Politico’s blames ABC for latest Palin smear

Sen. Obama’s MSM Tank Corps launched multiple attacks against Gov. Sarah Palin tonight in response to fact-based, thoughtful comments Palin made during an ABC interview with Charles Gibson.

Palin drew heavy fire from Obama's Tankers for her comments concerning Russia’s aggressive moves in Eastern Europe and America's NATO obligations.

Without waiting for a full transcript of the Gibson-Palin interview, Obama’s most aggressive units attacked.

But their intelligence was either very faulty or they misunderstood what little intelligence they had.

That question's still in dispute.

What's not in dispute is that many of Obama's MSM Tank Corps units misdirected their attack.

As a result, they soon came under fire themselves from informed forces who'd seized control of the Gibson-Palin interview transcript and began to exploit their advantage.

Faced with withering facts refuting their specious claims, all but Obama's Kos and other such units are in full retreat as of 23:00 ET tonight.

But they’re expected to regroup by morning and take up new positions among “friendly populations” – NPR, the AP, Brian Williams, Chris Matthews, CNN, The Nation, MoveOn.org – from where they’ll launch fierce new smears.

Meanwhile, fighting has broken out among Obama’s forces with his left flank Politico now claiming tonight's defeat was ABC’s fault.

Under the headline:

Palin hawkish on Russia

Politico’s blame-shifting continues with:

This isn't the headline the McCain camp wanted out of Palin's interview: Possible war with Russia.

And here's the tease [headline]at ABC News' website now Politico tells us:

"EXCLUSIVE: GOV. SARAH PALIN WARNS WAR MAY BE NECESSARY IF RUSSIA INVADES ANOTHER COUNTRY."

With that Politico is letting you know it now has an interview transcript it didn't have when it posted its earlier in the evening Palin-bashing.

So none of that earlier in the evening Palin-bashing was Politico's fault, right?

ABC is responsible: “That’s [ABC’s] tease.”

Politico continues with “not us, blame ABC”:

According to the ABC transcript, Palin seems simply to be restating the U.S. obligation under Article Five of the NATO treaty, in the context of a question about her support for Georgia's entry into NATO, something Obama also supports. (emphasis added)

When asked by Gibson if under the NATO treaty, the U.S. would have to go to war if Russia again invaded Georgia, Palin responded: "Perhaps so. I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you're going to be expected to be called upon and help.

"And we've got to keep an eye on Russia. For Russia to have exerted such pressure in terms of invading a smaller democratic country, unprovoked, is unacceptable," she told ABC News' Charles Gibson.

Now, folks, in case you thought the latest Palin smear was Politico’s fault, Politico wants you to know its not.

I don't believe that.

I think what happened is MSM Obama Tankers were cocked and eager to fire at Sarah Palin.

So eager they fired when there was no cause to.

But since Politico wants to explain itself and blame ABC, let's stand back and let Politico have the last word tonight.

I'll be back on this story tomorrow with what ABC is saying.

What follows is all from Politico:

Here's some of the interview transcript, which doesn't include that exchange. .

» Continue reading Palin hawkish on Russia

ABC News' Charles Gibson has three interviews with Vice Presidential candidate Governor Sarah Palin on September 11 and September 12. The first interview took place today. The interview will air on “World News with Charles Gibson” at 6:30PM EST tonight.

The second interview will take place after tonight's "World News." That interview will appear first on "Nightline" at 11:35PM EST this evening and on "Good Morning America" Friday morning at 7AM EST.

A third interview will take place Friday and will air on "World News" and "20/20" at 10PM EST.

In each case, ABC News will push the fresh content from each of these interviews as soon as possible. We will continue to send updated links as the interviews air.

Any media usage please credit ABC News.(emphasis added)
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The rest of Politico’s climbdown’s here.