First Sarah Palin TV interview to dominate ABC airwaves for two days

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is on the cusp of her first television interview since Republican presidential nominee John McCain shocked the political establishment and tapped her to be his running mate, and it promises to be no small affair.

ABC’s Charles Gibson snagged the exclusive, which the network is turning into a two-day event.

The anchor is doing three interviews with Palin in Alaska –- two today in Fairbanks and one Friday in her hometown of Wasilla. Portions of the sit-downs will run on five separate broadcasts.

The first part will air on this evening’s “World News” broadcast, with transcripts available on ABCNews.com as early as 1 p.m. PT.

“Nightline” will then feature additional excerpts of Gibson’s conversation with the GOP vice presidential nominee, as will Friday's “Good Morning America” and “World News.” Finally, Friday's  “20/20” will be devoted to the interview, packaged with additional reports by Kate Snow about Palin’s background and a live roundtable discussion about the presidential race moderated by George Stephanopoulos.

It’s not a strategy to boost ratings, insisted ABC News spokesman Jeffrey Schneider. The network is stretching the interview out over multiple broadcasts to make the material available as quickly as possible, he said.

“It is not a promotional effort at all,” Schneider said. “It is a reflection of the fact that the interviews are happening at different times on different days, and each of those broadcasts will have fresh material.”

“We are not parceling this interview out. We are putting this out almost as fast as we are getting in. We’re very mindful of the fact that we have an exclusive that the rest of country and even people around the world are very interested in seeing.”

Altogether, Gibson is expected to have well over an hour to quiz Palin. Today’s conversations will occur before and after she attends the induction ceremony for her eldest son, who is being deployed to Iraq.

ABC officials said that the McCain campaign did not place any restrictions on the interview and did not request that it be broken into three parts.

“It’s always our goal to have multiple opportunities” to speak to a subject, Schneider said.

With interest in the Palin interview running high, ABC has loosened the usage restrictions it usually places on competing networks when it has exclusive material. Instead of requiring that news organizations wait until the full interview has aired before running portions of it on their own broadcasts, ABC will be distributing one-minute clips available for air –- as long as the other networks fully credit ABC News, of course.

The gesture is largely moot, since other networks would likely have put the video on their airwaves without permission, arguing its news value made it a fair use exception to copyright laws.

-- Matea Gold

Photo: EPA

Comments

[Brandon]

Yes, I agree that ABC should interview Biden as well. They should ask him if he regrets sponsoring strict bankruptcy legislation in 1999 with Chuck Grassley, which he repeatedly voted for until it was finally passed in 2005. He should also be asked if there's a conflict of interest that his son is a lobbyist for MBNA, Delaware's largest employer. He should be asked about his arrogance with respect to the youth of America exemplified in his attaching a renamed version of the RAVE Act to the Amber Alert bill thereby extending the federal crackhouse statute to any concert or event at which participants may decide to do drugs.

[billw]

Gibson is a whimp that's why we quite watching ABC national news . he cannot seem to ask a "hardball question"

[Brittany]

To 'For Her'

You want more gun freedoms in SCHOOLS? Seriously? After reading your comment, I have never been more happy to be Canadian.

[Robin]

No one running for President who picks a VP should be allowed to give pre arranged answers to the press and pass it off as an interview with a candidate. This could be the President of the United States if the President can't. This is crazy. "Country First" is not foremost in McCain's mind. This is not the 1940's where we are listening to our radios. It is a disgrace to the American
people. Oh, how I miss Tim Russert.

[Dave]

These comments are shocking - all of them. It really shows how the LA Times attracts the crazy far lefties, wow! It also shows how the Democrats are panicing now. The left has been screaming for 2 weeks that she "hasn't been asked any questions.... she hasn't done an interview".... Here she is doing an interview w/ NO restrictions, she's in Alaska to see her son off to war and doing the interview right before that... and now the lefties are screaming for "equal time" for Biden, and "how dare they even interview here... NOT FAIR!!" "why are they doing it in Alaska... not fair!!" You can't win w/ the left, unbelievable. The left is terrified of her, you can see it in every one of these immature comments. The vial and sick comments directed at her will only strengthen the republican ticket and ensure a victory for them, I'm amazed you're so blinded w/ hatred that you don't see that happening.

