Here is the video of the first part of the interview Sarah Palin gave to ABC News’ Charles Gibson today. The interview covered international issues ranging from NATO expansion to Mideast policy especially US-Israeli relations and tensions with Iran to Iraq to the Bush Doctrine. The interview also covered whether she was ready to be Commander in Chief. On that, she was unequivocal. She didn’t blink she said because one can’t. That was one of her better moments. Her other strong moments came in tackling her religious views and if US foreign policy is interwined with a mission from God. She quoted Lincoln and came out ahead. Her best moment, in my view, came in framing energy security as a national security issue. And she was able to hit home a number of points touting both her experience and her record on that front. By calling energy security “the foundation” of our national security policy, Governor Palin scored high marks with me. Clearly on this issue, she came out way ahead.

Where she faltered was on the Bush Doctrine, the policy that US adopted that espouses a unilateralist approach to security threats to the vital interests of the US where the US reserves the right to use military force at its will in a pre-emptive fashion and in defiance of international law. I didn’t get the sense she understood what was meant by it. Undoing the Bush Doctrine would be one of my objectives for any incoming Administration. In the end, Charlie Gibson gave her his interpretation of the Bush Doctrine and she gave a measured response, definitely not as hawkish as one that current Vice President Dick Cheney would have given. It is clear that she still has some work to do on learning foreign policy issues and I’d be happy to help her work through them. On NATO expansion to Georgia and the Ukraine, for example, she should have noted that the concept of collective security has kept the peace in Europe since World War II and that it is in the interest of US foreign policy goals that democratic governments be protected. Freedom is never negotiable.

The interview was tough but fair. I’d grade her a B overall with a C on the Bush Doctrine portion but an A+ for the understanding that energy is our most vital national security issue at the moment.

Here’s the New York Times’ assessment of the interview. I might quibble here and there but in the end not much different from my own assessment.

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In response to recent comments by Senator and Vice Presidential candidate Joe Biden calling success of the surge “irrelevant,” Vets for Freedom (VFF) today released a new ad calling on Senator Biden to support Senate Resolution 636, which recognizes the success and strategic importance of the surge.

The commercial is part of a $7 million “Tell the Truth About the Surge” issue advocacy program that VFF has launched to promote the success of the surge and support passage of S. Res. 636 and companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. The ad is a 45 second spot and it started running today nationwide. The ad clearly aims to undercut Senator Biden’s experience on foreign policy, his strength, generally and on Iraq specifically. Still Iraq as a campaign issue has faded to a secondary tier of issues. This is the third ad this election cycle from Vets for Freedom, a 527 group, a type of American tax-exempt organization named after a section of the United States tax code, 26 U.S.C. § 527 that espouses political issues. All ads have so far attacked members of the Democratic party over the success of the surge.

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In the most anticipated of today’s state polls, the results in Michigan from the Rasmussen Reports poll demonstrate that the race remains still Obama’s to lose. While the McCain campaign hopes to swing Michigan over to its column, the polls show that the Senator Obama continues to enjoy a moderate five point lead over Senator McCain, 51% to 46%. That lead is larger than the margin of error of +/- 4%.

Michigan has cast its votes for the Democratic presidential candidate in four straight elections, and Barack Obama is trying to extend that streak. He currently holds a five point advantage–51% to 46%–over John McCain in this important battleground state.

Those figures are little changed from a month ago when Obama held a 49% to 45% lead (with leaners).
Nationally, the race between Obama and McCain remains close in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

Michigan is increasingly viewed as one of a handful of states that the election will turn on, so both candidates are now spending more on ads there. It was one of the first states McCain visited with his new running mate Sarah Palin following last week’s Republican National Convention.

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Remember that raucous rally up Boise back in February where Senator Obama wowed the crowd promising that he would remake the map in the West? A cartographer he ain’t. He isn’t even much of a good prognosticator because Idaho is worst showing so far. Obama trails Senator McCain by over two-to-one. McCain leads by a whopping 68% to 29% margin. That’s a 39 point differential. It’s actually closer in Alaska.

