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

[nikky]

WATCH HER HANDS WHEN SHE DOES EVER GIVE AN INTERVIEW BECAUSE SHE CAN READ A SPEECH SO I ASSUME SHE CAN READ ANSWERS. PLUS DID ANYONE SEE THAT MESS ABOUT HER CHURCH THOSE ARE SOME EXTREMISTS PEOPLE EVEN SOUND A LITTLE SEPERATIST

[lfvaugn3]

SARAH PALIN IS NOT FOR A WOMAN RIGHT'S, I HAVE A 17&18 YEAR OLD DAUGHTERS, I HAVE CONCERN IF MY DAUGHTERS GET RAPE YOU MEAN TO TELL ME IF BY THEIR CHOICE AND MY CHOICE TO GET AN ABORTION AND THEY COULD NOT BECAUSE SARAH OUTLAWING THE ABORTIONS RIGHT'S, SARAH IS NOT ONLY BAD FOR THE PRESIDENTAL CHOICE BUT SHE IS BAD FOR THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS, I HOPE AND PRAY THAT GOD WILL MOVE ON THE ALTAR OF EVERONE'S HEART NOT TO VOTE FOR JOHN MCCAIN JUST BECAUSE A WOMAN IS ON THE TICKET, I ASKED THAT THINK OF YOUR KID'S, AUNT'S, ANY FEMALE FAMILY MEMBERS IF SOMETHING SHOULD HAPPEN TO ANY OF THEM THROUGH RAPE, INSECT, OR HEALTH PROBLEM AND CANNOT GET A ABORTION DUE TO THESE SITURATIONS HOW WOULD YOU FEEL I KNOW IT GIVES ME A COLD CHILL WERE I TRULY HAVE NIGHT MARE'S OF THINKING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO MY DAUGHTER'S AND NIECES, AND ETC.

[JeanPaulSatire]

Even though I agree with the substance of your post, please stop YELLING. Turn off the caps lock.

[DakotaMinnesota]

Repubs: The Secrecy Party.

[CommonSenseRealist]

We should rename them to the Hypocrats. A bunch of hypocrites who say one thing and do another!

Look at oreilly, sex scandle, limbaugh -drug addict, and the crazy bathroom stall guy Larry craig!

Just incredible, and you would think in this day and age, the red states can just google these hypocrites and find out all there is to know about the last 8 years and the brainwashing they have been put through.

[demomntgirl]

She is SNUBBING the VOTERS who WANT INFORMATION!!

I would like to remind everyon....GW BUSH was a govenor HE HAD EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE.......BEFORE HE WAS PRESIDENT TOO!!
And he has done a wonderful job as COMMANDER IN CHIEF...with all THAT EXPERIENCE!!

What are her views on foreign policies?
What are her views on women rights?
What are her views on gay rights?
What are her views on domestic policy?
What are her views on the state of public education?
What are her views on tax reform, with specific on how the McCain tax plan will work?
Why is she for teaching abstinence ONLY to teens?

IF SHE CAN'T ANSWER QUESTIONS....If she can't go toe to toe with a journalist...how would she go toe to toe with a foreign ruler if she became President? How would she answer questions once i office, if asking her questions now is off limits???
If she and McCain have tried to stall an investigation into complaints of "Abuse of power"...does that equal to Bush's constantly using "Presidential privilage"?? Is that what a McCain White House would look like....just like Bush...answer no questions then we tell no LIES???
For a VP candidate to refuse to speak to our free press....is truly disturbing!!!
SHE CAN'T be the VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA when she can't ANSWER Legitimate QUESTIONS "THE PEOPLE" have!!

[Tobiasism]

BTW did you see the clips from her church?
I Hope this makes you feel better.

http://vodpod.com/watch/992423-palins-church-is-a-cult

[lfvaugn3]

SARAH WANT TO BE THE VICE PRESIDENT A HEART BEAT AWAY FROM THE MOST IMPORTANT OFFICE IN THE NATION BUT WILL NOT HAVE THE COURAGE TO GO AND HAVE INTERVIEWS,I HEARD SARAH SAY SHE WAS A PIT-BULL BUT YOU KNOW A PIT-BULL IS NOT AFRAID OF ANY CHALLENGE, I FEEL THAT THE REPUBLICANS HAVE CAST A SPELL ON ALL THE DUMMIES WHOM BELIEVE THEM, THE REPUBLICANS IS SO OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE AMERICANS PEOPLE'S, I AM A 51 YEAR OLD WOMAN AND SARAH PALIN DID NOT MOVE OR TOUCH ME, SARAH WANT TO TALK AND ACT TOUGH SO WHEN BARACK AND JOE BIDEN GO AFTER HER I HOPE EVERY ONE DO NOT COMPLAIN THAT IT IS SEXISM, SARAH WANT TO BE TREATED WITH KID'S GLOVES SO I FEEL SHE IS IN THE WRONG POSITION WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF SHE HAS TO GO OVER AND MEET PUTUM.

