We've seen this movie before.

Republicans avoid something they're not afraid of, then score huge points for finally doing a very average job at it.

Palin knows the media won't ever be able to gum out a single tough question.

Gibson is an idiot.

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?

Gibson is either an idiot (not understanding a very simple sentence) or he had come up with the “blizzard of words” slap before the interview ever started and was just waiting for an opportunity to use it. Unfortunately for him, he chose a very clear and concise place to feign confusion about her answer.

That low rumbling sound you hear is Peter Jennings and Howard K. Smith spinning in their graves.....

I was wondering what that was...

This is almost a laughable post by MM, considering that Gibson gave an unbelievably biased SOFTBALL INTERVIEW to Barack Obama in November 2007.

It would be refreshing to see journalists and reporters actually challenge these politicians, on both sides, on their "facts" and rhetoric. 

I really think they all start out with good intentions, prepare all their questions ahead of time with all the hot button issues and gotcha stuff, but there is where it ends.  They either don't anticipate how candidates worm their way around questions, which would be amazingly naive, or they don't really listen to the answers given, or they aren't briefed enough on who or what they are really asking, or they are too lazy, or they don't care.

Either way, it's nearly futile to watch these interviews anymore.

It would be refreshing to see journalists and reporters actually challenge these politicians, on both sides, on their "facts" and rhetoric. 

It seems like that type of journalism died along with David Brinkley.

Stephen Colbert would rip her to shreds like a dire wolf.

hmmmph....Steven Colbert..... good choice

or Jon Stewart or Keith Olbermann or Rachel Maddow ...... the last few remaining media types that might ask the tough questions!

Any chance Palin will drag her ass to any of their shows?

Better question: Any chance Palin's handlers would allow her?

"hmmmph....Steven Colbert..... good choice

...or Jon Stewart or Keith Olbermann or Rachel Maddow ...... the last few remaining media types that might ask the tough questions!

Any chance Palin will drag her ass to any of their shows?

Better question: Any chance Palin's handlers would allow her?"

The answer to the last 2 questions is an obvious NO. 

Yeah, these reporters have a list of questions and they want to get to all of them.  They don't want to stop and hammer a candidate when they are off-note or lying.  Here's the key line to me:

GIBSON: ... with the foreign policy area. Jan. 6, I'm quoting you, "Sen. Obama does not have the national security experience and background to be president."
McCAIN: I said he didn't...
GIBSON: Sarah Palin does?
McCAIN: I said that he didn't have the judgment.
Nope Johnny, HE JUST READ A DIRECT QUOTE FROM YOU!  McCain made a statement about experience, yet he tried to re-write a quote and Gibson let it go.  He'll let Palin walk all over him too.

McCAIN: I said that he didn't have the judgment.

Being against the Iraq occupation is enough good judgement for me.

Regrettably, you're right.  Republican Liar Gibson already gave Liar McCain a free pass, and gave him the liar's privilege.  Liar Palin will receve that same liar's privilege.

Gibson also being a right wing Republican himself is, or should be, obvious by now.

McCAIN: She, of course, understood, over time, how terrible and pernicious these earmarks are and how great an evil they are...

It's her freakin' JOB to get as much money from Washington as she can for her state. Any governor who is against that should be impeached.

It's her freakin' JOB to get as much money from taxpayers as she can for her state. Any governor who is against that should be impeached.

 

Fix'd

 

 

 

And she did a great job of it.  More money per-capita than any other state.  Talk about your income redistribution that Conservatives claim to detest.  One more hypocrisy ignored to support Palin I suppose.

I put on my futurama glasses and peeked at some of the questions:

Gibson: If you and Michelle Obama had a cookie bake off, just what cookies would you bake for us...by the way, I'll bet your cookies are just as sweet as your smile and personality, am I right?

 

And lemme guess that preceeded:

 

"You and Barack in a one-on-one basketball game -- Who wins?"

