the kicker

Gibson’s first good question

Are you ready for a three day IV drip of Palin interviews? In this early excerpt on ABC’s website, Charlie Gibson asks Palin to get specific...
September 11, 2008

Are you ready for a three day IV drip of Palin interviews?

In this early excerpt on ABC’s website, Charlie Gibson asks Palin to get specific on what admitting Georgia into NATO would mean, beyond bluster.

The Governor advocated the accession of Georgia and Ukraine into NATO.

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 in an exclusive interview.

Good question. And one that I don’t recall anyone asking McCain or Obama after they reiterated or made similar calls to admit Georgia to NATO this summer.

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Clint Hendler is the managing editor of Mother Jones, and a former deputy editor of CJR.