No Questions: Palin Won't Talk To Press

A John McCain campaign aide tells Jay Carney that she sees no reason why Sarah Palin should have to answer reporters' queries:

According to Nicole Wallace of the McCain campaign, the American people don't care whether Sarah Palin can answer specific questions about foreign and domestic policy. According to Wallace -- in an appearance I did with her this morning on Joe Scarborough's show -- the American people will learn all they need to know (and all they deserve to know) from Palin's scripted speeches and choreographed appearances on the campaign trail and in campaign ads.

Watch the exchange:

Newsweek's Jonathan Alter predicts how this strategy will play out:

I'd imagine that Palin will dodge press conferences in favor of interviews with people like Sean Hannity, Larry King and Ellen DeGeneres. Then, when the media complain that she is being kept away, the McCain campaign will cite the half dozen or so interviews she has granted as proof that the campaign press is just bellyaching. Brief press "avails" on the plane will be useless, unless reporters ask open-ended queries designed to elicit proof of real knowledge.

That should get Palin through the next three weeks. By the end of the month, the McCain camp can say she has to go to ground to prepare for the Oct. 2 vice presidential debate, where expectations will be so low for Palin that she will likely emerge intact. It will be up to the press and public to raise enough of a stink about this, that Palin is forced to submit to real interviews with real questions that show whether her real-life experience is any preparation for assuming high office. In that sense, the Palin nomination is as much of a test of us as it is of her.

And Marc Ambinder suggests they can get away with it:

What harm would befall the McCain campaign if Palin sat for one major television interivew with, say, a gentle but probing Diane Sawyer... and then an interview with her local paper in Alaska... and then gave no press avails and held no press conferences. The media would complain a lot. Would people care?

Comments

[Voltairecentury21]

At a rally in Cedarburg, Wisconsin last Friday, McCain said, “Isn’t this the most marvelous running mate in the history of this nation?”

I'm certain McCain believes that the "history of this nation" started in Year 1968, and that we have had three presidents --all coincidentally Republican-- since then: Nixon, Bush Sr, and GWB.

Spiro Agnew, Dan Quayle, and Dick Cheney were the respective running mates of the above trio.

Accepting McCain's version of the "history of this nation," we've to agree with him that Palin is the most marvelous running mate in the history of this nation.

As one instance of Palin's "marvelousness", in an address last June to graduating ministry students in the Wasilla Assembly of God church, she'd asked the audience to pray for a $30 billion national gas pipeline project that she wanted built in the state. "I think God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that," she'd said.

She'd also said: "Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending [U.S. soldiers] out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan."

And unlike Dan Quayle, Palin can correctly spell "potato" --without an "e" appended at its end-- too.

[maclapa]

Just watched Biden on Meet the Press. Can't wait til the Biden-Palin debate! She must be cramming for the intensive foreign policy class as we speak. Sunni say what?!

[lifeisart]

It is not okay to remain a black hole of unknown stands....the press needs to hunt her down like she hunts moose- she needs a good media field gutting! McCain-Palin are already like Bush-Cheney; they believe they are above being accountable to anyone...If she is able to avoid the press and they get elected we'd better all get a passport and take us residence elsewhere! Media needs to demand she be interviewed and soon so the American people can make a better determination of her than her sarcastic, biting, caustic speech...which said nothing except I'm a pretty beauty queen who doesn't want anyone to focus on my gender but I'll mention LIPSTICK and let convention goers wear buttons that read: Coldest State Hottest VP...give us all a break--Palin is a huge hypocrite!!

[Voltairecentury21]

News:

Sarah Palin had asserted in her vice-presidential acceptance speech that the only difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull was "lipstick."

It has turned out that Sarah Palin has thereby managed to lose the important voting bloc of feminist hockey moms, who, as a mater of principle, do not use any makeup, including lipstick.

"In our view, Sarah Palin is nothing but a hokey mom," fumed Ms. Kate Tyler, the current president of the Association of Au Naturel Hockey Moms. "Hokey moms like her plaster their faces with all kinds of creams and foundations and makeup in order to make up for their fading looks, use padded lift-up bras to compensate for the increasing effect of gravity on their breasts with passing years, and undergo cosmetic surgery --all in the hopes of remaining sexually adequately attractive to the lustful eyes of the male species in humankind."

"In protest of Palin's assertion that all hockey moms wear lipstick, members of our AANHM are voting en bloc this November for Senator Obama; he is so handsome and tall, n' looks so virile!" Ms. Tyler added.

