A reader with a vivid political imagination dreams of the following exchange:

Charlie Gibson: “Senator Obama, you have referred in the past to ‘my Muslim faith.’ How strong is your Muslim faith?”

Barack Obama: “You know, I don’t know if that was my exact quote.”

Charlie Gibson: “Exact words.”

You remember the old bit about the movie ad? Reviewer Joe Smith says, “This is far from a great movie.” And the ad comes out, “Joe Smith says, ‘This is . . . a great movie’!”

Gibson did not commit a capital offense — and if Palin performed poorly in this interview, the responsibility is hers alone. But the abbreviation of that quote — not so cool.