FOX News Producer: Restrictions On Palin Access "Unprecedented"

Is John McCain losing some of his friends at FOX?

FOX News Producer Shushannah Walshe just lashed out at the McCain campaign for denying access to reporters who wanted to witness Sarah Palin's U.N. photo ops earlier today. Walshe said the McCain campaign's restrictions on press coverage were "just unprecedented."

"There's not once chance that Governor Palin would have to answer a question. ... They're eliminating even the chance of any kind of interaction with the candidate -- it's just unprecedented."

Walshe noted that the McCain campaign eventually did relent and allow a reporter in the same room as Palin -- but only for just 29 seconds.

Comments

[CharlesJ]

See the problem is he (McCain) does not trust his VP to keep it together. He also is more than likely ticked as a gnat on a cows ass when she multiple times said the Palin/McCain administration.
Really, McCain is afraid that the media will get her talking and she will slip up in such a way that it would be like hitting a ship with a few hundred sidewinders. Bye, bye ship, all gone, it sunk. McCain is just trying to keep his political and campaign ship floating.

[QueenOfViolets]

He's trying to float his campaign ship at the expense of civil society. Accountability is a crucial part of democracy. The candidates have to be accessible for questions from the press.

So what if the questions are tough? The tougher the questions, the safer the democracy.

He's damaging civil society to cover up the consequences of his rash VP pick.

Not good.

[BrockSampson]

McCain?
He doesn't run his campaign.

[Dupree]

McCain camp is demonstrating how they really feel about women everywhere. This is an insult to all women and it makes one wonder about the level of feminine power or identity of womanhood can be legitimately ascribed to Sarah Palin. To be treated like some small child that can not be trusted with a microphone unless it is scripted..it is uncanny and duplicity to say the least. Anyone who will vote for a woman that is second in command...that is considered unsophisticated to answer one question from legitimate journalist...should not be trusted with this country. Put your racism aside. And look through the eyes of reasoning....Obama is not the risky candidate...he did answered hard questions and there were times he even initiated the press conference to settle any confusion or question of the nation...Sarah Palin is the riskier choice...she may look like a "hockey mom" but I know hockey moms that are not afraid to answer questions ...how come she can't. She is coming in here under a suspicion cloud of legal problems and ethical scrutiny of question...and she hides from the public to avoid setting the record straight..so the clouds illuminates...and what is revealed is a person of questionable character...like the Lord Christ said...there will be those that say "Lord Lord on the last day...and I will say I knew you not." She speaks of Christ and yet lies and lies and lies.

[buddbo1]

If she can't face reporters, she's not qualified to be the vp, or the presidential replacement. Let's face it people, she was picked to draw crowds for McCain. She's a Dan Quale in lipstick. Bush and Cheney have played the American voters, and trashed this country in ways terrorists never could. Now, coming up to complete the job are McCain and Palin, both unqualified and an embarassment to even be in the game of running. Being a captured, hot headed pilot doesn't qualify you to be president. George Jr. has dummy down the position as a "c" student, McCain and Palin would bring nothing to the job in regards to intelligence, sophisication, diplomacy and temperment . It's time to bring respect and honor back to the presidency, and in doing so, back to the world, something which only Obama can do!

[DCCommuter]

Sarah Palin, journalist, is such a fan of quality broadcast journalism, that when Tim Russert died she took a 5 month vow of silence and will not do any Meet the Press type shows. Out of respect.

[Diogenis]

hmm, i'm touched. good grief

[bubba in sf]

If McBush/Pallin want a news blackout - give'm what they want. Religate them to page ten and then call them "the other candidate" and show a pic of Ralph Nadar. They deserve it for the arrogance.

[jpknight]

Shift all the coverage to Bob Barr. He's more worthy.

[QueenOfViolets]

I've gained a lot of respect for Bob Barr after he shifted his position on the drug war. Now there's a conservative who holds HIMSELF accountable and admits when he's been wrong.

Yes, he's much more worthy.

[INDmind]

Seems when you suddenly start digging up crap that has little or nothing to do with the presidency all the while promoting her opponents in every way, the tabloid reporters have to know it comes back to bite you in the azzzz!

Good for you Sarah! Hold them accountable!

[artokosan]

Wow.

You do realize that, after the stupid tabloid fascination about her family, members of the media have looked into her past and found several troubling things that have a direct impact on her ability to perform her job as VP, don't you?

Most thoughtful people would call this holding her accountable.

I'm sorry that facts usually favor those nasty liberals. Maybe when you're raptured away things will be more fair for you.

[Nonstory]

The truth does have a well-known liberal bias.

[AddictedToHope]

Didn't know that the National Enquirer was part of the press pool. Thanks for clearing that up.

[blust8r]

Funny... since McSame couldn't find time to vet this know-nothing... the press had to do it. The things they've come up with are quite remarkable. But, hey, she can travel 500 miles west and actually "see" a deserted Russian islet. If I travel 85 miles south, I'm IN f'ing MEXICO! Oh, yeah, I forgot... SHE'S been to Mexico... on a vacation. She's been to Ireland, too... while the plane refueled. I've been to Ireland, only I spent a LOT more time in Dublin and Howth and Malahyde.
She has EXECUTIVE experience... she spent 85 days in the capital of JUNEAU... out of 19 months as governor. 19 months... 85 days...??? Seems to be a little discrepancy there... hmmm... that's less than 5 DAYS A MONTH! If I had that work schedule, I'd be one happy little camper! Oh, yeah, she did have to BILL THE TAXPAYERS for the time she wasn't there, too, huh?
Let's hear her plan for the economy, shall we? HAHAHAHAHA­HAHAHAHA!!­!!!!!!!!

