As journalists, we understand the right to privacy. The Review hopes the next president and vice president fully understand it, as well along with other issues that impact our daily lives.


  In a recent series of interviews, CBS’ Katie Couric raised important questions that tested the knowledge of Gov. Sarah Palin,
    Republican vice-presidential nominee, about her position on social issues like abortion and contraception and about her preferred choice of reading material.


    “Hmmm,” Palin said after a momentary silence. “Well, let’s see. There’s…of course in the great history of America there have been rulings that there’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 then reworded the question, asking if Palin opposed any other high court decisions.


“Well, I would think of any, again, that could be
 best dealt with on a more local level, maybe I would take issue with,” Palin said. “But, you know, as a mayor, and then as a 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.”


    She shoots and she misses. 
 Even a governor should have an opinion about the laws that govern the land, especially since she is running for VP. How about Lawrence v. Texas? Or Engel v. Vitale? For someone who is in such an important position, one would think she would know better.


Couric also spoke with Sen. Joe Biden, the
    Democratic vice-presidential nominee, and asked him the same questions. He
had answers.


    “Because I think it’s as close to a consensus that can exist in a society as heterogeneous as ours,” Biden said in explaining why he thought Roe v. Wade was a good decision.
 He also said he believed in an inherent right
 to privacy.
 “I think the liberty clause of the 14th Amendment…offers a right to privacy,” he said.

    “Now that’s one of the big debates that I have with my conservative scholar friends, that they say, you know, unless a right is enumerated, unless it’s actually, unless it uses the word ‘privacy’ in the Constitution, then no such constitutional right exists. Well, I think people have an 

inherent right.”


    Another concern was Palin’s aversion to answering Couric’s question regarding what newspapers and magazines she using to stay informed of
world news.

Couric: And when it comes to establishing your world view, 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.


    OK…Most students can tell you what newspapers they read; why can’t Palin?
Again, this editorial is not meant to attack Palin, but to show fault. Biden is by no means an angel; he has his faults too, but you’ll only know that if you put the effort forward to obtain
 that knowledge.


    Yes, they are just the vice-presidential candidates, but they are important. The focus section this week, pages 8-9, centers on how to get involved with the elections. Use it to your full advantage. Don’t take the Review’s word it, though; we hope you watched the vice-presidential debate last night and formed your own opinion. Become educated. Isn’t that what college is all about?