Palin talks abortion and newspapers — sort of — in Couric interview
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri – Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is happy to discuss her views on social issues like abortion and homosexuality, but reluctant to list what she usually reads to keep up on world events.
That’s the takeout from a series of interviews the Alaska governor did with CBS anchor Katie Couric, which aired on Tuesday night.
Palin, whose opposition to abortion rights has ignited support among social conservatives, some of whom were wary of presidential nominee John McCain, discussed whether rape or incest victims should be allowed to have an abortion.
“Personally, I would counsel the person to choose life, despite horrific, horrific circumstances that this person would find themselves in,” she said. “If you’re asking, though, kind of foundationally here, should anyone end up in jail for having an … abortion, absolutely not.”
When asked about her views on homosexuality, Palin talked about a close friend who is gay.
“One of my absolute best friends for the last 30 years happens to be gay, and I love her dearly,” Palin said. “She is one of my best friends, who happens to have made a choice that isn’t a choice I would have made. But I am not going to judge people.”
Palin has faced criticism for lacking experience in foreign policy. Before becoming governor some two years ago she was the mayor of a small town.
Couric asked Palin what newspapers and magazines she read regularly before becoming McCain’s running mate “to stay informed and to understand the world.”
Here is her response, according to a transcript provided by CBS:
Palin: I’ve read most of them, again with a great appreciation for the press, for the media.
Couric: What, specifically?
Palin: Um, all of them, any of them that have been in front of me all these years.
Couric: Can you name a few?
Palin: I have a vast variety of sources where we get our news, too. Alaska isn’t a foreign country, where it’s kind of suggested, “Wow, how could you keep in touch with what the rest of Washington, D.C., may be thinking when you live up there in Alaska?” Believe me, Alaska is like a microcosm of America.
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
Photo credit: REUTERS/Stephen Mally
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By putting Sarah Palin forward as his running-mate, John McCain is banking on the shallow stupidity of the majority of the electorate. Unfortunately, as long as she keeps smiling and comes across as a good ol’ American gal that will probably be enough. It worked for Bush, twice.
The world sincerely hopes that enough knowledgeable Americans will go to the polls in November to offset the number of ignorant deluded fools. God Bless America indeed!
Think about it: there is no way you can answer the question without being criticized, especially considering the manner in which the media has been treating the candidates. If you say “Wall Street Journal”, you run the risk of being too close to Wall Street, “NY Times” means you are too liberal, “USA Today” means you are a simpleton, any Alaskan newspaper means you are too local and narrow-minded, and “CNN” could mean you are enamored with sensationalism. At the same time she was probably a little offended, as Couric obviously was trying to imply that Palin doesn’t read and is therefore oblivious to current issues. I am not a Republican but am tired of hearing people rationalizing criticism in minutia. She is of course less experienced with the issues than any of the other candidates. Let’s see what she says in the debate.
I agree with Jackie. I’m tired of both sides bashing the other. I agree that perhaps she could have answered the question better. But does anyone honestly believe that the governor of a state doesn’t read? That a person nin that position isn’t constantly briefed on the state of the union? What would happen if she did name a specific paper? Likely that organization would run out and try to bash her anyway. God forbid the media ever admitted to being Republican.
McCain is clearly more interested in winning than the needs of this country. Putting this woman in a position to take over the U.S. is tantamount to treason.
As a Republican I have to vote with what’s best for us all, and sadly my party has decided that keeping power at all costs is more important than responsibly running the country.
Wow… First Drew- manage a family of 5? The teenager is pregnant! Run a state? How many other governors are under investigation? I truly think America is still struggling with race. Obama may not be the best person in the US to run now, but if he were white, Palin would not even be in the race. It is a stunt by McCain. I used to respect him, but life is full of disappointments. I am moving out of the U.S. if she wins!
Yvveta, I agree that this is not a surprise, but it is certainly not a tragedy unless we, the people vote for her ticket in November.
