Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The words do not have to be perfect.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

If you still can’t see these things even now, maybe politics isn’t your forte and you should stop writing about it.

Of course you can have champagne before noon. That’s why orange juice was invented.

One lie, alone, tears the fabric of reality.

All hail the time of the bunny!

Polls are now a reliable indicator of what corporate Republicans want us to think.

… gradually, and then suddenly.

When we show up, we win.

Fundamental belief of white supremacy: white people are presumed innocent, minorities are presumed guilty.

Nothing says ‘pro-life’ like letting children go hungry.

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

Disagreements are healthy; personal attacks are not.

Yeah, with this crowd one never knows.

The republican ‘Pastor’ of the House is an odious authoritarian little creep.

Republicans cannot even be trusted with their own money.

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

Hell hath no fury like a farmer bankrupted.

Stop using mental illness to avoid talking about armed white supremacy.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

We still have time to mess this up!

This country desperately needs a functioning fourth estate.

You are here: Home / Elections / Election 2008 / Excerpt From the Sarah Palin Interview

Reader Interactions

33Comments

  6. 6.

    KCinDC

    Could you possibly attack Palin’s manifold and manifest signs of incompetence without playing quite so directly into the McCain campaign’s “Waah! Sexist Obamaniacs are disrespecting a strong woman!” strategy?

  7. 7.

    Comrade Jake

    Palin’s accent and mannerisms kind of remind me of a female version of Jerry Lundegaard (William H Macy), from Fargo.

    The best part for me: where Palin licked her finger and swirled it in the air, trying to suggest Obama looks to how the wind is blowing.

    I’m also not sure she knows what “conflict of interest” means, based on her reaction to Katie’s question.

    Second best part: Couric’s face. It was a tell, and the tell was “I can’t believe I’m interviewing this Bimbo.”

  9. 9.

    SGEW

    Could you possibly attack Palin’s manifold and manifest signs of incompetence without playing quite so directly into the McCain campaign’s “Waah! Sexist Obamaniacs are disrespecting a strong woman!” strategy?

    Ditto.

  10. 10.

    Ash Can

    When the Palin pick was announced at the end of August, I wondered if the Republicans had decided to just tank it this year. Now I’m sure of it.

  11. 11.

    Comrade Jake

    Could you possibly attack Palin’s manifold and manifest signs of incompetence without playing quite so directly into the McCain campaign’s “Waah! Sexist Obamaniacs are disrespecting a strong woman!” strategy?

    I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest that Team McCain will make such bogus claims regardless of what Cole writes.

    Besides, I’m not sure what’s sexist about pointing out that the good Governor’s responses to questions seem awfully familiar, in that “I’ve seen this train-wreck before!” kind of way.

  14. 14.

    Comrade Jake

    Michael D. post? I don’t get it – is that supposed to indicate the post was sarcastic? If so, then ditto from me as well.

  15. 15.

    SGEW

    Michael D. post? I don’t get it – is that supposed to indicate the post was sarcastic?

    No, no: I mean, this video was posted by Michael D., and not Mr. Cole. That’s all. Sorry if I was unclear.

  16. 16.

    Barbar

    Could you possibly attack Palin’s manifold and manifest signs of incompetence without playing quite so directly into the McCain campaign’s “Waah! Sexist Obamaniacs are disrespecting a strong woman!” strategy?

    The interesting thing about the actual Couric interview, from this perspective, is that it features another woman who poses a very striking contrast to Palin.

    And one thing Palin does not look in that interview is “strong.”

  18. 18.

    SGEW

    And one thing Palin does not look in that interview is “strong.”

    Not nearly enough killing of large mammals. Blood! Oil! That’s the stuff the American people want.

  19. 19.

    Incertus

    And one thing Palin does not look in that interview is “strong.”

    No, but what she does look like is “properly deferential to male authority,” with all the reference to McCain’s policies. The conservatives, male and female alike, eat that shit up.

  20. 20.

    JenJen

    Just watched that Katie Couric farce and immediately thought of Miss South Carolina, of course. Thankfully, so did everyone else.

    Best election ever!!

  23. 23.

    Comrade PeterJ

    We’re all beauty queens now.

    World leaders reacting to Sarah Palin:

    Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili:

    Um, I ah, met Sarah Palin and, ah, she was wonderful. She was absolutely delightful.”

    Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari:

    Pakistan’s recently-elected president, Asif Ali Zardari, entered the room seconds later. Palin rose to shake his hand, saying she was “honored” to meet him.

    Zardari then called her “gorgeous” and said: “Now I know why the whole of America is crazy about you.”

  27. 27.

    btchakir

    I can’t wait for the VP debate…

    The Katie Couric interview with Sarah Palin should really shake up anyone who pictures the Alaskan Governor inheriting the White House from an aged and dying McCain:

    For instance, Couric asked about the $700 billion government bailout of bad debt – and whether she supports it.

