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

[MarciaJ720]

One can hope that the people behind the MSM will wake up and be scared and go, "Oh No you Don't" and stop giving so much credit to the Palin/McCain ticket (it is no longer the McCain/Palin ticket).

What I saw scared me - so very unprepared.

What a religious low-info voter saw - Wow, she's GREAT!!!!

If the Palin/McCain ticket wins, America deserves it for letting these Republicans and Corporations own and operate our country and not taking the tax-exempt status away from churches who mix politics and religion.

[hmmmmmer]

The interview was good and showed just how little she is ready to be president, but let's face it, that isn't going to stop a Republican from voting for her.

[Shashi0224]

You are right, unfortunately, skill and capability have nothing to do with how republicans vote. However, if Independents and more Democrats saw this, they will see how unqualified Palin is for the role she's been thrown into. When looking at both tickets...­..the McSame one is Palincomparison!!

[Trollstakeyourmeds]

Well..I've got some good news for you. I spoke to two friends yesterday that were leaning towards McCain after Hillary's loss, but they both said, after this pick for V.P. no way, no how, would they vote for him now. I think a lot of folks are going to be feeling that way.

[luvVB]

So Gibson does his job and we should praise him?!

LOL

Come on, Gibson has been sleeping for the the last 8 years.

[Eoin45]

Absolutely right. Well said.

[Stadium]

Jay, Obama's answered questions much harder than what Charlie Gibson posed. Those questions were only tough if you only had a week to study.

You ever watch Sunday morning news shows? The ones that Obama's appeared on many times live and not taped/edited? Let's see when the campaign let's her on those shows, live. My guess is not until after election day.

[Edward Rotchford - Huffpost Blogger]

The problem with the colossal wreck of a debate that Gibson moderated a few months back sheds an interesting perspective on the unknown... Along with others, I was furious at the debate for Gibson and George S. rehashing what had already been discussed at length for months that did not pertain to the issues. Gibson this time stuck to issues that had lots of questions surrounding it - no talk about the "was-it-really-her baby" rumors or stuff about her daughter - at least not yet. He also made it a point to ask about her foreign policy creditentials because she has, well, none at all.

[mredder4]

A lot of you are still just upset that someone had the temerity to question Obama strenuously about uncomortable issues, and ones that especially did not show the IL Senator in a good light. It's almost as if Obama should have had an easy time at every debate and that he never should have left one feeling rattled by what was discussed or who the focus was on that night. Given that most other candidates had glaring lights shown on their personal issues (Clinton and "sniper fire") whether they had to do with the election or not, this is exactly the kind of mock outrage that Obama is trying to accuse the McCain campaign of using.

Having a personal preference for one candidate or another is all well and good, but don't try and hold one candidate to a certain standard that, for you, doesn't apply to the candidate you support. I may be planning to vote for Obama in November, but that doesn't mean I'm going to accept a "Do as I say, not as I do" approach to his campaigning or among the people who strongly support him. You can't question McCain's strategy to make the media the villain at the same time you are making the media the villain for the way they treated Obama. (Back in the primary, no less; seriously, get over it, months and months later)

[kmac23va]

They discussed Obama not wearing a flag pin in that debate. Is that an issue that should matter? Of course he does now, but where's McCain's and why is Palin STILL wearing an Alaskan state flag pin? She wore it during her interview with Gibson...s­omeone want to tell her she's not running for VP of Alaska no matter how much the state wants to secede?

[Eoin45]

"A lot of you are still just upset that someone had the temerity to question Obama strenuously about uncomortable issues," I see the McCain camp are not the only ones making stuff up. I know of no one who fits your opening sentence.

[GolfingDevil05]

I understand your point, but the reason so many of us weren't happy with Charlie Gibson in that debate had to do with the attention to tabloid matters instead of probing the candidates for their solutions to our vast problems. Mr. Gibson and George Stephanopoulos wasted an hour of that debate on trivia. I didn't care so much that it was about Obama (though most of it was). I cared that it was a waste of valuable time that could have been spent on the war, economy, health care, etc. It seemed more like a debate befitting the National Enquirer instead of ABC News.

Having said that, I believe that Mr. Gibson heard the criticisms stated by so many earlier this year, and perhaps decided they weren't without merit. This interview restored a lot of his journalistic credibility, and that would be no less true had he been interviewing Sens. Obama, McCain, or Biden instead of Gov. Palin.