Her inability to provide the names of her news sources speaks volumes to me. It is an obvious answer in itself.
_________________
Also, her “Seeing Russia From Alaska” comments are Bovine Feces.
She’s never been to the only place in Alaska that has a view of Russia, Little Diomede Island.
I do agree with the multiple comments about the present administration’s ineptitude, (a Monkey could do a better job than Bush) but voting her and the old person in would be akin to trying to heal an open sore with a wire brush.
I think it is admirable that she fails to fit into the mold. Katie repeatedly tried to fit her into a shape that she refuses to accomodate. I think that she will bring a fresh outlook to Washington, one of an average person, not a millionaire ex-lawyer who hasn’t paid for his own dinner in 20 years.
AND as I look back at recent comments, you people would rather be lied to than for your vice-presidential candidate to refuse to answer a question? How do you call yourselves american?
OK. Remember Dan Quayle and how he was considered a laughing-stock because he didn’t know how to spell “potato”? Someone needs to ask Sarah Palin to spell “national disgrace”.
Bobby, I call myself American because I was born here, Served in the US Army during the Vietnam era, worked in, and retired from the Aerospace Industry, paying taxes and participating in local and national discussions and events all along. I raised my family here in the USA and will die here as well. I care about America and what happens to her. I’m sickened by the current administration’s lack of integrity and transparency. They think that they can do anything that they want and are always trying to foist more onto us. (I’m talking bailout here)
I think that you’re the one with blinders on, playing the mushroom and feeding at the table serving most of the Lies.
But I have my opinions and you have yours. Make no mistake though, we’re ALL Americans,……and proud of it too.
Fails to fit the mold? Bobby… come on! She’s being given a chance to give some smart answers. I’ve heard none so far. Would we rather be “lied to”? This whole republican thing is a lie. No.. I’m sick of being lied to, but placing someone in the light that is just plain can’t answer the questions with a yes or no after repeatedly being asked, or makes a paragraph of her answer and STILL there really isn’t an answer, well, I don’t want that person running the country. We’ve already had that. You can always tell when Bush has to come up with his own answers, because his words change and he fumbles his sentences, like he’s screaming “help me” through his ear piece. This administration we’ve had for the past 8 years has made a disaster of our country. It’s time to put a different class in the seat. I’m not absolutely crazy about Obama either.. but there is NO WAY McBush should win. He’s just a continuance of what’s been happening.
Palin, absolutely ridiculous. A bad joke. For instance, her belief in “Pro Life” as she says she’s a true believer of and will not apologize for it. Then you see Sarah with the moose/deer that she shot and killed and is having a video/photo taken of her and one other guy in the photo and the dead animal. Sarah is all smiling that she’s the one that killed this poor animal.
Now ask her if she’s ONLY “Pro Life” for humans, and not for animals. I don’t see her starving so she’s not killing the animal to survive. Why is she killing these animals? What a contradiction… that “PRO LIFE” should mean for anything with a heart beat.
No one has brought this up of her contradiction to this subject. Why not? I picked up on that as soon as I saw her with the dead animal.. Stating I thought she was PRO LIFE!
Then… there’s the issue of homosexuality. She states: “She is one of my best friends, who happens to have made a choice that isn’t a choice I would have made. But I am not going to judge people.”
Made a choice? According to homosexuals, it’s not a choice. You are born with not feeling right playing the role of the gender you’re given. Oh Sarah…. bad move on your part (again) of “foot in mouth”.
Hey Sarah.. here’s a suggestion… when someone asks you a question. Use the “yes” or “no” answer. You won’t sound as dumb as you do when you make your answer into a paragraph.
Oh dear me. Well, it just goes to show how ridiculous McBush is to have selected her in the first place to run with him. I truly believe that with Obama winning over Clinton, that McCain (McBush) thought.. I’d better do something here to get people’s attention, hey! I’ll grab a minority to be my running mate! Hey a woman! Come on Palin.. you’re running with me… now smile for the cameras! Look smart, but try not to say anything!
