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Palin Media Avoidance Watch, Day Seven
September 05, 2008 12:13 PM
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was named to the Republican ticket one week ago, and she has yet to answer questions from reporters.
Yes, some of the comments from the punditocracy about her have been untoward, even sexist, but given the importance of the job she accepted Wednesday night in her nomination speech, it's entirely reasonable for voters to expect Palin to answer questions from journalists about her positions and her record.
If Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., or Joe Biden, D-Del., refused to answer questions from the press, the RNC and the McCain campaign would never stop carping about it -- and rightly so.
In fact, they have done so in the past when Obama has gone several days without talking to the media.
So what are we to expect from Gov. Palin?
Time magazine's Jay Carney tried to get McCain spox Nicolle Wallace to answer this question the other night.
Watch HERE.
Carney: We know now that Sarah Palin can give one hell of a speech, she’s a natural, and that’s no mean feat. We don’t know yet, and we won’t know until you guys allow her to take questions, you know, can she answer tough questions about domestic policy, foreign policy –
Wallace: Wait, wait. Questions from who? From him, from you? Who cares? No offense, but –
Carney: I think the American people care –
Wallace: I think the American people want to see her, but who cares if she can talk to Time Magazine? She can talk to the American people. They want to see "How am I going to save my home?"
Carney: The American people need to know, just like they need to know about Joe Biden and Barack Obama –
Wallace: That she can talk to you?
Carney: Not just to me — that she knows things about domestic and foreign policy that presidents and vice presidents need to know.
Wallace: Right. But, but here’s the thing… the media did something to this family that I’ve never seen before. In my life. And I think she took the stage last night and, you know, she made her own points. She put this discussion and this race and this convention in her own terms. And she didn’t do it by talking, all due respect, to people like you. She took the stage and talked to the American people about things they care about, how they’re going to save their homes.
**
So what does that mean, practically speaking? Will the woman seeking to be a heartbeat away from the presidency avoid talking to the media? Obama sat down for an interview with Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly Thursday -- hardly friendly terrain. Is Palin willing to do the same?
So far I haven't heard back from the McCain-Palin campaign about this question.
- jpt
UPDATE: McCain campaign spox Jill Hazelbaker emails to say "of course" Palin will do interviews and press conferences. On the other hand, our friend Marc Ambinder at The Atlantic reports that a senior McCain campaign official tells him that "Palin won't submit to a formal interview anytime soon. She may take some questions from local news entities in Alaska, but until she's ready -- and until she's comfortable -- which might not be for a long while -- the media will have to wait. The campaign believes it can effectively deal with the media's complaints, and their on-the-record response to all this will be: 'Sarah Palin needs to spend time with the voters.' Not out of the question are appearances on lighter, fluffier television shows. But -- not for a while."
September 5, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (472)
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There's a heck of a big difference between going out and answering questions with your own personal opinion as an elected official versus answering them for another person. She has to absorb decades of information about McCain and months of speeches and positions he's taken during this campaign in weeks. Any campaign will spend inordinate amounts of time briefing a new running mate before throwing them out on the road with anything but their stump speech. Granted, if she doesn't start showing up on these shows next week or the week after, there are legitimate concerns about why she is being hidden.
Posted by: AmericanPatriot | Sep 6, 2008 11:04:36 AM
It is obvious that the republican party has been completely taken over by the Christian right. It started in 2000 and 2004 and now with the selection of Sarah Palin, the take over is complete. It should be obvious over the last 8 years that competence is of no concern for the religious right. They just want one of their own to be in the White House. Competence be damned. It is also rather amusing to witness the contortions regarding abortion and working mothers from the Dobson crown and the O'Reilly's. So I guess not only competence be damned, but credibility as well.
Posted by: Link | Sep 6, 2008 11:02:09 AM
She should agree to hold a press conference on Oprah. Better yet, she should hold a press conference and invite only those outlets that didn't write a sexist article or mention anything about her daughter. That way two media outlets will show up and get to answer all the questions.
What they really mean to ask is: We want to try to stump her by asking her who the Preident of Turkmenistan is and then mock her lack of world knowledge. Her speech was direct to the American people. The internet provides the same. The MSM doesn't like directness......they want to filter the message before it reaches the masses.
Posted by: Eric in Mesa | Sep 6, 2008 10:51:14 AM
Let the women send her son off to Iraq to fight for our country in peace. She is VP candidate, get a grip. You guys are chomping at the bit. Such a double standard.
Barracuda
Posted by: break | Sep 6, 2008 9:59:18 AM
I do believe that Jake has fallen in love....with Obama.
