In this story, it's harder to tell who's the more stupid

VAN SUSTEREN: I take it you get off the plane, and did you go right to his home or his apartment or...

GOV. SARAH PALIN, R-ALASKA, FMR VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Went — no, went to — it was the next morning that we went to his ranch and spoke with him there and spoke with Cindy there and had just a great conversation about how much alike we were, I think, regarding, you know, having to take on our own party, having to make a lot of — take a lot of political risks — both of our careers were full of that — and knowing that that's what America needed at the time, though, was, we believed, a team of mavericks, literally a team of mavericks, those who had a track record of taking on the good old boy network, taking on those in the party, taking shots all the time from the other party, also — both of us have gone through this — and understanding also that what as governor I've been able to accomplish and how that can help the nation, so — so much in common and great conversations, and then, you know, by...

VAN SUSTEREN: But I mean, it was fun for women. I mean, it was fun for women watching Senator Clinton. It was fun to — you know, for women to watch you, you know, because it is still — it's still a glass ceiling, you know, for women.

PALIN: Well, it is. And Greta, too, it was — you know, throughout my campaign also, man in America has so progressed. I mean, look at both tickets, the representation on both tickets, obvious progression there. But still, still that — kind of that double standard there with a female on the ticket. Hillary went through the same thing, of course. It shows us that we still have a bit further to go here until everyone is treated equally and not held to a different standard.

And I say that not complaining about it, just facing reality the way that it was on the trail and the treatment by the media. And I'm not complaining about it, I'm just stating my opinion is that's the way it was. There were certainly double standards there in...

PALIN: I don't know. There's enough space for everybody, though. It's — yes, I think that Alaska's misunderstood and a lot of the people are misunderstood, and perhaps that craving that so many Alaskans have for independence, that's misunderstood also, kind of exploited in some sense. But it's just so huge and diverse that there's plenty for everybody. Yes.

VAN SUSTEREN: Misunderstood in what way, though?

PALIN: Well, that — I don't know. I think there is a perception perhaps that Alaskans are perhaps not wanting to be a part of more of what's going on in their country also. And I got a little sense of that in terms of the questions that were asked of me along the trail. You know, a number of the questions like, Well, what you read? What — how do you stay in touch with what's going on in the country? And I remember that question sure took me aback. And just some of those questions that were asked that made me realize, Oh, people think that Alaska is so far away and that people here perhaps are out of touch.

And yet, I think — I look at Alaska as being situated to allow us to be leaders in a lot of the policy that needs to, I think, progress the state — the nation, energy policy especially, and you know, geographically where we're located. We're the air crossroads of the world. There are so many things that Alaska has to offer, and hopefully, we can help people understand where Alaska is, what we have to contribute, and we will kind of be better utilized, even, as a state. This very young state that we are, we are a great attribute to the rest of the nation.