A bit earlier at about 12:05 a.m., conservative talk radio host Laura Ingraham had also complained of Palin’s treatment. Asked by van Susteren if Palin was getting "fair treatment," Ingraham argued that Palin is being "reviled and hated" because she is conservative and pro-life. In response to van Susteren’s question of "who’s reviling her," Ingraham elaborated: "Did you read the New York Times today? Have you read some of the left-wing blogs about her? Have you heard some of the comments on our competitor networks? It’s vile, it’s nasty, it’s vicious."
Estrich came aboard at about 12:15 a.m., and van Susteren started by asking: "Is [Palin] getting an unfair grilling or is this part of the vetting process by the media?" The former Democratic Party strategist answered: "I’ve never seen anything this bad in my life, and, Greta, I was with Geraldine Ferraro in ‘84 – and this is worse. ... I don’t agree with Sarah Palin on the issues. I mean, she and I are very far apart, but I have never seen from some of my friends such vicious and mean-spirited attacks on her most personal choices, which is what they are. We ask that our choices be respected. Hers should be respected. And this questioning of whether she should as a mother of five be running for Vice President, I don’t recall anybody saying that Arnold Schwarzenegger shouldn’t run for governor of California because he’s got four kids. I think this is just really unfair, really sexist, and very likely to provoke a backlash."
Below is a transcript of relevant portions of the late Tuesday/early Wednesday Republican Convention coverage on FNC for September 3, 2008:
12:05 a.m.
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN: What, it’s only been 50 minutes since it ended.
INGRAHAM: And I spoke at this thing today, there was about 1,000 people at a pro-life event, huge, huge support out there for Sarah Palin. So I know they’re keeping her under wraps, and that’s fine, but tomorrow night, everybody’s hoping she shines, she stands for her own self, her own beliefs, her own principles. Why are you rolling your eyes? You’re for strong women, aren’t you?
VAN SUSTEREN: No, of course.
INGRAHAM: Why are rolling your eyes, Greta? You look bored with Sarah Palin. Most people aren’t. You look bored.
VAN SUSTEREN: Actually, no, because you told me the same thing during the break.
INGRAHAM: All right, you’re bored with me then. Karl Rove is around here. You can bring him on the set.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right. Is she, is Governor Palin getting fair treatment?
INGRAHAM: No.
VAN SUSTEREN: Is she getting sexist treatment? No?
INGRAHAM: Yes and no.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right.
INGRAHAM: No, of course she`s not getting fair treatment because-
VAN SUSTEREN, WITH CROSSTALK: Is it any different than what another woman candidate, Senator Clinton-
INGRAHAM: -Greta, if she were a pro-choice Democrat woman whose daughter had become pregnant and went to her and said, "Well, I don’t want this kid, I want to have an abortion," she would be hailed as a hero on the left. Because this woman is strong, conservative, independent and pro-life, and politically and personally lives her life that way, she’s reviled and hated.
VAN SUSTEREN: Who’s reviling her?
INGRAHAM: Did you read the New York Times today? Have you read some of the left-wing blogs about her? Have you heard some of the comments on our competitor networks?
VAN SUSTEREN, WITH CROSSTALK: Actually, I haven’t. That may come as a big surprise to you.
INGRAHAM: It’s vile, it’s nasty, it’s vicious. Well, I have because I survey this stuff for my radio show. And, look, she’s a big girl. She can take this and she’s going to have to take it because this is politics today. But my point is this: It’s clear now that all these women who were out there all the time, 24/7 saying they’re for strong women, women breaking the glass ceiling, women in these all male-dominated careers and these professions, all along they really weren’t for these women. They’re for women who agree with them on all the issues, and if you don’t agree with them, they’re going to cut you off at the knees, and that’s what happened to Sarah Palin. And she’s going to get up, and she’s going to march forward tomorrow night.
VAN SUSTEREN: The women who hear her tomorrow night, I know this is voodoo sort of guessing, but the women who are undecided who hear her tomorrow, do you think she`s going to, can she get them in one speech?
INGRAHAM: Well, I think, you know, women are diverse. They have different viewpoints. I mean, you say this all the time, it’s not a monolith. But I think what she does is speak to America and an American sensibility that sometimes is not heard in Washington where we live or in New York or in L.A. Sometimes you have to come to America, the middle of the country. Tom Wolf says there’s the parentheses and in the middle of the parentheses it’s America, okay? So those people who, sometimes they sit in their lazy boy rockers and sometimes their kids eat macaroni and cheese, they don’t travel to Europe every summer. They don’t go to the spas. They don’t have to watch the Sunday chat shows to exist. They actually have real lives. Those people actually see this woman and they think, "Gosh, you know, I don’t agree with her on everything, but she seems really strong, she seems like she loves this country, she seems committed to this country, she fights corruption," and that’s a very positive thing.
...
12:15 a.m.
VAN SUSTEREN: And tomorrow, right here on Fox News Channel, you will hear from Governor Sarah Palin. Whether you’re a Republican or Democrat, you must be anxious to hear from her. Her name is at the top of the headlines in newspapers around the world. Now, is all the attention, and a lot of it is negative, is it fair? Joining us is Susan Estrich. Susan was the first woman to run a presidential campaign – for Michael Dukakis in 1988. And, Susan, I suppose, in all fairness, I should say that most people in the Republican Party are waiting for Senator McCain’s speech, but, I guess, I mean, it`s sort fun there’s a woman on the ticket, so people are also excited to hear from her. But is she getting an unfair grilling or is this part of the vetting process by the media?
SUSAN ESTRICH, FORMER DUKAKIS CAMPAIGN MANAGER.: I’ve never seen anything this bad in my life, and, Greta, I was with Geraldine Ferraro in ‘84 – and this is worse. I do have to say to Laura, though, I have a lazy boy recliner, my kid eats macaroni, and I haven’t been to Europe in 10 years. But putting that aside, I don’t agree with Sarah Palin on the issues. I mean, she and I are very far apart, but I have never seen from some of my friends such vicious and mean-spirited attacks on her most personal choices, which is what they are. We ask that our choices be respected. Hers should be respected. And this questioning of whether she should as a mother of five be running for Vice President, I don’t recall anybody saying that Arnold Schwarzenegger shouldn’t run for governor of California because he’s got four kids. I think this is just really unfair, really sexist, and very likely to provoke a backlash.
