# Palin punts in the interview with Charlie Gibson **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 11, 2008, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178 "2008-09-11T23:06:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/1 "2008-09-11T23:06:57Z")
In tonight’s portion of the his interview with Sarah Palin, [Charlie Gibson asked two direct questions](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/Story?id=5782924&page=3) (among others) that Palin tried to evade. To his credit, Gibson persisted, rephrasing each question in a more direct fashion. > [@](#): > > GIBSON: What if Israel decided it felt threatened and needed to take out the Iranian nuclear facilities? > > PALIN: Well, first, we are friends with Israel and I don’t think that we should second guess the measures that Israel has to take to defend themselves and for their security. > > GIBSON: So if we wouldn’t second guess it and they decided they needed to do it because Iran was an existential threat, we would cooperative or agree with that. > > PALIN: I don’t think we can second guess what Israel has to do to secure its nation. > > GIBSON: So if it felt necessary, if it felt the need to defend itself by taking out Iranian nuclear facilities, that would be all right. > > PALIN: We cannot second guess the steps that Israel has to take to defend itself. The second question regarded the use of American forces inside the borders of Pakistan: > [@](#): > > GIBSON: Do we have the right to be making cross-border attacks into Pakistan from Afghanistan, with or without the approval of the Pakistani government? > > PALIN: Now, as for our right to invade, we’re going to work with these countries, building new relationships, working with existing allies, but forging new, also, in order to, Charlie, get to a point in this world where war is not going to be a first option. In fact, war has got to be, a military strike, a last option. > > GIBSON: But, Governor, I’m asking you: We have the right, in your mind, to go across the border with or without the approval of the Pakistani government. > > PALIN: In order to stop Islamic extremists, those terrorists who would seek to destroy America and our allies, we must do whatever it takes and we must not blink, Charlie, in making those tough decisions of where we go and even who we target. > > GIBSON: And let me finish with this. I got lost in a blizzard of words there. Is that a yes? That you think we have the right to go across the border with or without the approval of the Pakistani government, to go after terrorists who are in the Waziristan area? > > PALIN: I believe that America has to exercise all options in order to stop the terrorists who are hell bent on destroying America and our allies. We have got to have all options out there on the table. One more notable exchange when Gibson asked what Palin thought about the Bush Doctrine, established in 2002. > [@](#): > > GIBSON: Do you agree with the Bush doctrine? > > PALIN: In what respect, Charlie? > > GIBSON: The Bush – well, what do you – what do you interpret it to be? > > PALIN: His world view. > > GIBSON: No, the Bush doctrine, enunciated September 2002, before the Iraq war. > > PALIN: I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hell bent on destroying our nation. There have been blunders along the way, though. There have been mistakes made. And with new leadership, and that’s the beauty of American elections, of course, and democracy, is with new leadership comes opportunity to do things better. > > GIBSON: The Bush doctrine, as I understand it, is that we have the right of anticipatory self-defense, that we have the right to a preemptive strike against any other country that we think is going to attack us. Do you agree with that? > > PALIN: Charlie, if there is legitimate and enough intelligence that tells us that a strike is imminent against American people, we have every right to defend our country. In fact, the president has the obligation, the duty to defend. Do the voters have the right to direct answers to these questions? Is the vice-president’s position on these topics relevant in deciding who to vote for in November? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/2 "2008-09-11T23:12:12Z")
The direct answer to the ‘Bush Doctorine’ question would be “I havent a clue what you’re talking about, Charlie. It’s probably something we don’t care about much in Alaska and my handlers didn’t prep me for it since then.” Good lord. ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/3 "2008-09-11T23:20:58Z")
Hi! I’m not burundi! FOrget I posted this! Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/4 "2008-09-11T23:23:29Z")
HOnestly, her answers to the first two questions seem to be pretty clear to me: 1. She’ll back Israel no matter what; 2. We can do whatever the fuck we want, including invading Pakistan, to stop the terrorists. Her third answer clearly shows she had no idea about what the Bush Doctrine was, which is as surprising as it is appalling. Charitably, maybe she’d had a brain fart and forgotten that whole “pre-emptive strike” bullshit. As for #2, I agree that we oughtta be willing to do strikes in Pakistan, but not that anything oughtta be on the table. Daniel (sorry about the post under **burundi’s** name!) ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/5 "2008-09-11T23:29:48Z")
