Lisa Murkowski: Sarah Palin Lacks "Intellectual Curiosity" to be President

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowki told CBS News' Katie Couric today that she would not support Sarah Palin for president because Palin lacks the "leadership qualities" and "intellectual curiosity" to craft great policy.

"You know, she was my governor for two years, for just about two years there, and I don't think that she enjoyed governing," Murkowski said. "I don't think she liked to get down into the policy." The Alaska senator added that she prefers a candidate who "goes to bed at night and wakes up in the morning thinking about how we're going to deal with" important issues. (Watch at left.)

Palin endorsed Murkowski's opponent Joe Miller in the Republican Senate primary, an endorsement that helped Miller to an upset victory. Murkowski then embarked on a general election write-in bid that may have been successful: More write in votes were cast than votes for Miller, and the vast majority went to Murkowski.

According to the Alaska Division of Elections, Miller received 90,458 votes, and there were 102,028 total write in votes cast. Of the write-in votes counted so far, 92,164 have gone to Murkowski; another 7,601 have been counted for Murkowski but challenged by Miller. Counting is expected to continue through Wednesday.

CBS Evening News: Murkowski Wants Gov't Leaders to Compromise
Murkowski on Write-In: Courage or Crazy?

Palin and Murkowski have an acrimonious history. Palin first made it to the governor's office by defeating Murkowski's father Frank, the Republican incumbent, in the 2006 election. Four years earlier, in 2002, Frank Murkowski chose to appoint Lisa Murkowski to the Senate, passing over Palin.

When Palin resigned as governor, Murkowski released a terse statement saying she was "disappointed" that Palin quit. And when she announced her write-in bid, Murkowski promised to be "a Republican woman who won't quit on Alaska" - a not-so-subtle shot at Palin for resigning the governorship before the end of her term.

(At left, watch Katie Couric's report from the CBS Evening News)

The criticisms haven't been one sided: Following an Alaska Senate debate in October, Palin wrote on Facebook, in reference to Murkowski, that she had "never seen a candidate stoop as low as was seen last night in Alaska's senatorial debate."

The post, entitled "Lisa's Gall vs. Miller's Honor," criticized Murkowski for having "reneged on her primary vow to not contest the will of the people."

In the interview with Couric, Murkowski said she did not have much of a relationship with Palin, though she said their interactions were "always professional."

"We just don't really have much in common - I mean, we don't talk to one another," she said.

"We have common interests in a shared love for our state, and I would like to think that if there were an opportunity to help do something good for Alaska, she would call me, or I could call her," Murkowski added. "But in fairness, she is not really that keyed into the state anymore. She is looking, obviously, at a bigger pond, and so we don't see her up north as much." (The comment comes one day after the debut of Palin's reality show, which is meant to showcase the state.)

Murkowski added that Palin's ability to connect with people is "remarkable." Watch more clips from the interview below, featuring Murkowski and Couric's discussion of the Tea Party movement and Murkowski's response to whether she is a "RINO," or Republican in Name Only:

Updated at Tuesday, Nov. 16, 10:30 a.m. ET with updated write-in vote count.

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Brian Montopoli is a political reporter for CBSNews.com. You can read more of his posts here. Follow Hotsheet on Facebook and Twitter.

[mnguyen4]

Sarah Palin, Tea party candidates and their supporters, like wrap themselves in American flag, recite phony pledge of allegiance, and call themselves patriots.
In reality, they are nothing more than extremely narcissistic people. They run political offices, not to improve this country and turn it into a land of opportunity for everybody.
Instead, these people want nothing except to gain power in order to funnel government resources into their own pockets and those of their immediate families.

[noloyalisti]

We really should impeach all the Republicans. There has to be something illegal or else immoral about elected representatives plotting to bring down the President of the United States. And wanting the country to fail to make Democrats look bad.

[brian_norwood]

What she said: "Palin lacks intellectual curiosity."

What she meant: "This chick is as dumb as a bag of rocks."

[noloyalisti]

There are some rocks that are right now saying "hey wait a minute..."

[remarkor]

Don't think for a second that her reality show is meant to "showcase Alaska".

[Jeanne256]

I like Murkowski. At least she is an intelligent Republican.

[rykatspop]

No, no, no . . . she's the perfect GOP candidate. She'll be a part of an exclusive group: Reagan and Bush. Don't you see, THAT is the GOP formula. Put someone out there that is simple, charismatic and disinterested in the mundane complications of policy, oversight and leadership. Reagan the rancher, Bush the cowboy, Palin the frontier woman. They hate details. To them, let Wall Street, the Pentagon, big business take care of all that boring stuff about the economy and defense. The world isn't complicated, only liberals are. Drink that Kool-Aid GOP.

[Sweetlady238]

You are a hater and most likely an underachiever, and I bet you can't even balance your checkbook. People like you just want the president to fail and that's all there is to it. Whatever good that's done, it still wouldn't be good enough. You are a closet wanna-be acting like you've got it going on when in actuality you don't have a clue about what's really going on in the world. Go back to sleep you loser.

[myth1958]

Murkowski and her family have history on their side: they serve their state faithfully. Palin jumped ship as governor as soon as big bucks and big promises about a presidential run were waved in her 'grizzly momma' face. What has she done that isn't for herself? Community action work, such as President Obama did back in the day? Volunteering? They'll pull some junk out of her trunk of souvenirs when she runs for the Oval Office - but she'll have to twist the english language even more to make us believe she's not the worst type of opportunist. Shooting wolves from helicopters? She's not even an honorable hunter, much less intelligent enough for the presidency.

[noloyalisti]

That might be the century's biggest understatement. She does not have the brains of a pimple on Bushoccio's butt and Bushoccio was a mental midget himself. She is like Bush with lipstick but has about as much intellect as the lipstick. I'm surprised Palin can feed herself.

[mountainstates1]

Sarah Palin lacks intellect. Period. Not since the mid 1980's have Republicans cared about intellect. During the 90's and certainly into the 2000's, the Conservatives have become "The Party Of Stupid".

[noloyalisti]

They are the perfect pawns for the giant corporations. That is what the filthy rich want, a political puppet like Reagan, then Bushoccio and Palin would be a dream come true for the budding fascist corporatocracy.

[Sweetlady238]

I so agree, and what's sad is that there are so many people endorsing her that identify with her lack of intelligence 100%. It's frightening - literally.

[walkshe]

Palin lacks anything intellectual. She's a talking head, and not a very good one at that. One of my co-workers made the comment when she was running with McCain that women who don't like her are only jealous of her success. Even is I was a door-greeter at Walmart, she doesn't have anything I would be jealous of.