Game Change (2012) - full transcript

For you, picking Sarah Palin
was about winning an election,

not necessarily about who's gonna
be best as vice president.

My job is to give
political advice.

We needed to do something bold

to try to win the race.

If you had it to do over again,

would you have her on the ticket?

- Hello.
- They fucking hate me, Steve.

Who's that, sir?

Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter.

They're dancing on my grave
like it's fucking Mardi Gras.



That may be true, but
there's an upside

to being in last place.

You can say what you truly feel.

You think I've been holding back?

I do, Senator.

The surge is working,

but no one else is brave
enough to say it.

Romney, Giuliani, Huckabee...

all your opponents are hedging.

Even you hesitated
at the last debate.

A great man once told me,

I would rather lose the election

than see the country
lose this war.

And I meant it, Steve.



Then say it, sir.

John McCain doesn't
say what's popular,

he says what's right.

My advice would be

to get some old POW
buddies together

and travel the country
in a small caravan.

Stay in shitty hotels,

do American Legion halls,

V.F.W. posts, have a few beers

and enjoy yourself.

You're right, goddamn it.

I don't know what the
hell's wrong with me.

You get so caught up in winning,

- you start to lose yourself.
- It's gonna be easy because

there's only one message
you need to get across.

Yeah? What's that?

John McCain puts country first.

Would you consider joining us?

Even just for a few weeks?

Senator, there is
no one in this race

I admire more than you,
but I promised my wife

that I would sit this cycle out.

I know that, Steve,

but will you just think about it?

Just do that... Just think
about it, will you?

Of course, Senator.

- You promise?
- I will, I promise.

Great, I'll call you tomorrow.

- Okay.
- Thanks, Stevie boy.

Fuck.

Senator McCain today reshuffling

his most senior campaign staff.

John McCain wins the
New Hampshire primary,

a huge comeback for the
senator from Arizona.

You hear them
chanting behind me...

Mac is back, Mac is back.

A big win for John McCain
in South Carolina,

a win that he will relish.

The question on the
campaign trail was

can a soufflé rise twice?

John McCain wins the Republican
presidential nomination.

What a historic night.

And they said we were dead.

The White House.

Obama. Obama.

People of Berlin

and people of the world,

the scale of our
challenge is great.

The road ahead will be long.

But I come before you

to say that we are heirs
to a struggle for freedom.

We are a people of improbable hope

with an eye towards the future,

with resolve in our heart.

Let us remember this history

and answer our destiny

and remake the world once again.

Thank you, Berlin. God bless you.

Thank you.

If he heals a sick baby,
we're really fucked.

We're down by 15.

If his convention speech
is as good as that...

It'll be better.

Then we'll be trailing by 20

going into St. Paul.

It's an uphill battle, John.

Well, as Chairman Mao
was fond of saying,

It's always darkest before
it's completely black.

Senator, it always concerns me
when you quote Chairman Mao.

This guy is raising money

like he's some sort of
a human ATM machine.

John, if there ever was a time

to run a Reverend Wright
ad, this is that time.

- Absolutely not.
- I agree.

There's footage of his own
reverend saying goddamn America.

It's the single best
weapon we've got.

I want to run a fucking campaign
that my kids can be proud of,

and that precludes attacking
a black reverend.

I think we're going
about this all wrong.

This man is on the cover
of every news magazine.

He's on the cover of every
entertainment magazine.

He's got 200,000 people
screaming for him in Berlin.

And what has he done?

A man of no accomplishment

has become the biggest
celebrity in the world,

and we keep trying to reach
up and pull him down.

What we need to do is
ask the American people

a very simple question:

Do you want a statesman to
be your next president...

or do you want a celebrity?

Try it.

He's the biggest
celebrity in the world.

Obama. Obama.

But is he ready to lead?

With gas prices soaring,

Barack Obama says no
to offshore drilling

and says he'll raise
taxes on electricity?

Higher taxes, more foreign oil...

that's the real Obama.

Great job, Fred.

I thought we were the
grown-ups in this race.

John, it's his girlfriend.

This is a cautionary tale, John.

It's what I'm talking about.

Yeah, right. Yeah, let's...

- Let's watch it again.
- No, I can't, I can't. Please.

See, that's what
I'm talking about.

Now can you believe these guys?

He wants Lieberman on the ticket.

- Of course he does.
- Disaster.

Or historic.

- Or historic disaster.
- John loves him.

It would be a strong move
towards bipartisanship.

Guys, the base is
already concerned

that John is not a
true conservative.

Now, I don't think picking a
pro-choice Jewish Democrat

who just happened to be
Al Gore's running mate

is going to alleviate
that concern.

Maybe we have McCain
make a one-term pledge.

He announces in some huge
speech that he and a Democrat

are joining together for one term

so that the parties
can come together

and solve this country's
greatest problems.

Maybe, with a one-term pledge.

Nothing says country first
like picking Joe Lieberman.

Well, if it's gonna work,

it has to remain
absolutely secret,

right up until the convention.

If it gets leaked, the
right will kill it.

John McCain's decision
to put Joe Lieberman

front and centre at his convention

has the unique distinction
of unsettling

both Democrats and Republicans.

I think the idea of him
being the Republican

vice presidential nominee
would split the convention.

In the cabinet, fine. Not as V.P.

Bad choice. Conservatives
will bolt.

Comedy team of McCain
and Lieberman.

Maybe they'll play
Atlantic City this summer.

Thank you.

So what the fuck happened?

Lindsey Graham was trying to
build support for the idea

- and it leaked.
- Goddamn it, Lindsey.

Well, if it's any consolation,

my numbers show that
if you pick Lieberman

or any pro-choice candidate,

40% of your core supporters

will be less likely
to support you.

40%.

And you gain very
few independents.

Overall, it's a wide-net negative.

We've made a lot of calls.
Some people don't even think.

Lieberman can make it
through the convention.

Others say, yeah, he can,

but he's gonna rip
the party in half.

But Joe is perfect.
We're both mavericks

that are hated by the
assholes in our own parties.

It could have a tremendous
healing effect on the country.

We can't win without our base.

Lieberman is the
right thing to do,

but the wrong way to win.

- Who all have we vetted?
- Romney, Crist, Pawlenty.

- We're trying to vet Bloomberg.
- Who can we win with?

- None of them.
- None of them?

John, Obama just changed
the entire dynamic.

It is a change year, sir.

We desperately need a
game-changing pick,

and none of these middle-aged
white guys are game-changers.

So... what?

I just fuck off and die?

Well, the data shows we have
four things we have to do.

We have to win back
the independents,

we have to excite the base,

we have to distance ourselves
from the Bush administration,

and we have to close
the gender gap.

How bad is the gap?

It's fatal.

You've got a 20% advantage
with men, which is great,

but a 20% deficit with women.

You've got to pick
up 15% with females.

Because if you're trailing
by more than five with them,

you lose.

So find me a woman.

All right, ladies.
Who's it gonna be?

Meg Whitman supports
abortion rights.

Pro-choice, pro-choice.

- Who are you?
- These solar arrays combined

will allow us to produce
34 megawatts of power...

To make sure that risk management

is the best that we
can do to secure...

But as you know, the turnpike
ends here in Augusta.

At that point...

What was her name?

Once Alaska is allowed

to very responsibly and
safely develop our resources,

we'll lower costs of energy
across the United States,

and then we'd be able
to secure the nation

with a clean, domestic
supply of energy.

And I say that, Charlie,
even personally.

My one and only son,
my 18-year-old,

he just signed up for
the United States Army.

He's at boot camp right now.

And I'm thinking, you know,

this kid is doing all that
he can within his power

to help secure and defend
the United States.

Every elected official had
better be asking themselves,

are you doing as much also?

Are you doing all that you can?

She's a star.

She's so passionately
pro-life that at age 44,

she decided to keep a child

that she knew midterm
had Down syndrome.

And there's a lot more
that the base will love.

She has an 80% approval
rating in Alaska.

The highest of any
governor in the country...

80%?

And she got it by
taking on the oil lobby

and the Republican establishment.

She's the one who killed
the Bridge to Nowhere.

I fought Ted Stevens for months

on that stupid fucking bridge.

Plus, she is a devout Christian.

She's got a son about
to deploy to Iraq,

attractive mother of five.

- She likes to moose hunt.
- Moose hunt?

This is a woman with a gun, John.

I mean, come on, the base is
gonna be doing back flips.

What does Salter think?

He's worried that
she's a creationist.

Yeah, and that's exactly why
the base will love her.

Women will love her.

Plus, she gives you
distance from Bush.

Furthermore, she's
so outside the box

that she helps you recapture
the maverick label,

which will win back independents.

She's everything we need.

You don't think she might
be too outside the box?

Huh. Well, that's what makes
her such a maverick choice.

So is picking Lieberman.

That'd be pretty
goddamn mavericky.

Sir, we live in the age of YouTube

and the 24-hour news cycle.

How else do you think a man

who has absolutely no major
life accomplishments

is beating an American
hero by double digits?

He's simply sailing on his
charisma and star power.

We need to create a dynamic
moment in this campaign

or we're dead.

You think she's that good?

She could be.

And we can vet her in five days?

We can.

The vet has to be
as thorough for her

as it was for all the
other candidates.

Culvahouse says he
can do it, so...

The clock is ticking, sir.

If you are going to seriously
consider the governor of Alaska,

you have to call her now.

You know, Governor, these
gas prices are killing us.

Oh, my goodness, don't I know it.

They're killing me and Todd, too.

Hey, how are ya?

But once Alaska is
allowed to very safely

and responsibly develop
our resources,

we'll lower cost of energy
across the entire nation.