My gosh! You have a pair of those glasses too? ;-)

You missed some:

1. Are you promoting your state, Alaska, as a refuge destination in preparation for end of days?

2. How do you stay so adorable?

3. Does baby Jesus cry when people lie?

4. How do you stay so adorable?

5. When you speak in tongues do you still have the same accent?

6. How do you stay so adorable?

7. What's John McCain really like?

8. How do you stay so adorable?   ;>)

 

DANG it Irony.....you just spoiled the end of the movie for everyone.

Seriously though, we have to be careful not to let Gibson of the campaign see any of these questions, or they might actually use them.

My prediction.  Hold me to it and don't hold back if I'm wrong... 

Palin's going to skate, either by way of Gibson completely softballing the entire interview out of cowardice or by corporate lackeys leaving anything the least bit embarrassing on the cutting room floor.

You're on the record, Pete!

OT, but just something I noticed today, as I had to go out to some job sites in South Orange County. I went right through the neighborhood where that Saddleback Forum was, and through the notoriously conservative area of Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel.I was on the road for a few hours, about half freeway and half surface streets.

I saw one McCain sticker in all of that time, on the bumper of a small SUV being towed behind a giant RV. The driver of the RV looked like McCain's older brother, but he looked angrier than McCain.

I saw five Obama stickers, all on normal sized cars being driven by happy looking people.

OK, I saw one Harvest Crusade sticker, so I'll count that as a Palin default sticker.

I live in a very conservative suburb of Atlanta.  They usually poll about 90% Bush/Republican.  Not many bumper stickers at all this time for McCain.  Still a lot more Bush/Cheney bumper stickers, but no McCain/Palin.

I would say it ranks Bush/Cheney, Obama and then McCain.  Of course, most people probably figure a Bush/Cheney sticker is the equivalent to a McCain sticker.

"My prediction. Hold me to it and don't hold back if I'm wrong...

Palin's going to skate, either by way of Gibson completely softballing the entire interview out of cowardice or by corporate lackeys leaving anything the least bit embarrassing on the cutting room floor."

You are right for BOTH reasons, plus I'll throw in two more.  Gibson is also a right wing Republican himself, ad GOP-Disney-ABC is pro-Republican/pro-McCain themselves.  GOP-Disney-ABC, like the rest of the corporatist conservative Republican Party controlled news media, wants Liar McCain-Liar Palin to get elected. 

Very accurately summed up.

See It Reel

 I wish you had been in the discussion on this thread http://mediamatters.org/items/200809100019#comments.  This exact topic of Charlie Gibson came up.  It is sad when our "unbiased" media interjects their own personal prejudice into the questions asked.  I personally wish they would play hard ball with all of the candidates and not repeat the same information that is spread over every news station.  What has happened to investigative reporting ~ it has turned into infotainement. 

News persons must know the issues so that they will not unwittingly give the public false information by allowing candidates to make misleading statements or outright lies.

I hope Mr. Gibson will take this responsibility very seriously and treat Gov. Sarah Phalin the same as he would treat Senator Obama in regards to the facts.

Lee Turner

this earmark issue is just a complete lie from beginning to end.  they are making up these completely fabricated quotes, like mccain above saying she said "no more for my state".   she never ever said "we don't want the bridge to nowhere".  she always clearly wanted it, she just did not want to use state funds to pay for it.  they are still running ads saying she "stopped" the bridge, as if she was not for it all along.  gibson is obviously one of those guys whose interview consists of asking questions and letting the person spout what they want, with no followup.  as frustrating as they can be sometimes, the sunday morning shows are still the best shot at getting a candidate to say anything and have to defend it.  until she is willing to do those, and not some softball "interview" with someone seen as unthreatening, palin simply has  no credibility.    it's time for our tough hockey mom to face the press on a regular basis and stop hiding.  

I've got a few questions for her:

Since you think that a woman should be forced to continue a pregancy as a result of rape or incest, what counselling and adoption services would you provide and how will they be funded?

Why did you cut funding in Alaska for homes for unwed mothers?

Do you think that Alaska should secede from the United States and if not, what do you and your husband think of Joe Vogler's statements and the Alaska Indepenence Party's platform?  Why do you attend their conventions?