Posted by: Area504 | Sep 6, 2008 9:11:23 AM
2 years of campaigning and finally the 'one' goes on a show that doesn't kiss his a##, and there is a big difference between Palin and Obama, with Obama just like with Michele who went on the View and had a list of things they couldn't talk about, the media went out it's way to make Obama look good even debates they were not allowed to ask him any tough questions ( ABC's debate the backlash from the messiah's followers) with Palin the media is gunning for her probably ask " Prime Minister of some dot on the map's name, so why should the McCain camp give you guys access when Obama is the least accessible campaign and he still gets the better coverage.
Posted by: resa | Sep 6, 2008 3:47:20 AM
I think you are all being very sexist and you should just give Caribou Barbie some time to learn at the feet of the master. They need time to teach her all about current events in Czechoslovakia and also how to find the Iraq/Pakistan border on a map. You know, no one is just born knowing this stuff.
Posted by: BMS | Sep 6, 2008 2:27:27 AM
dl:
does that mean we get to see "Todd" hold a news conference?
he was a champion snowmobile racer you know!
yup!
Posted by: DRZOON | Sep 6, 2008 1:27:30 AM
The guy she’s alleged to have her affair with was trying to seal his divorce records by emergency order today and was DENIED.
3PA-07—1581C1A in the matter of: Richter, Scott Alan and Deborah Marie
Posted by: DRZOON | Sep 6, 2008 1:24:57 AM
Sarah Palin can't face the press on day one so why are we to believe she can lead on day one?
Posted by: voteO | Sep 6, 2008 12:05:19 AM
Palin is new, so some people come to see a pair of new buts. She will be gone in a few days!!!
her sex tape is on the way!!!!
Posted by: whoispalin | Sep 5, 2008 10:19:27 PM
Palin is running away from media. She is afraid of tough questions!!!
A coward and a slimy!
Posted by: mcain | Sep 5, 2008 10:16:28 PM
I saw Palin and came to conclusion that she is a dumb gal, good pair of buts and nothing else.
Bush team writes her speeches!
Shame on GOP, they have no quality leaders!
Posted by: palinas | Sep 5, 2008 10:11:32 PM
Obama gave a press conference today in York, PA. Had questions asked of him by reporters, and answered the questions too.
Posted by: Amy T | Sep 5, 2008 9:38:50 PM
It's been an awfully long time since Obama has given a press conference with questions and answers. An awfully long time. And when was the last time he let Michelle talk in a potentially hostile environment.
Get it?
Posted by: dl | Sep 5, 2008 8:39:57 PM
Interesting piece this evening on NPR about an email from Anne Kilkenny from Wasilla about her experience of and opinions about Sarah Palin. Quite detailed...anyone read it?
Posted by: Amy T | Sep 5, 2008 8:32:31 PM
It's been an awfully long time since Obama has given a press conference with questions and answers. An awfully long time. And when was the last time he let Michelle talk in a potentially hostile environment.
Get it?
Posted by: dl | Sep 5, 2008 8:31:36 PM
John Doe, the invasion of Iraq was NOT instigated by lies. THAT in itself is a lie. Have you even read the 2002 Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq?
President Bush rescinded the 1991 cease fire due to the 12 years of Saddam Hussein's failure to comply with the conditions of the cease fire. Whether Iraq had WMDs or not is irrelevant. Besides, many Democrats claimed that Iraq had WMDs back in 1998 when Congress gave President Clinton the authorization for regime change in Iraq. Some Democrats even said that Iraq posed an "imminent threat."
Posted by: James Danley | Sep 5, 2008 7:57:46 PM
Those individuals who claim that Governor Sarah Palin used to be a member of the Alaska Independent Party, a party who supports Alaska's secession from the U. S., might be interested in knowing that Sen. Akaka (D-HI) offered a bill in 2006 that would have given Native Hawaiians their own race-based, sovereign government. Sen. Akaka acknowledged that had that bill passed it could very well have resulted in Hawaii's secession from the U. S. Fortunately the Democrats failed to end the filibuster. But Sen. Obama and Sen. Biden BOTH voted for closure and would have voted FOR the bill had it been brought to the floor for a vote.
It's one thing to be a member of a party that supports secession. It's quite another to actually VOTE for a bill that would likely result in secession of a state.
NOTE: It was actually Todd Palin not Governor Sarah Palin who was a member of the AIP. She has been a member of the Republican Party since 1982. And there is NO evidence that she was ever a member of the AIP Todd Palin has been a registered Independent since 2002.
Posted by: James Danley | Sep 5, 2008 7:50:02 PM
Sam,
Obama's wife is not running for president or vice president. If you're fine with Laura Bush having her mouth "taped shut" through a failing US economy, rising unemployment, a war instigated by lies while our enemies get stronger and our influence in the world becoming weaker, then Michelle can keep her mouth shut as long as Barack wants it to be.
Posted by: John Doe | Sep 5, 2008 7:35:53 PM
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