# 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:** 2
**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, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/21 "2008-09-12T00:10:55Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > 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? See post #17. What is your defense to her lying about the Lincoln quote? ---
**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, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/22 "2008-09-12T00:11:16Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > 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. Here’s what she actually said. Nothing about war: > [@](#): > > GIBSON: And you think it would be worth it to the United States, Georgia is worth it to the United States to go to war if Russia were to invade. > > PALIN: What I think is that smaller democratic countries that are invaded by a larger power is something for us to be vigilant against. We have got to be cognizant of what the consequences are if a larger power is able to take over smaller democratic countries. > > And we have got to be vigilant. We have got to show the support, in this case, for Georgia. The support that we can show is economic sanctions perhaps against Russia, if this is what it leads to. > > It doesn’t have to lead to war and it doesn’t have to lead, as I said, to a Cold War, but economic sanctions, diplomatic pressure, again, counting on our allies to help us do that in this mission of keeping our eye on Russia and Putin and some of his desire to control and to control much more than smaller democratic countries. > > His mission, if it is to control energy supplies, also, coming from and through Russia, that’s a dangerous position for our world to be in, if we were to allow that to happen. You’re not doing your side any good by distorting so much of what she says. ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/23 "2008-09-12T00:11:49Z")
I didn’t get to see it yet. What’s the overall feeling on how it went? Anybody care to provide a Cliffs Notes recap? ---
**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, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/24 "2008-09-12T00:18:17Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Here’s what she actually said. Nothing about war: > You’re not doing your side any good by distorting so much of what she says. I’m distorting nothing. You need to go back a page from where you quoted: > [@](#): > > GIBSON: And under the NATO treaty, wouldn’t we then have to go to war if Russia went into Georgia? > > PALIN: Perhaps so. I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you’re going to be expected to be called upon and help. M’kay? Now how do you defend her lying about the Lincoln quote? ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/25 "2008-09-12T00:22:51Z")
> [@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. A politician tried to evade a substantive question? This is news? At least she didn’t try a typical campaign answer: “Well, the nuclear capability of a nation depends on its’ scientists. So, let me explain about my education program, and how it will impact the sciences. It will _expand_ our base of knowledge by emphasizing _new_ theories, such a Intelligent Design.” She answered the questions, she didn’t contradict herself mid-sentence, and she couldn’t very well say, “wait, what’s the Bush Doctrine again? … oh, yeah, yeah, right, thanks”, now could she? Maybe the exchange lost something in print, but if this is your best shot, we’re in for another 12 years of Republicans in the White House. And don’t make me defend that person again. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/26 "2008-09-12T00:23:47Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > 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. Uh huh. And she should have said what exactly? He was asking a yes/no question. ---
**Author:** ![Discordia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Discordia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Discordia)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/27 "2008-09-12T00:29:36Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > 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? The concern isn’t Russia attacking Georgia, it’s Georgia attacking Russia (including South Ossetia, since Putin would surely retaliate). They’ve done it before, after all. Georgia is an unstable country with a moron for a leader, admitting them to NATO would be idiotic. It’s incredibly foolish to put yourself in a position where you would either be forced to go to war with Russia, or admit NATO is impotent. Admitting Georgia has a decent chance of doing that. I wouldn’t say she _wants_ to go to war with Russia though, it’s just yet another sign she knows absolutely jack shit about foreign policy. ETA: Her even mentioning the idea of war with Russia downright scares me. How the hell can you even consider that?? ---
**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, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/28 "2008-09-12T00:33:15Z")
> [@xanthous](#): > > I didn’t get to see it yet. What’s the overall feeling on how it went? Anybody care to provide a Cliffs Notes recap? The link in the OP has the relevant excerpts. Basically she gave either evasive, generic or ignorant answers to foreign policy questions. She falsely claimed that her statement about Iraq being a “task from God” was really a quote from Lincoln. She doesn’t know what the Bush Doctrine is. She wasn’t asked anything about troopergate, her BTN lie, library-gate, loyalty oath-gate, or anything about abortion, gay rights, creationism, etc. ---