[Veratruth]

I hate to butt in again, but shouldn't the evangelicals and other Republicans know about McCain's VP ... where she is and what she is doing? Well, perhaps they don't care. I know one thing for CERTAIN, if Sen. Obama had stayed hidden and away from the media, the Republicans would have caught up with him and plastered "DEVIL" on his back. They tried anyway and failed.

[MOMFORCOUNTRYFIRST]

Get up to speed. She's on ABC this week.

[Veratruth]

Thanks for the warning. I won't be watching, but I will listen to the Democrat pundits and flip the remote during the Republican lies. Perhaps I can read it on the internet also.

[moveleft]

We can see from your screen name that you are on the McCain ship of fools. Why don't you follow your own advice and "get up to speed." When, in the entire history of modern elections, has a VP pick been sequestered from the media for two weeks after being picked? NEVER...until Sarah Palin. Only after critics began complaining did the McCain Monarchy "grant" a SINGLE interview with soft-ball journalist Charles Gibson. ONE interview. Joe Biden did more than one interview in the hour after he was announced as Obama's running mate. If Palin is so "qualified" then why keep such a brilliant economic and foreign policy genius hidden away? The only thing the media did was ask the questions McCain never bothered to when he picked her as his running mate. If you can't handle the heat, go back to Alaska. I'd love to see Sarah Palin sit down and have the kind of chat with Keith Olbermann or Rachel Maddow that Barack Obama did last week with Bill O'Reilly. THAT'S a candidate who is confident in his track record, qualifications and ability to lead. He's also not afraid to sit down and stand his ground with a commentator he knows is out for blood. Palin is an ill-qualified coward with nothing to offer this country. To deny media access to her is not only wrong, it's "elitist." Once again, the GOP double standard is in full swing.

[Voltairecentury21]

At a rally in Cedarburg, Wisconsin last Friday, McCain said, “Isn’t this the most marvelous running mate in the history of this nation?”

I'm certain McCain believes that the "history of this nation" started in Year 1968, and that we have had three presidents --all coincidentally Republican-- since then: Nixon, Bush Sr, and GWB.

Spiro Agnew, Dan Quayle, and Dick Cheney were the respective running mates of the above trio.

Accepting McCain's version of the "history of this nation," we've to agree with him that Palin is the most marvelous running mate in the history of this nation.

As one instance of Palin's "marvelousness", in an address last June to graduating ministry students in the Wasilla Assembly of God church, she'd asked the audience to pray for a $30 billion national gas pipeline project that she wanted built in the state. "I think God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that," she'd said.

She'd also said: "Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending [U.S. soldiers] out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan."

And unlike Dan Quayle, Palin can correctly spell "potato" --without an "e" appended at its end-- too.

==========­==========­==========

[twoleggeddear]

A republican that says ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies.

[sightpicture]

Obama will submit to questioning by Bill O'Reilly, and engage in detailed arguements .

McCain spoklesman Tucker Bounds will appear on CNN, but weasel around and refuse to answer relevant questions by Campbell Brown. Palin won't submit to questions from the press. McCain is throwing a hissy fit and won't go on Larry King because Campbell Brown was mean to Tucker.

This Republican ticket is weak, weak, weak. A lot of big, tough talk and then a bunch of boohooing and excuses. Reminds me a lot of ol' Dubya hisself.

[jemiltd]

Then let Wasilla residents speak for her: McCain made a callous decision and is hoping that the American public will simply follow his lead. But there are regular people up in Alaska who aren't afraid of the small town repercussions that will result from telling how it really is up there. Read what a Wasilla resident had to say: Resource with reader comments: http://www.thepresidentialcandidates.us/about-sarah-palin-a-letter-from-anne-kilkenny/741/ We need to be very concerned; Palin is not here for her governing ability, once again, it's about the oil and her willingness to play with the big boys.

"He who controls images, controls minds; and he who controls minds has little, if anything, to worry about from bodies." -- Mao Tse-Tung

[Veratruth]

Folks in Alaska are probably hoping that she will get the VP job so they can have some peace.

[Veratruth]

What is up with this woman? Most candidates DON'T want to HIDE from the press. I will ALWAYS be SKEPTICAL of SARAH PALIN after this fiasco. Did she have to go home to lawyer up some more and did McCain have to go help her? Lord, McCain can't always be there to sweet talk her. This woman acts like EVERYONE should BOW down to her. I bet while she was mocking Sen. Obama, people in Alaska were mocking her.

[live-aloha]

Someone should ask the Palins if they plan on making any more babies....I mean Sarah and her husband.....not the children..

[irie womyn]

Someone should ask her if the baby is hers or her son and his girlfriend.

