ABOUT FIRST READ

First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



Palin speaks to reporters aboard plane

Posted: Friday, October 17, 2008 6:13 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:

From NBC/NJ's Matthew E. Berger
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Palin today spoke with reporters for about eight minutes during a bumpy flight from Cincinnati to Muncie. She answered questions about her plan to appear on “Saturday Night Live” this weekend, about the growing questions that she is unqualified to be commander in chief, and even about the controversial Jeremiah Wright.

Palin said she was excited about her SNL appearance, but said she didn’t know what to expect. “The opportunity to show American television watchers anyway that you get to have a sense of humor through all of this or even just this really would be wearin’, tearin’ on you so an opportunity to show that sense of humor and that side of all of this I look forward to it."

Asked about concerns -- even from some conservatives -- that she's unqualified to be commander-in-chief, Palin replied: "Well, we talked a lot already about my executive experience that will be put to good use as vice president. And if heaven forbid, anything happened to John McCain, if we're so blessed to be elected president and vice president, that executive experience will be put to good use -- as coming from a mayor and a manager, small business owner and a governor and a regulator of oil and gas."

Palin also explained a comment she made at a fundraiser Thursday night, when she told the crowd she was excited to be in a “pro-America” part of the country. Palin responded that she believed all parts of the country -- including those visited by her opponent -- were pro-America.

“I was just reinforcing the fact that there, where I was, there’s good patriotic people there in these rallies, so excited about positive change and reform of government that’s coming that they are so appreciative of hearing our message, hearing our plan,” she said. “Not, not any one area of America is more pro-America patriotically than others.”

Palin said she had not asked McCain to bring up Obama’s association with Wright, his former pastor. McCain had said he would not raise the issue, which made headlines during the primary season. However, she added that Obama heard things from Wright “that most people would find a bit concerning,” but said the ultimate decision to raise the Wright issue on the campaign trail remained with McCain.

“[Obama] sat in the pews for 20 years and heard Reverend Wright say some things that most people would find a bit concerning,” Palin said of Obama. “But again that is John McCain's call.”

While she has raised questions about Obama’s character repeatedly on the campaign trial. Palin said Friday that she did not question his love of America. “I know Obama loves America,” she said. “I’m sure that is why he’s running for president. It’s because he wants to do what he believes is in the best interest of this great nation.”

Palin noted that she speaks with McCain several times a day while they are campaigning separately. “We talk about the news of the day, about what the issues are that seem to be resonating that, certainly, that you all are reporting on,” she said. “And just a lot of reinforcement and encouragement of each other that again we are on the right track and explaining to all Americans our plans to reduce taxes and to get our economy back on track. They’re great conversations, and very productive, very helpful for both of us.”

MAIN PAGE

Email this EMAIL THIS

Comments

Wow, the only true statement from Gov.Palin so far in the campaign:

Palin said Friday that she did not question his love of America. “I know Obama loves America,” she said. “I’m sure that is why he’s running for president. It’s because he wants to do what he believes is in the best interest of this great nation.”
Too bad the media never gets around to asking Obama about the growing questions of if he is unqualified to be commander in chief, and even about the controversial Jeremiah Wright.
Does she not need to go answer to the fact that her legislature determined she abused power up in Alaska?

And are the secessinist Alaska Independence party of which her husband was a member and whose meetings she attended pro-America?
if we want to talk about pro-america, why was Palin's husband a member of AIP. The group wanted Alaska to no longer be part of the United States. The founder of AIP cursed the United States. Palin addressed the group this year. she has some explaining to do about why she addressed and her husband was involved in this radical group.
Palin:  I'm not gonna raise the Wright issues, dontcha know.  But let's talk about him.

Gods, can she ever speak without a script?
Where'd the press corp ever find the time to talk to Palin? I thought they had their weekend booked up tearing apart Joe the Plumber for having the absolute gall to ask The Chosen One a tough question.
Sarah Palin often says that Barack Obama says one thing in private and another in public.  Here she is, saying in the "Privacy" of her airplane, that Barack Obama loves America, while in public she is saying the opposite - that he pals around with terrorists who want to destroy this country.  I am disgusted with her, with McCain and with the Republican Party for spreading hate and ignorance and division.  I fear for my country and my countrymen because of the unjust, untrue and hate-filled message they are spreading.  

Sarah, since you John McCain are so chummy... do mention that Trig in fact has Down Syndrome, not Autism. During the debate, John mentioned autism a number of times and mentioned the condition was near and dear to your heart. I was quite offended that apparently Senator McCain didn't even know this very relevent detail. Also, will Todd be denouncing his former seven year membership with the AIP? Just wondering because the AIP founder Joe Vogler is recorded as saying:

"The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government. And I won't be buried under their damn flag. I'll be buried in Dawson. And when Alaska is an independent nation they can bring my bones home."

