of me.


This country is at war - with itself ... and we are all frogs in the progressive soup and the temperature is still going up - little-by-­little...

[Veneita]

Nevermind. Found it. Does this look like the bush doctrine exchange? http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/505000/video/_506298_nick_miles13_vi.ram

[ToddG]

Actually, the BBC test of Bush in this clip was much harder than the Charlie Gibson interview.

[Veneita]

Does anyone have this this footage? http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/11/05/bush.popquiz/

It should be lined up next to Palin to remind folks what they will get if they vote mccain/palin

[thirteen13]

Remind folks what they will get if they vote Republican, period.

[TurgidCaterwauling]

Crammed for the orals. Knew the answers, but not anything in depth. Her technique was showing. Like Bush, she's not at all comfortable on the world stage. Her folksiness plays well with the simpletons who can't get beyond her sex, her looks, and the idea that she could be their neighbor.
If that's all we expect from a potential president, by all means, let's elect her.

[ponderonit101]

Well, I'm sure everyone remembers when the Bushies were chanting..­.

4 MORE, 4 MORE 4 MORE

[ponderonit101]

You know they always say cramming is not good for long term memory. Do you think Sarah will remember any of "that foreign policy stuff " next week?

[walsenberg]

And she went to what 5 or six colleges to get her journalism degree? Oh so smart and Obama only went to one school.... lol

For anyone with a student in college, can you imagine them changing colleges so frequently?

lol the woman is nuts.

[marleysghost]

I do not believe for a minute that she is qualified to be anything more than president of her local PTA.

[jupitor]

Gibson did fine! But should have asked her if she didn't think it important to know the bush Document and kept pressing her on foreign policy!

[Justsaynodeal]

Apparently Gibson didn't know what the "Bush Doctrine" is either, and I who try to keep well informed like so many of you on the Internet, didn't have any idea what the Bush Doctrine is. It has been said that Bush has had several different ones. It was apparent also that Charlie Gibson was out for a "Gottcha."

[Indubio]

Hey, I'll grant that she is qualified to be mayor of her home town but that's as far as I am willing to go on the competence issue. I'll say once again that the Alaska media states that she's barely competent to be governor and won the job largely by default.