Game Change (2012 TV Movie)

Julianne Moore: Sarah Palin

Photos 

Quotes 

• Steve Schmidt : [Palin has insisted on giving a concession speech on election night]  You're not giving a speech because the Vice Presidential candidate has never given a concession speech on election night. It's not about you, it's about the country.

  Sarah Palin : Yeah, well there's a lot of things never been done before.

  Steve Schmidt : Governor, this country has just elected the first African American president in the history of its existence, and it is the concession speech that will legitimize his succession as Commander in Chief. It is a serious and solemn occasion, and John McCain, and only John McCain, will be giving this sacred speech. This is how it has been done in every Presidential election since the dawn of the Republic, and you, Sarah Palin, will not change the importance of this proud American tradition.

• Sarah Palin : [on the phone]  Why'd you make me do Katie Couric? Did you see the coverage? Did you?

  [silence] 

  Sarah Palin : [shouting]  Are you there? Are you listening to me?

  Nicolle Wallace : Yes, Governor, I'm here. Katie was a logical choice; she's been very fair to us this entire campaign.

  Sarah Palin : You call that interview fair?

  Nicolle Wallace : Yes, Governor, I do.

  Sarah Palin : I certainly don't, she was out to get me from the get-go!

  Nicolle Wallace : No, she wasn't! The interview sucked because you didn't try!

  Sarah Palin : What, what do you mean I didn't try?

  Nicolle Wallace : You didn't fight back, like you did in the Charlie Gibson interview - when you didn't know the answers, you clawed your way back and it went fine! You just gave up!

  Sarah Palin : [through gritted teeth]  Nicolle, it wasn't my fault; I wasn't... properly... prepped!

  Nicolle Wallace : [angrily]  You weren't properly prepped because you wouldn't *listen* to us! You never *listen* to your advisers!

  Sarah Palin : [heatedly]  Because you're overwhelming me with *too much information*! You know, I-I don't, I don't wanna do these interviews! I want to do what I want to do!

  Nicolle Wallace : [sighs]  We're just trying to help you get through this, Governor. All we want is for you to succeed.

  Sarah Palin : [scoffs]  Yeah, you're *not* helping! You're just screwing me up! You're telling me what to say, what to wear, how to talk...

  [shouting] 

  Sarah Palin : I am not your puppet! Now I understand what Hillary meant when she said she had to find her own voice!

  Nicolle Wallace : [incredulously]  Yeah... 'cause you're just like Hillary.

  Sarah Palin : You have ruined me! You have ruined my reputation!

  [shouting] 

  Sarah Palin : I am ruined in Alaska!

  [Palin throws her phone against the wall. On Wallace's end, the line goes dead. Shaking her head, she dials a new number] 

  Steve Schmidt : Hi, it's Steve Schmidt. Leave a message.

  Nicolle Wallace : Steve, it's Nicolle. I will gladly resign if you want to blame me for Couric. But if you want me to stay, then I'm back on McCain's bus tomorrow, as I never want to deal with that woman ever again!

• Steve Schmidt : [prepping Palin for national interviews]  Let's start with something simple: how do you plan on maintaining our alliance with Great Britain on Iraq even though support for the war there is at an all-time low?

  Sarah Palin : I think the United States has always maintained a great relationship with the Queen, and John McCain will continue to have an open dialogue with her.

  Steve Schmidt : [perplexed]  Um, Governor, the Queen is not the head of government in England, she's the head of state.

  Sarah Palin : Well, then who's the head of government?

  Steve Schmidt : [dumbfounded]  ... The Prime Minister.

  [tries to laugh it off and takes a sip of his tea with a nervous look on his face] 

• Steve Schmidt : Governor, do you know why we're in Iraq?

  Sarah Palin : Because Saddam Hussein attacked us on 9/11.

  Steve Schmidt : No, no, Al Qaeda attacked us on 9/11

  Sarah Palin : Not Saddam Hussein?

  Steve Schmidt : No, it was Al Qaeda. That's why we're in Afghanistan.

  Nicolle Wallace : Do you know the primary differences between the war in Afghanistan and the war in Iraq?

  [Palin doesn't answer] 

• Steve Schmidt : You seem totally unfazed by all this.

  Sarah Palin : It's God's plan.

• Steve Schmidt : [after Palin finishes an impressive debate rehearsal]  That was amazing. There's just one slight adjustment I wanna give you. You need to call him Senator Biden, not Senator O'Biden.

  Sarah Palin : No, that's what I called him, Senator O'Biden.

  Steve Schmidt : You just said it again.

  Sarah Palin : Said what?

  Steve Schmidt : O'Biden.

  Sarah Palin : Right. Senator Biden.

  Steve Schmidt : That's it!

  Sarah Palin : Oh. Biden.

  Steve Schmidt : No, no, there's no "O."

  Sarah Palin : No, I meant "Oh" as in "Oh, I get it," not "O" as in "O'Biden."

  Steve Schmidt : Oh.

• Nicolle Wallace : Do you think the Fed did the right thing in their dealing with the Bear Stearns collapse?

  Sarah Palin : Our economy is hurting, and the federal government has not provided the sound oversight that we need and that we deserve. I think we need a little bit of reality from Wasilla Main Street there brought to Washington DC so that the people there can understand how the average working class family is viewing bureaucracy in the federal government.

  Steve Schmidt : Governor, do you know what the Fed is?

  Sarah Palin : In what respect, Charlie?

  Steve Schmidt : No, no, this is me, Steve, asking do you know what the Fed is?

  [Palin doesn't answer] 

  Steve Schmidt : Um... stands for the Federal Reserve System...

  [Palin starts taking notes] 

  Steve Schmidt : No, please, don't write, just listen. The Fed is responsible for all monetary policy in the United States.

• Steve Schmidt : [regarding "Troopergate" charges]  You can't say you were cleared of all wrongdoing.

  Sarah Palin : [applying lipstick]  Why not?

  Steve Schmidt : Because you weren't. The reports stated that you abused your power; that is the opposite of being cleared of all wrongdoing.

  Sarah Palin : Then why was I told otherwise?

  Steve Schmidt : You weren't told otherwise!

  Sarah Palin : And why haven't you released a statement saying that Todd was never a member of the Alaskan Independence Party?

  Steve Schmidt : Because that would be untrue! He WAS a member.

  Sarah Palin : He checked the WRONG BOX! He registered BY ACCIDENT and rectified the error immediately!

  Steve Schmidt : He was a member for SEVEN YEARS! I'm sorry, Governor, but there is only a few weeks left in this campaign and you have got to stop saying things to the press that are blatantly untrue; that is NOT the kind of campaign that we are running here!

  Sarah Palin : [scornfully]  Campaign? Is that what you're calling this...

  [starts leaving for rally] 

  Steve Schmidt : Governor, I admit that this is a dysfunctional campaign, but THAT is what I inherited and I am doing my level best to help us win this election!

  Sarah Palin : [turns around]  And that's what I'm trying to do too, Steve, and all you're doing is screwing me up! That's all you've done this entire time is get in my way!

  [starts to leave again, turns around] 

  Sarah Palin : Oh, OH! And I am raising millions of dollars for this campaign; hundreds of thousands of people are coming to see ME speak! Not John McCain, God bless him, they are coming to see me! SO, if I am single-handedly carrying this..."campaign"...

  [drops voice] 

  Sarah Palin : I'm gonna do what I want!

• Sarah Palin : Did you get the numbers?

  Nicolle Wallace : The what?

  Sarah Palin : My approval rating in Alaska.

  Nicolle Wallace : They're not in yet.

  Sarah Palin : I'm trying to trust you people, but you're making it really hard for me!