You keep giving 'em
hell, Governor.

Aw, thanks. Nice talking to ya.

Mum, can we go on the
roller coaster now?

Yeah. No, of course, honey.

- Hey, Bristol?
- Yeah?

Can you hold Trig? I'm gonna take
Piper on the roller coaster.

- Sure.
- There you go.

There you go, buddy.

- Mum.
- Just one second, hon.

This is Sarah.

Thank you for coming on such
short notice, Governor.

Should this go according to plan,

we will take you to meet
Senator McCain at his compound

first thing in the morning.

Now, if he chooses you
to be his running mate,

you will instantly become

one of the most famous
people on the planet.

Your life will be investigated,

manipulated, distorted,

and you will lose any
semblance of privacy.

Knowing this, are
you 100% committed

to going forward
with this project?

Absolutely.

I have a servant's heart.

And if you really think
I can help this ticket,

if you really think I
can help this country,

then absolutely...
I'll do this with ya.

Your private life
will be subjected

to harsh, often unfair attacks.

Nothing can prepare you for...

how ugly this can be. Not...

I do understand that.
Here's the deal.

I went through a tough
primary in Alaska,

and I know how ugly it can get.

Well, Governor, things can get

quite a bit rougher on
the national stage.

I don't know, Alaska's
pretty rough.

Now, you and Senator McCain

have a difference of
opinion on several issues.

He is pro-life, but he's
in favour of exceptions

in the case of rape, incest or
a mother's life being at risk.

- You are not.
- That is correct.

I am unapologetically pro-life.

Senator McCain supports
stem cell research.

- You do not.
- That's true, I do not.

John McCain would never ask you
to contradict your beliefs,

but we expect you to
support his positions.

And we may ask you
to appear in ads

advocating those positions.

Do you have a problem with that?

No, I don't. Not at all.

Senator McCain can count
on my full support.

I would be so proud to
be a member of his team.

Do you reject the
theory of evolution?

I'm the daughter of
a science teacher.

My dad showed me
fossils growing up.

I know about evolution.
I accept evolution.

But I will never deny that
I see the hand of God

in this beautiful
creation that is Earth.

I'm really glad that
you're asking me

these types of questions.

Why is that?

It's important that you know
exactly what you're getting.

John, let me be very clear.

Every other vet we did was over
a four-to-eight-week period.

This vet has been compiled
in absolute secrecy

in less than five days.

I understand.

Well, in doing a vet this fast,

there's certainly the possibility

that we may have missed something.

Yeah, I got it. What
do you think, A.B?

I like many of her answers
in the questionnaire.

And in the interview, she hit some
of my questions out of the park.

Now...

there are more potential
land mines with Palin

than with the other choices.

She told us she has a teen
daughter who's pregnant.

That should not prevent
this from moving forward,

but we don't know what
else could pop up.

But are you impressed
with her personally?

I am.

She has a great life story

and she's extremely
poised and confident

for someone in her situation.

But you have a candidate

who's only been
governor for 18 months.

Before that, she was the
mayor of a small town

of 10,000 people.

She undercuts your
best attack on Obama

that he's too inexperienced.

Well, that's played out.

We lose by five if we
stick with experience.

You think she's ready
to be president?

I don't think she's gonna
be ready on January 20th,

but I think she has the smarts
to get there eventually.

Give me the bottom line, A.B.

High risk...

high reward.

You shouldn't have told me that.

Why not?

I've been a risk-taker
all my life.

- Hi.
- Hi. How are ya?

Great.

Thanks so much for coming.

Thank you for having me
at your beautiful house.

Well, come on in. Please.

One of the things I'm
most proud of, Sarah,

is my independence.

And I'm very impressed
with how you've bucked

the Republican
establishment in Alaska.

Well, I am wired to be kind
of independent there also.

And I thought if I'm gonna
truly run the state

on behalf of the people,
I'm gonna have to do it

without that good ole boy network.

I love the way you squashed
Stevens's Bridge to Nowhere.

Yeah. I am pro-growth

and pro-infrastructure for Alaska,

but not at the expense of
the American taxpayer.

I told Congress if
we wanted a bridge,

we'd build it ourselves.

You remind me of myself.

We're both reformers
who are not afraid

to thumb our nose
at our own party.

Senator, you're an American hero.

I'm just Sarah from Alaska.

What do you guys think?

I know a guy like Tim Pawlenty

isn't exactly the
game-changing pick

you all seem to think we need,

but he's young, he's energetic.

He has solid conservative
credentials.

With Pawlenty, we
make the base happy.

And we know what the
hell we're getting.

Pawlenty's ready to be president.

Steve?

Well, there are
unknowns with Palin,

and certainly it could go bad.

But if it were me, I'd
rather lose by 10 points

going for the win than
lose by one point

and look back and say, Goddamn,

we should have gone for the win.

Our slogan's Country first.

Lieberman and Pawlenty are
country-first choices.

Sarah Palin will be perceived

as a self-serving
political manoeuvre.

You may not only lose
the election, John.

You just might lose your
reputation right along with it.

I'm not running for my reputation.

I'm running to be president.

Yes, sir.

It is absolutely crucial

that not a single person
know you're the pick.

Surprise of your announcement
will stop any momentum

Obama might get from
his convention speech.

That's smart.

You seem totally
unfazed by all this.

It's God's plan.

This election has
never been about me.

It's about you.

You understand that
in this election

the greatest risk we can take

is to try the same old politics

with the same old players and
expect a different result.

Change happens.

Change happens because the
American people demand it...

because they rise up and insist
on new ideas and new leadership

and new politics for a new time.

You're about to meet our nominee.

You are the seventh and eighth
person to know about this.

It's Steve.

Come in.

Because I've seen it...

Hi. Come on in.

I'm just watching Obama's
big, fancy speech again.

Governor, this is Matthew Scully.

- He'll be your main speechwriter.
- Nice to meet you.

And this is Nicolle Wallace,

former White House
communications director.

Hi. How are you?

And this is Governor Sarah Palin

from Alaska.

Yes, of course.
Congratulations, Governor.

It's a real honour to meet you.

Great to have you on board.

Hey, come here.
Lookit. Look at this.

I didn't know we were running
against a Greek god.

They sure do love him.

- They're gonna love you more.
- America, we cannot turn back.

Governor, you are the nominee

for the vice president
of the United States.

You will no longer be
carrying your own bags.

Yes, sir.

And never call me sir.

You can call me Steve, Schmidty,

Kojak, Potsie, shithead...
anything you want.

I will call you governor or ma'am.

Well, I don't curse, so I'm
gonna have to call you Potsie.

Very good, ma'am.

These gentlemen are
Secret Service agents.

They will take you into the arena.

And if everything goes
according to plan,

they will be with you
the rest of your life.

Everything's gonna change

the moment you walk out that door.

Are you ready, Governor?

I'm ready.

Breathe.

Welcome, Governor.

Thank you.

Thank you for that
wonderful welcome.

I'm very happy today to
spend my birthday with you

and to make a historic
announcement in Dayton...

a city built on hard,
honest work of good people.

The person I'm about
to introduce to you

was a stand-out high
school point guard,

a concerned citizen who became
a member of the P.T.A.,

then a city council member...

- Say a prayer.
- Then a mayor,

- and now a governor.
- Say a prayer.

- Say a prayer.
- Say a prayer.

To celebrate the anniversary
of women's suffrage,

a devoted wife and
a mother of five.

My friends and fellow Americans,

I am very pleased

to introduce to you the
next vice president

of the United States,

Governor Sarah Palin of the
great state of Alaska.

Just have fun.

This is a fantastic
rollout, Steve.

I can't believe you were
able to keep it a secret.

I had to confiscate her
kids' cell phones.

No hurry.

- Thank you.
- All the way, Sarah.

And I thank you, Senator McCain,

for the confidence you
have placed in me.

Senator, I am honoured to be
chosen as your running mate.

It was rightly noted
in Denver this week

that Hillary left
18 million cracks

in the highest, hardest
glass ceiling in America.

But it turns out

the women of America
aren't finished yet

and we can shatter that glass
ceiling once and for all.

We gotta get her ready for
her convention speech.

She'll need a vocal coach,
a foreign policy expert,

hair and make-up
consultants and a stylist.

No doubt.

♪ And if I was a movie star ♪

♪ I'd sip honey
from a pickle jar ♪

♪ In the back of my limousine ♪

♪ And they'd call me an icon ♪

♪ And I'd be looking back at you ♪

♪ From the cover of
a People magazine ♪

Not... Not too tight.

♪ I guess it's all
for the taking ♪

I love these Johnny Choos.

♪ My sister says
I've got to see it ♪

♪ And believe it,
and I believe it ♪

Oh, my gosh.

♪ I believe it ♪

- What do you think, Todd?
- It's cool.

- Nice, Dad.
- Mum, you look beautiful.

Aw, hey, look at you.
Look at your fancy shoes.

- You look so awesome, Mum.
- Yeah, it really looks good.

- You look great, Willow.
- Thanks.

- So do you.
- So good.

Look at Trig's little shirt.

Okay, if you all come with me,

it's time for your
campaign photos.

- Bye, Mum.
- Okay. Let's go, guys.

- See you in a bit, hon.
- Yeah.

Governor, this is
your new staff...

Tucker Eskew, Senior
Media Adviser.

- It's a pleasure.
- Nice to meet you.

Chris Edwards, your
deputy chief of staff.

- Hi.
- Hi.

And my husband, Mark Wallace,

former ambassador to
the United Nations.

He'll be a senior adviser.

We're all honoured to be
on your team, Governor.

- The honour is all mine.
- Shall we sit?