[Matt Damonne]

Did Chalrie Gibson ask her whether she thought that dinosaurs lived just 4,000 years ago, and did she ban any books or want to, from her local library in Alaska?

Can we expect those wacko ideas to be foisted on us during a McCain/Palin administration...??

[stacey]

She was given the list of questions in advance. My question is when is the media going to ask her a non-scripted question? You know like the ones asked of all the candidates.

[Workingman]

Game over! McCain/Palin will win in a landslide...Dems are frightened and paniciking that their free lunch is vaporizing! Let's feed them Moose!

[Jaylike Birds]

Dave. Dave, Dave, Dave. You have really impressed me with your ability to take Ad Hominum to a new level. You do realize your comment is completely devoid of reasoning, don't you?

Ah, whatever. Hey everyone! Let's have a war with Russia! That'll be great! What've we got to lose?

Ah, and I've degraded to sarcasm.

[Sharon]

I've been very concerned about the McCain/Palin ticket, and after the Palin interview with Charles Gibson, I'm even more alarmed, now. Sarah Palin may have a great personality, and be a good Mom, but she scares me to death as a potenial future President. If 72 yr. old John McCain dies in office, or goes into dementia or alzheimers, Palin as our president is very frightening. The interview reminded me of the questioning segment, at the Miss America Pageant. Her answers sounded very scripted, and repetitive. It was plain to see, that she didn't have a clue about foreign policy, or the urgency of the present situation we are in around the world. It was frightening to see just how green, and naive she is concerning foreign policy.

Also, she seemed flippant about being ready to be the president of the United States. She didn't seem to have given it serious enough consideration, at the time she was asked before accepting the job from John McCain. Being a vice-president, or president now with our complicated governmental policies, and foreign policies deserves careful thought, before accepting such a high position. It was like she didn't take the time to consider the gravity of the importance of accepting such an important job. I would have felt a lot better had she said, I had to give it a lot of serious thought, because it's such an important job to hold in our country. Again, I'm scared to death of her inexperience conerning foreign policy, and hope and pray the Obama/Biden team wins. Joe Biden is ready to be president on day one, if something should happen to Barack Obama. Also, Obama's experience in the State Senate in Chicago for two terms, and his experience in the US Senate, gives me a much better feeling about him as our President on day one, along with his foreign policy knowledge. Obama/Biden 2008!

[loislane]

She did fine, particularly considering how condescending he was through the entire interview. We should pray for all of them, Palin, McCain, Biden and Obama. Few among us would put ourselves through the terrible scrutiny they must endure. Pray God keeps them honest and that they keep America's best interests at heart. And pray that we the people make the wise and informed choice, whatever that may be.

[Kate]

Sarah Palin is wrong for this country.

She does not care about YOU and she does not care about the U.S.

She will follow Israel into Iran, go to war with Russia, and will sacrifice our troops, spend our remaining dollars and throw away what little respect we have left in this world.

Stop this nonsense now!

http://nosarahpalin.blogspot.com/

[Souce Wilson]

Umm people of the USA we lost tons of ground the past years. USA is where we all ran (other then First Nation) when things got tough at home. Now we can CHANGE and lets do it NOW, my family didn't come here because we rolled over. Embrace your neighbor embrace the world we are all human!

Love

[an atheist]

Sarah Palin.

Lipstick which will not save the pig of a McCain presidency.

[poliponeso]

This is Quayle–in drag–all over again!!!!!!!!!. OMG!!! She knows Russia because she can see it from an island in Alaska?? What in the world?!!!!!!! I thought that was a nightmare from the past that I would not have to tell my grandchildren about, but now we have the female version of Dan Quayle????? I feel like crying endlessly, for the fate of this country…!