You can hear him here (tape 18) http://uaf-db.uaf.edu/jukebox/yuch/htm/jvog.htm  or at the end of this short video entitled Sarah Palin Pallin Around with Secessionists. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eniG9l_7its  

He is also quoted on the AIP website (http://www.akip.org ) with the following,

"I'm an Alaskan, not an American. I've got no use for America or her d@mned institutions."  http://www.akip.org/introduction.html

Do you care to comment?

... also, Joe, I mean Sam the Schmuck has taken more questions from the press than you. Is this an attempt to remedy this disparity?

Did they ask her if contractors who wanted state and Wasilla contracts 'helped' her husband build their new house ?

How about her 'witch doctor' ?
Did he give her an exorcism ?

Does she think that 'man walked with dinosaurs' ?

Simple Sarah, tell us please !!
LISTEN UP RESPOSIBLE VOTERS and AMERICAN VOTERS. this woman has brought nothing but hatred into this election process I have not heard her say anything decent and positive from any of her speeches why does she spew so much hate. We are facing hard times in this country the thing that troubles me is that we are all american and sit back a take a honest unbiased look at what the mccain/palin campaing is doing here. We are fighting two wars abroad and this women is tempting one here. Why would she allow the cqampainge to use her this way or is this truly how she behaves it is frightning.

WE ALL NEED TO TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT WHAT THIS  PALIN/MCCAIN CAMPAINGE IS DOING TO THE WAY THE WORLD LOOKS AT US. IT IS OKAY TO DISAGREE WITH YOUR OPPONENT BUT TO STIR UP ANGRYNESS BITTERNES AND HATRED IS JUST WRONG.  THIS WOMEN HAS CHILDREN AND SHE SHOULD BE A ROLE MODEL FOR THEM HOW DO YOU EXPLIAN TO YOUR CHILD THAT IT IS ALRIGHT TO COMPETE WITH SOME ONE BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE RESPECT BECAUSE THAT PERSON IS HUMAN JUST LIKE YOU ARE. HOW DO YOU TEACH YOUR CHILD DECENCY FOR HUMAN BEINGS
Palin giving smear speeches at McCain rallies and appearing on SNL is what she will do best...
McCarthyism is everywhere from what I'm reading. Nice to see some of us aren't any more sophisticated as a country than we were in the late 1940's-1950's. So nice to see how manipulated segments of our society still are.

Amazing. The baby boomers were supposed to stomp all this out. Very talented American citizens lost their livelihoods way back when because of their supposed "un-American activities."

I bet Sarah Palin knows nothing about any of these events that took place in our country. John McCain I should think does. He's the one at fault.

Doesn't it ever occur to any Republican candidate anywhere to inspire people instead of constantly hating someone? No, no it never occurs to them.

And 90% of the media say "this is fair way to run a campaign".

It makes me sick to my stomach. We all love our country. And the only way to get that message across once and for all is to elect Barack Obama. Only then can we do away with this hateful lying BS.
I will stop criticizing Sarah Palin's lack of intellect, she can't help being who she is.  She may have the executive experience to run Alaska, but not the world knowledge to go beyond that.  I almost feel sorry for her, because her lack of knowledge and sophistication fooled her into believing that she is qualified for the VP spot.  

Most of all, I blame McCain for not vetting her enough and for putting her in such an embarrassing position.  I mostly question McCain's judgment.  He put his campaign before his country.  She should have known better, but how could she have known?  Her limited level of knowledge makes her think that she knows it all.  The more we learn the more we realize there is so much more to know. With Palin, it is just the opposite.  
WITH PALINS QUESTIONS ABOUT OBAMA'S ANITI AMERICAIN COMMENTS, I HAVE ONLY HEARD SMALL AMOUNTS ABOUT HER OR HER HUSBAND WANTING ALASKA TO RECEAD FROM THE US. EVEN IF IT'S JUST HER HUSBAND IT SEEMS SHE LETS HIM DO WHAT EVER HE WANTS TO WHILE SHE'S IN OFFICE, THIS REALLY MAKES ME WONDER.
This woman is without any doubt the dumbest Vice-Presidential candidate in American history. Her "pro-America" comment, in a nutshell, shows why she is clearly more of a liability to him than an asset. She'll fire up the mouthbreathers, the ones that would love to see Obama dead, but anyone with an ounce of sense sees her for the complete buffoon she is.

It's so said that Gilda Radner is gone, she could do her "Tahhhd" routine when Stupid Sarah goes on SNL tomorrow night.
Sad state of affairs in the US when this is a headline ... when an elected offical and candidate for the nations's second highest office talks to the press.  
I just don't know what to say about Palin, but she should know by now that bringing up Wright would make Obama win this election handily!!! If McCain is considering bringing it up, then so be it; off to white white house!