Well, our first order
of business, Governor,

is we need to find out

if there are any
unexpected surprises.

The press are gonna be
digging deep into your past,

so we need to prepare answers
about your background.

Oh, gosh.

I can't think of anything I
haven't already disclosed.

The Wasilla librarian
claims that as mayor

she tried to ban
books. Is that true?

What about the allegations that
Trig is not really her child?

Did she attend a Pentecostal
church where they speak

in tongues?

This source we
talked to intimately

involved in Palin's vetting

admitted that aside from
those they talked to

involved in so-called Troopergate,

they didn't talk to any character
witnesses in Alaska...

Why was the vet so bad?

Listen, granted, he
only had a few days,

but Culvahouse did clear her.

Oh, with what? Wikipedia?

There's no way this
vet was thorough.

What? What did he miss?

He had Troopergate. He
had Bridge to Nowhere.

No one went to Alaska to interview
her colleagues, her enemies.

There was no political
vet whatsoever.

These charges are such bullshit.

I mean, Trig isn't her baby?

What, speaking in tongues?

- She does.
- I don't care.

Is the first amendment
no longer law here?

Is she not entitled to
her religious beliefs?

You're missing the point, Rick.

John is getting slammed for
making an irresponsible choice.

- We picked her.
- No, you two picked her,

then slapped her on the butt
and shoved her out there

under a banner saying
Country first.

You're a real prick, Mark.

- Fuck you, Schmidt.
- Fuck you.

All right, all right. Let's
just get through this.

Come on.

Troopergate. What?

The Alaska safety commissioner

is claiming that he was fired
because he wouldn't fire.

Palin's brother-in-law,
Trooper Mike Wooten.

And what were the charges
against Trooper Wooten?

Besides the fact that he was
divorcing Palin's sister?

Yes. Do we have any
information that shows.

Trooper Wooten should
have been fired?

Yeah, Wooten was
accused of drinking

from an open container
from his police car,

Tasering his 11-year-old stepson,

and illegally shooting a
moose without a permit.

Jesus Christ.

Okay, coordinate all responses
with their Alaskan council.

Let's try to keep
it a local matter.

Bridge to Nowhere. I thought
we were good on this.

She had the project squashed
after she was elected,

but ran on a platform
to build the bridge.

It's a huge flip-flop.

Goddamn it.

How could she not tell us that?

What the fuck is the
Alaska Independence Party

and was she ever a member of it?

The A.I.P. is a political
party whose sole platform

is the secession of
Alaska from the union.

Well, ain't that a hoot?

Now, was she ever a member of it?

Well?

We know Todd Palin was a
member for many years.

We can't confirm if she
was ever a member.

Okay. Call our people
in Alaska right now

and find out if she was.

It's 3:00 a.m. in
Alaska right now.

The phones don't
work there at night?

We're under attack here, people.

You're gonna have
to raise your game.

I can assure you
that Obama's people

are all over this shit.

In the last 24 hours, I
have been asked questions

by the national media that are
outrageous and disgusting.

I have been asked when
her amniotic fluid

started to leak with
regard to her last birth.

It's shameful.

So when did it start leaking?

She's fought the oil companies.

She's taken on corrupt
special interests.

These accusations
are totally sexist.

Never in my life have
I seen a candidate

more attacked by
the liberal media.

Smear after smear after smear.

Are you sure we have to do this?

Bristol couldn't stop
crying when I told her.

It's going to come out tomorrow

with or without our
statement, Governor.

A positive from this

is that given the timing
of Bristol's pregnancy,

it makes it physically impossible
for Trig to be her baby.

So we can put that
absurd rumour to rest.

We're proud of Bristol's
decision to have her baby

and even prouder to
become grandparents.

We're not proud

that our teenage daughter
is pregnant, Maria.

And I don't want to send a
message that teen pregnancy

is something to be proud of.

I want that line out.

Of course, Governor. I'll
change it right away.

Governor Palin's 17-year-old
daughter Bristol

has been seen holding her baby
brother Trig at campaign events.

What the American people
didn't know until today

is that Bristol is
five months pregnant.

Her parents issued this statement:

We're proud of Bristol's
decision to have her baby.

I specifically wanted
that line taken out,

and you ran it without
changing a word.

You're absolutely right.

The campaign takes full
responsibility on this.

Maria's gonna personally
apologise to you.

How the flip did this happen?

Senator McCain is somewhat

a fly-by-the-seat-
of-his-pants type of guy,

and it does occasionally create
a little chaos in the campaign.

Well, I want Maria gone.

Governor, this was a mistake.
Maria feels terrible.

She's an excellent
press secretary.

My 17-year-old daughter
is being made fun of

by every talk show
host in the country.

I want Maria gone, period.

Of course, Governor. She's gone.

Done.

Who makes that call?

That'd be you.

The idea that if something
happened to John McCain

who is 72 years old and who has
had two bouts with melanoma,

and she could step
into the presidency...

it's just ridiculous.

The real sequence, Rachel,

is she said Please and Thank you,

and then Thanks, but no thanks,

only when the Congress had
de-authorised the bridge...

Hi, Governor. I just
wanted to check in,

make sure you're doing okay.

Should John McCain consider
replacing Sarah Palin

on the GOP ticket?

I want to talk to the press.

I want to set the record
straight on this stuff.

I'll just go put Trig's p.j.'s on.

Hey, there.

- There you go, baby.
- Just gonna put your p.j.'s on.

Now, we don't want you
to talk to anyone

until after the convention

because no one knows
anything about you.

If you answer these
ridiculous allegations,

you'll be defining yourself
in a defensive posture.

But isn't the press
defining me right now?

No news story lasts more
than 48 hours any more.

News is no longer meant
to be remembered.

It's just entertainment.

So if you hit your convention
speech out of the park,

the next news cycle will be
the comeback of Sarah Palin.

Yeah. I can do that.

Now, everyone's heard a lot
of crazy stories about you.

Now it's time for you to tell
the world who you really are.

You tell Senator McCain
I won't let him down.

And good evening from the
G.O.P. Convention in St. Paul.

All eyes will be on
Senator McCain's.

V.P. choice, Governor Sarah Palin,

when she takes the
stage at the R.N.C.

She's likely never seen a night

fraught with so much anticipation,

expectation and pressure.

The food's terrible, but I hear
it's gonna be worse in Iraq.

- My boy's so brave.
- Come on, Mum.

Thank you for inviting
me, Mrs Palin.

Thank you for cutting
your mullet, Levi.

I really appreciate it.

I didn't really want to at first,

but I think it looks
way better now.

I think it does, too.

Sorry to interrupt,

but the Palins need
to go to their seats.

- Bye, Mum.
- Okay.

I don't know. I don't know.

Hey, she's gonna be fine.

- Really?
- Absolutely.

Is she gonna be okay?

I'm more concerned
about one-on-ones.

How bad?

I'm not sure how much she
knows about foreign policy.

She didn't know why
North and South

Korea were different countries.

Okay, let's keep the
press away from her.

We have five days to
bring her up to speed.

She'll be fine.

She's on in five minutes.
I gotta get up there.

Good luck.

In choosing Governor Sarah Palin

as his running mate,
John McCain has chosen

for the future.

Governor Palin represents
a new generation.

She's already one of the
most successful governors

in America and the most popular.

Let's get John McCain and
Sarah Palin elected,

and let's shake up Washington

and move this country forward.

You're gonna do great.

Ladies and gentlemen,

the governor of Alaska

and the next vice president
of the United States,

Sarah Palin.

Thank you.

Mr Chairman, delegates,

and fellow citizens,

I will be honoured to
accept your nomination

for vice president of
the United States.

Thank you.

Our nominee is a man

who wore the uniform of
his country for 22 years

and refused to break faith
with those troops in Iraq

who now have brought
victory within sight.

Good, good. She's really good.

We were so blessed in April.

Todd and I welcomed
our littlest one

into the world...

a perfectly beautiful
baby boy named Trig.

Children with special needs

inspire a very, very special love.

She's amazing.

To the families of
special-needs children

all across this country, I
have a message for you.

I pledge to you that
if we are elected,

you will have a friend and
advocate in the White House.

She's incredible.

Before I became governor

of the great state of Alaska...

I was mayor of my home-town.

I guess a small-town mayor

is sort of like a
community organiser.

Except that you have
actual responsibilities.

Now I know why they call
her Sarah Barracuda.

I love those hockey mums.

You know what they
say the difference

is between a hockey
mum and a pit bull?

Lipstick.

Yeah.

She just came up with that.

Join our cause and help America

elect a great man as
the next president

of the United States.

Thank you.

And God bless America.

- Great job. She did a great job.
- Couldn't have gone better.

- Congratulations.
- My God.

She did it without a Teleprompter.

It broke halfway
through her speech.

- You're kidding.
- No.

If that happens to me
tomorrow night, I'm fucked.

We can win this.

♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ And up, up, up ♪

♪ Can only go up from here ♪

♪ Up, up ♪

♪ Up where the cloud's
gonna clear ♪

♪ Up, up, there's no
way but up from here ♪

Thank you for calling. Yes,
we do take credit cards.

- I'd be happy to...
- I've got $500.

We're grateful for
every dollar we get.

Yes, Sarah Palin will be giving
a speech in Florida next week.

Thanks.

Hey. Here we go.

- Thanks for coming.
- I love you.

Hi. Hey. Hi.

- God, this is crazy.
- I know, they really love her.

How are ya? Hey.

- Hey, what's your name?
- I'm Sarah.

- Sarah?
- Yeah.

That's my name, too.
That's amazing.

- I know.
- Oh.

Hey, thanks for coming out.

