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Politics : GOPwinger Lies/Distortions/Omissions/Perversions of Truth -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (136499)	9/13/2008 7:46:36 PM
From: longnshort	Respond to of 173976

Charlie Gibson: This is No Way to Interview a Vice-Presidential Candidate Even if She is Sarah Palin. Support Pajamas Media; Visit Our Advertisers I watched ABC News Anchorman Charlie Gibson interview Governor Palin last night and was horrified by his blatant disdain for her and by the Grand Inquisitorial nature of the interview. He was not there to draw her out but to trap, shame and expose her as an unqualified fraud. He never smiled. He never paused. He literally looked down at her as he peered through his half-lowered glasses. He grilled her relentlessly, on and on, and when he thought she did not have the right answer e.g. as to what the Bush Doctrine really is, he "failed" her right on camera. According to Charles Krauthammer, writing in the Washington Post, it was Gibson who failed to understand that the Bush Doctrine has evolved through four phases and is not about America's right to pre-emptive deterrence. Take that, you uninformed bully. In addition, Judith Weiss, a sister-blogger and moderator of the super-excellent LiberalHawks listserv group, has called my attention to the NewsBusters' unedited transcript of the Gibson interview. ABC manipulated the hell out of the interview–they sliced and diced context and content in an attempt to present Palin as slightly flustered, unsure, superficial, and dangerous. Weiss demands that ABC release the entire unedited interview. Someone else (give me a few hours, I will dig up his name), has suggested that from now on, interviewees should take their own camcorders with them on the set–and then release the unedited interview on the internet. If Gibson represents the kind of gauntlet the mainstream media has in store for Palin–I suggest that in the future she come fully armed! (Just joking but I'm not sure what else would inspire any civility towards her). Contrast this with O'Reilly's interview with Obama. They were affable, jocular, relaxed. Both were "tough" but there was a level playing field between them. Obama has a habit of "touching" his opponents. He did this with Hillary, and I've seen him do it with McCain. He did this again with O'Reilly. Obama just enters their personal physical space. Psychological research on "touching" indicates that it is a statement of power. Whoever does the "touching" is indicating that he is the more powerful of the dyad. Thus, "touching" is not necessarily a touchy-feely anti-corporate kinda thing but is quite the opposite. Contrast the Gibson-Palin scandal with the interviews of both candidates last night at Columbia University by PBS's Judy Woodruff and Richard Stengel. The candidates were not on stage at the same time, although they met long enough for Obama to assert his "touching" authority over McCain. (McCain keeps calling for Obama to join him in coast-to-coast Town Hall meetings; Obama has not yet responded.) In any event, the Columbia interviewers were respectful and even-handed to both McCain and Obama. Both candidates were allowed to speak at length. Neither were badgered. I must admit, both candidates and perhaps the subject (National Service) was a bit boring. I literally found myself falling asleep. Obama looks older than when he first began this campaign. Oddly enough, McCain does not. Both candidates drew applause (Obama drew more). Both candidates agreed that Columbia should allow the ROTC back on campus. McCain was genial, likeable, Obama was eloquent and smooth. A Final Word for Charlie Gibson: Look: It is fine to disagree with someone on the issues. But this must be done with civility, not hostility. And, I am not sure that the interviewer has as much right to air his views and reveal his own biases on camera as does his interviewee, especially if she, not he, is running for the Vice-Presidency. The hostility of the Gibson interview is one more example of how the culture wars in America are playing out. I have even suggested that this war might very well worsen and become the beginnings of a Civil War if Obama does not win. pajamasmedia.com. Report TOU Violation