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2008-09-12 Home Front: Politix

Palin Interview: She Didnt Blink When Asked to Run

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Posted by tipper 2008-09-12 00:00|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| [11130 views ] Top

#1 Nancy Pelosi doesn't blink either, but then she is unable to.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2008-09-12 02:40|| 2008-09-12 02:40|| Front Page Top

#2 Nancy blinks.

Posted by Betty Grating2215 2008-09-12 05:31|| 2008-09-12 05:31|| Front Page Top

#3 My final conclusion of this interview was that I was shocked and disgusted with the sexism displayed. Charlie Gibson's "look me in the eye" immediately offended me on a level I'm not used to being offended on. Where did he get off patting her on the head like that? I tried and could not imagine him asking Obama (or any other professional) that question in that tone.

But in the end, she kicked his behind and left the heel of her stiletto sticking out his, um.. nevermind.

When she gave her comment about Lincoln, I had this sense that Charlie Gibson was just one of many nameless, faceless, opponents whom she had shot down and left strewn upon the roadside.

I had this vision of her stopping briefly as she left the studio to put another notch in her lipstick case.

Posted by Betty Grating2215 2008-09-12 05:51|| 2008-09-12 05:51|| Front Page Top

#4 I thought she was tense and a bit forced in the first questions. Gibson was clearly taken aback that she didn't show any humility about taking the VP / President role. I was expecting some words along the lines of "leading this great country is an honor and a challenge that I believe I'm up for blah blah". She did come across as a bit pitbull-ish in her "I didn't blink" response IMO.

That said, there was a real gotcha tone to the interview. She wasn't given a chance to lay out a position or talk at any length. No doubt Gibson felt that doing so would just allow her to recite memorized speeches. But with the obvious editing in which some of what she had to say was chopped off, combined with his egregious mis-representation of her comments in church about Iraq, I'd have to say that this wasn't Gibson's best performance as an interviewer on the national stage under pressure.

Posted by lotp 2008-09-12 08:40|| 2008-09-12 08:40|| Front Page Top

#5 I agree Betty,

Sarah Palin held her own even with Charlie Gibson's continuous attempts to get her to make a gaffe. She didn't waffles one bit on national security and support of allies.

The whole "Is it worth it to defend Georgia" meme just displays the lack of principles on the leftist MSM plate.

Yes, it is worth it to defend democracy. It is a matter of principle. If you have no principles you are an empty vessel, a hollow shell, which will be filled with whatever the rationalization du jour happens to be.

One wonders exactly what would be 'worth it' to the talking heads of the media.

Go Sarah!

DanNY

Posted by DanNY">DanNY 2008-09-12 08:57|| http://www.nygoe.wordpress.com]">[http://www.nygoe.wordpress.com] 2008-09-12 08:57|| Front Page Top

#6 Many people in the U.S. don't quite realize what it means to live that close to Russia. I grew up in Anchorage and we understood that Elmendorf and Fort Rich would be targets of any first strike. Russian aircraft often tested the warning systems to the north and west. We had air raid drills in school.

(On the positive side sometimes we would get to see the anti aircraft systems tested against drones over the mountains. Seeing a missile rise and blow up an aircraft is unbelievably cool to 10 year old boys.)

Palin has a completely different mindset than Gibson on security.

Posted by DoDo 2008-09-12 11:04|| 2008-09-12 11:04|| Front Page Top

#7 Gibson had the opportunity of a lifetime and career to interview her if she becomes Vice-President. He squandered it by coming of as chauvinistic and condescending and being what Hillary supporters see the dhimocrats doing to their spectrum of the voting block.
Good job Charles, you just swung the female voters 10 more points in Palin's direction.
Chauvinistic pig.

Posted by DarthVader 2008-09-12 11:48|| 2008-09-12 11:48|| Front Page Top

#8 Intrade has McCain up over Obama by 7.1 points: 53.0 vs 45.9 . If he goes much higher expect the media and the left in general to totally lose it.

Posted by lotp 2008-09-12 11:55|| 2008-09-12 11:55|| Front Page Top

#9 charleys 1st segment interview with Sarah, was clouded by charlies ambitious auditioning.

