It turns out that Governor Sarah Palin's interview with ABC's Charles Gibson had more to it than what was broadcast. Now that's not really surprising. The network might want to edit for conciseness. But it seems that what was left on the cutting room floor might have had a different motive.
For instance, Gibson started a conversation about Russia and Georgia during which Governor Palin gave the opinion that Russia's invasion was unprovoked. What follows is what was broadcast:
GIBSON: You believe unprovoked.
PALIN: I do believe unprovoked and we have got to keep our eyes on Russia, under the leadership there.
What was edited out follows in boldface
GIBSON: You believe unprovoked.
PALIN: I do believe unprovoked and we have got to keep our eyes on Russia, under the leadership there. I
think it was unfortunate. That manifestation that we saw with that
invasion of Georgia shows us some steps backwards that Russia has
recently taken away from the race toward a more democratic nation with
democratic ideals. That’s why we have to keep an eye on Russia.
And,
Charlie, you’re in Alaska. We have that very narrow maritime border
between the United States, and the 49th state, Alaska, and Russia. They
are our next door neighbors.We need to have a good relationship with
them. They’re very, very important to us and they are our next door
neighbor.
GIBSON: What insight into Russian actions, particularly in the last couple of weeks, does the proximity of the state give you?
PALIN: They’re our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.
GIBSON: What insight does that give you into what they’re doing in Georgia?
PALIN:
Well, I’m giving you that perspective of how small our world is and how
important it is that we work with our allies to keep good relation with
all of these countries, especially Russia. We will not repeat a Cold
War. We must have good relationship with our allies, pressuring, also,
helping us to remind Russia that it’s in their benefit, also, a
mutually beneficial relationship for us all to be getting along.
Hmmmmm. Mr Gibson also asked Governor Palin about NATO. What is in normal type was broadcast, what is in boldtype was not
GIBSON: Would you favor putting Georgia and Ukraine in NATO?
PALIN: Ukraine, definitely, yes. Yes, and Georgia.
GIBSON: Because Putin has said he would not tolerate NATO incursion into the Caucasus.
PALIN:
Well, you know, the Rose Revolution, the Orange Revolution, those
actions have showed us that those democratic nations, I believe,
deserve to be in NATO.
Putin thinks otherwise. Obviously, he thinks otherwise, but…
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.
But
NATO, I think, should include Ukraine, definitely, at this point and I
think that we need to — especially with new leadership coming in on
January 20, being sworn on, on either ticket, we have got to make sure
that we strengthen our allies, our ties with each one of those NATO
members.
We have got to make sure that that is the group that can be counted upon to defend one another in a very dangerous world today.
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.
Given that ABCs tease for the interview
"GOV. SARAH PALIN WARNS WAR MAY BE NECESSARY IF RUSSIA INVADES ANOTHER COUNTRY.''
Most curious was that Gov Palin's answer regarding Iran was edited mid-sentence:
GIBSON: So what should we do about a nuclear Iran? John
McCain said the only thing worse than a war with Iran would be a
nuclear Iran. John Abizaid said we may have to live with a nuclear
Iran. Who’s right?
PALIN:
No, no. I agree with John McCain that nuclear weapons in the hands of
those who would seek to destroy our allies, in this case, we’re talking
about Israel, we’re talking about Ahmadinejad’s comment about Israel
being the “stinking corpse, should be wiped off the face of the earth,”
that’s atrocious. That’s unacceptable.
GIBSON: So what do you do about a nuclear Iran?
PALIN:
We have got to make sure that these weapons of mass destruction, that
nuclear weapons are not given to those hands of Ahmadinejad, not that
he would use them, but that he would allow terrorists to be able to use
them. So we have got to put the pressure on Iran and we have got to count on our allies to help us, diplomatic pressure.
Now that is curious.
I suppose ABC could argue that what was aired was more concise, but doesn't it change the whole temperament of her answer?
You know, I do not think the media is helping Senator Obama though I truly believe that they believe they are. But the Obama campaign doesn't want to talk about Palin but everything the majority of the Institutional media does keeps the focus directly on her.
And what's worse, most of what they do is perceived as being unfair.
This doesn't help.
If Obama loses, when the postmortem on this campaign is done, I'm thinking that the media will get a lot of the blame. And I'm thinking that Democrats will fear them in the future as much as they fear Republicans because while one is a known "enemy" the other is a loose cannon that is almost impossible to control.
And keeping the media "on message" is proving to be a challenge for the Obama campaign.
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