I've finally figured out what it is about Sarah Palin that sooo grates me and gets under my skin. She responds to questions from interviewers as if she's a beauty contestant in a Miss America pageant, and she doesn't expect to be challenged on the shallow answers she gives.
Examples:
1) Interview with Charlie Gibson, September 11, after it became obvious that she didn't know what the "Bush Doctrine" is:
"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."
2) Interview with Charlie Gibson...when he asks her about her foreign policy experience and how that could help with the situation between Russia and Georgia, she incorrectly identifies Russia as the aggressor and then says this:
"They’re our next door neighbors. And you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska."
3) Interview with Charlie, again. When asked about the motivations of the terrorists who attacked on 9/11:
"You know, there is a very small percentage of Islamic believers who are extreme, and they are violent, and they do not believe in American ideals. And they attacked us. And now we are at a point, here, seven years later, on the anniversary, in this post- 9/11 world, where we are able to commit to never again. The only option for them is to become a suicide bomber, to get caught up in this evil, in this terror. They need to be provided the hope that all Americans have, instilled in us, because we’re a democratic and we are a free, we’re a free-thinking society."
4) Charlie tries to nail her down on what she believes about preemptive warfare. Finally, he gets this out of her:
"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."
If you've not seen this interview yet, it's a must-see, if you've got any inclinations to vote for the McCain/Palin ticket.
Part 1:
Part 2:
OK, now let's move on to this week's interview with Katie Couric.
Part 1 of the Couric-Palin interview is rich with proof of my thesis, so be sure to watch it here--it contains the "I'll get back to you" shocker at the end, when Katie asks her about McCain's deregulation record:
Part 2, though. Where do we start...even more beauty contestant answers:
1) Katie Couric asks Sarah Palin how she sees the United States' place in the world:
"I see the United States as being a force for good in the world. And as Ronald Reagan used to talk about, America being the beacon of light and hope for those who are seeking democratic values and tolerance and freedom. I see our country being able to represent those things that can be looked to … as that leadership, that light needed across the world."
2) On why she had not applied for a passport until last year:
"I'm not one of those who maybe came from a background of, you know, kids who perhaps graduate college and their parents give them a passport and give them a backpack and say go off and travel the world. No, I've worked all my life. In fact, I usually had two jobs all my life until I had kids. I was not a part of, I guess, that culture. The way that I have understood the world is through education, through books, through mediums that have provided me a lot of perspective on the world."
3) And her perspective on the world, as exemplified with her "dealings" with Russia? Warped, at best:
"We have trade missions back and forth, we do. It's very important when you consider even national-security issues with Russia. As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right next to, they are right next to our state."
(Gotta give Katie kudos for keeping a straight face during that response...now it gets better, though...)
4) Palin hears "the evil that Ahmadinejad speaks," but somewhere along the line, she not only missed what Henry Kissinger has said about diplomacy, but also presumes to know more about it:
“I’ve never heard Henry Kissinger say, ‘Yeah, I’ll meet with these leaders without preconditions being met.’”
5) On Israel, her understanding of the history of Israel is totally lacking:
“We shouldn’t second-guess Israel’s security efforts because we cannot ever afford to send a message that we would allow a second Holocaust, for one...We don’t have to second-guess what their efforts would be if they believe that it is in their country and their allies, including us, all of our best interests to fight against a regime, especially Iran, who would seek to wipe them off the face of the earth.”
6) Palin sees the world in a sixth-grader's dichotomous way. Black/White, Good/Evil:
“It is obvious to me who the good guys are in this one and who the bad guys are. The bad guys are the ones who say Israel is a stinking corpse and should be wiped off the face of the earth. That’s not a good guy who is saying that. Now, one who would seek to protect the good guys in this, the leaders of Israel and her friends, her allies, including the United States, in my world, those are the good guys.”
Lordy oh lord. If you've missed these interviews, you've got to see them. Here's part 2:
Oh...and about the pageant thing...here's a photo of Palin as a beauty contestant...she won "Miss Wasilla" but placed second as "Miss Alaska." Pity.
