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Over all Governor Palin did quite well last night, she was relaxed, confident and showed tremendous grace under pressure.
I was disappointed in her answers on the economy though. Frankly I think she blew it. She didn’t do anything to differentiate the McCain campaign from Bush administration. She could have easily done that by talking about getting back to common sense monetary policy that favors strong dollar and reversing what the Wall Street Journal calls “the Bush Administration’s malign neglect of the dollar.”
That said I think it’s fair to say this wasn’t an interview it was an interrogation. It’s clear to me that Charlie Gibson was out to embarrass Gov. Palin and show her presumed ignorance from the get go.
It’s particularly striking when you compare the Gibson’s confrontational and condescending tone with the velvet gloves George Stephanopoulos used on Sen. Barack Obama.
Martin Sieff has a good analysis at UPI.com:
Issue of the Day
ABC’s Gibson grilled Palin hard, but it may backfire
By MARTIN SIEFF
Published: Sept. 12, 2008 at 11:47 AMWASHINGTON, Sept. 12 (UPI) — There were no surprises, no knockout zingers, but also no bloopers Thursday night in Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s first TV interview since becoming the Republican vice presidential nominee.
Charles Gibson of ABC News was out for blood and inherently applied a double-standard compared with the kid gloves George Stephanopoulos used on Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois on Sunday night.
Gibson was out to embarrass Palin and expose her presumed ignorance from the word go. By contrast, when Obama referred to his “Muslim faith” on Sunday and did not correct himself, Stephanopoulos rushed in at once to help him and emphasize that the senator had really meant to say his Christian faith.
Allahpundit wonders “What little matter of domestic policy did Gibson conspicuously neglect to ask about?”
As an aside… Which “Bush Doctrine” Charlie?
Update: Ed Morrissey has a great analysis of Gibson’s interview. Including a look at the questions Gibson asked Obama three months ago and a link to a transcript of Thursday’s interview.
I think it’s safe to say the media isn’t even trying to fake impartiality anymore.
Update #2: Glenn Reynolds offers some good advice for politicians or anyone dealing a potentially hostile media in the New York Post… Bring your own Camera.
CHARLIE Gibson’s ABC interview with Republican veep candidate Sarah Palin produced a lot of complaints from Palin fans. There’s not much anyone in the campaign can do about journalists like Gibson misstating candidates’ “exact words,” but there is something that candidates – and anyone else interviewed by a possibly hostile media – can do to make sure that things get played straight in the editing process.
You just have to break the camera monopoly. Luckily, that’s become easy.