Compare and contrast Sarah Palin’s 43-word clear response with a typical 290-word meandering response by Joe Biden. And compare and contrast the responses of their ABC interviewers.
Item 1:
ABC’s Charles Gibson: But, Governor, I’m asking you: We have the right, in your mind, to go across the border with or without the approval of the Pakistani government.
PALIN: In order to stop Islamic extremists, those terrorists who would seek to destroy America and our allies, we must do whatever it takes and we must not blink, Charlie, in making those tough decisions of where we go and even who we target.
GIBSON: And let me finish with this. I got lost in a blizzard of words there.
ABC’s George STEPHANOPOULOS: Senator Obama has said that his State Department, his National Security Council would engage in unconditional talks with the Iranians.
BIDEN: Let’s put this in perspective. The reason why we’d be in so much trouble if John McCain were president — and I love him — is because of what you just heard.
What’s the alternative to talking with a country that’s building a nuclear weapons, attempting to, that in fact is helping kill Americans by supporting elements in Iraq that are killing Americans?
You either talk; you go to war; or you maintain the status quo.
Now, let’s talk about talking. President Bush, the White House, called me, several years ago, told me Air Force Two was waiting for me at Andrews Air Force Base; would I get on the plane and go meet with Gadhafi, a real known terrorist, personally, a terrorist — personally responsible for killing kids at the school I went to, Syracuse University, blowing up that Pan Am flight.
The president of the United States asked me to go. He cut a deal with Gadhafi, directly. It was a smart thing to do. He gave up his nuclear weapons, Gadhafi.
What’s the second thing?
We’re in Korea, right now, George. You want to put the hit list to the worst guys in the world?
How about Kim Jong Il?
They have proliferated nuclear technology, put us in jeopardy, and other nations around the world. What is the president of the United States doing, writing letters saying, “Dear Mr. Chairman” — referring to him.
They’ve cut a deal. They’ve cut a deal. The president of the United States of America, last time I was in Iraq, was trying to set up, and recently asked for a third meeting with the Iranians, to talk with them about what’s going on in Iraq.
This is sophistry. This is ridiculous.
STEPHANOPOULOS: It sounds like you’re calling it hypocrisy.