[T. Ren]

I can't see how anyone can think she is a good VP candidate after last night's interview. She is so out of touch and uninformed it was embarassing.

When Gibson asked her questions about very important and legitimate issues, she didn't even know what was talking about and was completely unaware. Her repsonse to his question about the Bush Doctrine was particularly pathetic. She tried to be as broad and general as possible because she is utterly clueless and doesn't want it to be obvious that she's dumb on the issues.

Based on the pitiful answers she gave, it is still clear that the McCain/Palin ticket plan to do absolutely nothing different from what Bush is already doing. What is this "change" they keep talking about? I surely don't see it.

[Susan]

Palin interview by ABC's Charles Gibson 9/11/08
We applaud Sarah Palin and are disappointed with Charles Gibson.
His condescending expression with spectacles on the ledge of his nose looking down at Sarah as he badgered prepared questions was a dead give away of his realization he was not dealing with an ordinary person but with an unknown Power. Sarah did not flinch because she stands on "THE ROCK", 1 Corinthians 10:4.
1 Chronicles 16:22 and Psalm 105:15 give insight into WHO is in charge and commands, "Touch not mine anointed."

[Susan]

Palin interview by ABC's Charles Gibson 9/11/08
We applaud Sarah Palin and are disappointed with Charles Gibson.
His condescending expression with spectacles on the ledge of his nose looking down at Sarah as he badgered prepared questions was a dead give away of his realization he was not dealing with an ordinary person but with an unknown Power. Sarah did not flinch because she stands on "THE ROCK", 1 Corinthians 10:4.
1 Chronicles 16:22 and Psalm 105:15 give insight into WHO is in charge and commands, "Touch not mine anointed."

[Lindy]

If that was the real Matt Damonne, I would retrieve from making any more public comments if I were you. When huge celebrities come out and try to throw around their agenda, it is a turn off to the public. Your interview and snide comments turned my stomach, and I have been a fan of yours for years. You have revealed your heart to the public and your stand against "soccer moms" in which I am one of them. I will not support your movies again. I am only one person, but the comment can add to multiply. You people in Hollywood think you have power beyond words. You don't. You are not God you are human. Flesh. You need to shut up if you want to continue to shine...talk to your friend George Clooney, whom I have a little more respect for now that he has kept his trap shut. You have it good now, but with comments against Soccer Moms and your insinuation against them, you will fall down hard. I can assure you of that. By the way, I am an independent voter. That means, if you cannot understand, I vote for the "person" rather than the agenda of any party. Your comment has nearly pursuaded me to vote for McCain. The disgust of what you and Pam Anderson have vocally done and shown no class publically at all..well, it makes me sad for our country that you have been lifted up so high. I hope you learn from this and back away from your public comments. They are going to backfire for each of you!

[Mike]

Republicans can never take the blame for anything! The last 8 years is proof of that. Sara Palin did not have a scripted speach in front of her this time and it really showed. However, Republicans will blame it all on Charles Gibson. It was not Palin fault she could not handle some basic questions about what kind of Vice President she would be. What a typical Rush Limbagh like reaction to this interview. Rush, Hannity and the rest of the conservative talking heads have taught Republicans that it is so much easier to shift or deflect blame for republican failures on others. Nothing is ever their fault. The economy, the mortgage crisis, unemployment, Iraq, inflation is all someone elses creation. Never mind the fact that republicans have been in charge of all components of government the last 8 years. They will blame the Democrates because they had a one vote majority in Congress. They don't want you to know that they have either filibustered or had Bush veto any changes proposed by the democrates. It is time to vote out the irresponsible republicans for the White House, Vote out the obstructionist republicans from the Senate, and anywhere else you can boot them out from. Unless you are happy with the state of our Nation. Vote for a new direction. Vote out the failure and incompetance of the Republican party.