Charlie Gibson just don't get prayer for troops

What did Sarah Palin really pray about our troops going to war? Her entire prayer, not just the "exact words" Charlie Gibson pulled out and tried to twist into a "Gotcha!" question. Plus other president's prayers as our troops went forth into harm's way: Bill Clinton, JFK, FDR and Lincoln.


By Newt Gingrich

Sarah's answers left on the cutting-room floor

Mark Levin has the entire interview transcribed that Sarah Palin gave Charlie Gibson of ABC, including the parts that didn't make the airwaves. Of course, it's her strongest answers left out.

Like this lovely little exchange, with the boldface, underlined parts that did not get aired:

GIBSON: Have you ever met a foreign head of state?

PALIN: There in the state of Alaska, our international trade activities bring in many leaders of other countries.

GIBSON: And all governors deal with trade delegations.

PALIN: Right.

GIBSON: Who act at the behest of their governments.

PALIN: Right, right.

GIBSON: I’m talking about somebody who’s a head of state, who can negotiate for that country. Ever met one?

PALIN: I have not and I think if you go back in history and if you ask that question of many vice presidents, they may have the same answer that I just gave you. But, Charlie, again, we’ve got to remember what the desire is in this nation at this time. It is for no more politics as usual and somebody’s big, fat resume maybe that shows decades and decades in that Washington establishment, where, yes, they’ve had opportunities to meet heads of state … these last couple of weeks … it has been overwhelming to me that confirmation of the message that Americans are getting sick and tired of that self-dealing and kind of that closed door, good old boy network that has been the Washington elite.

And remember those headlines about Palin calls for war with Russia?

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.

No media bias here. Just genuine objective journalism. Nothing to see, move along now.

Palin 3, ABC 0.

Sarah vs. Charlie: Round 2, Guns, abortion, homos, sexism

My score: Sarah 2, Gibson 0.

From Round 1, the supposed big "Gotcha" was Gibson's question of Palin about whether she supports the Bush Doctrine? He then mangled its meaning as a followup question.

Charles Krauthammer is the journalist who named the Bush Doctrine after President George W. Bush outlined his response to the terror attacks of 9/11, so perhaps he's a better expert on what it means than Charlie Gibson. Krauthammer writes Charlie Gibson's Gaffe:

The New York Times got it wrong. And Charlie Gibson got it wrong.

Now who's "got" who, Charlie? Even this old country boy from the sticks appears to know more about the Bush Doctrine that Big Time Charlie Gibson. I wrote about it on Oct. 27, 2001 in Bush doctrine foreshadowed by Ryan doctrine?

Sarah vs. Charlie on stopping terror attacks

Charlie Gibson tried a "Gotcha!" on Sarah Palin with his mangled interpretation of the "Bush Doctrine" and Sarah refused to bite. Which side should Sarah be on, ours or the terrorists?