Thank you. We never felt
welcome to go anywhere

before we saw you
give that speech.

Oh, thank you. Thanks so much.

Look at you. I want to
look at how handsome

my son Trig's gonna be
when he's all grown up.

She understands that you can't
solve problems with government,

that government is the problem.

When she talks about her faith,
you can tell it's for real.

When she talks about guns,
you can tell it's for real.

I've got five kids, too,

and there's something about her...

She's talking to me. And
nobody talks to me.

CNN has us even with Obama.

- Are you kidding me?
- Hey, Gallup has us up by five.

She's given us exactly
what we needed.

We've made more money
in the last few days

than we did all last month.

I've never seen crowds
like this in my life.

- They love her.
- She's a bigger star than Obama.

We can really win this thing.

I really understand your frustr...

I'm sorry, Pool. It's
not gonna happen today.

Sorry.

- Five minutes.
- Views matter.

Did you know that Todd
Palin is an Eskimo?

Oh, yeah, Steve? That's
really interesting.

Seriously, he's a Yupik Eskimo.

We're gonna take some serious
blowback from the press

if we don't let them
speak to her soon.

- They're really getting pissed.
- I know, yeah.

Well, I don't know
how ready she is.

Nicolle, you worry too much.

We always knew she'd be
weak on foreign policy.

We'll get her up to speed.

Steve, I don't think foreign
policy is her only weakness.

Sorry to bother you, Governor.

Is now an okay time to talk?

Sure, I'm just reading the e-mails
from the Prayer Warriors.

These guys are awesome.

I just want to take a
moment to inform you

of how thrilled Senator McCain is.

You're exceeding his
wildest expectation

for what a running
mate could achieve.

I am so happy to hear that.

These are the largest
crowds I've ever seen

in my entire political
career, ever.

Really? Yeah, I just...

I just love talking to
people on the rope lines,

getting to hear their problems.

It's really moving to me.

Well, you know, that comes across.

You're a transformative
figure, Governor.

You... You could be the
party's next Ronald Reagan.

Holy geez, I...

Yeah, he's... he's my hero, so...

Mine, too. So...

The next step is just... We're
gonna start doing some interviews.

Great. I've been dying
to talk to the press.

Also, I feel like I could
really help you there.

I've always been very, very
open with the press in Alaska.

The reasoning behind
holding you back

is the entire press corps
is in the tank for Obama,

so all they want in life

is to trip you up with
obscure questions.

- Gotcha questions.
- Gotcha questions.

So we just want to make
sure you're fully prepped

before we unleash them.

What about the local
Alaska papers?

There are no local
papers any more.

Anything you say goes national
the instant you say it.

Yeah, got it.

Okay, so I think the
best way to prep

would just be to go through
some sample questions.

Sure, let's do it.

Let's start with something simple.

How do you plan on maintaining

our alliance with Great
Britain on Iraq,

even though support
for the war there

is at an all-time low?

I think the United States
has always maintained

a great relationship
with the queen.

And John McCain will
continue to have

an open dialogue with her.

Governor,

the queen is not the head
of government in England.

She's the head of state.

Well, then, who's the
head of government?

The prime minister.

You rang?

The cavalry has arrived.

Thank you, gentlemen. Come on in.

You bet.

Yeah.

Well, I...

I think we should start
by prepping the governor

with Russian economic policy

as it relates to
post-cold war tensions

during the pre-Putin era.

I was thinking something
a little bit simpler.

How much simpler?

This is Germany.

They were the primary antagonists

during World War I
and World War II.

And in World War II,
they were aligned with

Japan and Italy to form
what was known as the Axis.

Okay.

Currently, we're in the middle

of what I like to
call the three wars.

That's Afghanistan, Iraq, and
the global war on terror.

Governor, would you... would
you like to take a break?

No way. This is flipping awesome.

Now, with Afghanistan,
after 9/11...

already put a protective wall up

around the family,
especially the key players.

Look at Bristol, Sarah Palin's
daughter, who is pregnant.

We've seen her, we've
seen her boyfriend

Levi, the father of her child,

but we haven't really
gotten to talk to them

about whose idea it
was to get married

and why, for example,
Levi on his Myspace page

- says he doesn't want kids...
- That isn't anybody's...

Why won't they just
leave me alone?

I'm so tired of it.

Any grown-up who makes
fun of a teenage girl

is a terrible person.

And we'll forget what
she said, honey, okay?

Okay?

My e-mails were hacked.

I know, Governor, and we're
on it. I promise you.

Did you know that my
daughter's cell phone

is online and she's
getting crank calls?

Did you know that my family
is being threatened?

Governor, you have every right
to be upset, and I am sorry.

I've already contacted
Secret Service

and they're gonna
increase security.

Can you... Can you protect
my e-mails, Steve?

Can you... Can this campaign

at least do that?

Charlie Gibson is good,

so I'm sure the questions
will have some depth.

Don't be afraid to elaborate
if it's a subject

you feel comfortable
with, like energy.

Are you okay, Governor?

Why aren't there any McCain-Palin
lawn signs in Alaska?

Well, Mr Obama

has five times the money we have.

Five times, and...

Alaska is only three electoral
votes, and it's solid red.

I'm concerned about my
standing back home.

Todd and I are hearing things,

and I can't talk to
the Alaskan press.

What are you hearing?

Things. None of it's good.

Can you at least do a poll to
check my approval rating there?

Governor, that would cost
the campaign $60,000.

I'd feel a heck of a lot better

if I knew where I was at.

Absolutely. We will do the poll

for your peace of
mind, just this once.

Great. Thank you.

So, can we get back to
prepping Charlie Gibson?

Sure, I'm ready. Let's do it.

- You ready?
- Yes.

Do you think the Fed
did the right thing

in their dealing with the
Bear Stearns collapse?

Our economy is hurting, and
the federal government

has not provided the
sound oversight

that we need and that we deserve.

I think we need a
little bit of reality

from Wasilla Main Street there

brought to Washington, DC,
so that the people there

can understand how the
average working-class family

is viewing bureaucracy in
the federal government.

Governor...

do you know what the Fed is?

In what respect, Charlie?

No, no. This is me, Steve,

asking do you know
what the Fed is?

Stands for the Federal
Reserve System.

No, please. Don't
write, just listen.

The Fed is responsible
for all monetary policy

in the United States.

On any Fed or Bear
Stearns question,

just say the Fed took
the appropriate action

that was needed at the time.

Okay?

Got it.

Your oldest son is proudly
heading off to Iraq next week.

Who do you see as the primary
enemy at this point?

Radical Islamic extremists.

Can you be more specific?

The terrorists who are hell-bent

on destroying our nation.

Governor, do you know
why we're in Iraq?

Because Saddam Hussein
attacked us on 9/11.

No. No,

Al-Qaeda attacked us on 9/11.

Not Saddam Hussein.

No, it was Al-Qaeda.

And that's why we're
in Afghanistan.

Do you know the
primary differences

between the war in Afghanistan
and the war in Iraq?

Excuse us for a moment.

Can I get some more information
about Afghanistan?

Of course, Governor.

- Should we cancel?
- We can't.

Even Fox is pounding
us for hiding her.

- We'd get murdered.
- When you interviewed her,

didn't you ask her about
national security?

Foreign policy, domestic policy?

I thought Culvahouse
would cover that.

So what did you ask her?

I just... We talked
about if she would

back John's positions when
they conflicted with hers

or if she was prepared
for her life to change.

There were no policy questions.

You guys didn't grill her
because you wanted it to work.

I wasn't in charge
of the vet, Nicolle.

She's a great actress, right?

Oh, the best.

Why don't we just
give her some lines?

I've come up with a
list of questions

that I think Charlie's
most likely to ask.

If you memorise these answers,

I'm sure you're going
to nail this interview.

How do you know he'll ask these?

I was the White House
communications director.

It's my job to figure
out the questions.

Shushkashvili.

Saakashvili, the
president of Georgia.

Shashkashvili.

Saakashvith...

- Saakashvili.
- Saakash-vili.

Let me ask you about some specific

- national security situations.
- Sure.

Let's start with
Russia and Georgia.

Do you believe the United States

should try to restore
Georgian sovereignty

over South Ossetia and Abkhazia?

First off, we're gonna continue

good relations with
Saakashvili there.

I was able to speak
with him the other day,

and we've gotta keep
an eye on Russia.

For Russia to have
exerted such pressure

in terms of invading a smaller
democratic country unprovoked

- is unacceptable, and we have...
- You believe unprovoked?

- Yes.
- I do, I do believe unprovoked.

And we have to keep
our eye on Russia...

She's a red-light performer.

Under the leadership there.

What insight into Russian actions,

particularly in the
last couple of weeks,

does the proximity of
this state give you?

They're our next-door neighbours.

And you can actually see Russia
from land here in Alaska.

Do you consider a nuclear Iran...

Damn it.

To be an existential
threat to Israel?

And I can see Russia
from my house.

I believe global warming
is caused by man.

And I believe it's just
God hugging us closer.

I don't agree with
the Bush doctrine.

And I don't know what that is.

She initially did not
understand this,

and I think that people can
make what they want of it,

but was I, or anyone,
confident that

Sarah Palin now has
the wherewithal

to be president of the United
States? I don't think so.

A conservative friend called me
up and said I just can't do it.

I don't know if I'm voting for
Obama, but I can't have her...

She shouldn't be in Washington,
let alone the White House.

Governor.

Governor Palin.

We really should prep for
your Katie Couric interview.

Fine.

I wrote a brief synopsis
on the collapse

of Lehman Brothers and
the financial crisis.

If you internalise this document,

you should be able to field basic
questions about the bailout.

