TOWLER: Searching for the Palin interview

By Mary Anna Towler on September 11, 2008

I spent far too much time this morning trying to find out what time tonight ABC will air the first excerpts from Charles Gibson's the interview with Sarah Palin. It's at 6:30 and again on Nightline at 11:30. (There'll be more on "20/20" at 10 tomorrow night.

Despite the interview's importance - and, I assume, big public interest - as far as I can tell, there wasn't a word about it in the D&C this morning. Couldn't find it in the Times, either. Or on CNN.com. Finally found the time on the ABC website, but even that took some doing.

Palin's October 2 debate Joe Biden will certainly be important, but tonight's show gives us the first chance to see her unscripted (well, as unscripted as journalists can manage, given the heavy prep in issue-avoidance that all political candidates get).

Palin will be intereviewed by ABC's Charles Gibson, who was strongly criticized after his part in a Clinton-Obama debate during the primary. He has a chance to redeem himself - without offering fluffball questions - tonight.

(Jack Shafer's "10 Questions for Sarah Palin," on Slate on Tuesday; is a good guide to conducting tough questions, and to asking follow-ups that improve the chance at getting information rather than spin.)

Funniest thing I've seen on the web today: Gail Collins' "Misery Loves Democrats" on the Times' site.