She Speaks (Not That I Can Stand Her Voice).

Apparently the McCain camp has let its little lady pit bull off her leash for a brief moment on Thursday and Friday of this week to chat with Charles Gibson of ABC. Until then, she will continue to campaign together with Old Man Irrelevance, so his campaign can keep a tight rein on her having to actually answer any questions about her experience that can’t be answered by listening to her re-spew her convention speech over and over (“I said thanks but no thanks!”). I can’t say I hold out a lot of hope for this being the interview that’s really going to give America an idea of what the hell Sarah Palin knows about, if anything. First, it’s back on her home turf of Alaska, which to me smacks of the kind of fluff piece where we hear even more from the back water citizens of Alaska about how great she is, even while she threatens to have their husbands or wives fired if they don’t say it with a smile. Second, the fact that it’s over two days makes me think she’s going to have plenty of time between questions to step into a back room with the 750 advisers McCain’s campaign will have had to assemble to tell her what to say. Not that I don’t think she could answer the questions herself, but they might not want America to hear her actual opinions:

Charles Gibson: “Governor Palin, John McCain is old – like, REALLY old. So there’s a real possibility that you’ll be asked to step into the role of president sooner rather than later. Can you describe why you think you are prepared to take over that role?”

Governor Palin: “Well, Charles, if you ask anyone on the street here in Alaska, you’ll know that I like things done my way. Alaska, I mean, America, is the strongest, most powerful country in the world, and we’re going to keep it that way. If some foreign leader thinks he can mess with me, he can think again.”

CG: “That doesn’t really tell Americans how you are prepared to deal with all the nuances of being a world leader.”

GP: “Nuance! That’s for sissies, Chuck. Listen. I’ve had Russia staring at me across the Bering Strait for 18 months now, and have they tried anything? No. Why? Because they know what’s good for them. It won’t be different when I’m president. None of this negotiating, “diplomacy” nonsense. Who has time for that?”

CG: “Okay. Governor Palin, arguably because of our involvement in Iraq, we have rapidly declining enrollment in our armed forces. The troops we do have are stretched thin as they complete their third, fourth, even fifth tours of duty. Do you believe we have the ability to maintain the military might for which America has traditionally been known?

GP: “No problem, Chuck. For one thing, when I get the Supreme Court where I really want it – get those doddering old liberals off the bench and replace them with more people who think like me – then there are going to me a lot more babies in this world. I’m thinking we just start an army filled with the little fellas; soon there will be plenty to send wherever we need to protect our oil interests! Certainly while I’m still president!”

CG: “You can only be president for eight years, Governor Palin.”

GP: “Oh, Chuck. Don't make the mistake of underestimating me.”