An interview with the United States of America newly picked "VP" candidate, Sarah Palin.

Press: Governor Palin, please tell us why you have been reluctant to grant interviews to the mainstream news media?

Sarah Palin: First of all, reluctant is the wrong word. I wasn't reluctant, I just didn't want to do it, and John McCain didn't want me to do it.

Press: Not wanting to and being reluctant to, aren't they the same thing?

Palin: Guys, see how you are twisting my words already? I did not want to give interviews for this very reason. The mainstream news media has a liberal bias against me and my message, against John McCain and the Republican Party. Why should I feed myself to you sharks? I answer to the American people, not the liberal media.

Press: With all due respect, Governor Palin, I think our readers, viewers and listeners are the American people. They have a right to know where you stand on the issues.

Palin: It's obvious where I stand. I am on the side of God and country on every issue.

Press: Who is advising you on these matters?

Palin: I use the best source known to man: the Bible. I pray, I ask "What would Jesus do?', I talk to John McCain and his team, people like Joe Lieberman who is with me today. I have a good handle on the issues.

Press: Let's look at the war in Iraq. Where do you stand on that? Is the surge working?

Palin: Guys, guys, you can do better than that. I thought you wanted to ask me really tough questions, but ok, you want to talk Iraq. It is God's will and the desire of the American people that we succeed in Iraq. We cannot run away from our responsibilities to God and country in Iraq.

Press: But is the surge working, Governor Palin?

(Joe Lieberman whispers in Palin's ear)

Palin: Yes it is working.

Press: Moving on, are there any changes that you would like to see in America's foreign policy. Should we review our relations with Pakistan, with Libya, with Egypt? How about Afghanistan?

Palin: The answer is simple. You don't need to divide the world into this faction and that group, you just need to ask, 'What's in America's interests?' If it serves God and America, we do it. If it doesn't, we don't.

Press: Does that mean you would be willing to work with unsavory regimes if it helps America's interests? What about spreading the values of freedom and democracy.

Palin: Well, you know guys, you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. And you have to get your hands dirty if you're going to dig a ditch. Maybe we gotta get our hands dirty sometimes, mix with the bad guys because there's a bigger picture. Does God want it? Does America need it? Those are the only criteria.

Press: So you would be in favor of invading Iran if it was in America's interests?

Palin: I think ,

(Joe Lieberman whispers in Palin's ear)

Palin: That question is unfair guys. America's aim is for peace through security. We seek a responsible international role and full cooperation with our allies. If those allies backslide on their God-given responsibilities to freedom and justice, then America will shoulder the burden.

Press: You would or you would not invade Iran if it were in America's interests?

(Joe Lieberman whispers in Palin's ear)

Palin: We must take whatever measures are necessary to secure peace in the world, to rid it of terrorist threats, to stop rogue nations from setting the global agenda.

Press: I take that as a yes

Palin: You take that anyway you like. The point is, first comes God and America, which means the universal values of freedom, country, and family. We can argue about the details when the shooting stops. The big picture is, does God want it? Does America need it? Simple.

Press: Do you see yourself continuing the Bush Doctrine?

Palin: In what respect, umm, I don't quite follow? I think ,

(Lieberman leans forward and whispers in Palin's ear)

Palin: Umm, yes, to answer your question, we must be prepared to strike against those who plot against us, even pre-emptively.

Press: So you and John McCain support and aim to continue the Bush doctrine. You would, for example, be willing to strike inside Pakistan without the agreement of Pakistan's government if you thought America's enemies were there?

Palin: Well, we would of course work with our allies, but we must always put American interests first. We can't be too sensitive about the needs of other countries if they do not support our foreign policy with regard to fighting terrorism.

Press: How would you bring North Korea back into the international community?

Palin: I would encourage them to join NATO and the European Community.

Press: But there are democratic requirements to joining NATO. The last time we looked, North Korea was not a democratic country. How would you encourage democracy in the country?

Palin: We would let them know that they face the full might and anger of our nation if they are not prepared to meet their people's desire for freedom.

Press: You said that they should join the European Community, but North Korea is not in Europe.

Palin: Guys, you are deliberately misunderstanding me. We would encourage North Korea to sign treaties and trade agreements with like-minded democratic nations, Japan and South Korea for example.

Press: Have you traveled much, Governor Palin?

Palin: I have traveled a lot, but not as much as I would like to. I did not travel outside the United States until I was 40. As a mom and a governor, I don't have so much time for traveling. I am too busy. I guess I'll travel more when I'm vice president.

Press: Have you ever had to negotiate with foreign powers in your capacity as governor of Alaska.

Palin: Yes I have, but I have never met a foreign head of state. I did meet the Bogotol volleyball team from Russia at Anchorage Airport. They were doing a tour of Alaska. And I often meet with men and women from the Yukon to plan various activities. The Yukon is in Canada, a foreign country.

Press: You planned 'various activities'?

Palin: Yes, I did. You have to meet people if you're going to build a pipeline from Alaska to the rest of America. Then there are the usual gubernatorial duties: ribbon-cutting, bake sales, church events, snowshoe races, the Iron Dog, those kinds of things. You might not know this but Canadians drive a hard bargain. Putin is nothing compared to the Klondike Ladies Club.

Press: Some critics say you are simply John McCain's fashion accessory, you're an American Idol to them. They comment on your eyeglasses, your shoes, your hairstyle, your National Guard t-shirts.

Palin: I would love to be an American idol, and I believe in the right to bare arms,  and legs. It's a women's thing. You wouldn't understand. Next question.

Press: If the phone called at 3 a.m. to say that your kid was sick, would you break off your meeting with Mr. Putin?

Palin: Why would I be meeting with Mr Putin at three in the morning? Besides, ask Joe Biden that question first, then get back to me.