While Sarah wanted to talk about political reform, which is the essence of why Sara is so popular, charlies objective was that of auditioning for water boy, of strident inquisitor. A position open, since the retirement of a string of exit stage left anchors. Someone needs to give ABC, the definition of RO/RS=CF.........

the interview was nothing but a face making audition by charlie.....imagine that....go fish.

Posted by Spiny Gl 2511 2008-09-12 12:38|| 2008-09-12 12:38|| Front Page Top

#10 Nancy blinks

She sure does.

Posted by tipper 2008-09-12 14:22|| 2008-09-12 14:22|| Front Page Top

#11 Didn't get to see the whole thing. But from what I did see I thought Gibson was just trying really hard not to give the impression that he was pitching softballs. I mean, give him a break. Would you have preferred Katie Couric? And Sarah didn't blink. She has A-type written all over her. Pit bull, indeed. Can't wait to see what she does to Biden.

Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2008-09-12 14:32|| 2008-09-12 14:32|| Front Page Top

#12 Aside from misquoting her on the "Holy War" line of questioning and bringing up a very hazy "Bush Doctrine" I thought the content of Gibson's questions was fair.

Gibson's distortion of the quote from Palin's church address was way out of bounds. She did a very nice job of addressing it though and, I think, gave an answer that no one will quibble with outside the looniest of the far left or the ranks of militant athieism.

It wasn't reasonable to expect Gov. Palin to know to which particular incarnation of the Bush Doctrine Gibson was referring; one Bush himself enunciated, something tacked on by the media, his critics, his supporters, or some third party? The question is overbroad, fodder for a library full of dissertations and theses rather than a brief interview response. That said, Gov. Palin did stumble over the question and needs to improve her handling of situations where she's caught flat-footed or where the interviewer is laying an unclever trap.

Gibson's tone is one any attorney will instantly recognize: the petulant judge who might have read the complaint but who probably hasn't read the briefs and who is nevertheless intent on arguing his or her understanding of the issues with the attorneys anyway. The impatience, dismissiveness, condescention, arrogance, contant interruptions, and the like all fit the profile. I thought Gov. Palin did a nice job handling Gibson's attitude, it was intended to throw her off stride in hopes of bringing forth a careless statement and it didn't do so.

Gov. Palin did a nice job of staying on point when Gibson, on multiple occasions, repeated the same question multiple times. That's an attempt to look for internal inconsistencies or to push a speaker off-point. It works when the speaker is speaking not from their own internal convictions but is instead searching for the approval of their questioner (as often happens with the ill-prepared). Gibson had no success with that tactic here which speaks highly of the depth of Gov. Palin's preparation.

Her body language conveyed a bit of nervousness to me but it didn't carry into her voice or facial expressions. To be visibly nervous but so completely in control is brutally difficult, even for professional speakers.

She does have a few verbal habits that she employs to create space while she mentally composes her response. Not nearly as offensive as Obama's constant stream of "well, uhhhhh, y'know, I ahhh" followed byaveryrapidclosetohisthought. Look for repeated phrases and "I do" with Gov. Palin; not offensive but she can clean up her speaking style by slowing down just a bit and avoiding the use of verbal techniques designed to create space.

I thought that overall she acquitted herself fairly well. She probably didn't change anyone's mind one way or another and the sound bites aren't damaging no matter how badly spun. Probably a C+ / B- performance but I expect that she'll improve very rapidly from here, you can see that coming and it's only a matter of time. But then last time I was asked to critique speakers I referred to one as "ill prepared, horribly presented and awfully dull" only to later learn that he was considered quite accomplished ... you should definitely salt my opinion to taste. ;)

Posted by AzCat 2008-09-12 20:13|| 2008-09-12 20:13|| Front Page Top

#13 "If he goes much higher expect the media and the left in general to totally lose it."

How will we be able to tell, lotp?

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2008-09-12 20:49|| http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/]">[http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/] 2008-09-12 20:49|| Front Page Top

#14 I stone cold sober don't know Barb. But I suspect it can indeed get even worse.

Posted by lotp 2008-09-12 21:00|| 2008-09-12 21:00|| Front Page Top

#15 Just caught today's clip. Gibson and Palin were both significantly better here.

Posted by AzCat 2008-09-12 21:26|| 2008-09-12 21:26|| Front Page Top

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