Don’t expect to see Barack Obama spending much time in the Republican stronghold of Idaho this fall. The Democratic presidential nominee trails John McCain by a staggering 68% to 29% in the first Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Idaho voters.

McCain has the support of 96% of the state’s Republicans and 18% of Democrats. Obama is backed by 77% of Idaho Democrats and three percent (3%) of GOP voters. Unaffiliated voters give McCain the edge by a whopping 63% to 30%.

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Wyoming last voted for a Democrat in 1964 and that’s not going to change this year. The Rasmussen Reports poll out for Wyoming show Senator McCain enjoying a comfortable 19 point margin over Senator Obama, 58% to 39%.

Reliably red Wyoming looks safe for Republicans with John McCain leading Barack Obama 58% to 39% in the first Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of voters in the state this election year.

McCain has the support of 90% of Wyoming Republicans and 17% of Democrats. Obama is backed by 82% of the state’s Democrats and seven percent (7%) of Republicans. Unaffiliated voters prefer Obama 55% to 41%.

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A Mark Blankenship Enterprises (MBE) poll shows a surprisingly competitive race in the Mountaineer state with Senator McCain leading Senator Obama by five points, 44% to 39% with 17% undecided. However, Obama is having a difficult time winning over Clinton supporters. Only 55% of Democrats polled say they support Obama with 25% opting for McCain. 20% of Democratic voters in West Virginia remain undecided.

“If the election were held today Obama has a much steeper uphill fight in West Virginia,” Blankenship said Wednesday on MetroNews Talkline. “The trend in this survey shows Democrats are not flocking toward Barack Obama.”

West Virginia has five Electoral College votes. The state voted for George Bush in both 2000 and 2004. No Democrat has won the White House without winning West Virginia since 1916.

Rasmussen Reports National Daily Tracking Poll
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday, September 11 shows Barack Obama and John McCain each attracting 46% of the vote. When “leaners” are included, it’s Obama 48%, McCain 48%. On the national level, the race remains in a dead heat.

Rasmussen Reports will release three state polls at 5 PM EDT today for Michigan, Idaho and Wyoming.

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An InsiderAdvantage/Poll Position poll in Georgia points to an Obama “implosion” in state that the Obama campaign had expressed hopes of winning until recently. Last week, the Obama campaign began pulling out 75% of its staffers in Georgia and moving them to North Carolina, Virginia and Michigan. The InsiderAdvantage/Poll Position shows McCain leading 56% to 38%.

“This is a huge slide from what had been, in our prior surveys, a relatively close race. The reason is simple—Obama lost serious ground in virtually every demographic.

“At first glance it would seem that Obama is headed for no better than the low 40 percentile level achieved by John Kerry in 2004. But let me warn observers that in both our national tracking and surveys in other states, the biggest change has been a near parity between the two candidates among the youngest of voters.

“Should that group return to Obama and the African-American vote end up where we expect it to be, the race could be closer in November. But as of now Georgia is no longer a “leans McCain” state. As of this survey, Georgia is in the McCain column.”

The poll, to remain consistent with seven total state polls conducted around the nation by the firm Wednesday evening, does not list Bob Barr as a candidate. “Having Bob Barr’s name on the ballot would likely take a net point or two from McCain, but at least at this stage, Barr’s presence is not an essential piece of the electoral pie in Georgia,” Towery said. “If the race tightens, that could change.”

Georgia has 15 Electoral College votes.

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A Quinnipiac University Poll out this morning show a widening lead for Senator McCain in Florida and a widening one for Senator Obama in Ohio with a tightening race in Pennsylvania. Since 1960, no one has won the White House without taking two of these three largest swing states in the Electoral College. For McCain to win the Presidency, he has to hold Ohio which Bush narrowly won in 2004 or aim to take either Pennsylvania or Michigan away from the Democratic column. At this point, the Electoral College scenarios would still seem to favour Senator Obama though the trend seems to favour Senator McCain.

