Sarah Palin second-guesses Barack Obama on his VP pick

They may be competing for the same job, but Sarah Palin and Joe Biden have found something to agree on: Barack Obama would have been wise to settle on Hillary Clinton as his vice presidential choice.

Palin offered her view as part of the Q & A sessions she did with ABC's Charlie Gibson that the network strung out over the last two days (for her previous comments, see here and here). In the concluding clip played this evening on the "World News" program, Gibson (a slight smile at play on his face) asked Palin whether she thought Obama should have tapped Clinton as his running mate.

"I think he's regretting not picking her now, I do," she eagerly replied.

Then, referring to Clinton, she said: "What, what determination, and grit, and even grace through some tough shots that were fired her way. She handled those well."

Biden, the fellow who ended up on Obama's ticket, gained attention earlier this week when he termed Clinton "as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice president."

The Obama camp quickly fired off an e-mail with a response to Palin's comments after they were aired in the Eastern time zone. The missive contained the following tough-worded statement from Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida (a vocal Clinton supporter turned high-profile Obama backer):

Sarah Palin should spare us the phony sentiment and respect. Governor Palin accused Senator Clinton of whining and John McCain laughed when a questioner referred to her by using a demeaning expletive. John McCain and Sarah Palin represent no meaningful change, just the same failed policies and same divisive, demeaning politics that has devastated the middle class.

The "whining" reference by Wasserman Schultz is in dispute; as detailed here, Palin's remark was not as direct as the congresswoman asserts.

The incident involving McCain, meanwhile, refers to a gathering several months ago at which an audience member used the B-word to characterize Clinton. For those who don't mind hearing the profanity, the moment can be watched here.

-- Don Frederick

Photo: Charlie Gibson with Sarah Palin. Credit: Associated Press

Comments

[Ron Sampson]

who cares what palin thinks? once the hoopla dies out, people will realize what a ridiculous choice for a running mate mccain has made. palin is the Geraldine Ferraro of the new century. in a year she will be a distant memory.

[Laura]

The claws are coming out again on the liberal media. They sure don't learn easy, do they.

[Bob]

I should think that had Senator Obama chosen Senator Clinton as his VP, the Republicans would be on them like a dog on a June bug for having negligible foreign policy experience between them.

What do you think?

[GHM]

will you media people stop' the country is going to hell and you keep bring up trash news.

[Arbuckle Doc]

Seems to this old coot, that an Obama/Clinton ticket would be an UPSIDE DOWN one!!!! The REAL "Dream" ticket would have been a Clinton/Obama one!!!!

[Billy Asheville]

It appears Palin is fully qualified to sink her own ship.
Her comments are obviously only made for direct political effect, and have no intrinsic value/quality per se.
If the campaign is about school yard rule... McCain and Palin win hands down!
If it's about the future of the United States of America?
Obama has a big edge!

[interesting]

that's interesting ... she equates herself with Hillary Clinton?

[Lori]

You know Obama needs to stop it right now. He is acting so bizarre. He needs to step back and relax. Take deep breaths. I am an independent and have decided on the Palin ticket. Obama better just slow down and readjust his campaign. It is getting embarrassing. No one likes a loser especially when they act out.

[Bob Elliott]

Sarah Palin has real class. She does have more 'command' experience than Obama and Biden combined, even if only to call the roll.

Biden is too old be vice President, he's been in presidential campaigns before, losing it in 1988.

Oh, I forgot the Obama campain is trouncing us older folk. Now that he's lost the woman vote, he's about to lose the elderly vote by constanting making fun of John McCains age. I thought 'age discrimination' was a 'hate crime'?

God bless America, President George W. Bush and the US Marines

[Tom Carter]

I agree that Obama should have picked Clinton, but for Palin to make this comment is quite ignorant; had Hillary been nominated as VP, McCain would not have chosen a female as well; most likely an African-American. So Palin should be quite greatful that she's the only woman in the race. It's all strategic.

[wiseasanowl]

boy was gibson so bias and with his dumbass glasses on looking down at SARAH PALIN like a "ICHOBOB CRANE"!!!!
DID HE SLAM THESE QUESTIONS' to obama ? OH NO
!!! YOUR HISTORY IN MY BOOK'S GIBSON !!!
BTW..THE BUSH "DOCTERINE" APPLIE'S TO MANY INTERPITATION'S RE" THE WAR AND OUR ENEMIE'S. LIKE THE ONE'S IN OUR MIDST IN THE USA.
HOW ABOUT HE ONE IN VA. FUNDED BY SAUDIA ARABIA ? FACT..CHECK IT OUT.

[G]

Obama is a Marxist socialist loser that wants to run this country into the ground. Socialism doesn't work. Never has, never will.

[MP]

You are an airhead, Sally!

