posted on September 23, 2008 11:33:41 AM
That media-free zone around Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin was starting to get a little tighter as the Alaskan governor faced her first meetings with world leaders in New York - Palin never had met any before, she conceded in one of the two network TV news interviews the McCain campaign has allowed for its running mate.
As Palin made her way around the United Nations sessions in New York this week, CBS News - which will get the third network interview with Palin soon - reported on its Web-site that last night, the campaign had provided the sites of meetings with world leaders and with Henry Kissinger to a network TV producer, who was assigned to provide editorial content on the meetings for the five networks.
"The reporter was not going to be allowed to sit in on the private meetings, but would be permitted to be on hand as still and video photographers took pictures at the beginning of each meeting, CBS reports. But then, "a little more than an hour before Palin's first meeting was set to begin, 'the pool producer was notified that he would not be allowed in to the photo spray. This means that the McCain/Palin campaign would get the benefit of free pictures of Palin's meeting with world leaders without having to face the possibility that the candidate might have to answer a question from the media.''
Today, the follow-up goes, "after media outlets complained to the McCain/Palin campaign about its attempt to prevent an editorial presence at Gov. Palin's first meeting of the day, a pool producer was allowed in to the photo spray with Palin and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.''
We're not hearing about any questions answered, however.
Television networks, including CBS News, have a policy that, if prevented from having an editorial presence at an event, they will not allow their cameras to shoot it. "The McCain/Palin campaign's effort to stifle editorial coverage of the candidate's meetings with world leaders comes a week after CBS News asked Palin an impromptu question about the AIG bailout, while Palin made an off-the-record stop at a Cleveland diner.
"After the Cleveland event, a Palin staffer told CBS News that questions "weren't allowed."
Palin, picked by Republican John McCain as his running mate at the end of August, has not held a press conference yet. We hear, however, that Palin may become available for more news media interviews after the televised debate between the vice presidential candidates, Palin and Democratic Sen. Joe Biden, on Oct. 2.
posted on September 26, 2008 01:04:17 AM new
Couric: You've cited Alaska's proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?
Sarah Palin: That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and, on our other side, the land-boundary that we have with Canada. It's funny that a comment like that was kinda made to … I don't know, you know … reporters.
Couric: Mocked?
Palin: Yeah, mocked, I guess that's the word, yeah.
Couric: Well, explain to me why that enhances your foreign-policy credentials.
Palin: Well, it certainly does, because our, our next-door neighbors are foreign countries, there in the state that I am the executive of. And there…
Couric: Have you ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?
Palin: We have trade missions back and forth, we do. It's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia. As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there, they are right next to our state.
Sara Paulin has become a national joke. Maybe the Rovian propagandists will try to use that humor as a sort of desensitization to reduce the escalating fear throughout the country and the world that she might occupy the White House.
posted on September 26, 2008 10:20:25 AM new
It would be bad enough if Palin really did not believe that "Russian neighbor" claptrap. If she truly believes that being in close proximity to Russia qualifies as foreign policy experience, that is really frightening. When pressed by Couric to give examples of McCain's concern with our economic situation in the past, she could not come up with an answer but promised Couric she would find out and "bring it to ya!" Incredible!
posted on September 26, 2008 12:03:02 PM newWhen pressed by Couric to give examples of McCain's concern with our economic situation in the past, she could not come up with an answer but promised Couric she would find out and "bring it to ya!" Incredible!
I loved this part! I could not believe what a fool she is.
posted on September 26, 2008 05:39:20 PM new
This is interesting:
WASHINGTON (AFP) — Republican running mate Sarah Palin, after again laying claim to foreign policy expertise because Alaska is near Russia, suffered a media roasting Friday with one conservative calling on her to quit.
Pro-Republican columnist Kathleen Parker, writing in the National Review, said the Alaska governor was now such an embarrassment to the party that she should step down as John McCain's vice presidential nominee.
"Palin's recent interviews with Charles Gibson (ABC News), Sean Hannity (Fox News) and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League," Parker said.
