Breaking down the Gibson-Palin interview – Part 2
By drredeye • Sep 18th, 2008 • Category: Politics
The second part of three Charles Gibson interviews with Sarah Palin focused on environmental issues, with the background setting of the trans-Alaskan pipeline. Although I watched this part on TV, I had a bit of difficulty tracking down a complete transcript online for quoting purposes. In any event, how did she do in this arena? As in Part 1, I’ll review each topic Gibson broaches, Palin’s response, my take of how Palin did, and a grade for that particular topic.
1. Climate change: man-made?
The situation: Gibson asks Palin if she still felt climate change was not man-made. Palin responds that “man’s activities certainly can be contributing” and adds, “Regardless, though, of the reason for climate change, whether it’s entirely, wholly caused by man’s activities or is part of the cyclical nature of our planet — the warming and the cooling trends — regardless of that, John McCain and I agree that we gotta do something about it and we have to make sure that we’re doing all we can to cut down on pollution.”
Gibson then argues that “it’s a critical point as to whether or not this is man-made. He says it is. You have said in the past it’s not.” Palin sidesteps that point and reiterates something must be done about climate change. Gibson then insists on getting Palin to either acknowledge or deny that climate change is man-made. Palin repeats her cautious response that “some of man’s activities to potentially” cause climate change.
Gibson then calls himself a cynic and asserts he hears Palin changing her position to mirror McCain’s. Palin then answers, “I think you are a cynic because show me where I have ever said that there’s absolute proof that nothing that man has ever conducted or engaged in has had any affect, or no affect, on climate change.”
My analysis: Gibson wants a firm answer because he wants to prove a Palin flip-flop but she won’t give it to him. Instead, Palin treads cautiously with words like “can be contributing” and “some of man’s activities to potentially causing some of the changes” (emphasis mine). Clearly, she’s not ready to say that climate change is man made. While Palin has said in the past that she’s “not one, though, who would attribute [global warming] to being man-made”, in this interview Palin has only admitted that man’s activities “contributing” to climate change, not entirely causing.
Topical grade: 3 RedEyes out of 4.
2. Drilling in the Arctic National Refuge (ANWR).
The situation: Gibson tries to address another conflict between McCain and Palin, saying McCain does not favor drilling in ANWR while Palin does. Palin agrees with Gibson’s assessment, stating that ANWR is a 2,000 acre area in a 20,000,000 acre area. She adds that for now, she’s willing to agree to disagree but that she’ll “keep pushing that, and I think, eventually, we’re all gonna come together on that one.”
My analysis: Well answered.
Topical grade: 4 RedEyes out of 4.
So, overall I rate her handling of this part of the interview an average of 3.5 RedEyes out of 4. She was composed and answered the questions well.
drredeye is a former fetus and former pro-choice advocate. He was raised essentially by a single mother in a lower-class, crime-infested neighborhood in the city of Chicago and later survived the dot-com bust under Bill Clinton's watch. That background helped hone his brutally honest style that colors his conservative opinions. Due to a combination of that provocative style and his often unique perspective on the issues of our day, his writings have been published by a major Chicago newspaper, a Christian magazine and other web sites. You may not always agree with the Doctor, but he'll always make you go hmmm. Yep, satisfaction guaranteed or your money back.
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