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Published January 25, 2017
This is a rush transcript from "On the Record ," September 2, 2008. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: In less than 24 hours, right here, about 50 feet from where we are, the big speech. Yes, you get you chance to hear directly from the republican vice presidential nominee, Governor Sarah Palin. Now, five days ago, Senator McCain tapped her for the ticket and the buzz, it is through the ceiling and that buzz is not dying down. It`s growing louder each day and the governor`s personal and professional life is put under the microscope.
Is the newcomer to the national scene getting the usual grilling by her opponent in the press or something really special? Talk show host, Fox News contributor Laura Ingraham is here with us in St. Paul. Laura, before we get to the question whether she`s getting barbecued fairly or unfairly, you were standing up for her today?
LAURA INGRAHAM, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: I did. She was scheduled to speak at the National Coalition for Life event. It was a really, really big pro- life event here in St. Paul and it was about 1,000 people and everyone from the press was there though, and ready for Palin, and she didn`t show up. She said she couldn`t make it, I guess about 24 hours before and so I filled in for her and let me tell you something, that crowd is so primed to hear from Palin and they want to hear from her. They`re supportive of her and they want to hear people fight for what she stands for, which is heartland American values, you know, a viewpoint that is very pro-American, very patriotic, and kind of regular people, and a lot of people that I talked to said, she`s kind of like us, it reminds me of us. Her family is kind of - you know, we all have our family problems and she`s kind of like us. So people are waiting to hear from her.
Watch Greta's interview with Laura Ingraham
VAN SUSTEREN: You know, Laura, I love to hear from you. I love to spend time with you but -
INGRAHAM: We call that a but monkey on the "Laura Ingraham Show."
VAN SUSTEREN: But she didn`t show up -
INGRAHAM: Yes, well -
VAN SUSTEREN: And she also hasn`t met - from what I`m told -
INGRAHAM: Right.
VAN SUSTEREN: The Alaska delegates here.
INGRAHAM: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: You know, they sort of - why didn`t she show up?
INGRAHAM: Well, I said that today. I think that she should have been there and I think that there`s no point in saying oh, she`s going to speak tomorrow, we`re going to wait until tomorrow. And I know that she has to practice her speech. She is getting ready for the big debut and the big national audience and all that and that`s fine.
I think that you`re right though, I think that she should have gone out there today. She should have been with the people. She should have made her point, one after the other, about how, yes, look, I don`t have the experience that some others have in Washington, and I can`t pick up the phone and raise millions of dollars and I don`t know where all the fancy restaurants are in Georgetown and Manhattan but I do know is I do know how to connect with the people in my state and I know how to represent them and I know I think what Americans want from their government. That`s what I want to do in Washington. People want to hear that from here. And I wish she had said it today.
VAN SUSTEREN: And you said that in a minute and a half and she could have broken away to do that --
INGRAHAM: She`ll do it tomorrow though. I mean, I wish she were there today but she`ll do it tomorrow and it will be strong.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right. Don`t you go away. Laura is not going away. So don`t you go away. Our coverage of the 2008 Republican National Convention continues. More special guests, more behind the scenes and, yes, live from inside the Republican National Convention. We`ll see you in just a few short minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, HOST: We`re right in the middle of it all on the floor of the Republican National Convention. My guest, Laura Ingraham is trying to leave but...
LAURA INGRAHAM, TALK SHOW HOST: No, I`m staying. Greta, I would never leave you in the middle of all this excitement.
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, she`s trying to. This is day two and it started with a big bang today and it`s still going and it was a packed house tonight. They were rooted at listening to some of the biggest names in politics and, of course, there were a few people on that big podium and the energy level has been in overdrive. And it`s less than 24 hours before the Alaska governor takes the stand or goes up to the podium and Laura is still here.