Governor...

the Dow just dropped 500 points.

Lehman is collapsing.

The world economy is on
the brink of collapse.

I am pretty sure the bailout
is going to come up...

Okay.

Why don't we come back to it
after we've warmed up a bit?

I've put together a list
of the questions...

that Katie's most likely to ask.

I used to work with Katie, and I
know she'll ask about abortion.

Did Steve do the Alaska poll yet?

I think it's being
done as we speak.

Bet he didn't even do it.

Can we try and get through
just a few questions?

I know you're upset, Governor.

So why don't you get a
good night's sleep,

and I will come back first
thing in the morning

to prep you when
you're feeling better?

I'm gonna leave this for you to...

look over.

It's the worst financial crisis
facing the American people

since the great depression
of the 1920s and '30s.

The president's massive
financial rescue plan

under fire from the
left and right.

Good evening from the Ford Centre

at the University of
Mississippi at Oxford.

We're here for the
first of three debates

between Senator Barack Obama...

Steve, Steve, let's not
worry about that crap.

It's all bullshit.

I'm here at the podium.

Let's do the fucking debate.

Hey, John. Sorry to interrupt.

I just spoke to our
guy at Treasury.

The bill does not have
enough Republican votes.

Goddamn it.

Paulson thinks the
entire world economy

is on the brink of falling
off the cliff, so...

We're checkmated. If the
bailout doesn't pass,

we're screwed because
Bush, and thus you,

will be blamed for it.

- If you pass the bailout...
- The Republicans will despise me

- for supporting a bailout.
- That's it.

This is it, guys.

I mean, this is the
whole fucking election.

Now, we think you should
suspend the campaign,

postpone the debates,
go to Washington,

and try to negotiate a
bipartisan compromise.

You need to make a
bold move, John.

This is a big risk.

I mean, that's a big gamble.

We gotta do something.

I mean, nothing can
fuck me more than this.

Governor, have you had a chance

to go over the briefing
materials on the bailout?

I really think we need
to try and nail down

a simple two-sentence response
to the economic crisis.

It's gotta be supportive
of the concept...

That's enough powder.

Of the bailout, but
also disappointed

that we're at this point,

making it clear that changes
need to be made to the bill.

Oh, you need it a little higher?

I can do that. I can
do that for you.

That jacket looks fantastic
on you, by the way.

It's too open.

- Don't you think so?
- Yeah, it looks wonderful.

Really great, really nice.

It's a great colour.

Do you want me to read
the paper to you?

Senator John McCain
has requested of

his opponent, Senator
Barack Obama,

a postponement of
the upcoming debate

so that both senators may
return to Capitol Hill

to address the needs of the
country in this crucial time.

Senator Obama has said...

I hate this make-up. I hate it.

I don't like my hair this
way. I like my hair up.

Governor, you look amazing.

I look fat. I'm sick
of looking fat.

- You don't look fat...
- Can I get some more tape?

Yeah.

I don't know if we
should do Couric.

She's having a mini-meltdown.

Well, we can't have
McCain cancel the debate

and Palin cancel Katie
Couric in the same week.

I know,

but I'm really worried about her.

She won't respond
to anything I say.

Maybe we should bring McCain
in and see what he thinks.

He doesn't want to deal with her.

I haven't even told him that
she doesn't know anything.

You haven't told him?

Look, he doesn't want to know.

The world economy is on
the brink of collapse.

Can you just... prep her
in the car ride over?

I can try.

Okay, good. Try. Thanks.

Knowing Katie, I'm sure
she's going to ask

about your stance on feminism.

- Did you get the numbers?
- The what?

My approval rating in Alaska.

They're not in yet.

I am trying to trust you people,

but you're making it
really hard for me.

I'm sorry, Governor.

I'll call Steve right
away about it.

Yeah, like that'll do anything.

What are you working on, Governor?

It's a questionnaire
from the Mat-Su

Valley Frontiersman in Wasilla.

You know, an Alaska paper.

Don't you think we should prepare

for your national
Couric interview first?

No, Nicolle, I don't.
This is my priority.

I am not going to ignore the
people of Alaska any more.

You've cited Alaska's
proximity to Russia

as part of your foreign
policy experience.

What did you mean by that?

That Alaska has a very
narrow maritime border

between a foreign country,
Russia, and on our other side,

the land boundary that
we have with Canada.

It's funny that a
comment like that

was kind of made to...

I don't know. You know, reporters.

- Mocked?
- Yeah, mocked.

I guess that's the word, yeah.

Well, explain to me
why that enhances

your foreign policy credentials.

Well, it certainly
does because our...

our next-door neighbours
are foreign countries.

They're in the state that
I am the executive of.

Have you ever been involved
with any negotiations,

for example, with the Russians?

We have trade missions
back and forth.

We do. It's very important

when you consider even national
security issues with Russia,

as Putin rears his head and
comes into the airspace

of the United States of America,

where do they go?

It's Alaska. It's just
right over the border.

And when it comes to
establishing your world view,

I was curious... what
newspapers and magazines

did you regularly read before
you were tapped for this

to stay informed and
to understand...

I've read most of them, again
with a great appreciation

for the press, for the media.

What ones specifically?
I'm curious.

Name one fucking paper.

All of 'em. Any of 'em

that have been in front of
me over all these years.

Oh, my God. What have we done?

If John McCain wins,
this woman will be

one 72-year-old's heartbeat away

from being president
of the United States.

And if that doesn't scare the
hell out of you, it should.

In fairness, probably most people

can't name a Supreme Court case.

But most people are
not campaigning

- to be vice president.
- Right, right.

It's not that she doesn't
know the right answer.

It's that she clearly does
not understand the question.

This is way beyond
anything we have ever seen

from a national candidate.

Why'd you make me do Katie Couric?

Did you see the coverage? Did you?

Are you there? Are
you listening to me?

Yes, Governor. I'm here.

Katie was a logical choice.

She's been very fair to
us this entire campaign.

You call that interview fair?

Yes, Governor, I do.

I certainly don't. She was out
to get me from the get-go.

No, she wasn't.

The interview sucked
because you didn't try.

What do you mean, I didn't try?

You didn't fight back like you did
in the Charlie Gibson interview.

When you didn't know
the answers, you

clawed your way back
and it went fine.

You just gave up.

Nicolle, it wasn't my fault.

I wasn't properly prepped.

You weren't properly prepped
because you wouldn't listen to us.

You never listen to your advisers.

Because you're overwhelming me

with too much information.

I don't want to do
these interviews.

I want to do what I want to do.

We're just trying to help you
get through this, Governor.

All we want is for you to succeed.

Yeah, well, you're not helping.

You're just screwing me up.

You're telling me what to say,
what to wear, how to talk.

I am not your puppet.

Now I understand
what Hillary meant

when she said she had
to find her own voice.

Yeah, because you're
just like Hillary.

You have ruined me.

You have ruined my reputation.

I am ruined in Alaska.

This is Steve Schmidt.
Leave a message.

Steve, it's Nicolle.

I will gladly resign if you
want to blame me for Couric.

But if you want me to stay, then
I'm back on McCain's bus tomorrow

as I never want to deal
with that woman ever again.

What lessons have you
learned from Iraq

and how specifically would
you spread democracy abroad?

Specifically, we would
make every effort possible

to spread democracy abroad
to those who want it.

Yes, but specifically,
what would you do?

We're gonna promote freedom,

usher in democratic
values and ideals,

and fight terror-loving
terrorists.

But again, and not to
belabour the point,

one specific thing.

Katie, I'd like to use
one of my lifelines.

- I'm sorry?
- I want to phone a friend.

Friday's debate should proceed.

We've been working
around the clock

and presidents are going
to have to deal with

more than one thing at a time.

New CNN/Time opinion
research polls

show Obama surging in key
battleground states...

Son of a bitch.

Like Pennsylvania where he
is now up by nine points.

Governor, I just want you to know

I got your Alaskan
poll numbers in,

and you'll be pleased to know

- that you're in the low 70s.
- Fine.

Why are they fucking me like this?

Who?

The press. They used to love me.

Now all they want to do
in life is fuck me over.

I can't believe Katie
did that to me.

And did you hear what Olbermann
said about me last night?

Sir, you've got to stop
watching Keith Olbermann,

or Fox, for that matter.
It's all just bullshit.

Now, sir, you should have a beer

and watch ESPN, okay?

And while you're watching it,

think about what the
people who watch ESPN

really need in their
lives right now.

I thought Katie liked me.

She does. And the
questions were fair.

It was Governor Palin who
gave a terrible interview.

That poor girl.

She wasn't ready for this.

Yeah, I'm afraid
you're right, sir.

And YouTube is making
it exponentially worse.

People are watching Katie
Couric and Tina Fey

over and over again.

It's playing like an
infinite loop on the Web.

No presidential campaign has ever
had to deal with this before.

But she's gonna do a good
job in the debate, right?

Yes, sir. She'll be great.

Because if it goes like Couric,
I don't think we can recover.

I agree, and I promise
she'll be great.

I hope you're right.

I hope you're right, Steve.

It's gonna be fine.

Okay, this one came
up in the '96 debate.

Is there a magic bullet

to solve the problem
of public education?

If not, what is the best solution?

Governor?

Governor, would you
like something to eat?

Yeah, I think you should
eat something, Governor.

How about a Diet Dr Pepper?

Would you like... could you?

Governor?

I miss my baby. I miss
sleeping with my baby.

She constantly slips into
these catatonic stupors.

And then when we do
finally get her to work,

she writes all the information
down on note cards,

but she can't remember any of it.

Steve, did you do an
approval poll in Alaska?