[jay1975]

So when is someone going to be this tough in a one-on-one with Obama other than O'Rielly?

[LuvDaH8ters]

ok, so the question you are asking is, when is someone going to ask a hard question again? since he already went on O'Reilly?

[NuOrigin]

She hasn't seen tough yet. I bet you won't see her (or McCain, for that matter) on Olbermann.

[kmac23va]

No, and I'd never expect to see them on Olbermann. I could see them on Maddow, while liberal she doesn't have the right chomping at her. Most likely Palin would end up on Meet the Press...as­suming they let her do any more interviews, which could be doubtful.

[blakieto]

Clearly, you're not listening. Obama gives substantive interviews weekly. Plus, if you'd actually listen to his speeches, he outlines exactly his policies on a large number of issues. I expect you're probably reading the "summations" from GOP mouth pieces that straight out lie in their grossly over-reaching paraphrasing.

[ACELiberal]

You are kidding right? where have you been for the past 18 months? in the great white north? Obama has been forced to answer questions about his faith, his upbringing, his mother, his father, his wife, his education, his patriotism, his income, you name it. Now she is expected to interview for the job in front of the American people whom she will represent and it is UNFAIR! We put shoe store managers through more challenging interviews b/c they will have the keys to the cash register and she wants the Nuclear Codes!
Obama has been undergoing interviews and debates for over a year. He has NEVER avoided answering a question. Sarah Palin can not expect to be treated differently bc she is new to the field, or b/c she is a woman. This is a joke and the GOP knows that it played the most offensive and obvious political card anyone can remember. Using Palin IS Sexism.

[swift goat pet for truth]

The Saddleback appearance was no cake walk.
Into the Den of the Lions.

[Rossan]

Palin is out of touch, without an audience and a teleprompter , she's terrible. BTW have you heard about the "Rape KIt" in Alaska where women are charged for their own exams by Alaska? She say's NO to abortions, No to Sex education, and No to free exams for women that have beed raped. I have no respect for Palin. Obama08

[johnnygoodwud]

much better than the debate moderator charlie, but the entire interview was edited like crazy. you could tell she was nervous, and what's up with the wink out of her left eye when she REALLY gets nervous. charlie looked annoyed and impatient. all-in-all for charlie b+, for her c- and i'm grading easy. is it true her glasses are fake and she wears them to make her look more studious

[richdoll]

very hubris of her to state she's ready to lead = not !!!

[bspence]

I disagree that she looked unprepared, at least in the way of saying that she was blowing off the interview. It's painfully obvious that she studied really hard for this interview, and still got a failing grade. Doesn't mean she didn't prepare, she just didn't prepare enough. Palin = F

[jakie]

SHE LOOKED LIKE A ROBOT JUST LIKE SHE WAS PROGRAMED PLEASE PEOPLE THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT FOR A VP

[eden4barack08]

Even if she'd passed with a C or a B, would anyone be so foolish as to hand over control to someone because they studied hard for two weeks?

[Roose]

She crammed and it was painful to watch. If that had been me, I'd be hiding under the bed this morning. LOL!

[orianna]

I was worried, but ended up pleased with his work.... she came across totally unprepared, a Palin presidency is a dangerous concept for America, our children's future is at risk here and this is truly a low point for republicans, who move with blinders to enthusiastically back her candidate run for office.

[outofhere]

On Faux news, Steve, Gretchen and Brian were upset that Gibson didn't start with an easy question and they hammered away on editing. Geez everyone else is so unfair but this trio is fair and balanced. I don't know how they look at themselves each day having sold their souls.

[shadm81]

Well this is the only begining, but I guess the down side is, now the McCain camp has an idea on how to potentially gage questions on hte up-coming VP debate.

[theDrip]

The dripping arrogance of "church lady speak" just gushed out each time she said "Charlie". This woman is as clueless as my dear ex-governor, W. Bush. The Republicans should hold their heads in shame, but liars and sociopaths rather think of anyone but themselves.

[newgeneration]

After the spectacle of the primary debate ,, Gibson had a lot to prove. He did a good job.

[TurtleGuy]

The clenched fists and slouching that she showed all throughout the interview tells you everything you need to know about her as a person. She felt backed into a corner, and the slouching showed she wasn't 100% confident in her ability to ace the interview.