Examples:
1) Interview with Charlie Gibson, September 11, after it became obvious that she didn't know what the "Bush Doctrine" is:
"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."
2) Interview with Charlie Gibson...when he asks her about her foreign policy experience and how that could help with the situation between Russia and Georgia, she incorrectly identifies Russia as the aggressor and then says this:
"They’re our next door neighbors. And you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska."
3) Interview with Charlie, again. When asked about the motivations of the terrorists who attacked on 9/11:
"You know, there is a very small percentage of Islamic believers who are extreme, and they are violent, and they do not believe in American ideals. And they attacked us. And now we are at a point, here, seven years later, on the anniversary, in this post- 9/11 world, where we are able to commit to never again. The only option for them is to become a suicide bomber, to get caught up in this evil, in this terror. They need to be provided the hope that all Americans have, instilled in us, because we’re a democratic and we are a free, we’re a free-thinking society."
4) Charlie tries to nail her down on what she believes about preemptive warfare. Finally, he gets this out of her:
"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."
If you've not seen this interview yet, it's a must-see, if you've got any inclinations to vote for the McCain/Palin ticket.
Part 1:
Part 2:
OK, now let's move on to this week's interview with Katie Couric.
Part 1 of the Couric-Palin interview is rich with proof of my thesis, so be sure to watch it here--it contains the "I'll get back to you" shocker at the end, when Katie asks her about McCain's deregulation record:
Part 2, though. Where do we start...even more beauty contestant answers:
1) Katie Couric asks Sarah Palin how she sees the United States' place in the world:
"I see the United States as being a force for good in the world. And as Ronald Reagan used to talk about, America being the beacon of light and hope for those who are seeking democratic values and tolerance and freedom. I see our country being able to represent those things that can be looked to … as that leadership, that light needed across the world."
2) On why she had not applied for a passport until last year:
"I'm not one of those who maybe came from a background of, you know, kids who perhaps graduate college and their parents give them a passport and give them a backpack and say go off and travel the world. No, I've worked all my life. In fact, I usually had two jobs all my life until I had kids. I was not a part of, I guess, that culture. The way that I have understood the world is through education, through books, through mediums that have provided me a lot of perspective on the world."
3) And her perspective on the world, as exemplified with her "dealings" with Russia? Warped, at best:
"We have trade missions back and forth, we do. It's very important when you consider even national-security issues with Russia. As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right next to, they are right next to our state."
(Gotta give Katie kudos for keeping a straight face during that response...now it gets better, though...)
4) Palin hears "the evil that Ahmadinejad speaks," but somewhere along the line, she not only missed what Henry Kissinger has said about diplomacy, but also presumes to know more about it:
“I’ve never heard Henry Kissinger say, ‘Yeah, I’ll meet with these leaders without preconditions being met.’”
5) On Israel, her understanding of the history of Israel is totally lacking:
“We shouldn’t second-guess Israel’s security efforts because we cannot ever afford to send a message that we would allow a second Holocaust, for one...We don’t have to second-guess what their efforts would be if they believe that it is in their country and their allies, including us, all of our best interests to fight against a regime, especially Iran, who would seek to wipe them off the face of the earth.”
6) Palin sees the world in a sixth-grader's dichotomous way. Black/White, Good/Evil:
“It is obvious to me who the good guys are in this one and who the bad guys are. The bad guys are the ones who say Israel is a stinking corpse and should be wiped off the face of the earth. That’s not a good guy who is saying that. Now, one who would seek to protect the good guys in this, the leaders of Israel and her friends, her allies, including the United States, in my world, those are the good guys.”
Lordy oh lord. If you've missed these interviews, you've got to see them. Here's part 2:
Oh...and about the pageant thing...here's a photo of Palin as a beauty contestant...she won "Miss Wasilla" but placed second as "Miss Alaska." Pity.
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