- She keeps bringing it up.
- What the fuck?

I did that stupid fucking
poll a week ago.

I told her she's in the 70s.

Yeah, well, I don't
think she believes you.

She says you made
those numbers up.

Okay.

She is becoming
completely irrational.

Becoming?

I don't even like to say this,

but has it occurred to you guys

that she might be
mentally unstable?

Mark, look, the debate
is in five days.

What do you think?

I think this debate will
be a debacle of historic

and epic proportions.

Well, that's encouraging.

What would you say
best qualifies you

to be John McCain's running mate?

John McCain has that streak
of independence in him

that I think is very, very
important in our leadership today.

I have that within me also.

And that's why John
McCain tapped me,

to be a team of mavericks,

of independence as a team member

on this... in this new team.

I'm gonna do that one over again.

- Yeah, sure.
- John...

Governor, important to remember

that you don't need to
say anything specific.

Okay? If you don't know the
answer to the question,

just bring it back to the general
theme of reforming America

or pivot to one of your
stronger suits, like energy.

Yeah, because that's where
I'm most comfortable.

That's pretty clear.

Let's try another question.

Global warming...

Governor Palin, do you believe

that global warming is man-made?

Ahem.

I think all this talk
and jibber-jabber

about where global warming
comes from defeats...

defeats, you know, the point
that it's getting hotter

and that we all need to be
very concerned about heat.

And...

that...

I...

forgot it and it's not in this...

Mark, all the cards are
supposed to be in this pile.

- Okay.
- It's not in this pile.

I think we need to take a break.

Can you all leave us
alone for a minute?

The debate is in four days,

and this isn't working, Governor.

I know.

I think you should get off
this no-carb diet immediately.

This goofy diet is bad for you,

and I'm alarmed by
your weight loss.

Governor, the Katie Couric
interview didn't go well.

And it wasn't Nicolle
Wallace's fault.

It wasn't Katie Couric's fault.

It wasn't the liberal
media's fault.

It was your fault, because
you didn't prepare.

And there can never
be another instance

of something not going well
because you didn't prepare.

Hey.

Hey, hey, hey.

Look, you had a bad interview.

It's okay, it happens.

You know what Ronald Reagan
said caused pollution?

Trees.

- Reagan said that?
- He did.

He said trees cause pollution.

And he not only won the election,

he went on to be a
great president.

I just... I don't want
to let John down.

Stevie boy.

We have a problem, sir.

What's going on?

It's Palin.

She could be on the verge of a
complete nervous breakdown.

I don't know what to do.

We threw her into the deep end
without a life preserver.

Yeah, and we're
drowning with her, sir.

We need to get her
back with her family.

She needs to be surrounded by...

by people who love her.

Hey, let's get 'em
all out to Sedona,

out in the open air.

My neighbour's a doctor,

and Cindy can invite him over
for a barbecue or something,

and he can observe her

and see if it's truly serious.

But let's just get 'em to Sedona.

It'll do wonders for
her, I know it.

Yes, sir. Absolutely.

♪ There'll be ♪

♪ Greener pastures ♪

♪ Cross that borderline ♪

♪ We'll see new horizons ♪

♪ My darling ♪

♪ Far beyond the great divide ♪

Oh, hey.

I missed you guys so much.

- Hi. Mummy, Mummy.
- Oh, my goodness.

Got someone who wants to say hi.

Hi.

- What's up, Doc?
- Hey, how you doing?

That depends. How's she look?

For a woman who's just had a baby,

has a pregnant teen
daughter and a son in Iraq,

I'd say not half bad.

You, however, look like shit.

They keep piling all
this stuff on me,

and I just can't
remember everything.

- Are you getting some of it?
- Yeah.

Some, but I have to talk

for like 90 minutes up there.

Do you remember when
you debated Halcro?

He had no notes, no papers,

and he could spout off all
these facts and figures?

You were so intimidated...

until you looked out
at the audience.

What'd you realise?

That none of what
he said mattered,

because no one knew what
he was talking about.

It's the same thing here,
baby. It's just more people.

You're getting yourself in trouble

because they're trying to turn you

into something that you're not.

You gotta do what you do.

Just talk to people the
way you talk to them.

And they'll love you.

They always have.

I love you, first dude.

I love you, too...

Mrs Vice President.

Steve, what's up?

How many questions
does Sarah Palin

have to answer in the debate?

22 to 25.

And how long is each answer?

Two minutes with pivots.

So if all we have to do

is get the best actress
in American politics

to memorise 45 minutes'
worth of answers,

then why did we waste five days

trying to get her to understand
what any of this shit means?

Governor, I didn't know
you were going for a jog.

I have a different strategy.

I need to clear my head for a bit.

Well, we really need to prepare...

I really need to
go running, Steve,

because it's gonna
make me feel better.

Can you understand that?

Of course, Governor.

I think we need to get
rid of these note cards.

- They're not helping.
- Okay.

I hate those flipping
cards anyway.

Now, what we need you to do

is to memorise 25 answers
and four attack lines.

Do you think you can do that?

Yeah, I can do that.

And you're gonna be great.

And we are to be that
shining city on a hill,

as President Reagan
so beautifully said,

and that we are a beacon of hope

and that we are unapologetic here.

Governor Palin,

nuclear Iran is one of
our gravest threats.

What would a McCain
administration do to stop it?

On the subject of nuclear Iran,

Senator O'Biden and I are
most likely in agreement.

They cannot be allowed

to acquire nuclear
weapons, period.

Israel is in jeopardy, of course,

when dealing with Ahmadinejad

as a leader of Iran.

It was Ronald Reagan
who said that freedom

is always just one generation
away from extinction.

We don't pass it to our
children in the bloodstream,

we have to fight for
it and protect it,

and then hand it to them

so that they shall do the same.

We will fight for it.

And there is only one
man in this race

who has really ever
fought for you,

and that's Senator John McCain.

Yeah.

Yeah, she's back.

Sarah Palin is back,
ladies and gentlemen.

Whoo.

- Great job, Governor.
- It was pretty good, huh?

Pretty good? It was amazing.

There's just one slight
adjustment I want to give you.

You need to call
him Senator Biden,

not Senator O'Biden.

That's what I called
him, Senator O'Biden.

- You just said it again.
- Said what?

- O'Biden.
- Right. Senator Biden.

- That's it.
- Oh. Biden.

No, no, there's no O.

No, I meant Oh, as
in Oh, I get it,

not O as in O'Biden.

Oh.

Okay, well, let's practise it.

Governor, do you agree
with Senator Biden's

position on the bailout?

- Senator O'Biden...
- Biden.

Doggone it.

- This is Sarah.
- Hey, Mum.

Hey, honey. How are ya?

I'm good. I'm...

- I'm good, Mum.
- Where are ya?

I'm not really allowed to say.

Okay, sweetie, but you're safe?

Yeah, no, I'm fine, I'm fine.

I just wanted to wish
you a good debate.

Thank you.

- Did you study?
- I did.

A lot.

I'll be praying for you.

Please, I'll need it.

Come on, Mum, you're
gonna do great.

I love you.

I love you so much, Track.

- Fall in.
- I gotta go, Mum.

No, no, no. Just...
Just another minute.

No, I'm really sorry,
but I really gotta go.

You're gonna do great
tonight, okay?

Thank you, thank you, but,
sweetie-sweetie, you be safe.

I will.

Bye.

You okay?

My son is safe.

Well, what we are going to see

is probably the most anticipated

vice presidential debate

that I have covered ever.

A lot, a lot of pressure
on Sarah Palin.

As for Joe Biden, it's sort of a,

first of all, do-no-harm
night for him.

No one has questioned
that he is qualified

to be vice president.

He needs to... both of them

need to talk about the
top of their tickets.

After all, this isn't a
race to be vice president

so much as it is to be number two

to the top people on the ticket.

On the Joe Biden
side, you will see

an effort to say,
Look, Sarah Palin...

Hurry.

Pray with me.

What should we pray for?

Just pray that we win the debate.

Mum, that would be cheating.

Okay.

We want to welcome our viewers

in the United States
and around the world.

I'm Wolf Blitzer,
together with the

best political team on television.

We've been waiting for this
night for a long time...

I did this same walk for
Geraldine Ferraro in 1984.

Holy geez, that's cool.

This is your toe mark.

Okay.

30 seconds.

Two, pull back wide on
her entrance, please.

Ready, two. And take two.

Good evening from
Washington University

in St. Louis, Missouri.

I'm Gwen Ifill of the NewsHour

and Washington Week on PBS.

Welcome to the first
and the only 2008

vice presidential debate

between the Republican nominee,

Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska,

and the Democratic nominee,
Joe Biden of Delaware.

Tonight's discussion will
cover a wide range of topics,

including domestic and
foreign policy matters.

Each candidate will
have 90 seconds

to respond to a direct question

and then an additional two minutes

for rebuttal and follow-up.

The specific subjects and
questions were chosen by me

and have not been
shared or cleared

with anyone on the campaigns
or on the commission.

The audience here in the hall

has promised to
remain very polite...

no cheers, applause, no
untoward outbursts...

- Biden. Biden. Biden.
- Except right at this minute

as we welcome Governor
Palin and Senator Biden.

Nice to meet you. Hey,
can I call you Joe?

You can call me Joe.

- Why... Why is the mike on?
- No, no, no, it's cool.

They're gonna think it's some kind

of Machiavellian Jedi power play.

From your lips, Steve.

Welcome to you both.

The House of Representatives
this week passed a bill,

a big bailout bill...

Or didn't pass it, I should say.

The Senate decided to pass it

and the House is wrestling
with it still tonight.

Was this the worst of Washington
or the best of Washington

that we saw play out?

