Andrea Mitchell: John McCain Only Met Sarah Palin Once (VIDEO)

On MSNBC this evening Andrea Mitchell reported on how minimal John McCain's interactions with his choice for vice president, Sarah Palin, have been. According to Mitchell, McCain only met Palin once.

Watch the clip:

Politico has more on the short history of their encounters:

John McCain on Friday announced a running mate whom he met only six months ago and with whom he spoke just once on the phone about the position before offering it in person earlier this week.

McCain's first encounter with Sarah Palin came at a Washington meeting of the National Governors Association in February, according to a campaign-provided reconstruction of how the little-known Alaska governor was thrust into the national spotlight. The two discussed the position by phone on Sunday before McCain invited Palin and her husband to Arizona to formally make the offer. McCain, joined by his wife, Cindy, did just that Thursday morning at their home near Sedona, Ariz.

And as Think Progress is reporting, McCain Campaign spokesperson Nancy Pfotenhauer appeared on Fox News earlier today and was asked how well McCain knew Palin. Her answer to host Bill Hemmer:

You're running flat into the wall of my ignorance here, Bill. I truly have no indication whatsoever the extent of a relationship that exists with the Governor of Alaska.

Watch the clip.

Comments

[poliscibabe]

Dear PUMAs,

I have a short story to tell you. Once upon a time a GOP president selected a minority candidate for the Supreme Court. Even though this minority was well known in his community to be against the best interests of his people, his people prayed for the best and did not mount a challenge against his nomination. This is how Blacks in the US wound up with Clarence Thomas voting against their interests when ever possible.

Once upon a time a GOP president selected a minority candidate for the Attorney General. Even though this minority was well known in his community to be against the best interests of his people, his people prayed for the best and did not mount a challenge against the nomination. This is how the Hispanic people in the US wound up with Alberto Gonzales as the Attorney General.

DO YOU SEE A PATTERN? This pick is not in your best interests.

An African-American who knows.

[totamo4]

Let me start out with this...my wife and I had NO intentions of voting for either party this election..­.until yesterday. I am an independant and my wife is a kindergarten aid and registered Democrat. (I know...poo­r me.)
We've lived in the Fairbanks, AK area for the past 9 months and follow local/state politics here pretty closely. In fact, I was so impressed with the way Gov Palin did business I let go of my Minnesota residency. I was going to wait on that until I retired from the Air Force and retired to Michgan (my wife's home area).
Anyway, Gov Palin runs a tight ship up here and demands all politicians here do the same. She has taken on corruption up here and has cleaned up including (R) Sen Ted Stevens and the other knucklehead Don Young. She has been the voice of young, honest, hard working Alaskans. In fact, Gov Palin's approval rating is closer to 85-90% up here.
She, unlike McCain, is very smart on energy and economics. Her administration is working VERY hard on developing and pushing alternative energy sources (geotheramal, wind, etc) along with opening up and supplementing with ANWR oil.
She's made "change" happen for the past 10 years while Obama's just been talking about it.
If you want to see more on her...go to http://www.newsminer.com/. It's the Fairbanks local paper. I truely believe she is what's best for our country at this time.

[Enid]

Your comment is awaiting moderation.

Ten Attributes of a Leader

CURIOSITY
CREATIVE
COMMUNICTOR
PERSON OF CHARACTOR
CURRAGES
CONVICTION
CORE VISON
INSPIRE
COMPETENT
COMMON SCENCE

you add it up for yourself

list complement s Warren Buffet he is backing _Obama.

[JADE2002]

The thing that is so telling is that McBush was the nominee since March, so he has had five months to sit back and think about this choice and he only met her once.

He has been successful in breaking at least some of Obama's lead based on his "experience" and then he makes a strategic move that has nothing to do with the best interest of the american people?
How about the republicans?

I guess McBush is a closet Obama supporter- cause he just handed him the election.

[barackobama4prez]

basically. i would be PYSSED if i were repug.

[eMJayy]

We shouldn't be surprised.­.. all year long McCain has been gaining ample 'experience' making a fool of himself.

[StillAmused]

Yeah, but he looked into her eyes and saw her soul.

That kind of judgement runs in the GOP.

[doctorwang]

Scary, but true. And we can see how well B#sh was able to 'read' Putin.

[BWonka]

Look at the picture - he was starring at her @$$, not looking into her eyes.

[helonias]

http://thebruceblog.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/sarah-palin-sisterhood-of-the-traveling-catsuit/

[drzoon]

ONIE AGAIN....

the world has to be laughing their rear ends off !

the idea of her flying to georgia when the russians invaded...­. like president bush asked of biden? its LAUGHABLE!

[InformedVoter08]

I think it was Karl Rove because they didn't have any other chance of winning...­if they don't win, they will say it's because the country is sexist and blame it on her.