    Palin: I’m all about the position that America is in and that we have to look at a $700 billion bailout. And as Sen. McCain has said unless this nearly trillion dollar bailout is what it may end up to be, unless there are amendments in Paulson’s proposal, really I don’t believe that Americans are going to support this and we will not support this. The interesting thing in the last couple of days that I have seen is that Americans are waiting to see what John McCain will do on this proposal. They’re not waiting to see what Barack Obama is going to do. Is he going to do this and see what way the political wind’s blowing? They’re waiting to see if John McCain will be able to see these amendments implemented in Paulson’s proposal.

    Couric: Why do you say that? Why are they waiting for John McCain and not Barack Obama?

    Palin: He’s got the track record of the leadership qualities and the pragmatism that’s needed at a crisis time like this.

    Couric: But polls have shown that Sen. Obama has actually gotten a boost as a result of this latest crisis, with more people feeling that he can handle the situation better than John McCain.

    Palin: I’m not looking at poll numbers. What I think… Americans at the end of the day are going to be able to go back and look at track records and see who’s more apt to be talking about solutions and wishing for and hoping for solutions for some opportunity to change, and who’s actually done it?

    Now what in hell did all that mean? Do you think Palin actually listens to what is coming out of her own mouth?

    Couric: If this doesn’t pass, do you think there’s a risk of another Great Depression?

    Palin: Unfortunately, that is the road that America may find itself on. Not necessarily this, as it’s been proposed, has to pass or we’re going to find ourselves in another Great Depression. But, there has got to be action – bipartisan effort – Congress not pointing fingers at one another but finding the solution to this, taking action, and being serious about the reforms on Wall Street that are needed.

    Couric: Would you support a moratorium on foreclosures to help average Americans keep their homes?

    Palin: That’s something that John McCain and I have both been discussing – whether that … is part of the solution or not. You know, it’s going to be a multi-faceted solution that has to be found here.

    Couric: So you haven’t decided whether you’ll support it or not?

    Palin: I have not.

    Couric: What are the pros and cons of it do you think?

    Palin: Oh, well, some decisions that have been made poorly should not be rewarded, of course.

    Couric: By consumers, you’re saying?

    Palin: Consumers – and those who were predator lenders also. That’s, you know, that has to be considered also. But again, it’s got to be a comprehensive, long-term solution found … for this problem that America is facing today. As I say, we are getting into crisis mode here.

    But does she have even an inkling of what the “problem that America is facing today” is. She goes to great lengths to say absolutely nothing… you can see it getting into Couric’s hair.

    Couric: You’ve said, quote, “John McCain will reform the way Wall Street does business.” Other than supporting stricter regulations of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac two years ago, can you give us any more example of his leading the charge for more oversight?

    Palin: I think that the example that you just cited, with his warnings two years ago about Fannie and Freddie – that, that’s paramount. That’s more than a heck of a lot of other senators and representatives did for us.

    Couric: But he’s been in Congress for 26 years. He’s been chairman of the powerful Commerce Committee. And he has almost always sided with less regulation, not more.

    Palin: He’s also known as the maverick though, taking shots from his own party, and certainly taking shots from the other party. Trying to get people to understand what he’s been talking about – the need to reform government.

    Couric: But can you give me any other concrete examples? Because I know you’ve said Barack Obama is a lot of talk and no action. Can you give me any other examples in his 26 years of John McCain truly taking a stand on this?

    Palin: I can give you examples of things that John McCain has done, that has shown his foresight, his pragmatism, and his leadership abilities. And that is what America needs today.

    Couric: I’m just going to ask you one more time – not to belabor the point. Specific examples in his 26 years of pushing for more regulation.

    Palin: I’ll try to find you some and I’ll bring them to you.

    Score a fumble for Palin.

    Under The LobsterScope

  28. 28.

    Melinda

    Personally I worry less about this being perceived as sexist by the McCain campaign than I am about it being perceived as sexist by, say, me. I’d like to think that people choose not to do or say sexist things because they reject sexism, which I guess is not the case here. The interview was a disaster on its own merits.

  29. 29.

    Sherrell H.

    Did it ever occur to the McCain campaign that someone who took 6 years and 5 schools to complete a bachelor’s degree might not be that quick of a study?

  32. 32.

    jcricket

    Hmmm, how is comparing one bumbling idiot to another bumbling idiot “sexism?” Oh, because they’re women!! Sorry.

    If you even look at Palin and think bad thoughts about her qualifications you are sexist.

    There was a moment on Yahoo last night where they had the Palin “Great Depression” quote next to the Bush “long and hard recession” quote. Palin is (to steal a line) Bush in drag. But really, she’s Bush + Cheney put together with Huckabee and Norquist thrown in.

    OK, geek moment, as I just figured this out. Palin is MODOK.

  33. 33.

    Melinda

    No, it’s trivializing to represente the elected governor of a US state as a mindless beauty pageant contestant, particularly given what beauty pageants are all about. Palin is completely out of her league when talking about foreign relations but I don’t see how that justifies calling her “Barbie” and focusing on her looks. On his show today Thom Hartmann played a Republicans for Obama ad that interspliced this interview with some of Palin’s bumbles and before he played he said “I know this is sexist” and then he played it anyway.

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