Palin Takes Questions at a McCain Town Hall

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Palin Takes Questions at a McCain Town Hall

September 18, 2008 5:56 AM

ABC News' Brett Hovell and Imtiyaz Delawala report: At a joint McCain-Palin town hall meeting in Grand Rapids, Mich., Wednesday night, Gov. Sarah Palin took questions directly from voters for the first time, but rarely directly answered the questions posed to her or ventured from lines she often delivers on the campaign trail.

Palin jumped right in from the first question directed to her Republican running mate, Sen. John McCain, on how he would address the threat of radical Islam. After McCain gave a short response, Palin interrupted, asking, "John, John. Can I add something? I want to add something to that."

"Always," McCain replied, drawing cheers and applause from a crowd of 2,000 packed into a gym at Grand Rapids Community College.

"OK. May I add something, because sometimes my running mate is a bit too humble," Palin added, returning to a regular point she makes on the campaign trail. "We need to remember who it was who pushed for and supported and risked much for the strategy that is working in Iraq, and that is the surge. He is the one who pushed for it."

One female voter asked for Palin's response to discussion about her perceived lack of foreign policy experience, asking her to "please respond to that criticism and give us specific skills that you think you have, to bring to the White House, to rebut that or mitigate that concern."

But Palin did not list specific skills, instead giving a broad response while saying she would be happy to play "stump the candidate" on foreign policy issues.

"I think, because I am a Washington outsider, that opponents are going to be looking for a whole lot of things that they can criticize, and they can kind of beat the candidate here who chose me as his partner to kinda tear down the ticket," Palin responded. "But as for foreign policy, you know, I think I am prepared and I know that on Jan. 20, if we are so blessed as to be sworn into office as your president and vice president, certainly we'll be ready. I'll be ready. I have that confidence. I have that readiness, and if you want specifics with specific policy or countries, go ahead. You can ask, you can play 'stump the candidate' if you want to. But we are ready to serve."

When asked by a former Hillary Clinton supporter to give details and examples of her "strategies and plan for economic empowerment for women," Palin provided few specifics.

"Now, I was a product of Title IX, where legislation allowed that equal opportunity. Now, if we have to still keep going down that road to create more legislation, to get with it in the 21st century, to make sure that women do have equality, especially in the work place, then we're there, because we understand that, in this age, we have all got to be working together," Palin said. "But yup, equality for women, for all, that's going to be part of the agenda, and I thank you for that question."

McCain seemed happy to have Palin along for their first joint town hall, asking her to jump in on the conversation, notably on energy issues, which McCain's campaign has been promoting as Palin's strong suit. When asked by one voter how and where oil from offshore drilling could be secured, Palin cited her experience on energy issues in Alaska, saying she would work to make the resources that "belong to the people" available.

"It's a matter of Congress allowing these lands to be tapped -- the offshore drilling -- the allowance given there, also, for safe, reliable and ethical drilling of these resources," Palin said. "Yes, the oil companies have the leases, the right to develop; they also have a duty to develop when it's economic, when people are hurting, they need to tap those resources and get those sources flowing. That's part of the reform that we're going to usher in to D.C., and we did that up in Alaska."

But when asked how she would help keep any new domestic oil produced in the United States, Palin gave a less-than-well-articulated non-answer.

"Oil and coal? Of course, it's a fungible commodity and they don't flag, you know, the molecules, where it's going and where it's not. But in the sense of the Congress today, they know that there are very, very hungry domestic markets that need that oil first," Palin said. "So, I believe that what Congress is going to do, also, is not to allow the export bans to such a degree that it's Americans that get stuck to holding the bag without the energy source that is produced here, pumped here. It's got to flow into our domestic markets first."

Despite the feeling of something new and unique for their first meeting, the event still had many of the hallmarks of a typical McCain town hall –- and he's had hundreds of them. He was asked about health care and social security, and thanked for his service in Vietnam. He asked veterans in the audience to stand, and they got a round of applause.

As if to pre-empt any question that might play up some of the differences between his positions and those of his running mate, McCain admitted at the beginning of the meeting that he and Palin didn't always agree.

"And by the way, you may figure out from time to time, Sarah and I don't agree on every issue," he said. "What do you expect of two mavericks?"

Indeed, later in the evening, a questioner asked Palin if she'd been able to convince McCain to support drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in her home state of Alaska, a measure she supports and he opposes.

"I'm still working on it," she said to applause.

September 18, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (650)

User Comments

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I totally disagree with the softball with Obama. How long was Wright in the news? How often do they bring up Ayers even though Obama barely knows him? The reason they played hardball with Palin is that no one really knew her at all. They sparks curiosity and interest to figure out who she is. Thus, they looked into her past and background.

Posted by: Josh | Sep 18, 2008 6:55:56 AM

That sparks (correction)

Posted by: Josh | Sep 18, 2008 6:57:02 AM

Palin is what's wrong with America,just listen to her,what a f___g joke she is and MCcain has sold America out by picking a person who is not qualitified to be V/P.What happen when he kicks the bucket next month?

Posted by: Bill Anderson | Sep 18, 2008 6:57:50 AM

leone, If you think this is bad, JUST WAIT until Obama is elected.

It's obvious that you're a Wanna-Be. Ha! You're gonna be on the outside looking in like you wouldn't believe.

Elitism hasn't seen anything like Obama and Company.