[sej100]

As a Hillary supporter, I have been luke warm about Obama.
I think he did some lousy things in his campaign and Axelrod slandered the Clintons in the worst way using race. It was slander with no truth.

I feel like an independent now.
However, McCain is not a possibility and now that he has proven his colors, no conscience, no judgment only pandering and desperation, he has to lose.

This choice establishes only how foolish the GOP believes people to be.
she is the most unqualified ridiculous candidate I have yet to see.

Its an insult to women that the one woman on the ticket offers so little and has no qualifications.

[Cheryllou]

I agree with you completely. McSame is trying to get those Hillary supporters and he did it in the worst way. If he took someone with more experience, he might have gotten them, but I don't think he will with his choice.

[DocJerome]

Welcome aboard.

[Topfeeder]

Yes, that's the spirit. Our nation and it's future is not rolled up in any one candidate. It is the party and its platform that counts. The Democratic Party is the only party that is listening to the citizens.

[reliant1]

Welcome!!

[doctorwang]

"Its an insult to women that the one woman on the ticket offers so little and has no qualificat­ions."

I totally agree.

[abirish]

This has Karl Rove written all over it. They have to satify the religious right and this is their way of doing it. Just remember it was the religious right who voted Bush back in office and look at the mess we are in.

[totamo4]

Inform yourself..­.go to http://www.newsminer.com/ for the real news. Gov Palin is awesome.

[DocJerome]

http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/what-is-mccain-thinking-one-alaskans-perspective/

Enough said.

[doctorwang]

Perhaps you want to try this instead.

"I think this article is required reading regarding Mrs. Palin. Truly shows Mcain is unfit for the presidency"

http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/what-is-mccain-thinking-one-alaskans-perspective/

[BWonka]

Screw the Ethics investigation, right?

Awesome? That's what McCain thinks about her @$$ - just look at the picture.

[misswilliams]

She supported Pat Buchanan in 2000; thats all you need to know about her.

[eMJayy]

Based on what I've been reading on Alaskan blogs, there are an awful lots of Alaskans of the view that Palin was already in over her head right NOW as governor of the state...af­ter just one year in office.

How's that for a ringing endorsemen­t...

[MourningDude]

One year in office?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nA1MwOE86U

Unless JMac immediately dies after winning, she will have time to learn on the job. The same can't be said of BHO.

[widgetbrain]

72years old with known health problems. 75.2 yrs is the CDC number for male life expectancy.

Three years from now will we look back to see that President Palin won the office because John McCain panicked over Obama's convention bump ? Is that the judgment McCain has spent the last year and a half basing his candidacy on? The public and the press have had 18 months to vet every aspect of Barack's Life and views and career. The majority have decided that they like what they see.
John's campaign staff spent ONE MONTH vetting Palin. Mccain has met her ONCE. Hes made this appointment based a BUMPER STICKER understanding of who she is, but thats WHY he chose her. FOR THE BUMPER STICKER.

[MajorKong]

I'm sure she was thoroughly vetted by James Dobson, Pat Robertson, Phyllis Schlafly and John Hagee.

[blueshield]

I wouldn't hire a babysitter on one meeting.

But J.ohn's decided she can protect all of America's children after one meeting?

[LeftVetPatriot]

Her flag pin is HUGE!

[doctorwang]

She must be very patriotic - more so then anyone else who wears a smaller sized pin!

[ReasonableBill]

Met her once - remember Bush';s first meeting with Putin where he "read" his soul. The Religious Right is taking us straight to hell and we cannot even afford to pay the toll..

[Cheryllou]

So true, so true. It's very sad when you come to think about it.

[pthesmith]

1. McCain's choice to use a woman as a tool for advancing his political career is an insult to all women. It is especially disgusting when you consider McCain's record on women's issues and his choice of jokes when demonstrating his "authentic" self.

2. It is also a crippling strategic blunder, neutralizing McCain's most effective arguement against his opponent. McCain can no longer effectively tout Obama's inexperience without drawing attention to Palin's thin resume.

2. Palin will have only 2 months to define herself and address the perception she is only a political publicity stunt. Whether she is or isn't, the perception is there.

3. By Palin's own admission, she is unsure of what a VP does everyday.

4. I can easliy imagine Obama and Biden working closely together. If anything happens to Obama, Biden becomes President. The Repubican ticket is an entirely diferent scenario. I cannot envision McCain working closely with Palin on decisions. If something happens to McCain (72 years old with cancer), Palin becomes Commander in Chief? What do our military leaders think of McCain's choice.

5. McCain only recently met Palin. Did McCain "look into [her] eyes and see [her] soul?" This decision suggests significant problems within the McCain decision-making process.

Palin may be all the things Republicans say she is. But, the problem is what this decision says about McCain.