Interview with Piper Palin by Sean Hannity of Fox News' "Hannity & Colmes"

HANNITY (on camera): Hey, how are you doing?

PIPER PALIN, DAUGHTER OF GOV. SARAH PALIN: Good.

HANNITY: Are you enjoying this?

PIPER PALIN: Yes.

HANNITY: What do you think of this? Are you proud of your mom?

PIPER PALIN: Yes.

HANNITY: Yes? Now what do you like? It's warmer in Florida than it is in Alaska, right? Yes?

PIPER PALIN: Yes.

HANNITY: Now what do you think? One day maybe you'll run for president or vice president one day? Is that what you really want?

SARAH PALIN: She might.

HANNITY: She might?

SARAH PALIN: She could.

HANNITY: She could. She's got -- she's got a little mom in her.

SARAH PALIN: She's got the determination.

HANNITY: What do you think about these big crowds with your mom out there? Do you like that? Yes? Does that make you -- that excites you? Yes? You guys -- you like to go out and wave to people?

You know one of the best moments in the whole campaign is when you were holding your brother, remember that? At the convention. Everybody really like that.

PALIN: Yes. And you got to hide the handheld mics that she finds, too, because she'll give a speech, won't you? Up there, as well?

HANNITY: Is that right?

You know, one of the things behind there -- see, I was just out there and the crowd is huge, excited. Here you are and you're from Wasilla, population -- 7,000, 8,000, somewhere in there.

SARAH PALIN: Yes.

HANNITY: OK. And then the governor of Alaska.

SARAH PALIN: Yes.

HANNITY: And now you've traveled all over the country, everywhere. And huge crowds here to see you.

SARAH PALIN: Yes.

HANNITY: Pretty -- life has been transformed on a pretty.

SARAH PALIN: It has and it's confirmation that what I represent is what Americans, I believe, are seeking and really deserving. And that is a change from kind of the good old boy network. The same old, same old, politics as usual in Washington, D.C.

They want something different. They want new energy, new ideas, new vision. They want government put back on their side. And that's what we're committed to.

HANNITY: But, let me -- how -- what kind of impact -- your husband's over there in the corner, watching you right now. You have your daughter here and you're doing a great job, by the way. Except you gave me five and you nearly -- ruined my hair, it hurt so much.

SARAH PALIN: Careful.

HANNITY: But, you know, what kind of impact does it have on your family?

SARAH PALIN: Oh, we've always been pretty busy and had unconventional schedules with me working full time as mayor and Todd out commercial fishing, or working up on the North Slope.

HANNITY: Right.

SARAH PALIN: Unconventional schedules, quite busy, and as governor then, too. So, practically speaking, not that much of a difference except that we're on the road, of course, and sleeping in a different hotel every night.

HANNITY: That's a little tough.

SARAH PALIN: But, you know, to tell you honestly, what has changed is some of those unfair shots taken at my kids, you know, that's been.

HANNITY: Yes, that's hard.

SARAH PALIN: That's kind of been disgusting in -- my opinion.

HANNITY: Yes.

SARAH PALIN: But that's changed is that there's been a little bit of my faith eroded in some in the world of journalism who would go there.

HANNITY: I've used the term -- and this is Sean Hannity's views not yours -- that journalism died in 2008.

All right. We've got some movement in polls. Very interesting.

SARAH PALIN: Yes.

HANNITY: You got AP, you got "Battleground," "Investors Business Daily." In Zogby you picked up nearly 8 points in a day.

SARAH PALIN: Yes.

HANNITY: So this is a pretty tight race.

SARAH PALIN: It is.

HANNITY: What do you feel on the road in terms of the numbers as they are running along -- around the country?

SARAH PALIN: I think it's very close, and I think that there is a lot of - there's a lot of enthusiasm for voters to be able to get the candid, real responses from their candidates. And finally, that's what's changing the face of this race, Sean, is that.

HANNITY: Right.

SARAH PALIN: . finally there's some candidness being forced out of Barack Obama for him to get to fess up on what his plans are for tax increases and spreading the wealth.

HANNITY: Now, we're going to walk together because I'm going to walk you, literally, right out under the.

SARAH PALIN: Oh good, thank you.

HANNITY: But one of the things you said yesterday you said about -- you used the term "nanny state" and spreading the wealth.

SARAH PALIN: Yes.

HANNITY: Which -- this has now become a mantra. Now Joe Biden had a little bit of a meltdown in an interview not far from here where you're going to be later today, outside of Orlando in Kissimmee, when he was saying, well, to each, according to his needs, from each according to his ability. He didn't like that question.

SARAH PALIN: Yes, well, you know -- I think a principle like that really erodes what it is that we're trying to teach our children in America here, that that strong work ethic is important and that you will be rewarded for your productivity and your work ethic, and to be generous and compassionate with one another.

But it should not be government mandated, that generosity and that compassion. That could be our families, our businesses contributing that way.