INGRAHAM: They're waiting for her. I mean, are you guys all waiting for Sarah Palin
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
INGRAHAM: OK. The biggest applause lines of the night, Greta, the biggest applause lines were about Palin and life -- the life issue and Sarah Palin. This whole place went bananas and it`s not getting reported and it`s not getting talked about but I`m telling you...
VAN SUSTEREN: And it`s only been 50 minutes since it ended.
INGRAHAM: And I spoke at this thing today, there was about 1,000 people at the 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 is hoping she shines; she stands for her own self, her own beliefs, her own principles -- why are you rolling your eyes?
VAN SUSTEREN: I'm not -
INGRAHAM: You're for strong women, are 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.
(CROSSTALK)
VAN SUSTEREN: All right. Is she -- is Governor Palin getting fair treatment? Is she getting sexist treatment?
INGRAHAM: No.
VAN SUSTEREN: No?
INGRAHAM: Yes and no.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right.
INGRAHAM: Of course, she`s not getting fair treatment because, 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 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 the read the "New York Times" today? Have you read some of 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.
VAN SUSTEREN: (INAUDIBLE). So, it may come as a surprise?
INGRAHAM: 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're 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: All right. The women who hear her tomorrow night, I know that this voodoo sort of guessing, but voters 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, this is not a monologue. 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 and Tom Wolf says there`s a parenthesis and in the middle of the parenthesis is America, OK? 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 and seems committed to this country, she fights corruption," and that`s a very positive thing.
VAN SUSTEREN: Now, we only heard from Senator Thompson. We only have a minute left.
INGRAHAM: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: And I haven't heard a guy...
INGRAHAM: That was good, where was that Fred Thompson?
VAN SUSTEREN: He seemed during the whole race that he wasn`t even interested in running for president when he was in the race, and now he seemed to have a little more -- has some energy.
INGRAHAM: I mean, we were up in one of the skyboxes and that was the entire conversation. People are like, "Oh, my God, this is such a great speech." He`s saying about Obama and about Palin what so many of us have wanted to hear in this convention which is, you know, it`s easy to go over to Europe and, you know, criticize your own country or say and talk about torture, America hasn`t lived up to your ideals, we want a president -
VAN SUSTEREN: Wait -- don`t get on torture because Senator McCain is opposed to torture.
INGRAHAM: Right. But we want a president who actually stands up and we know day in and day out is going to fight for America and American values -- America being number one. He hit that theme, that was a core, core audience speech.
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, that`s a new Fred Thompson.
INGRAHAM: Well, that means Fred Thompson clearly is happy with the idea of John McCain being president and he`s being a good foot soldier. So, that was a great speech. Good for him.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right. Well, tomorrow night is the big night. Laura, thank you.
INGRAHAM: I'll try to not bore you next time.
VAN SUSTEREN: Oh, she didn't.
INGRAHAM: I'm getting tired of the sock puppet that's coming out in the next segment.
VAN SUSTEREN: But Laura is picking on me. That is the problem -- Laura is picking on me tonight. She`s tired and she`s crabby.
INGRAHAM: We always did. Oh, yess.
VAN SUSTEREN: Anyway, I`ll see you tomorrow night.
INGRAHAM: All right.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right. You`ve been watching, this is your show, so what do you think, go to GretaWire.com. Laura has a poll (ph).
INGRAHAM: I love it, GretaWire is the best.
VAN SUSTEREN: Tomorrow, Laura lives (ph) at GretaWire.com. All right. And here`s the question.
INGRAHAM: Oh, no. I`m going to read it?
VAN SUSTEREN: If you could watch only one debate this fall, which one would it be?
INGRAHAM: Senator McCain and Senator Obama or Senator Biden and Governor Palin? Go to GretaWire.com right now and vote if you don`t, you`re nowhere, stick around, we'll give you the results at the end of the show.
VAN SUSTEREN: See, the money wasn`t wasted on Dartmouth. She learned to read there.
INGRAHAM: Oh, great. Thank you.
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