> [@Palin](#): > > Now, as for our right to invade, we’re going to work with these countries, building new relationships, working with existing allies, but forging new, also, in order to, Charlie, get to a point in this world where war is not going to be a first option. In fact, war has got to be, a military strike, a last option. Jesus, what empty headed gibberish. This is Miss Teen South Carolina stupid. Also, she wants a nuclear war with Russia. Christ almighty, what the fuck was McCain thinking not to vet this imbecile? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/6 "2008-09-11T23:33:54Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Also, she wants a nuclear war with Russia. Christ almighty, what the fuck was McCain thinking not to vet this imbecile? “Oh, my God, I’m going to LOSE the Rapturists if I don’t do something QUICK!” ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/7 "2008-09-11T23:36:06Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > In tonight’s portion of the his interview with Sarah Palin, [Charlie Gibson asked two direct questions](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/Story?id=5782924&page=3) (among others) that Palin tried to evade. To his credit, Gibson persisted, rephrasing each question in a more direct fashion. > > The second question regarded the use of American forces inside the borders of Pakistan:One more notable exchange when Gibson asked what Palin thought about the Bush Doctrine, established in 2002. > Do the voters have the right to direct answers to these questions? Is the vice-president’s position on these topics relevant in deciding who to vote for in November? She was very evasive in her first response, and clearly did not know what the “Bush doctrine” was in her third response, but I must say that I agree with her answers to questions 2 and 3. (Re: going into Pakistan and pre-emtively attacking if an attack on the US is imminent). [FYI, I don’t like her (just in case someone thinks this is coming from someone who supports her)] ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/8 "2008-09-11T23:39:05Z")
The first question was a trick question, trying to get her to say we’d back up Israel if they attacked Iran. No politician should say, one way or another, what we would do in that type of hypothetical situation. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/9 "2008-09-11T23:42:41Z")
It’s funny that several Republicans painted Obama’s same position about going into Pakistan as naïveté. Biden is going to trounce her in the debates. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/10 "2008-09-11T23:46:15Z")
Also, she blatantly lied through her teeth about her “task from God” quote. > [@](#): > > GIBSON: You said recently, in your old church, “Our national leaders are sending U.S. soldiers on a task that is from God.” Are we fighting a holy war? > > PALIN: You know, I don’t know if that was my exact quote. > > GIBSON: Exact words. > > PALIN: But the reference there is a repeat of Abraham Lincoln’s words when he said – first, he suggested never presume to know what God’s will is, and I would never presume to know God’s will or to speak God’s words. > > But what Abraham Lincoln had said, and that’s a repeat in my comments, was let us not pray that God is on our side in a war or any other time, but let us pray that we are on God’s side. > > That’s what that comment was all about, Charlie. How the fuck does her quote even slightly resemble the Lincoln quote? The two quotes don’t just have different words, they have totally opposite meanings. The only thing they have in common is the word “God.” Are we really expected to somehow swallow that what she said was a quote from Lincoln? HER quote is a direct assertion about the will of God and has no semantic equivalence whatsoever to what Lincoln said. It CONTRADICTS what Lincoln said. How stupid does she think people are? Does she really just think she can throw up another quote with the wiord “God” in it and nobody will notice it’s a totally different quote? I predict that the media will accept her absurd explanation uncritically and never examine it at all. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/11 "2008-09-11T23:47:47Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Also, she wants a nuclear war with Russia. Yeah, because everyone who supports Georgia’s joining NATO wants a nuclear war with Russia. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/12 "2008-09-11T23:48:24Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > The first question was a trick question, trying to get her to say we’d back up Israel if they attacked Iran. No politician should say, one way or another, what we would do in that type of hypothetical situation. Obama has been asked the exact same question. “Trick” my ass. And if your little beauty queen can’t handle a “trick” question from Charlie Gibson, what the hell is she doing auditioning to sit down with Putin? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/13 "2008-09-11T23:49:45Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Yeah, because everyone who supports Georgia’s joining NATO wants a nuclear war with Russia. :rolleyes: She specifically said she would support going to war with Russia if Russia invaded Georgia. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/14 "2008-09-11T23:58:06Z")