Oh dear! Now he’s having to sit next to Palin in the Katie Couric interviews as if he’s her lawyer and jumping in when there’s a question that’s over her head (well they all are actually).
This is the biggest joke ever! Can’t you all see this? Now.. this time around if the republicans (with who’s running this time) win this… you HAVE TO SEE IT’S BEEN FIXED ………AGAIN!
Absolutely fricken ridiculous!
Remember: it was lies and inept and arrogant governance with Bush that got us into the Iraq War and deregulation of the financial markets, both resulting in vast financial and personal loss for Americans and worldwide!
“Thanks but not thanks!”
McCain and Palin have been proven mutiple, multiple times to provide blatant misinformation in speeches and adds. How will our country and world suvive information that is known to them alone, with which they make their decisions, but given to the public in inaccurate ways? Dangerous.
“Thanks but not thanks!”
McCain choose a whooly inexperienced, undereducated VP/likely successor as president if he becomes incompacitated in any way. How will he choose his cabinet and other positions that the public cannot vet in any way.
“Thanks but not thanks!”
The world view of the “maveriks” seems haughty and arrogant–not appealing to the goodness and wholeness of humanity that wants life and needs to work together.
“Thanks but not thanks!”
McCain/Palin–a danger to our country and world.
“Thanks but not thanks!”
You know what?
I’m reeeeeeaaaaaaaaallly impressed!
She said that she reads “all of them”
Do you know how many newspapers there are in America alone?
If she is able to read ALL OF THEM then she must be a freaking genius! Genius!
I just posted a comment that was apparently no PC enough for the moderator. Was it my suppor of the McCain/Palin ticket or the fact that I reminded you that Barack’s middle name is HUSSEIN? Either way, it just shows the bias of your so called “news service”.
This Palin situation would be comical if it wasn’t so frightening. Americans actually think a person with no discernible communication skills (except for a certain warm fuzziness, with flashes of scorn) is qualified to do anything important? That she could step up to be POTUS?
How in heck did she graduate with a college degree?
She must have read SOMETHING, even if it was online news. Can’t she think on her feet (or sitting in a chair)?
Say McCain is elected and dies. Say Palin has to lead and inspire the American people through a Big Crisis of any kind. What will she say? Nothing? Evasions? Fractured thoughts, platitudes, slogans?
Now we know why the Republican party can only threaten foreign powers, bomb them, and invade them. No wonder Palin and her ilk don’t want to negotiate with foreign leaders. They can’t!
It’s that old punitive, vengeful worldview, exacerbated by a lack of spoken communication skills. It might work in the short term on a playground, where the players are 10 years old, but in the complex real world of international politics, bluster and outright acts of destruction get us nowhere.
Political Math 101:
Obama = Palin
McCain = Biden
Therefore:
Republicans = Democrats
And thus:
Future = Doom
Which validates against the known truth:
All things that rise will fall, including nations, societies, and governments.
All you Obaminates and McCainiacs out there who love marching in lockstep, consider a remedial course in arithmetic in your offtime.
Every comment against Mrs. palin is absolutely jealousy. If the question was directed to a democrat, the answer would be, “It’s not your business what I read”. So why picking on her? The next question would be which soap she bath with, which perfume she likes, which car she drives, etc. There are so many journalists and commentators that would like to make an issue out of nothing. Shame on you, so, instead support her as VP and give her the chance. She will demonstrate herself and will give the people of America as McCain running mate a solution to its problems.
“While I don’t tote around copies of the Post and Times with me, I do read the content on their respective web editions. I read US News and World Report. I also read my local paper, the Alaskan and occasionally pick up other local papers (with their AP and Reuters articles) and the Wall Street Journal’s Opinion page.”-What Sarah could have answered.