In other words, I don't think that we should be working for government. Government should be working for us.

HANNITY: Right. Barack Obama -- with Joe the Plumber has become such a big issue in the campaign.

SARAH PALIN: And we're talking about him again today.

HANNITY: You're going to be talking about Joe the Plumber?

SARAH PALIN: Oh yes.

HANNITY: I saw some signs when I was out there -- you know, somebody's a brick layer, somebody the hair stylist.

SARAH PALIN: We got him.

HANNITY: But he doubled down. He was asked this week, do you regret saying spread the wealth? He said no.

So what is that philosophy -- the number one issue, obviously, on people's minds is about the -- about the economy.

SARAH PALIN: It sure is. It sure is.

HANNITY: So what does that mean to you?

PALIN: Well, it means that finally Joe the Plumber was able to accomplish something that none of had been able to accomplish, and that is to get Barack Obama to candidly, finally, state what his true intentions are for his tax increases.

And that is to take more from our families, to take more from our businesses, what they have produced and earned, and then spread that out according to his own priorities. And with an Obama, Pelosi and Reid trifecta there that could be potentially be controlling Washington D.C., I think our economy is in a world of hurt.

Because as Joe the Plumber suggested, that hint of socialism is what he said. And now is not the time to allow the three to be.

HANNITY: What is the difference here? Because this is important, I think this gets to the heart of where we are economically in terms of the debate in the country, and that is, Barack Obama keeps saying 95 percent of Americans are not going to see their taxes increase. But you're saying to raise any taxes.

SARAH PALIN: Yes. Yes.

HANNITY: . in this campaign is going to hurt the economy, especially in a slowdown.

SARAH PALIN: Well, first, that is not even accurate, the 95 percent of Americans is not being effected by his tax increase proposal.

No, we're talking thousands and thousands of small businesses are going to be hit and that kills jobs if these businesses are not able to hire more people, create jobs, get the economy rolling. So, I don't -- I think he's being disingenuous in terms of explaining what that plan is.

HANNITY: Do you think, for example, one of the things is -- he has now bought all this time. He made a promise that he supported public financing in campaigns.

SARAH PALIN: Broke that promise.

HANNITY: He broke that promise.

SARAH PALIN: Yes.

HANNITY: Which maybe -- maybe people could tie together, is he going to keep his promise about the level of people he would raise taxes on?

But do you -- are you concerned at all about this half-hour infomercial that he's going to run? Because every time he seems to speak off the cuff, that's when he says, spread the wealth.

SARAH PALIN: Right.

HANNITY: That's when Joe Biden makes his statement.

SARAH PALIN: No, we'll just go into it -- American viewers will go into it just understanding that it's more of the same and it's scripted, of course.

HANNITY: Right.

SARAH PALIN: So that goes to the heart of my concern about his lack of candidness.

HANNITY: Right.

SARAH PALIN: . in terms of telling Americans really what his plans are.

So, what we have to do is go back to his record and see where he has come from so that we can then understand where he wants to lead America. He voted 94 times for higher taxes. He had all those opportunities to be on our side, the people's side. Instead, he was for bigger government.

And now his proposal to increase spending, nearly $1 trillion more, the only way he's going to be able to pay for those proposals, increase taxes. He voted, of course, for higher taxes on those middle-class, hard working Americans, making $42,000 a year. That's his record.

HANNITY: That was last year.

SARAH PALIN: Yes, that's his record.

HANNITY: Now, I want to show everybody over here because this is now, I don't know, I guess, it's sort of like, if we look here -- let our camera man catch up with us here. All right. Thousands and thousands of people await you out there.

What is it like, you know, in terms of, your life has changed so dramatically, you're going to walk out there, there's a big crowd, very enthusiastic? They're all happy to see you and excited. Did you ever expect that in your life? Nine weeks ago, did you think you'd be in this position?

SARAH PALIN: Never anticipated it, no. But, at the same time, Sean, it kind of feels comfortable. Not so much a crowd out there cheering. But again, Americans desiring representation of who they are and what they believe in and what is important to them.

And that's what John McCain and I represent. And I think that's what you feel when you're in these rallies. An awesome, amazing patriotic people showing up to these rallies.

HANNITY: Confident on election night? You guys think you're going to pull this out?

SARAH PALIN: Absolutely. And John and I have both been in that underdog position over and over again. And you know what? I, in my career, happened to take on the good old boy network more than once. Having the scars to prove it.

Being in the underdog position, it motivates us. Makes us work harder. And I believe that, yes, the wisdom of the people will prevail on November 4th.

HANNITY: Governor, I think there's thousands of people waiting for you.

SARAH PALIN: Good.

HANNITY: Thank you for being with us.

SARAH PALIN: Thank you so much. Appreciate you.

HANNITY: Appreciate it, thanks. Have fun.

SARAH PALIN: Thank you. All right. Thank you.