Palin Admits Annoyance in 2008 Interview with CBS’s Katie Couric, 'The Perky One'

November 16th, 2009 5:15 PM

Sarah Palin, in an interview that is a part of the lead up to the Nov. 17 release of her new book "Going Rogue," appeared on Oprah Winfrey's TV show on Nov. 16.  Aside from the questions about the campaign, she expressed her irritation with "CBS Evening News" anchor Katie Couric, or as she referred to her - "the perky one."

"Now, obviously, you've why didn't you just name some books or magazines?" Winfrey asked.

Palin explained that she didn't want to come off as unprofessional, but she detected an elitist vibe from Couric with the infamous question about her reading habits.

"Well, and, obviously, I have, of course, all my life I'm a lover of books and magazines and newspapers," Palin said. "By the time she asked me that question, even though it was kind of early on in the interview, I was already so annoyed, and it was very unprofessional of me to wear that annoyance on my sleeve, but it was like ... ‘Are are you kidding me? Are you really asking me?' To me, it was in the context of, ‘Do you read? How do you stay informed, you're way up there?' It seemed like she was discovering this nomadic tribe, a member of a tribe from some Neanderthal cave in Alaska, asking me, ‘How do you stay in touch with the real world?'"

She said she thought Couric was indicative of the state of journalism today and the fundamental problems with it.

"That's how I took the question, so I kind of-- well, didn't kind of, I did. I rolled my eyes and was annoyed with the question and thought, ‘You know, I think that this is a problem with the state of journalism today, is no matter what I say to her, it will probably be twisted, perceived as a bit negative.'"

Palin then explained the circumstances leading up to the interview, after some campaigning, and then she had to encounter Couric, also known as "the perky one" (emphasis added).

"Well, I was annoyed with where we were, what we were doing at the time, and one of these segments, too - we had just come off the most amazing rally, working the rope line for I don't know how long, these energized, awesome people, and I'm pumped up, just over the top pumped up with energy and so happy, and we're running backstage, and my friend Betsy, she opens the curtain for me to get backstage, and there's the perky one again with the microphone and the cameras rolling, and I'm like, ‘Dang, you know, give me just a couple of minutes to gather.'"