Charlie Gibson's Gaffe (Bush Doctrine)

Washington Post ^ | September 13, 2008 | Charles Krauthammer

[red flanker]

"At times visibly nervous . . . Ms. Palin most visibly stumbled when she was asked by Mr. Gibson if she agreed with the Bush doctrine. Ms. Palin did not seem to know what he was talking about. Mr. Gibson, sounding like an impatient teacher, informed her that it meant the right of 'anticipatory self-defense.' "

-- New York Times, Sept. 12

Informed her? Rubbish.

The New York Times got it wrong. And Charlie Gibson got it wrong.

There is no single meaning of the Bush Doctrine. In fact, there have been four distinct meanings, each one succeeding another over the eight years of this administration -- and the one Charlie Gibson cited is not the one in common usage today. It is utterly different.

[Fawn]

That’s so funny...

[maggief]

Stand up, Chuck!

[quesney]

Bush Doctrine for Dummies (including ABC and Charlie Gibson):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_Doctrine

[Domestic Church]

Gibson’s smug condescension will bring millions of votes to McCain & Palin.

You would have to be an idiot not to take umbrage with his interview.

[KansasGirl]

I’d like to see Charles set down in a “gotcha interview” with Krauthammer.

[Fred]

Alaska Attorney, Branchflower, investigating Palin, Compromised

[Fred]

"while he looked down his nose and over his glasses with weary disdain, sighing and "sounding like an impatient teacher," as the Times noted. In doing so, he captured perfectly the establishment snobbery and intellectual condescension that has characterized the chattering classes' reaction to the mother of five who presumes to play on their stage. "

Cut to the bone!!!

[eaglewing20]

Actually, the so-called "Bush Doctrine" was laid out as "defending the United States, the American people, and our interests at home and abroad by identifying and destroying the threat before it reaches our borders."

GIBSON: Do you agree with the Bush doctrine?

PALIN: In what respect, Charlie?

GIBSON: The Bush -- well, what do you -- what do you interpret it to be?

PALIN: His world view. GIBSON: No, the Bush doctrine, enunciated September 2002, before the Iraq war.

PALIN: I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hell bent on destroying our nation. There have been blunders along the way, though. There have been mistakes made. And with new leadership, and that's the beauty of American elections, of course, and democracy, is with new leadership comes opportunity to do things better.

GIBSON: The Bush doctrine, as I understand it, is that we have the right of anticipatory self-defense, that we have the right to a preemptive strike against any other country that we think is going to attack us. Do you agree with that?

PALIN: Charlie, if there is legitimate and enough intelligence that tells us that a strike is imminent against American people, we have every right to defend our country. In fact, the president has the obligation, the duty to defend.

September 21, 2001 CHARLIE GIBSON: The president in his speech last night, very forceful. Four out of five Americans watched it. Everybody gathered around the television set last night. The president issued a series of demands to the Taliban, already rejected. We'll get to that in a moment. He also outlined what is being called the Bush Doctrine, a promise that all terrorists organizations with global reach will be found, stopped and defeated.

Where is the controversy?

[stripes1776]

Good luck selling the idea that McCain/Palin are 4 more years of Bush policies while pointing out that Palin “didn’t seem to know” what the Bush Doctrine was.

That was exactly my first thought. I had been waiting for someone in the press to say this. But you did it first.

[Taffini]

they are just pushing women into the Mccain camp. keep it up morons. charlie gibson can kiss my royal 25% Irish ass.

[SierraWasp]

Oh STOP!!! They weren’t sitting that close together!!!

[BOBTHENAILER]

Sheesh...I meant it as a play on the word doctorin’ (doctrine), not Bush. You have a venomous mind...

[SierraWasp]

Well... As the french say: “double entry!!”

[festus]

Good to see this chap gets it right. This was my reaction too. Never answer a question that hasn’t had the terms defined first.