[Thirdrail]

I was really disappointed when Obama went with his ego rather than the good of the nation. Hillary was the obvious choice. Maybe she said something bad about one of his autobiographies.

[Paul Stewart]

It is not true that Biden thinks Hillary should have been picked. If you listened fully to what he said, he was being positive and compelmentary to Hillary. He was also saying this to underline a distinction that is important - Hillary is qualified to be VP and President. We know Hillary, and Palin is no Hillary. Even lipstick does not help here. Palin should not expect to step in and pick up in the shattering of the glass ceiling where Hillary left off. She is not qualified to do that either. In fact, she has a lot of 'splainin to do before she is credible as a national politician, never mind a VP candidate and possible President next January if McCain kicks the bucket.

[mgultch]

What is with Biden? First he says McCain is more qualified, Now he says Hillary is more qualified. Joe, go work it out at http://www.bop-o-rama.com.

[RT]

Both VP nominees, say that Hilliary should have been chosen.
Rejecting Hilliary nullifies his words of "equal opportunity & equal pay for women."

Also , according to Pelosi (highest ranked DEM in USA), he (Obama) will never choose Clinton as his running mate because Hilliary already said that He (Obama) has less experience han McCain.
This nullifies Obama's empty claims that he is a "good negotiator" & "peacemaker". And he will meet IRAN's President without conditions?

Obama's actions never live up to he's own words.

McCain-Palin 08

[ss]

This is the end. Where we now put our mothers encouragng oor troops to die,

[ken]

you gotta be pretty republican if you can't see what palin is trying to do with regards to Obama not picking Hillary. If you don't know then know that she is trying to anger the Hillary faithful and open up old primary wounds in order to steer them (especially the woman base) away from Obama. Like I said, u gotta be pretty republican to not get this one.

PS= republican here is used as an alternative for Stupid. They mean the same thing these days.

[Janice Piccoult]

Thank you, thank you liberal media for winning this election for us! Zogby's people , who know their business, say its all over for O'bama.

[mn]

as a female lawyer--I AM APPALLED the women continue to back stab women--
Who thought a republican women with 5 kids working, DOING IT ALL (sound familiar feminist?) is now in line to break the glass ceiling and WOMEN ARE TRYING TO TEAR HER APART!! SO SO SO HORMONAL!!!!!

hillary voter for PALIN

[Rocky Lockwood]

Even Joe Biden is now questioning the pick.

If the McCain does not already have a commercial featuring Joe Biden's stream of conciousness in the can right now, I would be surprised.

[brainspank.org]

Fifteen Minutes is all she has. Perhaps more of an empty suit than Dumbya (Bush). Been nowhere done nothing, disingenuous hockey mom from Wasilla Alaska. Had to look up the spelling.

This is f**king ridiculous. It won’t last, but please.

When Doubtfire (McCain) first announced her, I was confused. Dumbfounded. I gathered my thoughts and faculties and arrived at the judgment that it was the most cynical and profoundly ridiculous move in contemporary politics I’d ever seen.

I was right. It is. I admit I’m mouth breathing over the interest, sensation and spectacle surrounding the entire debacle, but I’m here to tell you, it won’t last. She brings nothing. She has nothing. It may look like a brilliant move this week, within two weeks, it will be over save for the shouting.

I’m hoping sooner.

Our Man played his bishop on the chessboard with Biden. McCain took a pawn out of his pocket, painted with sparkly nail polish and placed it on the board with a reluctant palsy. He realized it was plastic and it’s weight confused his geriatric hand. He briefly forgot what he was doing when he noticed the rest of the pieces were made of marble. He took a drink of his diet soda and struggled to remember.

Despite it all, the great unwashed did a standing O and then executed a near flawless wave. Tens of them.

As I write this, a private jet lands on some tarmac in Alaska accompanied by the theme music from Top Gun. Top Gun? Sheezus. Seriously, it’s live on CNN.

By the way, She’ll be relying on a teleprompter to address her home crowd. So far, they’re not willing to let her work without a full body condom. What does that tell you?

Empty boilerplate rhetoric, POW regurgitation and talk of a tough “maverick” delivered in a breathless rush from a cheerleader running for student body vice president with the crutch of a teleprompter. F me.

A heartbeat from the Presidency. You have got to be kidding me. Seriously America, work with me here. It’s about the top of the ticket until the top of one of the tickets could die at any moment.

Enough!

[Frieda]

Sarah was great tonight...this woman is natural communicator and it's hard not to like her. I dont agree with her in some issues. But her authenticity and integrity is inspiring for women.

I love this blog on her: www.governopalin.blogspot.com

[Akamai]

I find it amazin that the news seems to be afraid of real reporting. In another article it was all about Charles Gibsons performance rather that the interviewee. Is everybody, networks included afraid of the GOP. To actually offer the tiniest critical reporting might influece ratings. Ithink you might find people simply wanting something honest.