Posted by: chicagopearl | Sep 18, 2008 6:57:52 AM

She would be happy to play stump the candidate, but of course, she didn't bother to answer the question.

Well at least SHE thinks she's prepared. That should be good enough right?

After all, all those honest folks at the Republican convention says she's really great. And no one is more honest than a Republican.

After all, McCain was a POW.

Posted by: palinian double speak | Sep 18, 2008 6:59:43 AM

If Palin loses the election, she'll go back to being the Governor of the State of Alaska.

If Obama loses the election, he'll go back to voting Present on every controversial bill that crosses his desk.

And you all think he's ready to lead? Wake up, America. Close your ears, open your eyes and READ HIS VOTING RECORD.

Posted by: chicagopearl | Sep 18, 2008 6:59:49 AM

Nice (not) to see that the White House has a price tag on the front door, and that the average American will believe anything the professionals in Entertainment want them too believe. Change? No. Just slicker packaging for gullible voters.

Posted by: chicagopearl | Sep 18, 2008 7:02:10 AM

So sick of FailinPalin LIES. Flipflop/flipflop. I am so confused with her answers and what she says that everytime I see her talk my reaction is "NOW WHAT?". We are not going on this for the ride.
Go......Obama-Biden

Posted by: freda | Sep 18, 2008 7:03:02 AM

The media has not being playing any sort of ball at all with Palin because she has been avoiding it at all costs and still refuses to answer questions. I realize that general answers are part of politics but she doesn't even come close. She should also probably stop lying all the time too. The bridge to nowhere, her foreign travels, her largely inflated numbers on the oil production and the portion of America's energy that is produced by Alaska... And finally, I love how everyone comes to Palin's defense and says that questioning her is "sexist" and hardball. I didn't hear those voices several months ago when Hillary Clinton was in the picture.

Posted by: petee's reality check | Sep 18, 2008 7:03:18 AM

Obama babbles incessantly, almost incoherently, without a teleprompter. Obama's camp will no longer allow Obama to speak in public without a teleprompter.

Posted by: willie | Sep 18, 2008 7:03:19 AM

Look ahead to a WOMAN in the White House !
--------------------------
Sure, I'm all for it. In 8 years we can put a QUALIFIED and KNOWLEDGABLE woman in the White House.

Those are the the words that cause the problem. Not "Palin" or "woman", but KNOWLEGABLE and QUALIFIED.

Posted by: This Isn't American Idol | Sep 18, 2008 7:03:53 AM

Chicago Pearl,

Funny hat you have a problem with voting "present", but no problem with McCain voting "absent".

McCain voted "absent" more than any other Senator in the 110th Congress.

Sarcasm is great, but some of us know more about McCain than his POW stories.

Posted by: Absent and absent minded McCain | Sep 18, 2008 7:06:28 AM

By asking that question I think they did just play "Stump the Canidate." Palin lost.

Posted by: Obama08 | Sep 18, 2008 7:06:45 AM

The only thing Palin has going for her is that she's a Pentacostal, and stirs up exuberance among end-times believers. Nothing she has learned from her coaches in the past 2 weeks and is semi-able to recite now is of any importance one way or the other.

Posted by: DownSouth | Sep 18, 2008 7:07:04 AM

Obama Gets Put Back On The Teleprompter. But the Illinois senator used a teleprompter at both his Colorado events Monday — making for a particularly peculiar scene in Pueblo, where the prompter was set up in the middle of what is normally a rodeo ring

http://sweetness-light.com/archive/no-more-ad-libs-obama-back-on-teleprompter

Posted by: willie | Sep 18, 2008 7:09:01 AM

"I personally believe that, U.S. Americans are unable to do so, because some… people out there in our nation that don’t have maps, and I believe that our education, like such, as in South Africa and Iraq, everywhere like such as, and I believe that they should… our education over here in the U.S., should help the U.S., er, should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future.., for our…children."

Posted by: ElodieStClair | Sep 18, 2008 7:10:34 AM

It's not that she's mastered political doublespeak, more like she's mastered gobbledygook! I can't decide if she is a political idiot savant -- or just an idiot! God save us please!

Posted by: Deborah from NC | Sep 18, 2008 7:11:51 AM

Title IX was apposed by the Republican party, interesting she would say that... She likely does not know that the Bush Admin, tried to reverse/alter title IX in 2002. She definately does not know it was Carter that put the proposal in play. Hmmm, she does not even know which party has done what- interesting...

Posted by: Texas | Sep 18, 2008 7:12:29 AM

Man, this is scary. She dodged every question and people are definitely going to notice. I'm sure world leaders are shaking in their boots (with laughter).

Posted by: no dummies allowed | Sep 18, 2008 7:13:24 AM

Thanks Sarah Palin
Military Experience as Commander in
Chief of the Alaska National Guard puts you one up in experience on the others.
In Alaska you can hear the roar of some of our finest jets, probablly going to or from the Russian Border to remind the Russians of their limits. This is in a sense a bit of military experience, living and being the Governor of a "First Defense" State.
Thanks Sarah palin for being real, and being the canditate with down to earth ideas.
It appears that you are very knowledgeable about "energy". I am excited that the next vice president can bring that expertise to Washington.

Good interviews,
thanks,
jjs

Posted by: joseph | Sep 18, 2008 7:14:50 AM

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