[Viper]

Can anyone name anything she has said that turned out not to be a lie or the Repugs in touting her?

Jets sold on EBAY for a Profit. Sold at loss to one of her campaign doners!

She supported the Bridge to Nowhere. She cut 14% of the Budget in he forst year..and then it add to be added back becuase she did not know what she was doing. She fired the Executive chef... then hired a friend 3 months later. She is against Earmarks, but is the earmark queen...

She cut taxes in Alaska.. they have no sales or income tax. But she did create a sales tax in he small town! In six years the City staff and budget doubled. Thye had to hire some one to run the City within month of her becoming Mayor on a day to day bases. She built a sports complex... screwed that up and did it before the town got a sewer system!

Says repeatedly he has never passed any major legislation.

Why is Jamie Spears mother a bad mother because her daughter got pregnant and she is not?

Double STDs???

Regards

Regards

[SgtLucifer]

Better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you are smart, than open your trap and remove all doubt. Good work Sarah. Continue giving convention speeches till Nov. 4th

[LADYAD]

WE NEED A TICKER AT THE HEAD OF HUFFPO TICKING OFF WHEN WILL SHE MEET WITH THE PRESS AND GET ASKED THE HARD QUESTIONS. I FEEL THE THE REPUBLICAN WILL NOT LET HER BE ASKED THE HARD QUESTIONS. I AM AN INDEPENDENT FEMALE LEANING TOWARDS DEMOCRATS BECAUSE SHE IS NOT BEING ASKED THE TOUGH QUESTIONS. WHATS HER TAKE ON ABORTIONS, EDUCATION AND THE ECONOMY. I ALSO KEEP HEARING THAT SHE IS BEING SUPPORTED BY BUSH CRONIES. ARE THEY MASTERMINDING THIS? IF SO WHY WOULD I VOTE FOR MORE OF THE SAME? COME ON MEDIA DO YOUR JOB AND ASK THE TOUGH QUESTIONS.

[HTN]

.

...Does actually anyone doubt that she is not ambitious enough to do McCain in while in The Office?
.

[JeanPaulSatire]

If I were on Mc Ancient's campaign staff (a truly disturbing thought on so many levels), I'd have insisted on the hiring of a food tester. So many toxic and poisonous substances are free for the buying without any permits or paperwork...

[carlwithers]

I'm wondering also, how much actual fighting one gets to do for their country sitting in a Hanoi jail till the war is over! Sounds like McCains idea of heroism is a lil different from those who lost their lives actually doing something over there. Perhaps he should've had Palin there to fight his battles too, seems she has bigger balls than he does, and perhaps her silence is preferred than for her to speak and actually show what little McCain could actually bring to a presidency. Hmmmm

[getoffmedz]

This goofy soccermom could actually have her finger on the button should ES&S and Diebold prevail in November. We need to know much more about Governor Palin.

The McCain campaign vetted her as far as her wide open love for oil companies and that's it.

BTW - both of these candidates, McCain/Palin are completely insane egomaniacs on the take and unworthy of our presidency.

[thirteen13]

Have you ever heard of military unrest?

[carlwithers]

Sarah Palin has no comments worthy of air time, and her big mouth would probably do more damage than good. She's doing McCain a favor sitting on the sidelines diverting attention from his unappealing presence. However, once she opens her mouth, I'm betting we'll all have a better understanding of why they prefer she sits on the sideline looking cute.

[DakotaMinnesota]

Maybe. I think they're starting a war with the media to try and return us to 2003-era fear of asking any questions... THEN the Republicans will make her available for questions.

And by then, the fear in place in a cowed media, her line of questioning will be much more narrow and unchallenging. Like in Bush's presidency, this will enable a simpleton to be able to handle the range of potential topics. And she will enter with a pocketfull of pre-written Republican hate-speech talking points to knock each softball out of the park.

IF the media, for an instant, loses its nerve to stand up for us.

[proveit2me]

I think this is just another sign of the ineptitude of the McCain campaign. The press doesn't mind being trashed in your convention speeches, but denying them access is just poking the bear. You think they are going to handle her with kidd gloves now that they've been told they can speak to Gov. Palin when they are ready to show her "deference?"

Fumble.

[kellymlee]

Are you kidding me? How can we believe this woman is ready on "day one" to be the vice-president of the United States of America when she won't be ready till day 100 to answer questions from the press.

[heartsick]

Palin's refusal to state her positions and answer questions is all the proof that reasonable citizens need to know that she is ignorant of the issues that are important to us and is incompetent to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency. People should take to the streets to either drive her out of hiding or drive her out of the race! McCain's strategy of offering us a "pig in a poke" in insulting, reckless and a flagrant abuse of the Democratic process.