Wouldn’t you want someone as VP who could put together SOME sort of answer to that question? Her answer begs the question; does she read the news AT ALL?
she’s a turnip
Dude, I hope you choose Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia or Iran to live when J. McCain and Sarah Palin enters the whitehouse to govern the country with integrity.
I understood Governor Palin’s response as not wanting to publicly endorse the newspapers she reads or doesn’t read. Of course, she stays informed, but whatever she says about reading or not reading certain papers will be be used as political spin. With onlne news articles, how many people always read an actual newspaper anyway? If this is a sign of ignorance, then Joe Biden’s comments (just let him open his mouth) would cast him as a complete moron.
This is to all you rebuplican haters, you will hate on anything or anyone who stands for the moral right. you think that sarah palin is an idiot, she is down to earth, something that we need in a politician, she is an american first. please tell me when obama became an american first? he would not cross his heart on the national anthem, just started wearing the lapet pin of the flag, weak democratic white house will lead to the security risk for this country. without this country being secure, nothing else will matter. all you left wing freaks screamed for help after 9-11, you will not want to live through that again, the left wing of this country makes me ILL!!!!
“She is one of my best friends, who happens to have made a choice that isn’t a choice I would have made. But I am not going to judge people.”
“Choice”?
Crossing one’s heart during the national anthem is not required, nor has it always been in practice. This is only a recent convention developed by the hard right. Wearing the flag as a form of jewelry is actually inappropriate. If you will check your flag etiquette, it is disrespectful to wear the American Flag in any form on one’s person.
If McCain were an American first, as you say, he would have chosen a qualified running mate since he is a 72 year old six time cancer victim instead of Governor Palin who is obviously not qualified—read Conservative columnists George Will and Kathleen Parker if you disagree.
I really think that Palin is either crazy or an egomanic. I am an intelligent woman with a masters degree in education, but I know, I would never assume I could run this wonderful, but very complex country. This is coming from a person who has worked in inner-city schools, in early education and in special education. However, I understand that to take on the responsibility of VP, I would need to be more then what I am. She is not capable and is not credible enough to even run a state, quite frankly. It was a sad day when McSame pick Ms. Pain.
I think that katie is biast and I will not watch her anymore
Thank God Americans with sense will not be voting fo the thief of Illinois.
Why didn’t she just say The Bible?
She is really pretty and feisty too!!
WE LOVE YOU SARAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!
There must be at least a hundred intelligent, articulate, educated, well informed, and competent women out there who are actually, factually and practically qualified to be VP.
Desperate to prove his maverickness he turns down all of the “logical” choices and chooses Palin. It is just unfair for him to put the smaller percentage of the intelligent and honest people in his party in this position where they have to either give this woman a phony endorsement which means they are trying to sell to you and me a product they themselves would not buy or they must exercise their honest judgment and call this choice a blunder putting themselves at odds with this ticket. This is an unfair and unnecessary burden. John McCain it time for you to live up
to your “straight talk” gimmick and stop humiliating Americans with this dumb choice.
Sarah Palin is being patronized and cornered by Couric when she asks her these questions. The media and you guys seem to not be able to think past the initial answer. She names a newspaper….then the media jumps on the credentials of the newspaper and ties them to Palin. She names the McCain vote record example….and that will fuel a media frenzy centered on that one vote. I think that is the problem with democracts along with you guys, you cant see past your own nose.
Sarah!! Time, Newsweek, US news and world report, COSMO!!! WTF just name anything. Is that she wants to show the world how she will not answer any question straight?
She’s read “all” the magazines?
Even “Honcho”?
Wow. She’s much better read than I had thought.
or perhaps she could have just said ‘Google’,
before returning ‘Into the Wild’
She does not sound well-traveled, well-informed or well-read. She is not worldly. This might not be a concern for an Alaskan governor. It is a concern for a VP.
