From:
Head of State
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/09/mccain-and-couric-on-gotcha-journalism.html

Tuesday, September 30, 2008
McCain and Couric Spar on Gotcha Journalism

COURIC: Over the weekend, Gov. Palin, you said the U.S. should absolutely launch cross-border attacks from Afghanistan into Pakistan to, quote, "stop the terrorists from coming any further in." Now, that's almost the exact position that Barack Obama has taken and that you, Sen. McCain, have criticized as something you do not say out loud. So, Gov. Palin, are you two on the same page on this?

MCCAIN: Now, just a minute, Katie. I have to step in here. That's another example of the media's "Gotcha journalism"...

COURIC: But, it was a question from a citizen. How is a citizen asking a candidate a question an example of what you call "Gotcha Journalism?"

MCCAIN: Because it was hard, Katie.

We don't want Gov. Palin to be asked questions, unless she is prepared for them. When she is prepared, as she will be before the debate, she sounds intelligent, knowledgeable and feisty. But when she has not been prepared, she sounds lost and incoherent.

We can't have people asking her questions when she has not had time to be prepared with an answer.

COURIC: But, Sen. McCain, I have to say, you are 72-years old. Actuarial preditions show that if you were to be elected, Gov. Palin would have a 1 in 5 chance of actually becoming President. These are perilous times--unprecedented crises in financial markets, tensions across a wide range of critical foreign policy arenas.

Shouldn't we have a Vice President, and a potential President, who actually understands these issues, beyond the preparation necessary for a debate?

For example, here is her response to a question on the economy:

COURIC: Why isn't it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries; allow them to spend more and put more money into the economy instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?

PALIN: That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, were ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health-care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the—it's got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So health-care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans. And trade, we've got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, scary thing. But one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today, we've got to look at that as more opportunity. All those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that.

COURIC: That answer, Sen. McCain, as noted by Fareed Zakaria, is incoherent.

MCCAIN: Yes. (nodding head)

COURIC: Well, isn't it actually important that a potential President actually comprehend issues? That is, beyond debate preparation?

MCCAIN: No, Katie. That's what I mean by "gotcha journalism". It's obvious from these prior interviews that Palin has little to no comprehension of fiscal policy and economics. For heaven's sake, she received a "D" in macroeconomics in college! And, as I've I said in the past, I have little understanding of economic issues myself.

No, what's important, Katie, is that she *sound* like she understands the issues. In the debate. If she is sufficiently prepared, she can give an illusion of understanding the issues--even if she is giving answers with the prepared and practiced spontaneity and content necessary to give that illusion force.

Given that the bar is set at the lowest standard imaginable, Katie, if she accompanies that performance with sufficient charm, we believe that media will follow, into focusing on the change from that low standard, and on those superficial entertainment values--you know, Katie, (McCain smiles through tight lips and squinting eyes and moves his hands up and down)--"She certainly appears to be more confident tonight; she appears more poised, coherent, humorous"--rather than her actual readiness to be President.

So, Katie, we want them to focus on that difference, on her debate preparation, rather than on her actual well-demonstrated Presidential unreadiness. And that's what I mean by "gotcha journalism."

KATIE: But if I understand you correctly, Sen. McCain, you actually believe that it's not important that she understand the issues actually facing the nation...

MCCAIN: Right.

COURIC: On which many people's very jobs, health and life will rely at this critical time...

MCCAIN: Yes.

COURIC: All that really matters creating a standard so low that she actually is rewarded for her widely seen and repeatedly demonstrated lack of knowledge and understanding. We would be using what is essentially a remedial standard for Presidential capability--instead of one of actual Presidential capacity.

Sen. McCain, no one can gain Presidential-level understanding in days. And in the office of the Presidency, with its intense crises and unforseeable events, she will not be prepared for each unpredictable day, as she was for the debate.

Yet you expect media to focus on these values, rather than actual readiness to be President. That's what you mean by "gotcha journalism"?

MCCAIN: Exactly. Once again, Katie--we "gotcha."

COURIC: How can you expect the media to fall for that?

MCCAIN: It worked for Bush.

Cite:
Head of State
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/09/mccain-and-couric-on-gotcha-journalism.html

Let's hope that her answers to Couric and Gibson won't be what she relies on Thursday. You can't rely on personal tidbits to successfully deal with weighty foreign policy Q's and the like...

ttp://www.political-buzz.com/

FREE SARAH PALIN!! FREE SARAH PALIN!!

Never held a press conference

Answers very few media or public questions

Holds radical views on abortion, religion, guns, gays…

What is the McCain Campaign so afraid of? Her being honest?

Her reputation already stinks since the largest number of Americans (49 percent) say she is unqualified to be VP.

She is a scary, radical and, as the Anchorage Alaska Daily News described her, an “extreme social Conservative.”

Let Sarah have the freedom of speech, unlike her Russian neighbor, Vladimir Putin.

FREE SARAH PALIN!! FREE SARAH PALIN!!

according to Mc Cain, Palin is qualified, ready for the duties in white House, BUT just not ready to talk to the media. I hope at the debate, she doesn't have to have the questions repeated over and over. Maybe Palin is Mc Cains answer to his prayers but just not the voters. She already put herself at top of list Palin/Mc Cain admistration? I knew Mc Cain promised change but I did think that was the change he was talking about. Sen. Mc Cain will you also furnish her with a hearing devise so she give the right answers?