[QueenOfViolets]

That's a very strange notion of accountability you have.

Sounds more like "petty revenge at the expense of democracy and civil society" to me.

[MANK]

I saw a survey today that stated that a goodly number of Hillary women are supporting McPalin. Now I know why it took women so long to get the right to vote.

[DCCommuter]

OOOOOOOOOo­oooooooooo­ooh. That was below the lipstick.

[foxbat]

If this doesn't confirm that the role of the presidency is under assault, I don't know what will. It was conjectured that Clinton cause "incidents" overseas to hide whenever there was something going on here in the US with Lewinsky. Bush has decided that the president is not answerable to Congress and that others in his administration are not beholden to subpoena or following the laws that the rest of us have to. Palin thinks that it's OK to "hide" state business in personal e-mail accounts. And now, the McCain camp says that Palin's off limits and that McCain himself will decide if/when there's press coverage. And this is BEFORE he's elected president. Wait until after! Transparency? I don't think so.

[serena1313]

With the exception of 2 interviews: Hannity and Charles Gibson, the former being a joke, twenty-four days have passed and McCain still denies the press access to Sarah Palin. In contrast this time in the 2000 election Cheney had already held 20 press conferences, yet Palin has not held one single press conference nor intends to. Never before in history has this happened.

McCain expects Americans to vote for an individual we do not know. Considering his age (72) and 4 bouts of melanoma, the chance Sarah Palin might become President is high. The now rigged VP debates -- basically allows her to answer with canned talking points -- voters will not get to know her personal positions, how she thinks, her philosophies. Who is Sarah Palin?

McCain repeatedly tells us ad naseum he puts "America First", however, hiding Palin from the press is not putting America first. Does anyone have a sense of how she would act if America was in imminent danger?

Can Palin withstand questions from the press, if not then she should not be running for VP. Furthermore it is deeply troubling to think some would vote for Palin not knowing anything about her.

Under 'normal' circumstances that would be unacceptable, but after 8 years of Bush dumbing down the public perhaps explains why Americans aren't up in arms over this! Where is the press!

Someone we don't know who could become the president and no one is talking about it, questioning it ...

unfreaking­believable­.

[T Pol]

McCain wants Americans to vote for an image, not even a real candidate. Palin's refusal to "get known" by America shows that she seriously lacks substance.

The lack of access and information with both McCain and Palin is ominous for this country. Spare me "the nasty media deserves it." The American PEOPLE deserve more! And if these two political cowards cannot stand up to the media, they sure as hell can't stand up to threats abroad or financial disaster at home.

Send 'em packin' to their home states. This is an affront to democracy.

[Ripsur4]

I mean for crying out loud, Dan Quayle even took a few good ones on the chin and he still came out and pressed ahead! How can anyone in this great Republic ACTUALLY justify a vote the McCain/Palin ticket? Totally and utterly IRRATIONAL.

[Rhubarbarian]

I'm up in arms about this. What do we do? Who do we complain to? My senators and most of my representatives are Republican so they are probably fine with her not talking. I'd sure go to a protest rally if I knew of one.

[Ripsur4]

So now an assault on freedom of the press. What's next, McCain hires a propaganda minister? This is so incredibly outrageous!!! Our Founding Fathers would be sickened by what the McCain "campaign" is perpetrating. I remember this being the land of the FREE--what happened? How can we stand idly by and watch this like a bunch of couch potatoes? Have you all lost the fire in your belly called FREEDOM?!!!

[socratiskiss]

Campbell Brown just called the McCain campaign out for not allowing reporters access to Palin. She said "free Sarah Palin"! haha. Here here!

Sarah needs to answer questions and stop with the meaniless photo ops.

[filo]

She called the McCain camp sexist for protecting Palin from the press.

Gee Campbell that's not showing her deference.

I love it.

[nequam]

I nearly kissed my TV when Campbell did that!

[davemartin7777]

Ex-FOX News Producer Shushannah.

Like Carly Fiorina , she will be disappeared never to be heard from again.

[yankeefan771]

When fox bails on your ass you know its bad.

[PizzaGuy1]

Agreed!

http://latenightpizzas.wordpress.com

[DanSmith]

This is how the McCain administration is going to run the country. Full of secrecy.

[faithfully]

and incompetency

[harobamason]

same team

same tactics
same cover-ups
same wall of silence hiding their ignorance and games

9th year.

If this doesn't confirm that they know she isn't ready on day one-then what does??? For the last couple of weeks I’ve been asking why do the press bother to cover Palin when all you get is a canned speech and a photo op. MSM--use your leverage: NO QUESTIONS--NO COVERAGE! Or continue to be the same PR outfit that Bush Cheney turned you all into over the last 9 years.

What country does Palin represent? She won't talk to ordinary Americans or answer questions from American reporters or commentators and repeatedly lies in her stump speeches. Yet she will talk to and answer questions from foreign leaders. Just what exactly is McCain making this election about?

While her selection speaks volumes about one of McCain's most important decisions to date, we clearly have more pressing issues to consider. Thank you MSM for not allowing the McCain campaign to get away with this. Their (RNC) plan for how Palin McCain will run this country is staring right at us, interviewed or not. Along with 700 Billion other reasons.

Ferchrisakes Enough Already!