OBAMA/BIDEN 08/12!!
Clearly there is LESS to Governor Palin than meets the eye.  
Can someone translate her comments about being on SNL.  She'd get a 'D' in any speech class.

Mind-boggling
She just said absolutely everything she has said before, and that is, absolutely nothing.
Only way she can help John McCain is not to appear on media. She is the main reason John McCain fails.  
Hey - wait a second...

Isn't her husband part of the AIG?  How "pro-America" can that be?
she is a CANCER in GOP and people of America.
Sarah Palin has many wonderful qualities, but one of the most special is her love and support for all life at a time when many candidates for selfish political reasons minimize or fail to defend life.  When she deals with the difficult issue of abortion, she doesn't run and hide from the issue and only consider the issue as a "woman's issue" or "reproductive freedom".   But she has the guts to remember the baby.  The human life which also has rights and should be cherished and protected.  She values life.  Imagine if slavery had been looked at similar to how pro-abortion view abortion.  Imagine people saying "personally I'm against slavery, but who am I to tell slave owners what to do?"  How would that go over today?????  Probably not good. You see ending the evil of slavery was the right thing to do even though it angered many who justified it with their "owner's rights" defenses.  It's the same with abortion and Sarah Palin is on the right side, defending the little ones whom God has given us, even some in difficult situations.  May God bless her.
Palin is a tool. Her only use to McCain is to produce
lies and try to relate to the people (i.e. SNL). Don't be fooled into voting for more organized crime,
again. Lets stop these people.
This "woman" has set the rest of "us" as wonem back 20 years. With the sad way she represents herself, I just hope it is not a direct reflection of the rest of the millions of American women!
Sarah spoke to reporters?  No questions were allowed of any substance?  What, that.....if --and what that.

That!!!

She wants to appear on that left show SNL, OMG. THAT!

Go Tina Fey!  That....
If they wanted to be on the right track they would talk more about themselves than Obama. They are coming across as dirty politicians who will do or say anything to "try" and win an election.

Sarah Palin, more so than John McCain is the reason I could never consider voting this ticket. The thought of her possibly being president scares me half to death. She does not have a clue.

Obama/Biden will lead this country in a new direction that will change are standing in the world to where it used to be...on top!

Obama/Biden 08
She's such a treat. LOL! She says that it's up to McCain to bring up the Reverend Wright issue, but here, she does it all by herself, just like she did with Ayers. She's awful and dangerous, and McCain's gone insane. Go Obama-Biden '08!
Sarah Palin has fallen a bit too easily into the negative part of campaigning. Given her interviews, especially those with Katie Couric, one senses that she brings nothing to politics other than the ability to viciously go after others. Pretty Poison?
Word is Sarah Palin is going to CRY!!  They said it worked well when Hillary showed her "soft side" and that McCain wants the sympathy vote.
She sounds like McCain in one-on-one interviews, but when she gets to the podium, it's terrorist this and terrorist that. Obama "doesn't see America the way we see America." Could it be that Palin is unaware that she is fomenting something akin to race riots?  I.e., terrorist riots?  Listen to the video shown on CNN today.  Substitute black for terrorist and you have the same hateful, divisive rhetoric that swept the old South years ago. Different name, same hatred and violence.  John Louis is right in warning McCain that he may be unleashing something that can't be controlled.
She read the script again before venturing to the back of the plane...Pro America...we are all Americans and as hard as Palin tries she said what she said "Senator (lacking) Obama doesnt see America the way "Real Americans" ....she doesnt want to admit she was wrong...how sad...how dangerous to want to win at all costs...
>>>Palin said she had not asked McCain to bring up Obama’s association with Wright, his former pastor. McCain had said he would not raise the issue, which made headlines during the primary season. However, she added that Obama heard things from Wright “that most people would find a bit concerning,” but said the ultimate decision to raise the Wright issue on the campaign trail remained with McCain.

“[Obama] sat in the pews for 20 years and heard Reverend Wright say some things that most people would find a bit concerning,” Palin said of Obama. “But again that is John McCain's call.”

==========
Gee, Governor.  Way to NOT bring it up.  Oh, and by the way, how's that Troopergate thing working out for you?

This woman is like herpes.  She's the gift that keeps on giving.  I think McCain's going to need a case of penicilin by the time this is over.


Obama/Biden '08!
http://jawillie.blog.com
I at first thought that her syntax was similar was exactly like W's. It's worse. I have to wonder if Mcain is cringing in his heart of hearts when he hears or reads the comments made by his running mate. He condescended to her during the debate, speaking of her as if she was his daughter which was surreal in and of itself because he so clearly had little idea of what she was really like before his campaign decided to pick her.HE can't even say anything remotely coherent in her defense. I realize that the man we see now is the "new" John Mcain. I wonder if the real Mcain will return after this is all over.
She is just so weird, the irony of her being promoted as "mainstream" can't be ignored!
Liz H.  Massachusetts
Or ask her about her boss' associations.

