Saturday, September 20, 2008

ThePete VS. PALIN VS. GIBSON: FIGHT! (Round 5)

We now join ABC News' Charlie Gibson's interview with Sarah Palin, accompanied by round 5 of my commentary (check out round 1, round 2, round 3 and round 4!), already in progress:

Sarah Palin on Hillary Clinton:

GIBSON: I saw you quoted somewhere as speaking rather admiringly of Mrs. Clinton, Senator Clinton, during the primary campaign. Do you think Obama should've picked her?

PALIN: I think he's regretting not picking her now, I do. What, what determination, and grit, and even grace through some tough shots that were fired her way, she handled those well.


Wow, no talk of how thankful Sarah is to Hillary for blazing a path for her?

No follow up from Charlie on how Palin might feel about people who think that maybe if Hillary hadn't run McCain would never have chosen her?

GOOD TV!

Sarah Palin on Abortion Rights:

GIBSON: In the time I have left, I want to talk about some social issues.

PALIN: OK.


PALIN: What, like MySpace, errr that Facebook? Errrr, the Twitter?

GIBSON: No, those are social networks, I'm going to ask you about social issues like whether or not you think a woman has the right to kill a creature living inside herself--a creature that gestates and eventually emerges, forcing vast amounts of blood and treasure to be spent on its behalf. You know, abortion.

GIBSON: Roe v. Wade, do you think it should be reversed?

PALIN: I think it should and I think that states should be able to decide that issue...


So, she's anti-individual choice, but pro-state choice. Well, it could be worse.

I am pro-life. I do respect other people's opinion on this, also, and I think that a culture of life is best for America...


PALIN: Which is why I believe that going over and killing Iraqis who don't do as we say is part of God's plan.

What I want to do, when elected vice president, with John McCain, hopefully,


Oh, snap, dude! McCain, man, your girl just said she'd be VP with someone else!! That's so wrong, man!

Where's the loyalty!

be able to reach out and work with those who are on the other side of this issue, because I know that we can all agree on the need for and the desire for fewer abortions in America and greater support for adoption, for other alternatives that women can and should be empowered to embrace, to allow that culture of life. That's my personal opinion on this, Charlie.


So, she's for expanding government programs that would give expectant mothers money and health insurance so that they can afford to blow nine months of their lives, popping out this child who will only get stuck in a system that is already crowded with kids that need parents?

I mean, how else could expectant mothers who didn't plan on having a kid get the support (financial and otherwise) they need to be able to "embrace" alternatives to abortion?

Carrying a baby to term is a HUGE commitment and a HUGE sacrifice. Sure, Sarah, your kid is lucky because she was born to rich (and white) parents. What happens to women who can't just run to their parents for financial and emotional support? What happens in cases where the woman simply can't afford to get proper prenatal care? What about cases of rape or incest? That requires even more than just financial and emotional support.

Where does all of it come from for people who don't already have it in their families?

GIBSON: John McCain would allow abortion in cases of rape and incest. Do you believe in it only in the case where the life of the mother is in danger?

PALIN: That is my personal opinion.


Well, at least she's willing to let the mother live!

GIBSON: Would you change and accept it in rape and incest?

PALIN: My personal opinion is that abortion allowed if the life of the mother is endangered. Please understand me on this. I do understand McCain's position on this. I do understand others who are very passionate about this issue who have a differing.


A differing WHAT? :P

So, Sarah Palin's advice for women who have been raped is: "Suck it up! It's only nine months!"

Sarah Palin on Social Issues:


Isn't that what we've been talking about?

GIBSON: Embryonic stem cell research, John McCain has been supportive of it.

PALIN: You know, when you're running for office, your life is an open book and you do owe it to Americans to talk about your personal opinion, which may end up being different than what the policy in an administration would be.


This is a good point. In fact, it's a great point. If she votes with the Constitution and the will of the people, I'd be OK with that (I still wouldn't be happy with her as VP, but I'd be glad she'd be using the USC as her guide and not, say, the Bible).

My personal opinion is we should not create human life, create an embryo and then destroy it for research, if there are other options out there... And thankfully, again, not only are there other options, but we're getting closer and closer to finding a tremendous amount more of options, like, as I mentioned, the adult stem cell research.


Does she even understand this topic? It's not like the cells are taken from some sort of human-like thing. This is a tiny, tiny, little blob, we're talking about. Something that is so far off from knowing ANYthing that it really is quite impossible to call it a human life.

GIBSON: Homosexuality, genetic or learned?

PALIN: Oh, I don't -- I don't know, but I'm not one to judge and, you know, I'm from a family and from a community with many, many members of many diverse backgrounds and I'm not going to judge someone on whether they believe that homosexuality is a choice or genetic. I'm not going to judge them.


