HuffPost political reporter Sam Stein was a guest tonight on Hardball, with Chris Matthews, to discuss the lengthy interview that Sarah Palin gave to Glenn Beck. Matthews focused on Palin's initial reluctance to name her favorite Founding Father, after being asked by Beck, before finally settling on George Washington.
Stein argued that the exchange was illustrative of Palin's extreme caution and hesitance to say anything that might offend a part of the Republican party. Ultimately, Stein said, it was redemption for Katie Couric:
It's a very cautious answer. It's not trying to get in trouble, is my opinion. But does it remind you of the newspaper answer? She didn't want to say a newspaper that could possibly get in her in trouble with Republicans... I think this is redemption for Katie Couric, who got nailed by Sarah Palin for sking a 'gotcha' question.
The subject then turned to Harold Ford's shaky testing of the waters for a run against Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in New York. Stein called Ford's initial forays "disastrous":
Harold Ford's rollout has been totally disastrous. He's asking [Gilibrand] to oppose health care reform, which is not going to endear him to anyone in the party.
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