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ABC News Edited Out Key Parts of Sarah Palin Interview
Newsbusters ^ | 09/13/08 | P.J. Gladnick

Posted on 09/13/2008 5:08:24 AM PDT by coffee260

A transcript of the unedited interview of Sarah Palin by Charles Gibson clearly shows that ABC News edited out crucial portions of the interview that showed Palin as knowledgeable or presented her answers out of context. This unedited transcript of the first of the Gibson interviews with Palin is available on radio host Mark Levin's website. The sections edited out by ABC News are in bold. The first edit shows Palin responding about meeting with foreign leaders but this was actually in response to a question Gibson asked several questions earlier:

GIBSON: Have you ever met a foreign head of state?

PALIN: There in the state of Alaska, our international trade activities bring in many leaders of other countries.

GIBSON: And all governors deal with trade delegations.

PALIN: Right.

GIBSON: Who act at the behest of their governments.

PALIN: Right, right.

GIBSON: I’m talking about somebody who’s a head of state, who can negotiate for that country. Ever met one?

PALIN: I have not and I think if you go back in history and if you ask that question of many vice presidents, they may have the same answer that I just gave you. But, Charlie, again, we’ve got to remember what the desire is in this nation at this time. It is for no more politics as usual and somebody’s big, fat resume maybe that shows decades and decades in that Washington establishment, where, yes, they’ve had opportunities to meet heads of state … these last couple of weeks … it has been overwhelming to me that confirmation of the message that Americans are getting sick and tired of that self-dealing and kind of that closed door, good old boy network that has been the Washington elite.
 

Next we see that Palin was not nearly as hostile towards Russia as was presented in the edited interview:

GIBSON: Let me ask you about some specific national security situations.

PALIN: Sure.

GIBSON: Let’s start, because we are near Russia, let’s start with Russia and Georgia.

The administration has said we’ve got to maintain the territorial integrity of Georgia. Do you believe the United States should try to restore Georgian sovereignty over South Ossetia and Abkhazia?

PALIN: First off, we’re going to continue good relations with Saakashvili there. I was able to speak with him the other day and giving him my commitment, as John McCain’s running mate, that we will be committed to Georgia. And we’ve got to keep an eye on Russia. For Russia to have exerted such pressure in terms of invading a smaller democratic country, unprovoked, is unacceptable and we have to keep…

GIBSON: You believe unprovoked.

PALIN: I do believe unprovoked and we have got to keep our eyes on Russia, under the leadership there. I think it was unfortunate. That manifestation that we saw with that invasion of Georgia shows us some steps backwards that Russia has recently taken away from the race toward a more democratic nation with democratic ideals. That’s why we have to keep an eye on Russia.

And, Charlie, you’re in Alaska. We have that very narrow maritime border between the United States, and the 49th state, Alaska, and Russia. They are our next door neighbors.We need to have a good relationship with them. They’re very, very important to us and they are our next door neighbor.

GIBSON: What insight into Russian actions, particularly in the last couple of weeks, does the proximity of the state give you?

PALIN: They’re our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.

GIBSON: What insight does that give you into what they’re doing in Georgia?

PALIN: Well, I’m giving you that perspective of how small our world is and how important it is that we work with our allies to keep good relation with all of these countries, especially Russia. We will not repeat a Cold War. We must have good relationship with our allies, pressuring, also, helping us to remind Russia that it’s in their benefit, also, a mutually beneficial relationship for us all to be getting along.

We also see from Palin's following remark, which was also edited out, that she is far from some sort of latter day Cold Warrior which the edited interview made her seem to be:

We cannot repeat the Cold War. We are thankful that, under Reagan, we won the Cold War, without a shot fired, also. We’ve learned lessons from that in our relationship with Russia, previously the Soviet Union.

We will not repeat a Cold War. We must have good relationship with our allies, pressuring, also, helping us to remind Russia that it’s in their benefit, also, a mutually beneficial relationship for us all to be getting along.

Palin's extended remarks about defending our NATO allies were edited out to make it seem that she was ready to go to war with Russia. 

GIBSON: And under the NATO treaty, wouldn’t we then have to go to war if Russia went into Georgia?

PALIN: Perhaps so. I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you’re going to be expected to be called upon and help.

But NATO, I think, should include Ukraine, definitely, at this point and I think that we need to — especially with new leadership coming in on January 20, being sworn on, on either ticket, we have got to make sure that we strengthen our allies, our ties with each one of those NATO members.

We have got to make sure that that is the group that can be counted upon to defend one another in a very dangerous world today.

GIBSON: And you think it would be worth it to the United States, Georgia is worth it to the United States to go to war if Russia were to invade.