What is your strategy for Iraq and afghanistan?  How many tours do you think soldiers can endure before they are permanently damaged?  Will you increase veteran's benefits?  Do you know how much money the U.S. taxpayer is spending each month in Iraq?

Tell us the difference between Suni and Shia Muslims and how this affects our engagement with Iran.

Explain why Georgia invaded Osetia and how you would handle the Russian reaction.

I have lots more questions but all of these need at least 3 or 4 follow up questions.

 

Considering McCain's answers to Gibson's questions, I think he definitely belongs in a retirement village. 

Considering McCain's answers to Gibson's questions, I think he definitely belongs in a retirement village. 

Which one?  McCain or Gibsan?

Yes.

Mary, I didn't hear this until tonight, but did you know Palin was trying to (or did?) charge rape victims for their rape kits? That's adorable, and teaching a little "personal responsibility".

Not that any of this matters to the faithful,Palin seems to have achieved that Messiah status that the media had been imagining about Obama forever. I've even had her taxing oil companies and "redistributing the wealth" explained as no big deal by a wingnut co-worker. 

You have a lot more patience than I do.  I'd probably get sacked for throwing articles by Bill Moyers and Naomi Klein at their pointy little heads.

Great questions, Mary.  I just realized what the answers to those questions would sound like.  And I got very scared at the prospect that she could be VP or President.  Lord help us. 

Ten questions Mr. Gibson should ask

1. Hello Governor, how are you today?

2. So, as I understand it, you’re John McCain’s choice as VP?

3. On the Republican ticket?

4. And can I assume you're thrilled with that?

5. Because you're a maverick?

6. And a reformer?

7. And so is John McCain?

8. He’s a reformer, correct?

9. And of course a maverick, am I right?

10. Did you make the moose ball soup?

I have a question for all you smart folks out there.  What the hell does this mean?

Having been the governor of our largest state, the commander of their National Guard, she was once in charge of their natural resources assets, actually, until she found out there was corruption and she quit and said it had to be fixed.

Specifically...what are the "natural resources assets" that she would have been in charge of if she had not quit?

and..since she has been gov for less than 2 years, how long was she in charge? one week, one month...what?

I don't have high hopes for this but maybe now that everyone is on to the "I told congress thanks but no thanks" lie he'll have to ask about that.  I'm sure she'll have some spin on it to make it look like it's not a giant, steaming pile of crap though.  And Gibson won't ask any follow ups. 

What about Keith Olbermann's failure to challenge Obama on his associations with Rev. Wright or Bill Ayers or ask any tough questions of Obama during a recent interview?  At least McCain gets tough questions from conservative commentators who don't agree with every single word he says.

Charles Gibson is both a partisan right wing Republican, and a lapdog.  Republican Gibson wants McCain-Palin to get elected.  So does his network, GOP-Disney-ABC.

It's no surprise that he's given Liar McCain passes on his lies, and he will give Liar Palin the same passes on her lies. 

I have never liked Charlie Gibson and now I dislike him.  When are people going to start treating her like they treated Hillary?  Palin can't take any questions from people who stray from her script.  What a bad joke!

Gibson knows that his credibility and reputation are on the line after the debate fiasco. Gibson won't spend any time on "flag pin" issues ... I can't wait to find out how Palin "feels" about the "lipstick on a pig" comment and only a seasoned morning talk show host ... I mean anchor ... can get the real facts on this growing and increasingly important issue ... go get the facts and ask the "lipstick" question and kiss your reputation [whats left of it] goodbye. Schmuck!!!!

I doubt Gibson even cares about his credibility anymore.  Gibson is a partisan right wing Republican who wants Liar McCain-Liar Palin to get elected.  Add to that, Gibson's network, GOP-Disney-ABC, also wants Liar McCain-Liar Palin to get elected.

GOP-Disney-ABC and Republican Liar Gibson will both be giving Liar Palin each and every pro-Republican pass that they both can, an that they both have in their disrespective pockets.

I am not sure why the candidates don't play a bit harder with these "media disfunctions".  I can understand that Mr Gibson fears that if they ask "tough" questions and McCain wins the election he may never be invited to the White House in the future.  

