Sandra's first Interview with Harry Smith - transcribed by Lexie

(shows a clip of Sandra talking about each of her tribe mates coming to her asking her to vote a certain way and her agreeing to it each time to safe herself. )

( clip of Jeff announcing Sandra as the winner of Survivor Pearl Islands)

Harry Smith- Sandra Diaz- Twine - Good Morning and Congratulations

Sandra- Thank you very much Harry - how are you?

Harry- Oh I'm doing great - and we are all sitting around saying you look so great this morning- you look like a million dollars !

Sandra- thank you - thank you very much

( Harry laughs)

Harry - let's talk about this game-    How shocked were you when Lill picked you over Jonny Fairplay?

Sandra -  I was definitely in shock.  She was up there forever. I'm thinking  Jon is only 3 letters why is she taking so long.- she's writing my name down. Then  I was just in total shocked when she picked me to go along with her.

Harry -  Did you have any idea and inkling that might happen?

Sandra  -   No not at all I had packed  all my stuff I was ready to go.  You know I said -  I can't complain I'm in 3rd place.   you know... I could have been a long time ago.

Harry -   When you and Lill went to sleep on that island for the last time last night, what were you dreaming about - what were you  thinking about ?

Sandra -  umm.. I think I was so tired that I  really just went to sleep.  I really didn't think too much of it you know ..  I just said I'll take final 2 that's fine with me  because I said all along you know -  that if I go up against Lil she gonna win but you know that's perfectly fine with me. So.. .  I had just thought about the $100,000 and that was it.

Harry -   Was that a mistake that  alot of people made because  there was this consensus all through the game - after Lill came back that if she ended up - you know - in the last group that everybody was going to vote for Lil- they were all going to feel sorry for her- and no body felt sorry for her in the end.

Sandra -   Not so much feel sorry for her but just the fact that she was such a nice person. umm... Sometimes I'd get up out of bed and I'd just look at Lil and I'd just start cussing her out because  I'm thinking she's responsible for Rupert and Christa being gone - so  If I wake up on the wrong side of the bed, she's getting it today.

Harry laughs and says -   Going into Tribal Council then -  what was your strategy,  because you had to speak to the jury.   you know Lill was going to speak to the jury - What did you feel like you needed to get across because you had a last chance to explain yourself.

Sandra -    I wish I had prepared better because honestly  I feel like I didn't come across as  well.. I mean ... sometimes I can put words together really really  well.umm and I just kept saying the same thing over and over.  When we were back at camp- I was like- you know  Lil was saying  "what do you think they are going to ask us".   and I'm like don't even worry because if you worry your little head about it now - I mean it's going to be totally different than what they come up with so don't even worry about it  and just go with the flow and that's what I tried to do.

Harry -  You know it was interesting because as the game went on we became more and more impressed with the way you played.   Because on  one hand you were out-front, you were very strong in terms of your dealing with some of the other players, yet at the same time no one ever voted against you, you were above the radar, in people's faces and under the radar all at the same time.  What was your philosophy in playing the game?

Sandra -   I just always thought that the perfect thing to do is just go along. uhh.. everyone is out there thinking strategy  24/7, I said why worry myself with that, you know  -  they are going to come to me when they need me.  And they used and abused. Uh.. what they say   .. you know I was always like you know whatever you need - I'm there and if you need that  vote come to me.- and they used it and they abused it and it worked out for me. You know I  was always 3 more days, 3 more days. That was my goal just to make it a couple of more days...

Harry - yeah - but from day 1 you know you  were so impressive in that village using your Spanish, wheeling and dealing there -  Everybody else was in chaos,  and you were in control. One final question - we'll see you more in a few minutes but had Lil picked Jonny Fairplay instead of you, who would have gotten your vote? 

Sandra -   Lil would have gotten my vote. Definitely -   Me and Jon hadn't gotten along  a lot of the  time.  or let's say most of the time - I  actually did hate Jon.  There was no way,  after all this had happened -  he had - I felt like stabbed me and slapped me in the face that I was going to give me my million dollar vote  that's for sure...

Harry - alright Sandra- hang around we've got a lot more in store for you - including a million dollars

Sandra - yeaahhh !!

Harry- We are going to back in a moment with Lill, Jon and Darrah - who came oh so close to winning it all - so stay with us.

( shows Darrah, Jon and Lil on stage)

Harry - laughs and says look at Jonny Fairplay (more laughter)

(Jon is wearing sunglasses giving his "Jonny Fairplay hand/finger signal)

Check out the Screen Caps of Sandra's appearance on the CBS Early Show in our Photo Gallery HERE