How Governor Palin should answer the sharks - part two

We started considering yesterday how Governor Palin could respond to the out-for-blooders among the MSM. (Hm, that sounds as if I think they're a subset... and I really don't.)

In sum: as a Christian, Palin can't lie, but she needn't answer every question, nor say everything that could be said in answer to every question. She must, however, confess Christ. At the same time, she may need to withhold what is holy from those set on mocking and degrading it.

So, in other words, she's pretty much walking a high-wire made of dental floss, at an elevation of 4000 feet, while carrying fifteen live monkeys — in a gale-force wind.

No sweat!

Here's what I'd recommend, from my safe seat.

Option three: use some verbal karate. A wise man (or woman) knows how to turn the tables on hostile questioners, user their own inertia against them. Our Lord was master of this technique. The opponent would throw a haymaker, the Lord would step aside and give a little nudge — next thing you knew, there was a red-faced, sputtering Pharisee, in a pile, on the floor, wonder what had happened (cf. Matthew 16:1ff.; 19:3ff.; 22:15ff.).

So, asked if I were a Christian, I might just start by asking the questioner to define his terms. "What do you mean by ''Christian'?" If the response were along the lines of, "You tell me," I'd return, "So... you're asking me to explain my religious beliefs? I'll admit, as my critics have said, that I'm new to this. Do you customarily do this with all your guests?"

Having noted the special treatment for which an evangelical Christian is being singled out, I'd eventually give a straight-up answer. If necessary, I'd offer my own definition. ("I believe everything Jesus said was true, including everything He said about Himself, about the world, about His Father, and about me.")

The mouthpiece will then bring out one of the "Gotcha!" questions outlined in previous articles. I think I'd first look at the questioner quizzically for a tick, as if he'd just said, "By the way, I am Gondira, High Queen of Jupiter."

Then I might return any or several of the following eight responses, each of which engages or shifts the discussion to varying degrees. I'll number them, simply to make discussion easier:

1. "You know, Dirk, I keep hearing on your channel that voters are concerned about the war, taxes, jobs, housing, health care, the price of gas, terrorism — now, help me out: which one of those is that question about?" If need, I'd follow up solicitously with, "Can you help me understand how you think John McCain might propose that item [wives submitting to husbands, homosexuals going to Hell] to Congress? What bill you think might come to the President's desk? I'm trying to understand your question." Or (similarly)....
   
2. "How do you see that coming to the President's desk as legislation, Courtney?" Or....
3. "I'm actually not running for pastor, or theologian-in-chief, Hillarie. I'm a Christian. There are tens of thousands of us in every walk of life and branch of government. We've been there since the first settlers landed at Plymouth Rock. If someone wants Biblical answers, I think he should talk to a local pastor — not a politician. Now, what John McCain and I are aiming to do is...." Or....
   
4. "You know, Troy, Christians have been around for about 2000 years. Am I really the first one you've met? [Pause for the answer.] Hm; maybe you should try to broaden your circle. See, I think most of the people watching us right now do know Christians, or they are related to Christians, or they work with Christians, or they live next door to Christians, or they are Christians themselves. They don't need or want a political candidate to tell them about being a Christian. They aren't looking to apply a religious test to their candidates. But they are interested in knowing what John McCain and I would do about ______. So maybe we could talk about that?" Or....
5. "Hm. I'm interested to know where this question is coming from, Brooke. Do you give a religious quiz to every political candidate? Why is that? What did Obama tell you about his stance on infralapsiarianism? Is he a complementarian, an egalitarian, or what? What was his understanding of the hypostatic union? Or was all that above his pay grade?" Or....
6. "What an odd question, Skippy. Do you feel that it is unusual for a practicing evangelical Christian to serve in public office?" Or....
7. "So, Biff, do you ever participate in discussions about why the media are liked less and trusted less than Congress or the President? How do you think practicing Christian viewers perceive you, right now? What message does this question send to young Christians — or other religious people — who are considering public service, and thinking that they may be interviewed by you or one of your peers someday? Do you mean to have a chilling effect on religious people considering public service?" Or....
8. "Sure, I'd be happy to answer that question. I am a Christian: I believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. You know, Brianne, we Christians have been around for about 2000 years. We have served faithfully in every sort of political system, from oppressive tyrannies, to the British monarchy, to this great Republic. Were I to become President, as a Christian, my sacred oath of office will bind me to respect, uphold and defend the Constitution. The Constitution does not clash with the Bible, and the Bible does not give any human the authority to prevent or direct me in discharging that sacred oath, whether that is my husband, my pastor, or the consensus of the mainstream media. I think that answers any question that isn't a silly question, don't you? Now, what I keep hearing from people is that they're concerned about _____. Here's how John McCain and I mean to address that:...."
   

Somewhere in that range of responses is a satisfactory way to stay on the offensive, avoid being put on the defensive, and bypass the deadly deer-in-the-headlights look.

Will these suggestions get anywhere near the campaign? Should they? Who knows?

But I did notice a hit from Anchorage yesterday.

Now, all this was in response specifically to the "gotcha" religious questions. I also think Palin should have some substantive replies ready for abortion "gotcha" questions, beyond "Well, I'm pro-life, and so I...."

But maybe that's a topic for another day.

UPDATE I: I didn't do a good enough job of incorporating ReformedMommy's excellent point that Palin should be motivated by love in how she responds. So... after she skewers the DNC's mouthpiece, she should do this:


There!