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Palin Flubs Bush Doctrine Question

She may not know the term, but clearly supports the strategy

By Matt Cantor, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 12, 2008 8:58 AM CDT

(Newser) – Sarah Palin’s interview with Charlie Gibson makes it fairly clear that she doesn't quite know what the Bush Doctrine is, writes Mark Silva in the Chicago Tribune. "But just as clearly, she supports it." When Gibson asked Palin in an interview if she agreed with the Bush Doctrine, she asked for clarification. Then she defined it as "His world view."

When Gibson defined the term as an assertion of a US right to preemptive attack such as in Iraq, again the governor eluded it by saying, "I agree that a president's job, when they swear in their oath to uphold our Constitution, their top priority is to defend the United States of America.'' The closest she came to recognizing the doctrine of preemptive attack was to say that if credible intelligence showed "a strike is imminent against the American people we have every right to defend our country." A gotcha moment for her critics, Sllva writes, but good enough for supporters.

[Images (2)]

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Charles Gibson spoke to Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008, in Fairbanks, Alaska. (AP Photo/Donna Svennevik)

This photo provided by ABC News shows Charles Gibson talking to Republican vice presidential candidate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin Thursday in Fairbanks. (AP Photo/Donna Svennevik)

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Sarah Palin Struggled on The Bush Doctrine Question:she did not directly answer the question but tell me what yall think. (MrTellthat)

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I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hell bent on destroying our nation. - Sarah Palin defining the Bush Doctrine to Charles Gibson

There have been blunders along the way, though. There have been mistakes made. And with new leadership comes opportunity to do things better. - Sarah Palin on execution of
the Bush Doctrine

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Palin Flubs Bush Doctrine Question