According to the McCain campaign, there is no need whatsoever for Sarah Palin to be interviewed by journalists - or citizens, for that matter - about foreign policy, domestic policy, or anything else. She's given her speech, spoken "directly to the American people," and that's the end of the story according to the McCain campaign. Translation: they are terrified to expose Sarah Palin to any uncontrolled setting where she might be asked a question on just about any subject, because they know she can't handle it. If they think that being interviewed by journalists is such a waste of time, then why has John McCain himself been on TV and radio, answering questions, hundreds if not thousands of times in his career? Maybe because he can handle it (putting aside the question of whether we agree with him, or whether he's particularly expert on the economy, etc.)? Yeah, that's what I thought.
Anyway, the bottom line here is simply this: the McCain campaign has no confidence in Sarah Palin, knows she's completely unqualified to be Vice President, and is going to try and shelter her from any but the most controlled settings - with one exception, the VP debate, for which she is prepping frantically I'm sure - until November 4. In doing so, they will not let you, the American public, observe how this candidate responds to tough questioning on the crucial issues facing our nation and our world. That demonstrates contempt by John McCain and his campaign for the public, disdain for our Democracy, and awareness that Sarah Palin is not ready for prime time. I mean, do you think they'd be hiding Joe Lieberman, Tom Ridge, Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Condi Rice, Mitt Romney, Bobby Jindal, or Tim Pawlenty?
Comments
That's the standard that you'll only find . . . (JPTERP - 9/5/2008 2:33:18 PM)
acceptable in a dictatorship.
Of course, the Republican party these days does seem to embrace authoritarian leaders, so I guess it's kind of natural.
Forgive my ignorance (Teddy - 9/5/2008 4:17:47 PM)
But who were the people in this video, and what was the setting? The guy on the left must be a journalist, but who was the shrill voiced-interrupter woman in the middle, and who was the claque on the right? Why the shot of the audience (which was composed of--- what)? Aren't Annie Oakley and Nasty on the prowl in swing states now? Has anybody directed questions to Palin there in the hustings? Or are there no questions allowed, of anybody? This gets curiouser and curiouser.
Joe Scarborough's show (Lowell - 9/5/2008 4:25:02 PM)
Also, Jay Carney of Time Magazine, Nicole Wallace of the McCain campaign. See here for more.
Transcript: CARNEY: 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, you know, domestic policy, foreign policy--
WALLACE: But I mean like from who? From you? Who cares?!
CARNEY: Who cares? I think the American people care.
WALLACE: I think the American people want to see her -- I mean who cares if she can talk to Time Magazine? She talked to the American people. The American people want to say, "How am I going to save my home?" She can answer that question. ... She took the stage and talked to the American people about things they care about: How they're gonna save their homes.
Ha! (tx2vadem - 9/5/2008 5:34:07 PM)
How did she tell Americans how they are going to save their homes?
You know what I am going to do today, I am going to pay my mortgage and save my home! Goverment, get out of my way! =P
Morning Joe [Scarborough] I think. (Pain - 9/5/2008 4:27:36 PM)
Not sure how to spell Scarborough, but whatever.
I guess that was this morning in some bar where they were filming Morning Joe. Probably right after the band 'Hookers and Blow' went off stage and they called last call for propoganda, I mean alcohol.
As to who the obnoxious woman is, not sure, but she's surely hopped up on something....probably her own ego.
Also (aznew - 9/5/2008 4:37:17 PM)
Robert Gibbs, Obama spokesman (I think, my screen is kinda blurry).
I assume the crowd is the restaurant in Minneapolis where MJ has been broadcasting from.
Nicole Wallace used to work for Bush.
Why? (Peninsula Pete - 9/5/2008 4:54:31 PM)
Why would anyone want to question Palin? I mean, McCain Campaign says she was sent by GOD to save the Republican Party and McCain did after all spend 5-years in a POW camp, which is his answer to any tough question. What would you ask her?
This can only be bad for Palin. Answering any questions from the press. But bet on it, that the Republcians will scream like little girls that its "SEXISM" if any tough questions are asked!
It means McCain is by his lonesome (CADeminVA - 9/5/2008 5:26:07 PM)
They can trot out Palin for private fund-raisers. They can maybe run her out for a couple of rallies. But basically she's under wraps until Oct. 2 while Joe Lieberman preps her for her debate against Biden. They absolutely cannot allow her to face the press with no protection. Put a barracuda in a tank with piranhas and the piranhas always win. Always.
Palin Not Ready for Primetime (KC of NOVA - 9/5/2008 6:10:44 PM)
According to Marc Ambinder, a senior McCain advisor, Governor Palin "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 question is, please dfine "a long while."
What's most amusing about this is that the Anchorage Daily News has called for Palin to stop stalling the Troopergate investigation. The Newspaper wrote that
"She should be practicing the open and transparent, ethical and accountable government she promised when running for governor and boasts about now that she's on the national stage."
If the McCain folks want to to only speak to the Alaska newspapers, I suspect, that reporters at the Anchorage Daily News may know all of the right questions to ask their governor.
So more Palin huh? (tx2vadem - 9/5/2008 6:29:56 PM)
No scathing critique of McCain's poorly delivered speech from last night? No fierce rebuttal of his arguments? Especially, this I can be bipartisan B.S. when I have disavowed all of my signature bipartisan legislative work. And he mispronounced Washington as "Warshington." That is like nails on a chalkboard for me. There is no R in Washington.
I guess McCain has managed to overshadow himself by picking Palin. Palin, the superstar! And McCain was saying so recently that celebrity is a bad thing (or at least that is the message I got from all those ads in the morning on News Channel 8). With all this media coverage, you'd think the Republicans had nominated Palin. Maybe their electors will flip their votes and put her at the top of the ticket.
We live blogged McCain's speech (Lowell - 9/5/2008 7:14:14 PM)
Personally, I said all I feel like saying for now. You're welcome to write a diary on that subject if you'd like.
But yeah, McCain is overshadowed by Palin I think...
Job Interview? (Eric - 9/5/2008 8:54:13 PM)
So let's see...
A person walks into a large corporation to do a job interview for a senior VP position. This person has a nice looking but rather short resume. They walk in to the interview, read one prepared statement, and then refuse to answer any questions because they are not ready yet.
Do you think this person is going to get the job?
C'mon, give Palin some credit! (Kindler - 9/5/2008 9:13:45 PM)
She gave a interview to People magazine, for crying out loud! And I'm sure she's preparing for being grilled by the seasoned journalists of such fine publications as Glamour, TV Guide, and Better Homes & Gardens.
Who knows, she may even be preparing to go on the Rachel Ray show to demonstrate the proper technique for filleting a moose. So there, you godless pinkos!