September 12, 2008, - 2:17 pm
On Sarah Palin’s ABC Interview
By Debbie Schlussel
As I’m sure you all did, I watched the Sarah Palin interview with Charles Gibson. Tonight, there will be an hour-long, extended interview on ABC at 10:00 p.m. Eastern. I’ll have to tape it and comment later on Sunday or Monday.
Overall, I think she did a good job. Charles Gibson’s smug, arrogant, almost angry demeanor was a huge turn-off and worked for her, contrasting starkly with her nice, homey demeanor. As some of you may know, I think there are a lot of drawbacks to Sarah Palin, but most of them were not evident in last night’s interview.
First, I’m not bothered in the least that she invoked the name of G-d regarding the war in Iraq–the video that has already been played over and over and over again, and was replayed in last night’s ABC/Gibson interview. As you know, I think we made a giant mistake handing Iraq to Iranian-backed Shi’ites. But that’s a different topic altogether. I don’t find any offense in Sarah Palin invoking G-d, and I’m glad she has such strong religious faith. That’s one of her strong points, which will provide a strong foundation in the areas in which she is weak and ignorant.
Many readers have sent me quotes from Palin and/or from her church. As readers know, I have a tremendous respect for evangelical Christians, and I’m not bothered at all by those things she and/or her minister has said. I am, though, bothered by the Jews for Jesus visitor that spoke once at her Church saying Israel deserved terrorist attacks. But he was a one-time visitor, and I don’t think he represents her views at all.
Back to the interview. I was glad she repeated that it’s not for us or anyone else to second-guess Israel in the steps it takes for its defense. However, when she repeated it, she also wouldn’t answer when he asked would you support Israel if they strike Iran. A simple, proud “yes”–which she declined to do–would have been good and more reassuring, but her answer was fine.
That she couldn’t enumerate the so-called “Bush doctrine” doesn’t bother me, since I think Bush frankly can’t either, not that Bush should be the base benchmark. I also noted that, like Bush, she, too, thinks it’s “New-Kyuh-ler.” It’s “nuclear.” Pronouncing it correctly does a lot for the image.
But as for the Bush doctrine, it doesn’t bother me that she couldn’t describe a doctrine. If she has the right sentiments–and it sounds like, after the McCain tutoring session she does–that’s what counts.
Doesn’t really matter whether or not she’s rarely traveled around the world or hasn’t met a foreign head of state. She seems to have the handshake and riding on an airplane stuff down.
During the portion of the interview at a portion of the Alaska pipeline, during which she talked about drilling in ANWR, I think she was spot on. That was her best portion of the interview.
Overall, I’d give her a B on the interview.
What do you think? How did she perform in your mind?
I agree completely with your assessment and your grade of B or B+. Pretty good for her first interview with all Gibson’s hostility, both verbal (including sighs) and body language.
I also find striking the hostility of much of the Republican establishment, politicians in Congress, foreign policy hacks and former hacks. A hostile neutrality in general. I think this is all to the good. I agree that there are serious weakness in her record & positions, such as illegal immigration, not to say the least, but she is definitely not part of the establishment.
I don’t know how she will turn out if she is elected, but she can’t be worse than what we’ve got. I’m sure she is not pleased with the hostility of the Republican establishment, and she realize who constitutes her base. I’ve been waiting for a long time for a real populist who is responsive to the electorate. If I could have picked an ideal candidate that person would not be the same as Sarah Palin, but I think she is as close as we are likely to get, at least for the foreseaable future. I think that conservatives should support her, while at the same time, as you are doing, articulating differences when they exist.
c f on September 12, 2008 at 4:25 pm