Thank you, Gwen, and I
thank the commission also.

I appreciate this privilege
of being able to be here

and speak with Americans.

Please, God, be kind.

You know, I think a
good barometer here

when we're trying to figure
out has this been a good time

or a bad time in
America's economy is...

go to a kids' soccer
game on Saturday

and turn to any parent there
on the sideline and ask them,

How are you feeling
about the economy?

And I'll betcha you're gonna hear

some fear in that
parent's voice...

She's doing great.

We've got 88 more minutes.

Did we just take a major hit
with those investments?

There is something to be said
also for man's activities,

but also for the cyclical
temperature changes on our planet.

Senator, what is true and what
is false about the causes?

If you don't understand
what the cause is,

it's virtually impossible
to come up with a solution.

The chant is Drill, baby, drill.

And that's what we hear
all across this country

in our rallies, because
people are so hungry

for those domestic
sources of energy

to be tapped into.

We will end this war.

For John McCain,

there is no end in
sight to end this war.

We will end this war.

Governor...

Your plan

is a white flag of surrender

- in Iraq.
- Whoo. Yes.

Governor, please, did
you want to respond

to Senator McCain's
comments about health care?

Pivot. Pivot.

I'd like to respond about
the tax increases and...

Yes.

Darn right, we need tax relief

for Americans so that
jobs can be created here.

Barack Obama and Senator O'Biden,

you said no to everything...

She just said O'Biden.

We're probably the only
ones that heard it.

It was Ronald Reagan who said

that freedom is always
just one generation away

from extinction.

We don't pass it to our
children in the bloodstream.

We have to fight for
it and protect it,

and then hand it to them

so that they will do the same.

We will fight for it.

And there is only one
man in this race

who has really ever
fought for you,

and that's Senator John McCain.

Okay, here we go.

CBS instant poll says undecideds

give the debate to
Biden, 46%; Palin, 21.

Fuck CBS and fuck
their instant poll.

This is the greatest
debate victory

in the history of the republic.

Okay.

You see? You just had to be you.

I'm gonna grab a beer.

- Want one?
- No.

Senator McCain wanted
me to congratulate you

on a fantastic debate.

- You really did a great job.
- Thanks.

Tell John I want to bring up
Bill Ayers and Reverend Wright.

I think it's time to
go for the jugular.

You'll have to discuss that
with your running mate.

He made it very clear that he
doesn't want to touch Wright.

I'll talk to him about it.

We have to win this thing.

I so don't want to
go back to Alaska.

Stevie.

You know, I think the worst
of this thing might be over.

All she's got left are speeches.

There's no more debates,
no major interviews.

Yeah. We're doing great.

This was an unbelievable
win for Sarah Palin.

In fact, I think that it
unveiled a level of skill

in communication that I
really have not seen

since Ronald Reagan.

She is a superstar.

Her ability to by...

And she sure is a
breath of fresh air.

I mean, I think people want

someone from outside
of Washington.

She sounded like the future.

Oh, come on, honey.

Why don't you get some sleep?

One sec, okay?

Turned around. I think
she has done it

in the sense that of the
four debaters we've seen,

she was the most interesting,
attractive of them all.

- She is personable...
- I can still win this thing.

She's got a sense of humour.

She looked straight
into the camera

while Joe's talking to Gwen...

This map is now lopsided
in favour of Barack Obama.

John McCain pulling
out of Michigan.

The first domino in
an economic debate

that if John McCain does
not turn around soon,

many see more blue on this map

and more trouble for John McCain.

Yesterday it was announced
that the campaign

is going to leave
Michigan to Obama to win.

- What's going on there?
- I read that this morning also,

and I fired off a quick e-mail

and I said, Oh, come
on. Do we have to?

Do we have to call it there?

I want to go back to
Michigan, and I want to try.

What the fuck?

McCain had hoped to
just score a pick-up.

We made the decision to pull
the ads out of Michigan

because we can't win there.

We need the money in Pennsylvania

- and Ohio.
- You're making a big mistake.

You know, I know I'm not
an expert like yourself,

but seeing as we're
seven points out,

I don't see why the vice
presidential campaign

can't make a quick stop there

in the middle of the night.

And who are you gonna meet with?

Your press corps doesn't want

to hear you speak at
3:00 in the morning.

And there's no such thing as a
vice presidential campaign.

This is John McCain's campaign,

and this is the decision
that John McCain has made.

You must stick to the
script, Governor.

And what script is that, Steve?

Because I haven't seen
anything resembling

a script this entire
flipping campaign.

When you publicly
contradict John McCain,

you hurt John McCain.

I know what I know what I know.

And there you have it.

Afternoon, Governor.

This is a pro-stem cell ad?

Yes, Governor. That's
the senator's position.

Yeah, it's not my position.
I'm not saying it.

I thought that...

You guys should have shown
me the script ahead of time.

This is a waste of my time.

Why wasn't I informed
that Jeb Bradley

is appearing with me at the rally?

I don't think we foresaw
that being a problem.

I just googled him.
He's pro-choice.

There's no way I'm going on-stage
with anyone who's pro-choice.

Bradley's gone or
I'm gone, period.

Yes, Governor.

The R.N.C. spent a
stunning $150,000

on clothes for Governor
Sarah Palin and her family

according to the Federal
Election Commission reports.

The revelation that so much money

was spent at fancy clothing stores

like Neiman Marcus and
Saks Fifth Avenue

could be a huge blow to
the governor's image

as an everyday, average American.

Several Republican donors

have publicly expressed outrage...

- You watching this?
- Yeah, I'm watching.

Un-fucking-believable.

Why didn't you people tell me
these clothes cost this much?

It wasn't just your
clothes, Governor.

It was also for the kids,
Todd and your parents.

I want 'em gone.

Get 'em out of here.

You know, I buy my clothes
at consignment shops.

I never wanted this fancy
crap in the first place.

Hey, thanks for coming out.

Hey. Hi, nice to meet you.

- How are you? Hey, hi.
- Governor Palin,

what's your response
to the findings

of the Alaska state
legislature's report

on your involvement in
the Troopergate scandal?

I was thrilled to be
cleared of all wrongdoing.

You know you're not
supposed to be here.

Go back to the press
risers, please. Thank you.

You can't say you were
cleared of all wrongdoing.

- Why not?
- Because you weren't.

The report stated that
you abused your power.

That is the opposite of being
cleared of all wrongdoing.

- Then why was I told otherwise?
- You weren't told otherwise.

And why haven't you
released a statement

saying that Todd
was never a member

of the Alaska Independence Party?

Because that would be
untrue. He was a member.

He checked the wrong box.

He registered by accident

and rectified the
error immediately.

He was a member for seven years.

I'm sorry, Governor, but...

there is only a few weeks
left in this campaign.

You have got to stop
saying things to the press

that are blatantly untrue.

That is not the kind of campaign
that we are running here.

Campaign... Is that what
you're calling this now?

Governor, I admit that this
is a dysfunctional campaign,

but that is what I inherited,

and I am doing my level best
to help us win this election.

And that's what I'm
trying to do, too,

and all you're doing
is screwing me up.

That's all you've done this
entire time is get in my way.

Oh, oh.

And I am raising millions of
dollars for this campaign.

Hundreds of thousands
of people are coming

to see me speak, not John
McCain, God bless him.

They are coming to see me.

So if I am single-handedly
carrying this campaign,

I'm gonna do what I want.

Sarah. Sarah. Sarah.

Several McCain advisers
tell CNN they're annoyed

by what one aide called
Palin going rogue.

Goddamn it.

I hate it when there's
leaking and backstabbing

after a campaign, let alone
before it's fucking over.

I need you to step
in and talk to her.

I don't know, Stevie
boy. I don't know.

Sir...

I can't control her any more.

I don't know if she's
getting on a campaign plane

in the morning or what
she's gonna say at night.

We need to finish this campaign

with as much dignity as possible,

and the only way that can happen

is if you get her in line.

That's not gonna do it, Steve.

She might start turning on me.

Most of these polls
have us trailing

five to eight points.

- So what now?
- John...

I mean, these numbers do show it.

We've got to make
this about Obama.

We've got to get tough

and we've got to get negative.

If we go this way,

Reverend Wright is still
the best play we have.

Any of you ever been accused

of having a Negro
child out of wedlock

because your adopted daughter
was born in Bangladesh?

And then when she was 16

and googled her name, I
had to explain to her

why President Bush's henchmen
called her a bastard

when she was 10 years old.

Yeah, listen, South Carolina...
that was an ugly primary,

but this isn't the same thing.

I mean, Reverend Wright
really did say those things.

That may be true.

But there is a dark side
to American populism.

Some people win elections
by tapping into it.

I'm not one of those people.

Okay. So what about Bill Ayers?

Obama began his career

in the living room of
a domestic terrorist.

Domestic terrorist.
Nothing to do with race.

Yeah, okay.

Ayers is fair.

Okay. Who should do this?

And Barack held one
of the first meetings

of his political career in
Bill Ayers's living room.

Palling around with terrorists.

He's not a Christian.

And I am just so fearful

that this is not a man

who sees America

the way that you and
I see America...

He's a socialist.

As the greatest source
for good in this world.

U.S.A. U.S.A.

U.S.A. U.S.A. U.S.A.

What does Barack Obama
plan for America?

Nothing.

In short, who is the
real Barack Obama?

A terrorist.

We believe that the
best of America

is not all in Washington,
DC We believe...

We believe that the
best of America

is in these small towns
that we get to visit

and in these wonderful
little pockets

of what I call the real America.

- Yes.
- Yeah.

Sarah. Sarah.