GIBSON: All right, then judge gays. Destined for hell or heaven?

Come on, Charlie--always letting us down with the lack of follow-ups!

GIBSON: Guns, 70 percent of this country supports a ban on semiautomatic assault weapons. Do you?

PALIN: I do not and, you know, here again, life being an open book here, as a candidate, I'm a lifetime member of the NRA. I believe strongly in our Second Amendment rights. That's kind of inherent in the people of my state who rely on guns for not just self-protection, but also for our hunting and for sports, also. It's a part of a culture here in Alaska. I've just grown up with that.


I actually think this is a fair response. One of her only fair responses in this interview. I'm an independent so I have beliefs that fall toward both major parties. I'm for realistic gun laws that stop people with mental issues or certain types of criminal records from getting guns. Ultimately, I'm all for the right to bear arms. Even fully automatic weapons.

Of course, I'm also for mandatory training for all American citizens in the firing of guns. I think it should be federally mandated that every child know how a gun works, how to fire it and the kind of harm it can do. I think if we're taught an early fear of the gun, we'll be able to cut down on deaths by firearms.

Remember, the reason we have the right to bear arms is so we can defend ourselves against thieves and murderers and politicians.

I know, I know, it's tough to tell all those guys apart sometimes. :) But seriously, the idea was that if Americans were armed, politicians would be less likely to screw around with laws.

GIBSON: Isn't gun violence in America a health issue? We spend billions of dollars a year every year treating people who are victims of gun violence. Nothing we can do about that?


Well, I pretty much just said that it's an education issue but this question was directed at Ms. Palin.

PALIN: Do I think that all of that gun violence, though, is caused by people pulling a trigger who would have followed any law anyway? No. You start banning guns and you start taking away guns from people who will use them responsibly and use them ethically.

You put more and more laws on guns and you start taking away a Second Amendment right, it's going to be, Charlie, the bad guys who have the guns, not those who are law-abiding citizens.


If only she held the other amendments in as high esteem (I'm looking at you 1st amendment!).

Sarah Palin on Sexism:

GIBSON: Is it sexist for people to ask how can somebody manage a family of seven and the vice presidency? Is that a sexist question to ask?

PALIN: I don't know. I'm lucky to have been brought up in a family where gender has never been an issue. I'm a product of Title 9, also, where we had equality in schools that was just being ushered in with sports and with equal opportunity for education, all of my life.


But not equal pay, though.

I'm part of that generation, where that question is kind of irrelevant, because it's accepted. Of course you can be the vice president and you can raise a family.


DUDE, FIVE KIDS. Clearly, what with Bristol getting pregnant, you can't handle the job while being governor. Come on. Let's be adult and honest here.

This is a sexist issue, only in that it's about being a mom. Sure, if the dad wants to quit his job and take over, that's cool. But, as I mentioned, as a good Christian, you couldn't even keep your own daughter from having sex, clearly you and your hubby were missing something.

I'm the governor and I'm raising a family. I've been a mayor and have raised a family. I've owned a business and we've raised a family.


Yeah and everything's been FINE!

What people have asked me when I was -- when I learned I was pregnant, "Gosh, how are you going to be the governor and have a baby in office, too," and I replied back then, as I would today, "I'll do it the same way the other governors have done it when they've either had baby in office or raised a family." Granted, they're men, but do it the same way that they do it.


Stick the babies with their spouses while they sleep around? :P

Nooo, of course, it's possible to have a HUGE family and still be a politician. However, the other spouse has to want to take a very hands-on role in order to still be good parents. The myth that two income families turn out just fine is just that, a myth--at least for the first several years of childhood. Once they go to school, it's easier, but not by much.

What happens if Palin has to cast a deciding vote on the senate floor and her husband is off field dressing a moose and one of her kids falls and cracks their skull open?

The kid bleeds by him/herself until she's done with the work of the nation.

GIBSON: When we posted this question on the Internet, we had 15,000 replies within 48 hours and every woman with young children struggles with this question, should I, how can I, will I be able to. And I'm curious to hear you talk just about how you've internalized that.

PALIN: Sure. And I understand what that struggle is, what those internal questions are. I've gone through the same thing over these 19 years from having my first born to today having a newborn.

In these 19 years, a lot of circumstances have changed. I stayed home with my son until he was seven years old, had just worked part-time, until I got into full-time employment again when he was seven. I had that choice then and I've had choices, of course, along the way.


Must be nice having all of those choices, huh, Sarah?

I bet you'd really hate to lose any of those choices.

Would you say that your pro- choice, Sarah?

Sarah Palin on Banning Books:


We'll save this for part 6! That'll be posted tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

Orignal From: ThePete VS. PALIN VS. GIBSON: FIGHT! (Round 5)

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