Senator Obama leads Senator McCain 48-45 in the Keystone state, but McCain has received significant support among white women and independents to narrow the gap from seven a month ago down to three now according to the Quinnipiaic poll. Obama has held a 49-42 percent lead over McCain in the state the past two months. As a measure of comparison, the most recent Rasmussen Reports poll from August 21st had Obama leading by five points.

Obama leads 51 – 41 percent with women, compared to 53 – 37 percent August 26. McCain leads 51 – 45 percent among men. Obama leads 58 – 38 percent among voters 18 to 34 years old and gets 49 percent of voters 35 to 54 to McCain’s 47 percent. Voters over 55 back McCain 50 – 43 percent.

Independent voters split with 45 percent for the Republican and 44 percent for the Democrat. This compares to a 48 – 38 percent Obama lead August 26. Among former Clinton supporters, 22 percent support McCain, compared to 25 percent August 26.

McCain gets a 54 – 34 percent favorability, compared to Obama’s 56 – 29 percent. Palin’s favorability is 39 – 26 percent, while Biden gets a 53 – 22 percent score.

The economy is the most important issue, 51 percent of Pennsylvania voters say, while 12 percent list the war in Iraq; 11 percent cite health care; 10 percent list energy policy and 8 percent say terrorism.

The choice of a vice presidential candidate will have little impact on their November vote, 59 percent of Pennsylvania likely voters say.

“While GOP vice president candidate Sarah Palin undoubtedly helped McCain among white women, Obama got some help among Catholics in Pennsylvania from his running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, a Catholic from Scranton,” said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Voters in Pennsylvania approve of Palin’s selection by a margin of 55% to 33%. Since August 26th, McCain’s support among white women is up five points in Pennsylvania. (more…)

Here are a few articles from both the US and international media about the US Presidential race. Highlights of each article provided with a link to the full article.

Democrats Just Don’t Get It as Sarah Palin Pounds ‘em
By Michael Goodwin in the New York Daily News.

First of all, here’s a bulletin: being pro-life and pro-gun doesn’t automatically make her look stupid to most Americans. Second, she’s no rookie at the politics/media game, as her record, convention speech and stump appearances prove.

Third, well, do we need a third reason to prove the Dems are way off course in expecting the media to destroy Palin? If anything, there is a backlash against ganging up on an underdog.

The line about insanity being a case of doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result applies to the Barack Obama camp. Underestimating Palin before her debut last week was a big mistake, but they’re so sure they’re right they’re doing it again.

Obama Turns Into Dukakis, Kerry, Gore
By John Brummett of the Northwest Arkansas Morning News.

One thing Democrats stand for — or we thought — is ending the war in Iraq. So now Obama says the surge is working. One thing Democrats stand for — or so we thought — was a well-articulated position to protect a woman’s right to choose abortion. So now Obama says the morality of the abortion issue is “above my pay grade.” Then he says he doesn’t like the way he put that.

Please — somebody send for Hillary, quick.

‘I am a Liberal, but I’m Blown Away by Sarah Palin’
By Rebecca Johnson in the UK Telegraph.

Once upon a time, I also would have been contemptuous of Palin’s incurable optimism but, having been knocked around by life a bit, I now understand what a gift chronically happy people are given.

Life hands them difficulties -a Down’s syndrome baby, a 17-year-old daughter pregnant before her life as an adult has even begun, a much-needed job on the oil and gas commission that comes with too many strings – and she is not flummoxed or depressed or angry or self-pitying. She endures.

My liberal friends were outraged when rumours about Barack Obama attending a Madrassa or being a Muslim surfaced on the internet, but all week they have been gleefully trading emails of Sarah Palin distortions.

Deriding Palin’s modest background and lack of Ivy League credentials will only turn voters off. We should celebrate what is groundbreaking about Sarah Palin: a card-carrying member of Feminists for Life is a big step forward from Housewives for Life. And then we should talk about the issues.

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From the Ron Paul Press Conference, held at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on September 10, 2008. Congressman Paul dismisses McCain, Obama as candidates and encourages his supporters to vote third party.

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