Fine, but why doesn't Obama get into this fray and threaten ABC and Mr Gibson to understand that if Obama should win ... ABC & Mr Gibson will not be invited to the White House because after all ... He serves no useful purpose to the American public especially "when it really counted".

Maybe it's me but I would certainly put all the major News Services on notice that if they don't do their job from here to election day ... and I were to win ... you and your affiliate will be lucky if you ever get near the rose garden for the remainder of my tenure.  Thank you very much but BBC will have full access ... they did their job.

I knew ABC was a Neo-con front organization who wants to kill all our young people.

To suggest that Charlie Gibson will ask a single relevant question is tantamount to admitting that pigs (wearing lipstick) can fly.

Charlie started on Good Morning America, asking happy, smiley questions of hungover hollywood types...not exactly the criteria one needs to be regarded as a serious journalist.

(Unfortunately, the only real journalist on ABC died several years ago and now we're stuck with smiling Charlie.)

He will handle her with kid gloves and the McCain camp knew this at the start. He wouldn't dream of making her uncomfortable.

Personally, I'll skip the "interview."  Any real journalist wouldn't agree to give the interviewee the questions beforehand and certainly wouldn't allow them to edit out any sound bites they found unacceptable. That's not an interview, it's a puff piece. Exactly like those that Mr. Gibson used to do on GMA.

Tell me again....are we supposed to take this seriously?

The simplest response to ABC, is to not watch the interview....ABC is obviously doing this for the ratings.....Let us not participate in increasing their ratings for this interview...There is a sexist term for what ABC and Gibson are doing, but we need not use it.  They know it.

I am a long time ABC news viewer.  If Charlie Gibson does not politely but firmly question Sarah Palin on her record and her statements, I will find another network.  If she is tough enough to stand before the press and make bold and very snide statements, then she is tough enough to be questioned honestly about her record.  Did she keep the "Road to Nowhere" money? and use it anyway?  How much Federal money has she requested and how much received and how used?  How much money has she spent on plans for drilling in ANWR???  Real questions.  Leave the hockey mom,  and family info alone.

Many of the comments on this topic assume that there is some cleverly worded question that can knock a politician out.

Sorry - but politicians on both sides of the isle are quick enough and bright enough to handle a tough interview - even if the question comes from a brilliant MM staffer.

The Nations K.Pollit(SP) had these 12 questions I think there good  :

§ Suppose your 14-year-old daughter Willow is brutally raped in her bedroom by an intruder. She becomes pregnant and wants an abortion. Could you tell the parents of America why you think your child and their children should be forced by law to have their rapists' babies?

§ You say you don't believe global warming is man-made. Could you tell us what scientists you've spoken with or read who have led you to that conclusion? What do you think the 2,500 scientists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are getting wrong?

§ If you didn't try to fire Wasilla librarian Mary Ellen Baker over her refusal to consider censoring books, why did you try to fire her?

§ What is the European Union, and how does it function?

§ Forty-seven million Americans lack health insurance. John Goodman, who has advised McCain on healthcare, has proposed redefining them as covered because, he says, anyone can get care at an ER. Do you agree with him?

§ What is the function of the Federal Reserve?

§ Cindy and John McCain say you have experience in foreign affairs because Alaska is next to Russia. When did you last speak with Prime Minister Putin, and what did you talk about?

§ Approximately how old is the earth? Five thousand years? 10,000? 5 billion?

§ You are a big fan of President Bush, so why didn't you mention him even once in your convention speech?

§ McCain says cutting earmarks and waste will make up for revenues lost by making the tax cuts permanent. Experts say that won't wash. Balancing the Bush tax cuts plus new ones proposed by McCain would most likely mean cutting Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security. Which would you cut?

§ You're suing the federal government to have polar bears removed from the endangered species list, even as Alaska's northern coastal ice is melting and falling into the sea. Can you explain the science behind your decision?

§ You've suggested that God approves of the Iraq War and the Alaska pipeline. How do you know?

Yep, Charlie "Mr Softball" Gibson strkes again.