"I'm the new energy, the new face, the new ideas and he's got the experience based on many many years in the Senate and voters are gonna have a choice there of what it is that they want in these next four years.”

she really has no idea at all what she is doing does she? Does she realize that she is making the case right there for Obama?

I'm having a hard time believing that the interview with John McCain and Katie Couric is not some kind of satire or spoof.
He agrees that he answer is incoherent and says that the question was hard...
WTF!!!
Is it for real?
Holy Cow! We are in serious trouble if the McCain/Palin ticket wins.

Homosexuality is a choice people make, according to Palin in her latest exchange with Couric.

Plus more interesting stuff on Palin's favorite newspapers and magazines:

COURIC: And when it comes to establishing your world view, I was curious, what newspapers and magazines did you regularly read before you were tapped for this — to stay informed and to understand the world?

PALIN: I’ve read most of them again with a great appreciation for the press, for the media —

COURIC: But what ones specifically? I’m curious.

PALIN: Um, all of them, any of them that have been in front of me over all these years.

COURIC: Can you name any of them?

PALIN: I have a vast variety of sources where we get our news.

Plus, a 15-years old girl raped by her father got to have the baby, according to Palin.

And she's against the morning after pill.

Interesting stuff, isn't it? Would make a great VP.

patisanship aside, this is seriously a scarey possibility here. Can there be any question that if this were an independent ticket that there would be out loud laughter? Karl Rove would rip this ticket to shreds if it were the Dem ticket. I repect her, i do, she has made some big accomplishments but lets be clear, Alaskan politics is a very small pond.

Katie: do you believe in the "the morning after pill?

Palin: I believe in birth control, however, i do not believe in abortion...life starts at conception:
\Katie: SO, LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT...YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN THER MORNING AFTER PILL'

Palin: i believe that life starts at conception;

Katie: , so what you are telling me is that you do not believe in the morning after pill?

that's real fair journalism Katie...you will be looking for a job yourself soon anyway.

CALGON take her away
AND DON'T BRING HER BACK!

She really thinks alot of herself. Not an ounce of modesty in her.

No matter what happens thursday night, the only ones who will be chanting her name are the far right nutjobs who thinks she walks on water.

The MSM already has Joe Biden losing because he is not afraid to talk and wears his heart on his sleeve... so they automatically say he will gaffe so much that she will knock it out of the park... mark my words.. the exact words that George S. and Charlie will use, is "she has impressed the world with her vast knowledge, we should not have underestimated her, She knocked it out of the park"

which is what they said when she gave her scripted speech at the RNC... not sure what speech they heard, but all I heard was a bunch of teeth gnashing comments that had no substance.

Bottom line... she is as corrupt as McSame, she is a liar and she has clue what is going on in the lower 48 or around the world and she doesn't care.

No way will I fall for the pity party the MSM has started for Palin.

Now they're brain-washing her, so forget about the 'serenity', but what Palin really should do is take some two weeks off for some serious study of and reflection on world issues.

The most shocking aspect of her personality imo, as shown in her answers to Gibson's and Couric's questions, is that this woman doesn't even THINK. There's no reflection whatsoever. So, there probably is no knowledge, for knowledge makes one aware of any issue's complexities.

Palin is a very simple woman. Nothing wrong with that in itself, but everything is wrong with that now that she is a VP candidate.

Sarah Palin doesn't anyone to be concerned. She is a very qualified canditate. Someone said that she would be on some sort of special trial at the debate. Think about it. What could she possibly say or do that would make anyone want to vote for those other guys. Oboma and Biden scare me. Those two are more concerned with themselves, rather than the country.
Thanks Sarah palin for being "real", for being honest. and for being qualified. Given the choice of the others, I would rather trust you with the country anyday.

jjsjr

Question: what newspapers do you read?

Palin: any that are in front of me.

Katie, just another dumb blonde, guess
your trying to make up for your lack of
experience in journalism!!!!!!!!!!

Question: can you name one newspaper you read?

Palin: all the ones in front of me. Alaska isn't a foreign country.

wait, is this another SNL sketch?

"He's got a lot of experience and just stating the fact there, that we've been hearing his speeches for all these years. So he's got a tremendous amount of experience and, you know, I'm the new energy, the new face, the new ideas and he's got the experience based on many many years in the Senate and voters are gonna have a choice there of what it is that they want in these next four years"

-------------- uh, O.K.A.Y. where should Obama have your flowers delivered?

MCCAIN: No, Katie. That's what I mean by "gotcha journalism". It's obvious from these prior interviews that Palin has little to no comprehension of fiscal policy and economics. For heaven's sake, she received a "D" in macroeconomics in college! And, as I've I said in the past, I have little understanding of economic issues myself.

No, what's important, Katie, is that she *sound* like she understands the issues. In the debate. If she is sufficiently prepared, she can give an illusion of understanding the issues--even if she is giving answers with the prepared and practiced spontaneity and content necessary to give that illusion force.

----------------------- HE CANNOT BE SERIOUS! can he?

IS THIS REAL?

In other words, George W. Bush's former deputy campaign manager is now modeling Palin's ideas on America and the rest of the world.

Doesn't particularly sound as a promise of the change we need.

Win or Lose, Palin is still a joke. A joke on us, what if she ends up president? Who's the joke on then?

Palin is an idiot plane and simple. What is scary is that people are more interested in sticking by their team (republicans) rather than just be honest this women is plane dumb and would be better qualified to work the McDonalds counter than any other job.