PALIN: What I think is that smaller democratic countries that are invaded by a larger power is something for us to be vigilant against. We have got to be cognizant of what the consequences are if a larger power is able to take over smaller democratic countries.

And we have got to be vigilant. We have got to show the support, in this case, for Georgia. The support that we can show is economic sanctions perhaps against Russia, if this is what it leads to.

It doesn’t have to lead to war and it doesn’t have to lead, as I said, to a Cold War, but economic sanctions, diplomatic pressure, again, counting on our allies to help us do that in this mission of keeping our eye on Russia and Putin and some of his desire to control and to control much more than smaller democratic countries.

His mission, if it is to control energy supplies, also, coming from and through Russia, that’s a dangerous position for our world to be in, if we were to allow that to happen.

That answer presented Palin as a bit too knowledgeable for the purposes of ABC News and was, of course, edited out. Palin's answers about a nuclear Iran were carefully edited to the point where she was even edited out in mid-sentence to make it seem that Palin favored unilateral action against that country:

GIBSON: Let me turn to Iran. Do you consider a nuclear Iran to be an existential threat to Israel?

PALIN: I believe that under the leadership of Ahmadinejad, nuclear weapons in the hands of his government are extremely dangerous to everyone on this globe, yes.

GIBSON: So what should we do about a nuclear Iran? John McCain said the only thing worse than a war with Iran would be a nuclear Iran. John Abizaid said we may have to live with a nuclear Iran. Who’s right?

PALIN: No, no. I agree with John McCain that nuclear weapons in the hands of those who would seek to destroy our allies, in this case, we’re talking about Israel, we’re talking about Ahmadinejad’s comment about Israel being the “stinking corpse, should be wiped off the face of the earth,” that’s atrocious. That’s unacceptable.

GIBSON: So what do you do about a nuclear Iran?

PALIN: We have got to make sure that these weapons of mass destruction, that nuclear weapons are not given to those hands of Ahmadinejad, not that he would use them, but that he would allow terrorists to be able to use them. So we have got to put the pressure on Iran and we have got to count on our allies to help us, diplomatic pressure.

GIBSON: But, Governor, we’ve threatened greater sanctions against Iran for a long time. It hasn’t done any good. It hasn’t stemmed their nuclear program.

PALIN: We need to pursue those and we need to implement those. We cannot back off. We cannot just concede that, oh, gee, maybe they’re going to have nuclear weapons, what can we do about it. No way, not Americans. We do not have to stand for that.

Laughably, a remark by Gibson that indicated he agreed with Palin was edited out:

PALIN: But the reference there is a repeat of Abraham Lincoln’s words when he said — first, he suggested never presume to know what God’s will is, and I would never presume to know God’s will or to speak God’s words.

But what Abraham Lincoln had said, and that’s a repeat in my comments, was let us not pray that God is on our side in a war or any other time, but let us pray that we are on God’s side.

That’s what that comment was all about, Charlie. And I do believe, though, that this war against extreme Islamic terrorists is the right thing. It’s an unfortunate thing, because war is hell and I hate war, and, Charlie, today is the day that I send my first born, my son, my teenage son overseas with his Stryker brigade, 4,000 other wonderful American men and women, to fight for our country, for democracy, for our freedoms.

Charlie, those are freedoms that too many of us just take for granted. I hate war and I want to see war ended. We end war when we see victory, and we do see victory in sight in Iraq.

GIBSON: I take your point about Lincoln’s words, but you went on and said, “There is a plan and it is God’s plan.”

Gibson took her point about Lincoln's words but we wouldn't know that by watching the interview since it was left on the cutting room floor. I urge everybody to see just how the unedited version of the first interview compared to what we saw on television  by checking out the full transcript. It is a fascinating look into media manipulation via skillful editing.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Alaska
KEYWORDS: 2008; abc; abcnews; bias; charliegibson; chucklestheclown; democrats; dncmediamachine; dnctv; elections; enemedia; gibson; gibsonpalin; inquisition; interrogation; interview; marklevin; mccainpalin; mediabias; mediagestapo; msm; obamedia; palin; propagandawingofdnc; sarahpalin
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I urge you to send Charles Gibson your thoughts. Click here.

1 posted on 09/13/2008 5:08:24 AM PDT by coffee260
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To: coffee260

I knew something wasnt quite right with that interview. The first one that aired on ABC World News Tonight was as fake as the Zapruder film.

actual events. but changed in order. unnatural movement on camera by Gibson.