In the time it took me to type my response, others came in discussing the same topic. Now I’m off to read what they wrote. > [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Also, she wants a nuclear war with Russia. Christ almighty, what the fuck was McCain thinking not to vet this imbecile? [Is this what you are referring to?](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080911/ap_on_el_pr/palin_interview) If it is, I would have to watch the entire interview to better formulate and opinion. Right at this moment, on the topic of “Palin: War with Russia”, this article quoting the interview is all I’m basing my following comments on: I don’t think it’s fair to say “Palin wants a nuclear war with Russia”. Asked about war with Russia (no mention of nukes) in the event that Russia were to invade Georgia _as a NATO member_, which at this point Georgia is _not_, her answer basically just spoke to the obligations NATO members have in alliance with one another. She answered a hypothetical question with a generic response that a NATO alliance means members have each other’s backs. In fact, the reason the Russian invasion a month ago was so scary was that all informed parties understood that were Georgia to achieve NATO membership, if Russia were to try this again, with Georgia’s new status as a NATO member, the dominoes would automatically start falling leading to a much broader international conflict- _specifically because of the hypothetical NATO connection_. Suggesting that NATO alliance commits nations to come to the aid of allies, is not the same as “wanting a nuclear war with Russia”. Again, I’ve admitted to only reading the linked article and I am happy to read other sources if there is anything to support the suggestion that Palin wants nuclear war with Russia. P.S. I don’t like Palin, I’m just looking for the facts. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/15 "2008-09-11T23:58:35Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Do the voters have the right to direct answers to these questions? Is the vice-president’s position on these topics relevant in deciding who to vote for in November? Yes, you should know if a President supports Israel or is serious about terrorism. But as a matter of form the answers should not go beyond “we reserve the right” or “will work with Israel/Pakistan” level of ambiguity. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/16 "2008-09-12T00:04:56Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > 1. We can do whatever the fuck we want, including invading Pakistan, to stop the terrorists. Is McCain aware of this? He believes differently. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/17 "2008-09-12T00:05:54Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > In the time it took me to type my response, others came in discussing the same topic. Now I’m off to read what they wrote. > > [Is this what you are referring to?](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080911/ap_on_el_pr/palin_interview) If it is, I would have to watch the entire interview to better formulate and opinion. Right at this moment, on the topic of “Palin: War with Russia”, this article quoting the interview is all I’m basing my following comments on: > > I don’t think it’s fair to say “Palin wants a nuclear war with Russia”. > Asked about war with Russia (no mention of nukes) in the event that Russia were to invade Georgia _as a NATO member_, which at this point Georgia is _not_, her answer basically just spoke to the obligations NATO members have in alliance with one another. > > She answered a hypothetical question with a generic response that a NATO alliance means members have each other’s backs. In fact, the reason the Russian invasion a month ago was so scary was that all informed parties understood that were Georgia to achieve NATO membership, if Russia were to try this again, with Georgia’s new status as a NATO member, the dominoes would automatically start falling leading to a much broader international conflict- _specifically because of the hypothetical NATO connection_. > > Suggesting that NATO alliance commits nations to come to the aid of allies, is not the same as “wanting a nuclear war with Russia”. > > Again, I’ve admitted to only reading the linked article and I am happy to read other sources if there is anything to support the suggestion that Palin wants nuclear war with Russia. > > P.S. I don’t like Palin, I’m just looking for the facts. Ok, I get your point. It was just scary watching live to hear her say she’d go to war with Russia (which I think would _have_ to go nuclear). I grew up under the Cold War. the idea of “War with Russia” used to be the scariest, most doomsday scenario anyone could think of. ---
**Author:** ![JonScribe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3be4f8/32.png) [@JonScribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonScribe)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/18 "2008-09-12T00:06:55Z")
Did she get a chance to tell Charlie that she stopped “The Bridge to Nowhere”? She still needs to repeat that a few thousand more times before it becomes true. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/19 "2008-09-12T00:08:14Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > She specifically said she would support going to war with Russia if Russia invaded Georgia. If Georgia becomes a member of NATO. So what? What if Russia attacks Poland? They’re already a NATO member. Georgia won’t become a member unless they are voted in. I think reasonable people can disagree over what the best policy is here. Oh, and can you quote the part about “nuclear war” and where she says she “wants” it? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/20 "2008-09-12T00:08:40Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Yes, you should know if a President supports Israel or is serious about terrorism. But as a matter of form the answers should not go beyond “we reserve the right” or “will work with Israel/Pakistan” level of ambiguity. Her answer wasn’t really ambiguous, though. She said “we can’t second guess Israel,” implying that Israel would get a free pass to do anything it wanted. Israel is not entitled to unconditional support for any and all actions. No country is. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178.md?page=2)