I thought that John McCain gave a gracious and meaningful concession speech. What I didn't know was that Sarah Palin wanted to throw protocol to the wind and give a speech of her own. For more, here's a transcript of Palin's interview with NBC's Matt Lauer:
LAUER: According to a recent article in Newsweek and some other reports, on election night, you showed up at the Biltmore in Phoenix…
S. PALIN: Yes.
LAUER: … and things weren't going well. And you had some copy in your hands. You had some remarks that you would have liked to have given to that audience, and, in effect, to the nation, prior to Senator McCain giving his concession speech. And you were told, "No".
S. PALIN: Well, I had a speech that, you know, I was going to give that we'd worked on about a week. And the speech was…
LAUER: Had you cleared with anyone? Had anyone — anyone said it might be an opportunity for you to speak?
S. PALIN: Oh, certainly, the — the speech was written in — in cooperation and conjunction with a couple of the speech writers in the campaign — and had written that as an introduction to this great American hero. And of course, we had two speeches in our back pocket.
LAUER: Right.
S. PALIN: One was a concession speech that would introduce him, and it would do what John McCain just can't seem to do for himself — bless his heart, because he's not that kind of man — where I was going to brag him up and say, "You know, truly he's an American hero, has faced great adversity, knows how challenges are overcome. And let us — let us be thankful for this man, who with a servant's heart had offered himself up to
LAUER: So that sounds like a good idea. Why weren't you allowed to do it?
S. PALIN: I don't know. It was a great speech because it also then, also said, "OK, but American voters have spoken, so now, let's all come together. I know Senator McCain wants to lead in an effort of unity here in our nation, and let's work with President-elect Obama and let's go forward."
LAUER: So you walked up and you said to somebody in the campaign, "Look, I've got these comments I'd like to make. I want to," as you say, "brag on him a little bit?"
S. PALIN: Yes.
LAUER: Who said no?
S. PALIN: Somebody said no, they said that it would be unprecedented, that a V.P. candidates wouldn't introduce someone in a concession speech. And you know, all I could say was…
LAUER: Were you disappointed?
S. PALIN: A little bit because again — not — not for me personally to get to be up there on the stage and give one last speech, but to be able to say, "This is an American hero. Let us be thankful for what he just offered our nation. Now, let's all work together to support the new president.
LAUER: Did you ever consider going to Senator McCain that night and saying, "Look, you know, I'd like to say this about you, would it be OK?
S. PALIN: By that time it was, you know, literally walking — walking down…
LAUER: So this happened in the last minute.
S. PALIN: … the aisle, almost going up to the stairs, yes.
S. PALIN: And all I could think of was, well, even if it were unprecedented — and I haven't done research to see if other V.P. candidates had done such an introduction of their presidential candidate.
LAUER: Right.
S. PALIN: But, you know, I thought even if it was unprecedented, so what, you know. Geez, let's do something a little bit out of the box there. But those were the type of shots that were called that I didn't have control over. And in the end, though, that's — that's somebody else's problem or business.
You betcha.
9 Comments So Far»
I felt that that Matt Lauer kept interupting Sarah Palin while she was answering his questions unnessisarily. He would not even let her finish a sentence. But I think that she handles it quite well. Matt Lauer you need a lesson in manners.
But really, how could protocol be more important that Sarah Palin's obsessive need to position herself for the 2012 presidential run? I love the fact that she tries to hide it by saying that she just wants to talk McCain up. It's just so . . . obvious . . .
Oh, PALIN is lying AGAIN. twisting the truth, dropping seeds of truth in with lies and daring us to figure which is which, AGAIN.
If she was WORKING WITH a couple of the speech writers ALL WEEK, someone would have said, one of them would have said, at some point in the WEEK, they would have said, ¨¨ GEE MS. PALIN, the losing candidate just doesn´t get an opening act before HIS concession speech. It´s kind of his moment. It´s all he gets. IT WOULD BE UNPRECEDENTED.¨ She would even have had the time to DO RESEARCH ON IT, to see if they were LYING TO HER. Why would she think they would tell her it was unprecedented if it wasn´t. Poor dear, didn´t have time to research that with all the speech writing that week in conjunction with THE SPEECH writers.
IF BS WERE money, she could have dressed herself during the campaign.
Sarah Palin has almost as much difficulty expressing herself as George W. Bush. Matt Lauer was right in cutting off her rambling speech as he kept trying to get to the point.
I watch and read as much as I can about Palin. She is a cartoon character to me. Very entertaining in her belief that America would support her as President. I believe the press is just as entertained by her and are exposing the political idiot that she is proving herself to be.
Glad to see all the feisty comments, thanks!
You all don't get it. I like Sarah Palin because she isn't political and can't speak political. She says it like it is and doesn't try to cover up like all politicians do. It's about time we got someone, anyone, in the senate, house or white house that isn't a politician and doesn't try to cover up everything that's going on. We NEED someone that doesn't understand the system for a change.
I believe we’ve had exactly what you are describing for the last 8 years with Bush? How's that working for you?
Saying Sarah Palin isn't political is like saying Karl Rove isn't political. As much as I dislike her, I think she's very savvy politically. You don't get to be where she is without a nose for this sort of thing, and I certainly don't think she's ever met a camera she didn't like. I would ask Sarge: How exactly is she “saying it as it is?” By stating that the president-elect has terrorist connections? If this is true, why is she now supporting him? Also, how does “saying it as it is” translate into competence in dealing with an economy in crisis and a foreign policy in shambles? As Dale points out, we’ve had 8 long years of this, with the country cheerfully reelecting someone whose only motivation seemed to be lining the pockets of his cronies and gumming up the works for the rest of us. I can only speak for myself, but I had enough of it about 7 years ago.
Leave Comments Below»