**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, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/29 "2008-09-12T00:34:49Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Uh huh. And she should have said what exactly? He was asking a yes/no question. She should have said no. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/30 "2008-09-12T00:36:51Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > 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? Her answer to Question #1 was fair; it’s an extremely loaded question. “Would you support Israel in a hypothetical military conflict” really has no fair answer other than “Israel is our ally and a sovereign nation with the right to self defense,” which is what she said. Her second answer was very poorly worded. Her third answer makes it quite obvious she doesn’t know what the Bush Doctrine is. In fairness, I’ve never heard the term used before to describe an exact doctrinal concept, but I assume it exists and one would hope a prospective VP would know of it. Of course, we’ve got someone here now making the insane claim that Sarah Palin wants a nuclear war with Russia, so I guess my attempts to present a rational analysis are doomed. ---
**Author:** ![Discordia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Discordia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Discordia)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/31 "2008-09-12T00:36:55Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > The link in the OP has the relevant excerpts. Basically she gave either evasive, generic or ignorant answers to foreign policy questions. She falsely claimed that her statement about Iraq being a “task from God” was really a quote from Lincoln. She doesn’t know what the Bush Doctrine is. She wasn’t asked anything about troopergate, her BTN lie, library-gate, loyalty oath-gate, or anything about abortion, gay rights, creationism, etc. It’s a 3 part deal to be fair, hopefully other stuff is in the latter 2. ---
**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, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/32 "2008-09-12T00:41:37Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Of course, we’ve got someone here now making the insane claim that Sarah Palin wants a nuclear war with Russia, so I guess my attempts to present a rational analysis are doomed. Well, she said she would _support_ going to war with Russia if it got into a potentially NATO allied Georgia, and I don’t see how a war with Russia ends without going nuclear. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/33 "2008-09-12T00:41:39Z")
The interview hasn’t aired here in the left coast, but from what I read in the OP, I’m not seeing anything but canned responses, all without any confidence on her part. She has much work ahead of her in preparation for the VP debate if she wants to impress anyone. (I’m hoping Biden can keep a straight face during those debates.) ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/34 "2008-09-12T00:51:26Z")
Admittedly, I’m biased against her, but when Gibson lobbed that should-be-no-brainer Bush Doctrine question at her, she looked blindsided, had no idea what the heck he was talking about, and didn’t even do a good job of bullshitting to cover her ignorance. Looked to me as if Gibson almost lost control of his voice and face for a minute, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/35 "2008-09-12T00:54:25Z")
The “we can’t second guess Israel” comment is tailor made for Ahmadinejadist propaganda isn’t it? Should get the Florida nursing home vote though. ---
**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, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/36 "2008-09-12T00:56:28Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Admittedly, I’m biased against her, but when Gibson lobbed that should-be-no-brainer Bush Doctrine question at her, she looked blindsided, had no idea what the heck he was talking about, and didn’t even do a good job of bullshitting to cover her ignorance. Looked to me as if Gibson almost lost control of his voice and face for a minute, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. I don’t think he intended it as a gotcha. I think he assumed she would knew what it was and that she’d have a rehearsed answer for it. I understand they’ve been trying to brief her on McCain’s positions, I guess it didn’t occur to them to brief her on Bush’s. Not that the Bush Doctrine is particularly arcane. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/37 "2008-09-12T01:05:45Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I predict that the media will accept her absurd explanation uncritically and never examine it at all. Actually, the conservative spin is that the AP (apparently the source for Gibson’s question) distorted her meaning by chopping off part of that section of the speech. I’ve read the claim, with the full quote, and I’m not 100% sure I get the argument that the deleted part changes her meaning, but I may be just dense. Also, they claim that both Obama and Biden want Georgia in NATO. True? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/38 "2008-09-12T01:08:30Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Not that the Bush Doctrine is particularly arcane. Perhaps, but we must remember that all of Palin’s foreign policy experience relates to her state’s proximity to Russia, her neighbor to the west. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/39 "2008-09-12T01:12:49Z")
I guess I’d like to see the interview before making a final judgment, but I can’t imagine how context and non-verbal communication could make that sound any better. Her reaction to he israel question is infuriatingly vapid. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178/40 "2008-09-12T01:16:15Z")
Dear god, she needs to stop using words. Do she and the GOP really think that the empty-headed pretty girl thing is really going to win voters? I hope like hell it doesn’t. > [@NurseCarmen](#): > > Biden is going to trounce her in the debates. I cannot _wait_ for the VP debates. That’s going to be some entertainment right there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palin-punts-in-the-interview-with-charlie-gibson/463178.md?page=3)