To his credit, Charlie Gibson actually did a pretty good job of grilling Sarah Palin in her first interview since accepting the Republican nomination. When asked whether or not she agrees with the Bush Doctrine -- the idea that the United States should be able to reserve the right to launch unprovoked attacks on nations deemed a threat to us -- a visibly confused Palin simply doesn't know how to respond coherently.

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GIBSON: Do you agree with the Bush doctrine?

PALIN: In what respect, Charlie?

GIBSON: The Bush -- well, what do you -- what do you interpret it to be?

PALIN: His world view?

GIBSON: No, the Bush doctrine, enunciated September 2002, before the Iraq war.

PALIN: 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. There have been blunders along the way, though. There have been mistakes made. And with new leadership, and that's the beauty of American elections, of course, and democracy, is with new leadership comes opportunity to do things better.

GIBSON: The Bush doctrine, as I understand it, is that we have the right of anticipatory self-defense, that we have the right to a preemptive strike against any other country that we think is going to attack us. Do you agree with that?

PALIN: Charlie, if there is legitimate and enough intelligence that tells us that a strike is imminent against American people, we have every right to defend our country. In fact, the president has the obligation, the duty to defend.

 Cernig wonders: The Most Dangerous Woman In The World?

For more on the Bush Doctrine, see Jon Perr's great series of posts:

The Death of the Bush Doctrine

This Just In From Afghanistan: Bush Doctrine Still Dead

The Myth of the Bush Doctrine

  Republican VP candidate and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin told Larry Kudlow less than two months ago that she can't answer whether or not she would accept the VP offer because she has no idea what the Vice President does.

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"As for that VP talk all the time, I’ll tell you, I still can’t answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does everyday?"

Do we really need someone like this a heartbeat away from the Presidency? Especially given that McCain turned 72 today?  Especially someone under investigation for abuse of power less than two years into office?  That really is more of the same.

One dKos commenter answers Sarah's question:

1. Leaves undisclosed location for the White House.

2. Tells the President what to do.

3. Orders Chief of Staff to obstruct a series of investigations.

4. Snarls a few times.

5. Returns to undisclosed location.

Heh.