Remember when people asked why Palin wasn't rushing to do MSM interviews?

full quote. She is seeking God's will, not asserting it, and it appears that the context is being ignored, and the false image is created of Palin as a religious fanatic and a warmonger.

I also thought the "holy war" remark was a problem, but I think Revenant explains what's going on, a bit further down:

Gibson seemed confused by the distinction between (a) thinking that God has a plan and praying that our mission in Iraq is furthering it and (b) thinking that we're fighting a holy war. I don't think that's a distinction most Christians (or Jews or Muslims, for that matter) would find confusing. The belief that God has a plan for the world is hardly controversial, and I thought Palin clearly explained that that's what she was talking about. Mind you, I think that's a load of hooey, but then I'm an atheist. Most Americans actually do believe in that stuff.

Indeed.

"In the world you will find tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world."

John 16:33

....you know...fake but accurate.

Thoughts:
1) She did ok
2) I always pride myself on doing well when "Jeopardy" is on TV but I had one of those "uh ohh, I don't know this one" moments when Charlie Gibson asked "Do you agree with the Bush Doctrine?" My first thought "Did I miss it? Is there an actual written-out 'Bush doctrine'?". And that says nothing as to whether one agrees with it or not.
3) The NATO questions points out the very problems with Georgia and NATO membership. As a running mate, what else could you answer if your "leader" (you know the guy at the top of the ticket) has already said he favors Georgia membership in NATO. She did seem to be more enthusiastic with Ukraine membership than Georgia membership.
4) God is on our side. That was the usual no win "I have a 'christian perspective' and you have an incorrect understanding of the Christian perspective" sort of discussion. "Yes and God hates gays too! There you have your headline for tomorrow."
5) Charlie, lose the glasses or at least put them on one of those chains to complete the image.
6) Do we now feel better that Gov. Palin has had a "tough" interview?
7) Rorschach!
Chris

A re-post of my rant over at Volokh, but cleaned up a bit.

GIBSON: And you didn't say to yourself, "Am I experienced enough? Am I ready? Do I know enough about international affairs? Do I -- will I feel comfortable enough on the national stage to do this?"

PALIN: I didn't hesitate, no.

GIBSON: Didn't that take some hubris?

Excuse me?

Did anyone ask Obama what his foreign policy experience is? Did they interrogate him on whether or not he's met with heads of state? Does anyone even think it matters if one has met with these people before - like they'll refuse an invite from the President of the United States if they haven't met him or her before?

Was he pushed to make noise about how Chicago is close to Canada, or how Hawaii is closer to Asia than the California coast, before the press deems him worthy to run this country?

I may have missed part of the primary season, but I don't think anyone asked Mitt Romney or Ron Paul those questions. They weren't forced to make lame comments about Texas being right next to Mexico (and having millions of Mexican citizens to boot) or having run the Olympics to get over the foreign policy experience hurdle.

Arkansas is not exactly the foreign-policy capital of the world, but Bill Clinton did not seem to come under too much fire for having experience that is limited to eating Chinese food.

John Kerry, whose foreign knowledge is limited to varietals of French Champagne and villas in Tuscany, did not have to demonstrate himself to be competent to meet with heads of state. His running mate's main talent seems to be channeling dead babies while suing doctors, and he certainly did not have to justify himself as being one heartbeat away from the Presidency in a dangerous world.

Men are presumed competent and confident; Sarah Palin, incapable and prideful. SUCH CRAP.

I agree Simon, that's a material change. I'm glad this caught up to me, because all I had heard before was the extract. It's good to know that Palin understands the Abe Lincoln point of hoping that WE are on God's side. Far too few do, IMO.

I also think the juxtaposition employed in lipstickgate is a material misrepresentation (even though I'm skeptical that Obama's choice of words was inadvertent.)

What these episodes suggest to me is that the media, whatever other biases they may also harbor, are strongly on their OWN side. They're shopping for gotchas. And that's a problem.
__________
I have often said, and oftener think, that this world is a comedy for those who think, and a tragedy for those who feel. -Horace Walpole

Living in AK I've seen quite a bit of Palin on TV these past couple of years. Gibson's interview is possibly the worst I have seen her come off. (Not that I thought she did all that badly). She is very personable when she is on local TV.

I would have to guess a couple of factors were in play. She had a script to play to and was constrained to a group of set answers. Gibson, or ABC, was unwilling to engage with her for fear of seeming "soft". I think once the handlers trust her enough to let her go off script she will do a lot better. I think she was being very careful not to screw up.

Again, I am not a huge fan of Palin. I didn't think she should have been on the Repub ticket for Gov of AK, and even voted for her Dem opponent, but she CAN and DOES handle herself very well in front of the media (local media anyway).

Since I am voting for McCain anyway, because he is much closer to the center to my view, I would like to see Palin do well in front of the nation. It's nice to have a dog in the hunt even if it wasn't the one I would have chosen :)

**Obama's total nuclear disarmament policy is one near and dear to me. If I heard him state that world overpopulation was a problem he would like to tackle also I would probably bail on McCain. Fairyland? Possibly. But taking the survival of humanity as a whole these two issues are the only ones I see as absolutely critical. I give Obama credit for bringing half of the equation in to the public discourse, even if it is in a minimal way.