Posted by
Buster Foghorn on Friday, September 12, 2008 7:57:45 PM
I watched the first segment of the ABC News, Charles Gibson interview of Governor Sarah Palin, Republican Vice-Presidential candidate, learning much more about Charles Gibson than Governor Palin. It was “Sarah’s” first interview since her nomination, viewer anticipation was high, many were breathless, some assured she would fail, others hoping she would hold-up, soldiering through her first encounter, even if bruised, bloody, and limping. Into the breach of anticipation enters Charles Gibson, the ABC News big gun, gunning to add a notch to his reputation, ready to prove she is unready, determined to turn her into dust before a national audience, Gibson huffs and puffs, scolds, postures, demeans, interrupts. The Governor sits calmly, remaining composed, responsive, direct with her responses, forgiving of the rudeness, curtness, and boorishness; she displays coolness under fire, a grace under pressure, a readiness to lead.
Mr. Gibson’s performance, however, was another matter. His questions about her prayer request in accord with “God’s Plan” for our troops, (described as the “Least Honest Slice of Gibson’s Plain Interview”), and the Bush Doctrine, coupled with his demeanor, were a snapshot of much that was wrong with the first installment of the interview. His questions raised many questions, demonstrating possible journalistic laziness, by failing to prepare; possible intentional deceit, ensuring the Governor of an “exact quote” when in fact it was truncated and misleading; a possible abandonment of journalistic integrity, perhaps intentionally misrepresenting the Governor’s prayer request, and a misreading of “the Bush Doctrine” [There is no Single Clear Meaning…”] [The Gibson version of “the Bush Doctrine” is really “the Daniel Webster Doctrine….”]
When the dust-up concluded, when the dust settled, reflecting back on the interview, the interview told more about Gibson. If auditioning to succeed Keith Olbermann, the recently demoted MSNBC anchor, as Obama’s newest anchor-in-chief, Gibson succeeded. We can fill the vacancy; Gibson is ready, ready to lead the minions, ready to lead “Team Obama,” ready as scold-in-chief.