2 posted on 09/13/2008 5:10:50 AM PDT by se_ohio_young_conservative (Reagan conservatism is back ! .. Thank God for Sarah.)
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To: coffee260
Gibson should just admit he was acting as a surrogate for Obama.
3 posted on 09/13/2008 5:11:47 AM PDT by tobyhill (fraud -noun;(1)deceit, trickery, sharp practice, or breach of confidence, (2) Obama)
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To: coffee260

I am absolutely shocked that ABC would do this! /s


4 posted on 09/13/2008 5:12:39 AM PDT by admiral52 (Vanity license plate: IMGPNG)
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To: coffee260

Fascinating. This is media bias at is worst


5 posted on 09/13/2008 5:12:59 AM PDT by gniktp
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To: admiral52

The thing is. They still failed at making Sarah look like an airhead.


6 posted on 09/13/2008 5:13:21 AM PDT by se_ohio_young_conservative (Reagan conservatism is back ! .. Thank God for Sarah.)
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To: coffee260

Pravda grows through it’s worshipers, the not openly communist democrats.


7 posted on 09/13/2008 5:15:04 AM PDT by TLI ( ITINERIS IMPENDEO VALHALLA)
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To: coffee260

Sent, but it was hard to write something that didn’t get angry. I am starting to get really, REALLY bullsh*t about the slanted coverage. If it wasn’t for the fact that it is clearly backfiring on the dems and the media, I don’t know what I would do.


8 posted on 09/13/2008 5:15:24 AM PDT by ajwharton
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To: coffee260

Disgraceful, but I am not surprised.


9 posted on 09/13/2008 5:15:48 AM PDT by boroman
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To: coffee260

Just- wow.
Breathtakinlgy biased.
Good work. Thanks for sharing this.


10 posted on 09/13/2008 5:17:56 AM PDT by silverleaf (Fasten your seat belts- it's going to be a BUMPY ride.)
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To: tobyhill

Yes, and he’s been getting high-fives from the liberals about slapping that conservative pig with lipstick.


11 posted on 09/13/2008 5:18:49 AM PDT by no_go_lie
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To: boroman

She came across as smart and strong.

She clearly gave them no “gotcha moment”. thus the garbage editing and throwing her words out of whack.


12 posted on 09/13/2008 5:18:58 AM PDT by se_ohio_young_conservative (Reagan conservatism is back ! .. Thank God for Sarah.)
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To: coffee260
Its low, its dishonest and its what I expected from the MSM. They'd never do that to a Democrat!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

13 posted on 09/13/2008 5:19:05 AM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: boroman

Yup, not surprised at all.


14 posted on 09/13/2008 5:19:49 AM PDT by SilvieWaldorfMD (Airlines can take their $15-per-checked-bag surcharge and shove it!)
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To: coffee260
I think I have figured out why the McCain campaign wanted ABC to do this 'interview'.

First, CBS soiled itself over the Rathergate memo.
Last week, NBC essentially admitted the bias of their anchors by re-assigning Olberdork and Matthews.

I think the McCain camp is hoping that ABC discredits themselves with these interviews. So far, ABC is doing just that.

15 posted on 09/13/2008 5:22:22 AM PDT by TexasNative2000 (Obviously, liberals can't handle a strong, independent woman.)
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To: goldstategop

McCain/Palin must always insist no editing because this is pure horror what they did.


16 posted on 09/13/2008 5:22:26 AM PDT by jporcus
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To: coffee260
Nice job coffee ...


"It is a fascinating look into media manipulation via skillful editing." ... resulting propaganda.

That video should have a disclaimer, but then the leftist enemies of the U.S. would scream louder than when they are asked for I.D. at the polling booth.

The truth will out.

17 posted on 09/13/2008 5:22:53 AM PDT by G.Mason (Duty, Honor, Country)
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To: no_go_lie
Th rest of the MSM should be furious with Gibson because he may have just blown any chances they had to get interviews.
18 posted on 09/13/2008 5:23:12 AM PDT by tobyhill (fraud -noun;(1)deceit, trickery, sharp practice, or breach of confidence, (2) Obama)
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To: boroman

I find myself stunned. I expect MSM bias, even over-the-top bias. But the seething hatred and outright fabrication is still stunning.

I guess I’m still somewhat naive but I wouldn’t have believed that ABC would go to such lengths to distort the interview. I guess I know better now.

The MSM is truly despicable and corrupt.


19 posted on 09/13/2008 5:24:04 AM PDT by mike-zed
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To: se_ohio_young_conservative
The thing is also...

On their really lame 20-20 show last night, they could have filled in a lot of the content on these interviews instead of havind Dee Dee and George Step-a-Whatever talk endlessly.

Lame

20 posted on 09/13/2008 5:24:18 AM PDT by BRL
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