[brandon102]

This is a damned-if-you-do and damned-if-you-don't situation for Democrats. The election simply is not about Sarah Palin. It's McCain/Bush vs. Obama, and every time we give Palin any attention at all we're letting Rove win. She's the bull in the china shop -- diverting, destructive, and her only job is to get them through November.

She will do better than expected in any forum she's placed in. We tend to underestimate her, because she so wretched, or because some of us have trouble thinking a person who thinks God gave us the mission in Iraq, Creationism is on a par with Darwin and Global Warming is not caused by humans, someone THAT GULLIBLE can say anything intelligent at all. But I'd be right now she's in an "undisclosed location" being fed the Republican playbook, and she'll be a match for Biden in the debate.

This was a master touch for Rove, and we need to be smart about how we respond. After all, she had a crowd of hard right wing Republicangelicals cheering for a woman who's unwed, pregnant daughter was on the stage with her. Now THAT'S formidable.

[toocents]

You got it exactly right. And don't under estimate her. Try to find the video on-line - the hour long CSPAN footage of her Governor race in Alaska. They are asked serious questions where the candidates need to know seriously obscure data about Alaskan state legislature, and she takes on the incumbent and the other dude candidate. Palin is ON POINT, polished, smart and convincing. I think she's going to ace the few television spots the campaign allows. Friends - we need to get out the vote in the swing states because her extremist views are a THREAT to the direction of this country. Palin means MORE WORK FOR US. Get going.

[KarenJW]

A McCain aide said it would be a while before Governor Palin is subjected to direct questions from the press. It's apparent that the repugnant re"thug"licans continue to handle things in America in their deceitful, underhanded way. They own the media and it is not to their advantage to have the 44 year old mother come straight out of obscurity to face the questions that people have regarding her suitability for this office. One of the main obstacles cited by the political pundits that Obama needed to overcome was "the American people do not know him". Yet, this un-vetted, unknown, woman who qualifies for this position by being able to read a re"thuglican" prepared speech full of lies, is heralded as "a good choice" for this coveted office, and cries of "sexist" are heard when challenging her suitability.

We are not stupid. We will not be fooled as some were before when you deliberately lied to us about Iraq and their possession of weapons of mass destruction. This will be a landslide victory for Obama-Biden because we cannot risk your deceitful intervention as in other elections. America can not survive another "BUSH-CHENEY" administration. Republican's your reign of deception, lies and INCOMPETENCE is over!

[anstand]

It's the bush-cheney dictatorship.

[boredwell]

since the stage manager and puppeteer is clearly karl rove, it's difficult to assess the theatrics regarding palin's REFUSAL to talk with the press. had palin been in obama's camp, the bulllying GOP would have stuffed that as fodder into their cannon of nattering negativism. but now that shoe is on their foot.

the campaign-election remains a stagnant status quo of pettiness. now pretty pitbulls are battling elitists. obama and his helpmate the press, that is. i find it astounding that the GOP has been able to hoodwink so many into playing this game

this game, not palin, is the over-reaching issue uppermost in my mind. Bush and his new world order troika have gone to great lengths to undermine freedom of the press. and the people. Witness the grousing during that preemptive package of paranoia called the Patriots Act and it's passage: o, the press! o, the dems! o the liberals! o, the enemy is everywhere! the battle cry then. and NOW! nothing's changed. that's both the sad and scarey part of teh Pub's manipulative electoral apparatchiks. chomping down on the press continues to be 1st nature to pitbulls and ear-biting pugilists like rove. hey, free speech buff here! say what you want about the press. but conversely don't clamp down on them! this fending off as if the press were the GOP's real enemy - this worries me. a lot. it should worry ALL of us. a lot.

[Egalitare]

Gypsy Rose Lee would be proud. Just show'em a little leg and leave them salivating for more.

[caligal83]

Please take the time to sign and help circulate this petition! The simple act of emailing/posting it helps build awareness that the McCain campaign is "hiding" her from direct questions.

Thanks in advance for any support you can provide.

To sign this petition, please click this link:
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/B9AE83R/petition.html

Text provided below:

Dear Senator McCain, Governor Palin and McCain campaign advisers:

We request you provide the citizens of the United States with the opportunity to see Governor Palin interviewed by a variety of news media outlets.

This election is a crucial one to us in terms of a wide range of domestic and foreign policy issues. Given the current concerns about numerous topics including health care, the rise in unemployment, the tense relations between Russia and Georgia, and the ongoing war in Iraq, it is neither sufficient nor acceptable that we hear Governor Palin's opinions and ideas only through pre-written speeches, press releases and select interviews with "soft" and "friendly" news sources such as People magazine and Fox News. [click link above for rest of text...]

[princessofnowt]

Nice one. Good idea.
Thanks!