We only have one paper here in Anchorage and that is the Anchorage Daily News; it even has a nation and world section right behind the Alaska section. The Mat-Su valley, which is the area where Wasilla is located even has a newspaper called the frontiersman and the strange thing is she couldn’t even think of that.
Maybe she wasn’t prepared to answer that question. Maybe her mind went blank, maybe she read a paper she doesn’t want to endorse. Do you think the woman who ran Alaska and butchered the oil guys is dumb? Are you calling all govenor’s dumb? Maybe she doesn’t answer stupid trivia questions quickly……….but, she knows her morals and her values and she’s not going to stand for people who don’t watch your backs. Or maybe you should vote for someone who is so well trained on telling you what you want to hear. Man, you people are harsh. Couric was relentless…….the interview made her look like a nagging brat. Another interiewer trying to make her look bad, it’s so obvious it’s incredible. I wouldn’t care if it was Obama or Houdini, she hounds people to make them look bad. It’s repulsive. But, Palin didn’t flinch.
Govern with integrity? That is a joke! McCrazy gave that away when he picked her… Give her a chance? Why? Give me a break. As a veteran, I can not stand to listen to this. Some of you never served a day and you think you know what it like to be at war? Obama needs work but he said he will surround himself with the right ppl. Palin scares me to death.
The Republicans are getting what they deserve…an airhead!!
The scary part is that some people have conditioned themselves to expect so little from Palin now. We’re talking about the Vice President of this great country. We’re not talking about the Vice President of the high school student government. We should expect more from someone who aspires to hold this position. Obama, Biden and McCain have all been scrutinized, interviewed, checked out using a fine tooth comb, etc. If she wants to run with the big boys she’s got to be able to get out there and hold her own. So far she’s not doing that and seems to be hinting that her portrayed weaknesses are because the media and anybody else who has a negative opinion about her “performances” are sexist. Well, I’m a female…can I be sexist toward another female? Sorry Sarah, I simply expect more. What happened to the “Governor Palin of Alaska” who was introduced at the Republican convention just a few weeks ago?? McCain-Palin…Thanks, But No Thanks!
You are all forgetting that we are electing a president. This election is about making a choice for McCain or Obama. Please do your homework before you make a decision. If you want an inexperienced president, higher taxes, government run health care, higher taxes, big government, higher taxes, someone that will sit down with our enemies and chat, higher taxes,… You will see the best choice is MCCAIN.
Eight years ago, no one expected the “regular guy we wanted to have a beer with” to hold his own during his debates with Al Gore. The bar was set so low that Bush’s performance was declared a triumph simply because he hadn’t humiliated himself. He had been coached to deliver a few simple messages over and over.
Beware of a repeat of this perverse dynamic concerning Palin’s upcoming “performance” during Thursday’s debate. She will be coached to the strengths we saw during her convention address — well-delivered, sarcastic barbs that pitch the Republican base’s rallying cries (say “I believe,” wrap yourself in the flag, and incite fear). Never mind her glaring incompetence for the Vice Presidency. If she doesn’t totally humiliate herself, the pundits will once again say, “Gee, she didn’t fall on her face. What a winner!”
Don’t fall for it.
Lynn – Obama has been scutinized?? Are you living under a rock? You are kidding, right? The liberal media has handled him with kid gloves from the start of his campaign. Why do you think Hillary, the most qualified candidate, did not get the Democratic nomination? Maybe Palin should have used a teleprompter to assist her like OBAMA does for all of his appearances. I like the fact that she is down to earth and understands the middle class. Do you think Obama and Biden relate better to the middle class? Will help the middle class? Two Senators that are multi millionaires! Yes, Obama is great at public speaking, but that is ALL. You are willing to vote for an inexperienced Commander and Chief, but it bothers you that Palin is inexperienced. Before you vote, review the facts on Obama. If he wins the election this country will definitely hit rock bottom.
There are two questions I’d like to see put to Ms. Palin during Thursday’s V.P. debate, or in her next interview (if she ever has another).
