“There was a sense that she’d gone back to the books,” FOX reporter Carl Cameron said, introducing the segment.

Sounding positively professorial, Palin rattles off a series of high court decisions — Kennedy vs. Louisiana, which reversed the death sentence of a child rapist, Kelo vs. New London, which threw eminent domain property rights in the government’s favor, and Exxon vs. Baker, which sided with the oil company on punative damages.

She also told Carl Cameron she regularly read the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and The Economist.

Those were easy. So how come she flubbed her answers in the Couric interviews?

“The reason that some of her answers to many seemed inadequate was not that she didn’t know the answers,” Cameron reports, “it was that she was annoyed. And she apologized for that annoyance and said that in the future she would make a better effort to try to not be too impatient with the mainstream media.”

The mainstream media didn’t return calls but is likely to continue to be impatient with Palin for her refusal to hold a press conference more than a month after being named to the Republican ticket.

Remember, this is a candidate who could be part of an administration nominating Supreme Court justices for at least the next four years. First, Couric asks Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden about Roe v. Wade and other Supreme Court decisions, then throws caution to the wind and asks Palin the same questions:

Palin’s answers defy characterization.

Let’s go straight to the transcript:

Couric Why, in your view, is Roe v. Wade a bad decision?

Sarah Palin: I think it should be a states’ issue not a federal government-mandated, mandating yes or no on such an important issue. I’m, in that sense, a federalist, where I believe that states should have more say in the laws of their lands and individual areas. Now, foundationally, also, though, it’s no secret that I’m pro-life that I believe in a culture of life is very important for this country. Personally that’s what I would like to see, um, further embraced by America.

Couric: Do you think there’s an inherent right to privacy in the Constitution?

Palin: I do. Yeah, I do.

Couric: The cornerstone of Roe v. Wade.

Palin: I do. And I believe that individual states can best handle what the people within the different constituencies in the 50 states would like to see their will ushered in an issue like that.

Couric: What other Supreme Court decisions do you disagree with?

Palin: Well, let’s see. There’s, of course in the great history of America there have been rulings, that’s never going to be absolute consensus by every American. And there are those issues, again, like Roe v. Wade, where I believe are best held on a state level and addressed there. So you know, going through the history of America, there would be others but …

Couric: Can you think of any?

Palin: Well, I could think of … any again, that could be best dealt with on a more local level. Maybe I would take issue with. But, you know, as mayor, and then as governor and even as a vice president, if I’m so privileged to serve, wouldn’t be in a position of changing those things but in supporting the law of the land as it reads today.

Sounds like something generated by the “Interview Palin” Web site, doesn’t it? We’ll leave it to readers to decide whether a vice presidential nominee should know a few Supreme Court decisions off the top of the head, but .. Bush v. Gore? Plessy v. Ferguson? Dred Scott? The average high school senior can reel off at least a handful of high court decisions, good and bad.

More troubling is Palin’s inability to remember Exxon v. Baker, handed down in the distant past of June. It’s the culmination of the nearly 20-year legal battle surrounding the Exxon Valdez spill in — wait for it! — Alaska.

Palin, or a spokesperson, even commented on the decision a few months ago. According to a Juneau Empire story (which also notes Palin is “not currently running for anything”):

“I am extremely disappointed with today’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court,” Palin said. “While the decision brings some degree of closure to Alaskans suffering from 19 years of litigation and delay, the court gutted the jury’s decision on punitive damages.”

Palin added, “It is tragic that so many Alaska fishermen and their families have had their lives put on hold waiting for this decision. My heart goes out to those affected, especially the families of the thousands of Alaskans who passed away while waiting for justice.”

Rest assured, she’ll have that one memorized in case it comes up at Thursday’s debate.

More troubling still is an answer Palin actually gave in the Couric interview. When asked whether she believes there’s a constitutional right to privacy, Palin says: “I do. Yeah, I do.”

She then goes on to make a remarkable statement about a “right” modern conservatives have denounced and dismissed as fiction: “… I believe that individual states can best handle what the people within the different constituencies in the 50 states would like to see their will ushered in an issue like that.”

Either it’s a constitutional right, protected for all Americans, or it’s an issue left to the states to decide. Palin’s nonsense-generator seems to have blown a gasket under the pressure. Anyone want to guess how long until the McCain campaign “clarifies” her endorsement of the underpinning of Roe v. Wade?

Wait a second.

She reads all of them?

Does that mean Palin reads The Colorado Independent? It’s available in Alaska, and, unlike the hectoring press, we don’t “buy ink by the barrelfull” — in fact, the only ink around here resides in a few ballpoint pens — so we’re not looking to pick a fight with the vice presidential nominee. So if you’re reading, Gov. Palin, we would like to issue a hearty welcome! And a reminder — about this story, and this one, or this one, maybe this one, certainly this one, not to mention this one — it’s not personal, we’re just doing our jobs.

A few possibilities:

• Palin really does read “all of them” (not likely).

• She reads the New York Times and Washington Post but can’t admit it because the McCain campaign is at war with those newspapers.

• She only reads fringe publications that affirm her worldview (probably not something she wants to reveal to Couric).

• Like Supreme Court decisions, she can’t discuss what she doesn’t remember.