LIDDY, SINGLAUB, TIMMONS, KEATING.. a history of bad judgement

Liddy spent more than 4 years in prison for his role in the 1972 Watergate burglary. That was just one element of what Liddy did in a secret White House effort to subvert the Constitution.  Far from repudiating him, McCain has embraced him.

How close are McCain and Liddy?  In 1998, Liddy's home was the site of a McCain fundraiser. Over the years, he has made at least four contributions totaling $5,000 to the senator's campaigns -- including $1,000 this year.

Last November, McCain went on his radio show. Liddy greeted him as "an old friend," and McCain sounded like one. "I'm proud of you, I'm proud of your family," he gushed.

In 1994, after the disastrous federal raid on the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, he gave some advice to his listeners: "Now if the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms comes to disarm you and they are bearing arms, resist them with arms. Go for a head shot; they're going to be wearing bulletproof vests. ... Kill the sons of bitches."

SINGLAUB
Since the mid-1980s, there’s been almost no attention paid to John McCain’s long association with a controversial group implicated in a secretive plot to supply arms to Nicaraguan militia groups during the Iran-Contra affair.

John Singlaub, founder of the US Council for World Freedom, which was involved in the Iran-Contra scandal during the mid-1980s and was criticized for supposed links to Nazi collaborators and right-wing death squads in Central America.

TIMMONS
William Timmons, the Washington lobbyist who John McCain has named to head his presidential transition team, aided an influence effort on behalf of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to ease international sanctions against his regime.

The two lobbyists who Timmons worked closely with over a five year period on the lobbying campaign later either pleaded guilty to or were convicted of federal criminal charges that they had acted as unregistered agents of Saddam Hussein's government.

During the same period beginning in 1992, Timmons worked closely with the two lobbyists, Samir Vincent and Tongsun Park, on a previously unreported prospective deal with the Iraqis in which they hoped to be awarded a contract to purchase and resell Iraqi oil. Timmons, Vincent, and Park stood to share at least $45 million if the business deal went through.

Boy, McCain can't seem to catch a break. He's got people on his own campaign consorting with terrorists.

KEATING
The Keating Five were five United States Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The five senators, Alan Cranston (D-CA), Dennis DeConcini (D-AZ), John Glenn (D-OH), John McCain (R-AZ), and Donald W. Riegle (D-MI), were accused of improperly intervening in 1987 on behalf of Charles H. Keating, Jr., chairman of the Lincoln Savings and Loan Association, which was the target of a regulatory investigation by the Federal Home Loan Bank Board (FHLBB). The FHLBB subsequently backed off taking action against Lincoln.

Lincoln Savings and Loan collapsed in 1989, at a cost of over $3 billion to the federal government. Some 23,000 Lincoln bondholders were defrauded and many elderly investors lost their life savings. The substantial political contributions that Keating had made to each of the senators, totalling $1.3 million.

Then he picks Palin and Joe the UN-plumber!

What will his cabinet look like? The Beverly Hillbillies!
forget it Palin---whatever you say will be twisted in warp speed and spit out in a way that criticizes you.Hillary learned the hard way and it seems you too will be dragged through the msm and become a loser also.
McCain wasn't going to bring up Rev. Wright but Palin just did. What's the matter with them? Haven't they learned that this kind of mud slinging is one of the main reasons people are gravitating toward Obama? How stupid are they and how stupid do they think we are?
Can the woman utter a coherent sentence?
It is frightening that this person could be a breath away from the Oval Office.
Who is this woman? And where did she learn to speak? I have never in my life heard anyone put a sentence together like she does. And I live in the south and have heard some rambling women, but none like this. Can you imagine her giving a State of the Union address?
Borat has a better command of English than Palin.

The womam babbles.
Sarah!  What about the minister who prayed over you to ward off witchcraft?  Sarah!  What about Todd's troubling membership in the AIP?  (Hey, too bad about him not making it through for security clearance...)Sarah!  What about you making speeches at AIP conventions two years running? Sarah!  What about the conclusion that you are GUILTY of abuse of power?  Sarah!  What about your inciting hatred and racism with your rhetoric?  Sarah! What about you leaving the mayoral post in Wasilla, and the city being $20 million more in debt than the day you took office?
Sarah!  What about that income tax return that has been examined and shows you didn't declare all your income?  Sarah!  What about you being a hypocrite who lives in a frozen fantasy where you are competent???


SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

TRACKBACKS

Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=1562629

First Read e-mail alerts


Sign up for First Read alerts
The first place for key political news and analysis

Syndicate This Site

Add First Read to your news reader:
live.com xml
myyahoo msn
bloglines newsgator
google