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October 07, 2008
Wonderful Interview Of Gov. Sarah Palin
The Wright Stuff
By WILLIAM KRISTOL
I spoke on the phone Sunday with Sarah Palin, who was in Long Beach, Calif., preparing to take off on her next campaign trip. It was the first time I’d talked with her since I met her in far more relaxed circumstances in Alaska over a year ago. But even though she’s presumably now under some strain and stress, she seemed, as far as I could tell, confident and upbeat.
In terms of substance, some of what she had to say was unsurprising: She doesn’t have a very high opinion of the mainstream media, and she believes an Obama administration would kill jobs by raising taxes. But she said a couple of things that were, I thought, either personally touching or politically provocative.
At one point, noting that Palin had remarked ruefully almost a week ago that her son Track had been, since his recent deployment to Iraq, in touch with his girlfriend but not his mother, I asked whether she had subsequently heard from him.
Palin told me she had. “He called the day of the debate, and it was so wonderful because it was the first call since they were deployed over there, and it was like a burden lifted even when I heard his voice.” Palin said that she told him that she had a debate that night. “And he says, ‘Yeah, I heard, Mom,’ and he says, ‘Have you been studying?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I have,’ and he goes, ‘O.K., well I’ll be praying.’ I’m like — total role reversal here, that’s what I’ve been telling him for 19 years.”
That was Palin the hockey mom — or rather the military mom.
As for the campaign, Palin made clear — without being willing to flat out say so — that she regretted allowing herself to be overly handled and constrained after the Republican convention. She described the debate on Thursday night as “liberating,” and she emphasized how much she now looked forward to being out there, “getting to speak directly to the folks.”
Since she seemed to have enjoyed the debate, I asked her whether she’d like to take this opportunity to challenge Joe Biden to another one.
There was a pause, and I thought I heard some staff murmuring in the background (we were on speaker phones). She passed on the notion of a challenge. But she did say she was more than willing to accept an invitation to debate with Biden again, and even expressed a preference for a town hall meeting-type format.
Since their debate drew more than 70 million television viewers — some 20 million more than watched John McCain and Barack Obama the week before — I trust that various civic associations, universities and media organizations will have invitations in the mail to Biden and Palin pronto.
And, really, shouldn’t the public get the benefit of another Biden-Palin debate, or even two? If there’s difficulty finding a moderator, I’ll be glad to volunteer.
Palin also made clear that she was eager for the McCain-Palin campaign to be more aggressive in helping the American people understand “who the real Barack Obama is.” Part of who Obama is, she said, has to do with his past associations, such as with the former bomber Bill Ayers. Palin had raised the topic of Ayers Saturday on the campaign trail, and she maintained to me that Obama, who’s minimized his relationship with Ayers, “hasn’t been wholly truthful” about this.
I pointed out that Obama surely had a closer connection to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright than to Ayers — and so, I asked, if Ayers is a legitimate issue, what about Reverend Wright?
She didn’t hesitate: “To tell you the truth, Bill, I don’t know why that association isn’t discussed more, because those were appalling things that that pastor had said about our great country, and to have sat in the pews for 20 years and listened to that — with, I don’t know, a sense of condoning it, I guess, because he didn’t get up and leave — to me, that does say something about character. But, you know, I guess that would be a John McCain call on whether he wants to bring that up.”
I guess so. And I guess we’ll soon know McCain’s call on whether he wants to bring Wright up — perhaps at his debate with Obama Tuesday night.
I asked at the end of our conversation whether Palin, fresh off her own debate, had any advice for McCain. “I’m going to tell him the same thing he told me. I talked to him just a few minutes before I walked out there on stage. And he just said: ‘Have fun. Be yourself, and have fun.’ And Senator McCain can do the same.” She paused, and I was about to thank her for the interview, but she had one more thing to say. “Only maybe I’d add just a couple more words, and that would be: ‘Take the gloves off.’ ”
And maybe I’d add, Hockey Mom knows best.
Wild Thing's comment..........
I think Rev; Wright must have turned off a certain amount of people not to vote for Obama.
Sarah is setting a lot of firsts. The VP debate had the most viewers than any other time in history.
I have said this before, God gave us and America Sarah Palin and I will do all I can to make sure she will be our VP.
.....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Posted by Wild Thing at October 7, 2008 06:44 AM
Comments
That was interesting. The more I see Governor Palin after the Biden debate the better I like her. Now instead of the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull, she is demonstrating the similarities. I hope she keeps the gloves off and gives them hell.
Posted by: Bob at October 7, 2008 07:52 AM
Yes, I also think Sarah was sent by someone from above. Maybe the spirit of Ronald Reagan helped a bit.
Sarah Palin is still being handled, though maybe a bit more loosely now by her advisors. Maybe John McCain himself will open up an attack at the debate tonight. If so, then Sarah can be turned loose to do what she does so well. Hit the opposition with the hard truth. More rallies and townhall meetings with Middle America by Sarah will energize the same type of people that 28 years ago became famous as "Reagan Democrats".
Posted by: TomR at October 7, 2008 09:10 AM
I heard that Rothchild woman on Cavuto, she said there were 35 million dem votes in the primary and 20% will vote for McCain-Palin, that's 7 million votes, not to shabby. Sarah Palin keeps bringing home the bacon. You go girl.
Posted by: Mark at October 7, 2008 05:33 PM
Bob, yes she has really impressed me. I love how natural she is in speaking and handling situations too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 7, 2008 06:52 PM
Tom, yes I think so, Reagan sent some strong vibed to send in Palin. Big smile
Your right Tom, when someone is a natural like Sarah is, the worst thing a person can do is hamper them, try to hold them back. That will make them nervous and too careful thus causing them to make mistakes. I think of how we had a lot more of our troops getting injured when they had to be PC in fighting back.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 7, 2008 06:56 PM
Mark, that is fantastic news. I agree I am glad this woman is on our side of the fence in this election. She is an excellent speaker on these talk shows, I missed the one you saw so I am thrilled you told me about it.
Yesss....."You go girl"
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 7, 2008 07:01 PM
