Obama was dismissive of Stephanopoulos' question, replying that "I really have no response. Because last I checked, Sarah Palin's not much of an expert on nuclear issues. ... I'm probably going to take my advice from [the Joint Chiefs of Staff] and not from Sarah Palin." (Continued below video)
Steve Brenen of the Washington Monthly suggested Stephanopoulos should take "dimwitted" opinions from Palin less seriously.
In effect, the "GMA" host was saying, "Some conspicuously unintelligent right-wing media personality said something stupid about a subject she knows nothing about. Mr. President, how do you respond?"
Here's a thought: why should he be expected to respond? When doing an interview after a key development on international affairs, why not stick to the perspectives of grown-ups?
Stephanopoulos replies: "I was just doing my job."
"Whatever [Brenen] thinks of Sarah Palin," he wrote in an e-mail to The Huffington Post, "she's a former VP candidate -- and potential challenger to President Obama -- with a strong following in the GOP. She made a pointed critique of a new presidential policy."
Still, replies Sam Stein of HuffPo, it was transparently provocative question on the part of Stephanopoulos: "It would be delusional to dismiss the likelihood that Palin was brought into the discussion in large part because a spat between her and the president would so clearly grab viewer attention."
Important warning about e-mails purporting to be from the adn.com staff.