• Palin doesn’t read any newspapers to “stay informed and to understand the world.”

Guess which reason is most likely.

Here’s the CBS transcript:

Couric: And when it comes to establishing your worldview, I was curious, what newspapers and magazines did you regularly read before you were tapped for this to stay informed and to understand the world?

Palin: I’ve read most of them, again with a great appreciation for the press, for the media.

Couric: What, specifically?

Palin: Um, all of them, any of them that have been in front of me all these years.

Couric: Can you name a few?

Palin: I have a vast variety of sources where we get our news, too. Alaska isn’t a foreign country, where it’s kind of suggested, “Wow, how could you keep in touch with what the rest of Washington, D.C., may be thinking when you live up there in Alaska?” Believe me, Alaska is like a microcosm of America.

CNN’s Campbell Brown made a great point yesterday. Keeping Palin hidden away from the press — even for her very first meeting with a foreign head of state — constitutes gross sexism on the part of the McCain campaign. “Stop treating Sarah Palin like she is a delicate flower who will wilt at any moment. This woman is from Alaska, for crying out loud. She is strong; she is tough; she is confident. And you claim she is ready to be one heartbeat away from the presidency. If that is the case, then end this chauvinistic treatment of her now. Allow her to show her stuff … By treating Sarah Palin differently from other candidates in this race, you are not showing her the respect she deserves. Free Sarah Palin.”

Huzzah to that!

Take, for example, Palin’s first major television interview with Charlie Gibson. Palin made it very clear that as president she wouldn’t take any guff from foreign powers, suggesting we may need to go to war with Russia. Even when she clearly had no idea what the Bush Doctrine is, she kept her cool, maintained that Bush-like air of confidence, and kept right on going. She sticks to talking points even better than John McCain does now. McCain, incidentally, used to ridicule these-are-my-talking-points responses on the Straight Talk Express, but as his communications director from 2000 put it, “He’s learned over the past eight years that the world of politics he’d like to inhabit is not the world he inhabits.”

Huzzah again!

Even better, Palin sticks to her talking points even when an interviewer makes it clear those talking points don’t really work. From her interview last night with Katie Couric:

Couric: We began, though, with reports that the lobbing firm of Senator McCain’s campaign manager received payments as recently as last month from morgatge giant Freddie Mac, even as it was failing. I asked for her reaction during our exclusive interview.

Palin: My understanding is Rick Davis recused himself from the dealings in that firm, um, I don’t know how long ago, a year or two ago, and that he’s not benefiting from that and you know, I would, I would hope that that’s the case.

Couric: But he still has a stake in the company, so isn’t that a conflict of interest?

Palin: (long pause) Again, my understanding is that he, he recused himself from the dealings with Freddie and Fannie, any lobbying efforts on his part there and I would hope that that’s the case.

The rest of the interview goes much the same way, with Palin answering questions Couric didn’t ask, and Couric asking the question again to try and get an answer. It really must be seen to be believed:

So the question remains, with Palin clearly proving her talent at sticking to pre-written talking points, why would McCain keep her away from the press? She’s tough, confident even when she clearly has no idea what’s going on, and does a better job not going off script and shooting herself in the foot than McCain ever did.

It befuddles me, then, that in a recent Wall Street Journal/NBC poll 49 percent of respondents said they felt Palin is not qualified for the job of president, while only 40 percent said she is. On the other hand, almost two-thirds of respondents, 64 percent, said Joe Biden is qualified; just 21 percent said he is not. Incidentally, that’s roughly the inverse of George Bush’s job approval rating at 28 percent to 66 percent, meaning fewer people think Biden would make a poor president than think GW makes a great one.

In all seriousness, it really looks like the more people see of Palin the more they understand this hockey mom from Alaska simply does not have what it takes to serve as our president. As much as the “who would I rather watch football with” question affects voters (Obama by a slight margin, BTW), it seems that on some level people realize their football watching buddies wouldn’t make good presidents. Americans want a president they could catch a game with, but also someone who can do the job. Candidates must demonstrate a base level of competence before the football question even comes up.

It’s no wonder that McCain to keep her under wraps — his campaign has gone so far as to suggest postponing the vice presidential debate, which would give Palin more time to bone up on things like the Bush Doctrine and, you know, the federal government.

The American people and our nation’s press must demand that a person asking to serve one heartbeat away from the most powerful office in the history of the world hold news conferences and answer tough questions. We not only need to know, but we have a right to know, and Palin has a duty to share with us, her values, beliefs, experience, and how she plans to lead this country as our vice president and possibly as our president.

As of right now Sarah Palin has not demonstrated she possesses the basic skills necessary to lead this country.

UPDATE: CBS News put up another piece of Katie Couric’s interview with Sarah Palin, and frankly the Governor scares the hell out of me. I don’t know what’s sadder, that Palin seriously thinks Alaska’s border with Russia qualifies her as having foreign policy experience, or that she could actually become Vice President. Or that she thinks planes from Russia cross over Alaska on their way to the US.

Colorado Independent’s blogumnist (blogger-columnist) Jeff Bridges has worked in Democratic politics for the last 10 years, serving as communications director for two congressional races in Colorado and two governor’s races in the Deep South. Bridges also worked as a legislative assistant in Washington, D.C., with a focus on military and small business issues.