When: Friday, August 29, 2008 at 10PM ET
Where: "A Maria Bartiromo Special: The Sarah Palin Interview"

Following is the unofficial transcript of a CNBC EXCLUSIVE interview with Vice Presidential Candidate and Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin. The interview will air tonight on a CNBC Special Event: "A Maria Bartiromo Special: The Sarah Palin Interview" at 10PM ET on CNBC.

All references must be sourced to CNBC.

BARTIROMO: GOVERNOR GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON THE PROGRAM

PALIN: THANK YOU

BARTIROMO: THANKYOUFOR JOINING US. TELL ME ABOUTTHE SIZ AND SCOPE OF THE OIL OPERTATIONS UPON THE NORTH SLOPE. ONE ANALONGY OUT THERE IS THAT ITS LIKE A STAMP ON FOOTBALL FIELD.

PALIN: THAT'S PRETTY ACCURATE. IT IS, OR WE HEAR THE ANALOGY ALSO, WHICHIS QUITE ACCURATE, ITS LIKE THE LOT THATYOUHAVE WITHYOUR HOUSE PLOPPED I THEMIDDLE YOUPUTYOURTOW PRINT ON THE LAWN OF THIS LOT, THAT ABOUT THE FOOT PRINT OF THIS OPERATION UP IN PRUDO BAY. ECONOMICALLY SPEAKING, THOUGH, IT'S ABOUT 20% OF THE U.S. DOMESTIC SUPPLY IS -- OF ENERGY IS PRODUCED UP ON THE NORTH SLOPE. SO VERY, VERY SIGNIFICANT ECONOMICALLY.PHYSICALLY, THANKFULLY, TINY LITTLE FOOTPRINT.

BARTIROMO: SO YOU'RE SAYING IT'S A TINY LITTLE FOOTPRINT, ACTUALLY THE OPERATIONS IN PRUDO BAY, BUT PEOPLE THINK OF IT AS SO EXPANSIVE AND SO MASSIVE THAT IT'S GOING TO HAVE A MATERIAL EFFECT IF IN FACT WE WERE TO SEEDRILLING THERE ON THE WILDLIFE AND ON THE COMMUNITY.

PALIN: WELL, ANWR AT THAT POINT IT'S ABOUT 2,000 ACRES THAT IS BEING ASKED TO BE LOOKED AT AND TO BE EXPLORED AND TO BE PRODUCED. 2,000 ACRES OUT OF 20 MILLION ACRES. THAT FOOTPRINT, IT'S ABOUT THE SIZE OF L.A.X. OR ONE OF THE LARGER AIRPORTS ACROSS THE NATION. AND THAT SHOULD ALLOW SOME PERSPECTIVE THERE ALSO. BUT YOU KNOW, NO ONE, I THINK, BUT ALASKANS CARE MORE ABOUT OUR WILDLIFE, ABOUT OUR CLEAN WATER, OUR CLEAN AIR, THE PRISTINE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE ARE BLESSED TO LIVE IN AND GET TO BREATHE IN EVERY SINGLE DAY. NO ONE BUT ALASKANS WILL CARE MORE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PRESERVING THAT PRISTINE ENVIRONMENT THAT IS ANWR, THE COASTAL PLAIN, PRUTO BAY, ALASKA AS A WHOLE. AND WHEN YOU ASK ALASKANS DO YOU AGREE TO ALLOW DRILLING TO TAKE PLACE ON THE NORTH SLOPE, SPECIFICALLY HERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ANWR, DO YOU WANT TO SEE THAT HAPPEN? AND WITH ALASKANS' LOVE AND CARE FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUR LANDS AND OUR WILDLIFE, ALASKANSARE SAYING YES BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT IT CAN BE DONE SAFELY, PRUDENTLY, AND IT HAD BETTER BE DONE ETHICALLY ALSO.YES, WE WANT TO SEE THAT DRILLING. SO HOPEFULLY THE REST OF AMERICA CAN UNDERSTAND THAT ALSO. YOU GO DOOR TO DOOR AND ASK ALASKANS IF WE ARE READY AND WILLING TO PRODUCE MORE AND CONTRIBUTE MORE TO THE U.S. AND THEY'RE GOING TO TELL YOU YES.

BARTIROMO: PRESIDENT BUSH TRIED THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES UNDER HIS WATCH. WHY IS IT WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TOGET THIS DONE?

PALIN: I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MISCONCEPTIONS AND MISPERCEPTIONS ABOUT WHAT ANWR IS ALL ABOUT AND UP ON THE NORTH SLOPE WHAT THE ENVIRONMENT ACTUALLY IS UP THERE. YOU SEE PICTURES, YOU SEE VISUALS FROM THE NAYSAYERS, THE CRITICS OF THE IDEA OF OPENING ANWR, AND THE PICTURES THAT THEY'RE SHOWING ARE MOUNTAINS AND -- POLAR BEARS.

Tools:

PrintEmail

Next Post

Previous PostBack to Main Page