For a man who's
written two memoirs,

he's no open book.

You got that right.

What does Barack Obama
see for America?

He's a Muslim.

He's a socialist.

- He doesn't represent us.
- He doesn't belong here.

He hangs out with people
who hate our country.

- He's not American.
- Kill him.

Send him back to Africa.

Let me read to you, Tara,

what Congressman John Lewis,
the civil rights icon,

said on Saturday in a statement.

He said, As one who was
a victim of violence

and hate during the height of
the civil rights movement,

I am deeply disturbed
by the negative tone

of the McCain-Palin campaign.

Senator McCain and
Governor Palin...

We gotta tone the rhetoric down.

It's gotten out of control.

We can't even mention
Obama's name any more.

The crowd gets too hot.

This isn't the campaign
I wanted to run.

I can't trust Obama.

I've read about him,
and he's not a...

He's a... He's a Arab.

He's not an Amer...

No, ma'am.

He's a decent family-man citizen

who I just happen to
have disagreements with

on certain fundamental issues.

And that's what this
campaign is all about.

He's not. Thank you.

Cutting through the bull tonight,

on the eve of the election,

the campaigns are relying
on their lucky charms.

- Vodka rocks, lime.
- You got it.

How's he doing?

He's the most depressed I've
seen him the entire campaign.

I can't get him to
stop watching MSNBC,

which only makes him
more miserable.

I'm amazed that someone who has
been in politics this long...

takes all the petty
stuff so personally.

And that's why they
are who they are.

Reagan, Bush, Clinton...

All they want is to be loved.

The ones that don't
pathologically need to be loved,

they don't get the nomination.

They don't get to be president.

If you'd understood that fact,

you might have been able to better
handle our Alaskan moose hunter.

God, it was a tough campaign.

It wasn't a campaign, it
was a bad reality show.

She didn't cost us the election.

That was Bush. That
was the economy.

That was just the
cold hand of fate.

We didn't have a chance.

And if we did win,

would you feel comfortable
with President Palin?

Why not? Then we would have won.

Come on, guys, listen.

I, too, wish that
the American people

would choose the
future Abraham Lincoln

or Thomas Jefferson,
but unfortunately,

that's not the way
it works any more.

Now it takes movie star charisma

to get elected president.

And Obama and Palin, that's
what they are... they're stars.

Primary difference being

Sarah Palin can't name a
Supreme Court decision,

whereas Barack Obama

was a constitutional
law professor.

Fuck you.

You know what Dick Cheney said

- when he found out we picked her?
- What?

He said we made a reckless choice.

When you lose the moral
high ground to Dick Cheney,

it's time to rethink
your entire life.

Enough Cheney cracks, okay?

I mean, he's very misunderstood.

How does he eat when he's wearing.

Darth Vader's helmet, anyway?

There we go.

Gentlemen, let's wish
each other good luck.

Who knows, we could have another

Dewey-Truman situation here.

Always room for an upset.

Yeah, maybe I'll wake up
with a full head of hair.

You know, if we had just
asked her policy questions

in the briefing, then
we would have known.

I thought Culvahouse was gonna
grill her during the vet.

Culvahouse thought we
were gonna grill her.

It haunts me.

After a hard-fought battle,

the nation's longest-running
presidential race

comes down to this
day... election day.

Voting is now under way in
all the lower 48 states

as we approach the end of
this historic election.

People lined up across the country

by the millions today.

Turnout looks to be the
highest in decades.

John McCain will carry Kentucky
once again, as expected.

Eight electoral votes,
not a huge surprise.

We are not able to
make a projection

in the four other states...

that are closing all their polls

at this hour right now.

And some of them are
battleground states...

Georgia, Indiana, South
Carolina and Virginia.

It doesn't necessarily mean that
it's gonna be close or not...

Where's Virginia?

Negative five. And Ohio's gone.

- Got it.
- I'll keep you posted.

Call you in 10.

What's going on?

We're gonna lose Pennsylvania.

And Ohio.

Steve...

There's something I
have to tell you.

What's wrong?

I didn't vote.

I couldn't do it.

I didn't vote.

I couldn't do it.

It's okay.

- Soledad.
- Alright, Wolf,

we'll take you right to
the voter analysis...

How we doing, Stevie boy?

We lost Pennsylvania
and Ohio, sir.

When my grandfather

found out that the
Japanese had surrendered,

he was lost.

He didn't know what
to do with himself.

He came home,

dropped dead the very next day.

Fought his war, then he died.

And my dad,

when he retired from the navy,

he fell into a sense of despair

for the rest of his life.

I'm never gonna quit, Steve.

I can't.

I don't know how
to just fade away.

Senator, I...

I just want to say...

What?

I'm s... I'm s...

I'm so sorry that I...

suggested her.

Don't be.

Fuck 'em.

What were we supposed to do?

A truly historic night
here in the United States.

Barack Obama will become

the 44th president of
the United States.

Sorry, Mum.

Oh, thanks, kiddo.

I'm really sorry, Mum.

Sweetheart.

You did great. You
know that, right?

- Yeah.
- Okay?

Come here, baby.

It's all right. We're okay. Yeah.

Yeah.

I'll take the stress
very literally here.

Just one quick... you think?

And on this next part, would
you make sure you bold that?

Oh, Chris, I need you to load
this in the Teleprompter for me.

Steve Schmidt told me you
weren't making a speech.

No. I am making a speech.

Scully cleared it with Rick Davis.

So just go ahead
and load it, okay?

Okay.

Okay, so, on the stress on
this one, I'll take it.

- Jesus.
- Hey, sorry.

Steve, I'm getting a bunch
of mixed messages here.

Is the governor giving a
concession speech or not...

I've already said this
five times already.

She is not giving a speech.

Well, she seems to
think otherwise.

Well, she's not.

What do you want me to tell her?

Tell her she's not
fucking speaking.

Okay, well, you both
seem pretty certain...

Well, let my certainty
supersede her certainty.

Goddamn it.

Steve.

You want to see me?

Yes. This way.

Excuse us a moment.

I understand you've prepared
a speech. Is that correct?

Yes, I have. I want to salute John

for everything he's
done for this country.

It's not going to happen.
You're not giving a speech.

And why is that, Steve?

You're not giving a speech

because the vice
presidential candidate

has never given a concession
speech on election night.

It's not about you.

It's about the country.

Yeah, well, there's a lot of
things never been done before.

Governor...

this country has just elected

the first African-American
president

in the history of its existence.

And it is the concession speech

that will legitimise
his succession

as commander in chief.

It is a serious and
solemn occasion,

and John McCain, and
only John McCain,

will be giving this sacred speech.

This is how it has been done

in every presidential election

since the dawn of the republic,

and you, Sarah Palin,

will not change the importance

of this proud American tradition.

We fought... We fought
as hard as we could.

And though we feel short,

the fail... the failure is mine.

Oh, geez, no...

I don't feel that short, Mark.

Fell short, boss.

- Yeah, thanks.
- Fell short. It's a typo.

- John.
- Hi, Sarah.

Well, we fought the good fight.

We did.

Now I'm just gonna get out
there and thank America.

I can't wait to get out
there and thank you.

I have a speech written that
is a real tribute to ya.

No, I think these guys
have that covered.

Right, Steve?

Yes, sir. We have it covered.

I just want the people to know
what a great man you are.

I appreciate that,

but these guys got
it all worked out.

Yeah, you know, we probably
should get going now, sir, so...

All right. Good.

- Okay. We'll see you afterwards.
- I'll see you out there.

You're one of the leaders
of the party now, Sarah.

Don't get co-opted by Limbaugh
and the other extremists.

They'll destroy the
party if you let them.

Remember, you're a hockey mum.

You just wanted to
make a difference,

and you did.

A big, huge difference.

I'll always be
grateful. Thank you.

- We should go, sir.
- Thank you, John.

My friends, we have...

we have come to the end
of a long journey.

The American people have spoken,

and they have spoken clearly.

A little while ago,
I had the honour

of calling Senator Barack Obama...

to congrat...

Please.

To congratulate him
on being elected

the next president of the
country we both love.

Whatever our differences,

we are fellow Americans.

Yes, sir.

I am so deeply
grateful to all of you

for the great honour
of your support

and all you have done for me.

I am also, of course,

very thankful to
Governor Sarah Palin,

one of the best campaigners
I have ever seen.

Still think she's fit for office?

Who cares?

In 48 hours, no one will
even remember who she is.

We can all look forward
with great interest

to her future service to Alaska,

the Republican party
and our country.

Sarah. Sarah. Sarah.

There were numerous instances
of her saying things

that were not accurate

that opened the door to criticism

that she was being
untruthful and inaccurate.

And I think that is something
that continues to this day.

And you think that's
fair criticism?

I think that's fair criticism.

Early on, though, you apparently
said she doesn't know anything.

In the immediate aftermath
of her selection,

it was clear to us that we...

had a lot of work to do.

For you, picking Sarah Palin
was about winning an election,

not necessarily about who's gonna
be best as vice president.

My job is to give
political advice.

We needed to do something bold

to try to win the race.

If you had it to do over again,

would you have her on the ticket?

You don't get to go
back in time, Anderson,

and... and have do-overs in life.

♪ God bless America ♪

♪ Again ♪

♪ You see all the
trouble that she's in ♪

♪ Wash her pretty face ♪

♪ Dry her eyes and then ♪

♪ God bless America again ♪

♪ You see all the
trouble that she's in ♪

♪ Wash her pretty face ♪

♪ Dry her eyes and then ♪

♪ God bless America again ♪

♪ Wash her pretty face ♪

♪ Dry her eyes and then ♪

♪ God bless America again ♪