Actually, Gibson or Couric (let’s forget Murdoch’s “hired-hand Hannity”) should have already asked these questions:
1.) Why did you as mayor of Wasilla force female rape-victims reporting the crime to pay out of their own pocket for the forensic-kit and exam needed in the work-up (see NYT 9/26/08)?
2.) Was your policy of requiring rape-victims to pay for their own forensic exams a result of your publicly stated belief that even women who become pregnant as a result of rape should be required to carry that pregnancy to full term and birth?
I see no reason why Palin, as candidate for the office of Vice President of the USA, and with a 1 in 3 chance of taking over as President in the next 4 years, should continue to be shielded from answering these questions publicly.
OK, sure, take this one response (or lack thereof) about reading materials by itself, and it is not necessarily a cause for concern. However, for those of us paying attention to the growing stream of Palin’s unscripted responses to straightforward questions, the picture is no less than alarming. She has shown a less than a firm grasp of (high school level) American history, let alone 21st century geopolitics. Her responses to her own beliefs about abortion and global warming are incoherent. This communications major cannot even form a sentence without getting lost in it. She may look darling when she wrinkles her nose, but people, are you joking? This is not a beauty contest. The U.S. is far too complex and precarious to be put in the hands of Gov. Palin. Stop kidding yourselves.
As a New Zealander I am reasonably objective here, or hope I am. But even I cringe when I see the Couric interviews. Almost too painful to watch. Sarah Palin must step down NOW. I have no love for McCain’s political position, but he is obviously an intelligent man who loves his country, and at the moment his choice of potential VP is making Americas a laughing stock internationally. That, and sowing fear. The world doesn’t always see your politics finally (even those billions of us who READ) – it sees the potential of added disaster should this woman get anywhere near the Presidency. That is scary beyond words. Would your top politicians and your top soldiers really take orders from her? Think about it. Sorry guys, I admire your people, but this theatre of the absurd needs to stop today.
Cheers
I thought it was very clever not to give the old hag “couric” a bone,
… answer about her favorite reads..
why should she?
It really is no-ones business…….I bet the congress in capital hill in Washington reads hustler or playboy, would any good ole boys admit to ALL they read and that SPECIFICALLY ??
SO GREAT ANSWER PALIN very coy
KEEP THE STUPID DEM’S GUESSING!!!!!
> 0 < ?????? ^ v ^ ????????
Ann-Sorry but repeating a lie four times doesn’t make it true. You should try researching somewhere besides the John McCain website.
1)Under Obama’s plan 95.5% of families with children, and 81.3% of American households would see a tax cut.
2)Obama’s plan mandates coverage for children, but not for adults, and it does not require anyone to be covered by a nationalized system. Obama’s plan expands the insurance coverage offered by the government, but allows people to keep their own plans or choose from private plans as well.
3)As far as chatting with our enemies. What was it that McCain’s close friend of 35 years said?
Kissinger Sept. 20: Well, I am in favor of negotiating with Iran. And one utility of negotiation is to put before Iran our vision of a Middle East, of a stable Middle East, and our notion on nuclear proliferation at a high enough level so that they have to study it. And, therefore, I actually have preferred doing it at the secretary of state level so that we — we know we’re dealing with authentic…
CNN’s Frank Sesno: Put at a very high level right out of the box?
Kissinger: Initially, yes.But I do not believe that we can make conditions for the opening of negotiations.
I think Mr McCain is a totally irresponsible person to have chosen Palin. It´s not her fault, she is being used.
This is another typical example of Couric playing the “Gotcha” game with anybody with an R behind their name. WHO CARES where Palin gets her news? WHY would Couric even bother with such a stupid, insignificant, unrelated/unimportant question?? Riddle me this……give me the date and location when Couric asked Biden where he gets his news. Oh, that’s right….SHE DIDN’T ASK HIM! At least Palin knows who the PRESIDENT WAS in 1929!!