Press: Do you have close ties with the oil industry?

Palin: Of course I do. As governor of Alaska, oil is a big part of our lives. With God's will, we will bring more oil to the people of America. Our way of life depends on oil. We need more oil from our our own soil and our own shores.

Press: You are in favor of offshore drilling?

Palin: I say drill more now. Start today and drill everywhere. Drill off California, drill in Kansas, drill off Florida, drill in the Everglades, drill in Alaska, drill in the Grand Canyon and Yosemite if we need to.

Press: What about the environment?

Palin: There's enough environment for everybody. In Alaska we have too much environment.

Press: Shouldn't we change our lifestyle to save the planet and its resources?

Palin: The planet and all its abundance is a gift from God to those made in his likeness. In other words, the planet is ours to use. It's a sin not to consume the resources we are given. The American lifestyle is about more and better. We constantly strive for more: more material well being, more freedom, more health, more security. God has blessed this country and its people.

Press: Do you believe that creationism should be taught in school science classes?

Palin: I believe that competing theories should be allowed to compete. I am not a scientist but I think Darwin got it wrong. He didn't know his Bible.

Press: What is your view on same sex marriage? Would you like to see a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage? Are you in favor of civil unions for gay couple?

Palin: This is a thorny issue. I don't wish to tell anyone how to live their lives, but I do want to tell them that marriage is about a man and a woman in a long-term, loving relationship recognized by law and the Lord. I do not think people's rights should be taken away, nor do I think people should be granted special rights by virtue of not being heterosexual.

Press: Why did you first support then oppose the bridge to nowhere?

Palin: Alaska needs all the help and infrastructure funding it can get. When I first heard about the bridge, I assumed it was going somewhere, so I supported it. When I found out it was going nowhere, I mean when I found out there'D be no long term federal funding, I opposed it.

Press: Why do you oppose Obama's earmarks when you have been more active than he in seeking earmarks for your state? Some say you are known as the Earmark Queen of Alaska.

Palin: First, Alaska needs that money more than Illinois does. Second, I oppose him because it's my job. He's my opponent. I am right and he's wrong. The country needs to know that.

Press: As a fiscal conservative and opponent of wasteful state and federal spending, why did you bill the state of Alaska for 312 nights when you stayed in your own home?

Palin: I do no more than the rules allow. I probably do less. Remember, I tried to sell the governor's jet on eBay. But, fair's fair. My family needs to be reimbursed when we spend money representing the state.

Press: Even your children? How can your youngest children perform state duties?

Palin: When my children are with me, they're representing the state of Alaska. Family is important. I don't expect my critics on the left to understand that. They want to destroy marriage by allowing gay people to marry, by encouraging teen pregnancies, out-of-wedlock pregnancies, by distributing free condoms.

Press: But governor, your own teenage daughter ,

Palin: You are out of line. I will not have you drag my family through the dirt in this interview. Next question.

Press: In what has been called your first major gaffe, you claimed that the lending institutions Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had "gotten too big and too expensive to the taxpayers." Surely, you should know that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not taxpayer funded?

Palin: This nit picking is exactly what's wrong with the mainstream media, always trying to find fault. What you are saying is about as important as not knowing that Brett Favre has moved to the Jets. It's a minor detail.

Press: It's not such a minor detail for the millions of Americans who can't pay their mortgages. Surely a candidate for vice president should know how the housing market works?

Palin: That's the point, the housing market doesn't work. There are a lot of families in million dollar homes who should be in trailer parks. They need to work harder and take out realistic loans. It's called tough love.

Press: Why are you a global warming skeptic?

Palin: The climate is changing but human impact on it is minimal. But I am still learning about this; I am prepared to change my mind. I think our ability to change climate is non-existent but I am still prepared to try, just like I am prepared to drill for oil even though it probably won't impact prices or supply. I say we should adapt to changing climate just as we adapt to everything else. If it's warmer or colder, wetter or drier, so what? The main priority is to build prosperity for the American people.

Press: How do you explain that to the people of Bangladesh who are threatened by flooding as a result of rising sea levels? How do you explain it to Inuit hunters?

Palin: I tell them to adapt. The world is not static. The successful people of the future will be those who can make the most of a changing world. Global warming creates business opportunities, don't forget that. If there were dinosaurs alive today, there'D be people crying about them becoming extinct. As it is, they are extinct and we don't care. The same will happen to lions, polar bears, and rare apes. It's called progress.

Press: Is that why it's ok to hunt wolves from helicopters?

Palin: Look, you have to understand, moose and caribou are important sources of food for many Alaskans. We don't want the wolves taking too much of that resource so we control their numbers. It's too time-consuming to hunt them from the ground. Times have moved on, this is how we do things today.

Press: What do you say to those critics who question your lack of education and experience?

Palin: Our opponent, Senator Obama, is a Harvard graduate. That already puts him out of touch with 99% of the American people. He's an elitist. I studied the hard way, the American way, the normal way. The University of Idaho is a good school. As for experience, I have more than enough of that.

Press: What makes you so sure you are ready to be vice president. How can the American people trust you have enough experience?

Palin: Americans are sick and tired of East Coast and West Coast elitists who are better educated than they are, more widely traveled, better read. Americans want to be represented by people just like themselves. I am an ordinary American, a hockey mom, that's why people have confidence in me.

Press: As mayor of Wasilla and governor of Alaska, you have gained enough experience to run America?

Palin: Yes, I am a hard working woman who weeds out corruption, leads by example, never rests until the task is done. I pray that God is on my side and that I serve God to the best of my ability. I will not rest until I have given God and country my all.

Press: Thank you, Governor Palin.

Palin: You are welcome.