Palin: McCain's Biggest Mistake Was Sheltering Me From Press

Sarah Palin frequently disparaged the political press when campaigning with John McCain. But she tells Human Events' John Gizzi in an interview that she wishes she had spent more time talking to the media:

GIZZI: What was the biggest mistake made in the '08 campaign?

PALIN: The biggest mistake made was that I could have called more shots on this: the opportunities that were not seized to speak to more Americans via media. I was not allowed to do very many interviews, and the interviews that I did were not necessarily those I would have chosen. But I was so thankful to have the opportunity to run with John McCain that I was not going to argue with the strategy decisions that some of his people were making regarding the media contacts?

But if I would have been in charge, I would have wanted to speak to more reporters because that's how you get your message out to the electorate.

In general, the Alaska Governor (named "Conservative of the Year" by the magazine) seems to think she was over-managed.

GIZZI: And what was the most important lesson you learned from the campaign?

PALIN: The campaign was 99.9% amazing and invigorating and inspiring. But looking back, there were so many things that were outside of my control. I was in a campaign in which I did not know the people individually running the campaign. So I had to put my life, my career, my family, and my reputation in their hands. That's kind of a scary thing to do when you don't know the people you are working with.

...

As an administrator, as a chief executive of a state, I am not used to that. I am used to proving my abilities by calling the shots. Then I know the buck stops with me. I made the decisions, and I'm responsible. When others are making decisions for me, as they were in the campaign, and I am the one to live with the fallout from the decisions that were made on my behalf, that is something I am not very comfortable with.

...

[M]y reliance on seeking God's direction in all that I do -- that is good enough for me. And others who have a different worldview and different strategy on messaging and such, I would like to have the opportunity to prove to them that my gut instincts were going to be quite adequate.

Robert Stacy McCain, a blogger at the conservative American Spectator agrees. Read the whole interview, in which Palin discusses the auto bailout and former Sen. Ted Stevens.

Comments

[neverbeenfooled]

Yes, McCain really made a big mistake in not utilizing her more aggressively for interviews. Just as she was about to hit her stride and dazzle everyone with her superior knowledge of the federal government, social policy, and world events he pulled the rug out from under her. The problem in her previous interviews with Katie Couric and Charles Gibson were not with her, but with the venues and settings in which she was placed.

Obviously, to display all her skills and knowledge she needed a venue in which those attributes could be properly displayed: like a pageant! She was all geared up to answer the tough questions such as how she would change the world and what world leader did she most admire and why? Surely, if there were a bathing suit event she couldn’t help but have come out a winner.
But one way or another that door will open again or Sarah will pry it off its hinges. After all, how can the Nation survive without her visionary leadership. You betcha!

[jaydeedub]

The biggest mistake McCain made was not properly vetting Palin to determine that she was not ready for the national stage. The next biggest mistake was the Katie Couric interview. Followed by letting Palin damn near incite riots at campaign rallies.

[krabby]

Those were Klan rallies!

[Rightone11]

No, those were the people who voted for Obama/Biden~

[Heavy]

Ironic

[jedonspring]

Well, next time we will see her do things her way. And THAT should be a hoot.

[me again]

She should recuse herself from the balance of the Country. She's a lousy option going forward, an intellectual lightweight, just like GW Bush. We can ill afford her kind again.

[Rightone11]

An "intellectual" lightweight, eh?

Wow, are YOU a hypocrit..­.Look at Joe Biden~

[Georgia1992]

Rightone11: Palin was not qualified to be V.P. That was very obvious when she first opened her mouth on television and while out on the campaign trail. Also, the GOP should have truly vetted her, but they were trying to be slick and manipulative as well as (so they thought) trying to sway those 18 million Hillary Clinton supporters. As you see, it didn't work. Looking back, the GOP didn't have a platform. To them it was about "personali­ties." The American people are hurting and our country is about to collapse (thanks to the current administration) and the GOP wanted to talk about personalities? Please. Neither party is perfect, but I'm tired of the GOP believing that their 18th Century policies benefit every American. Joe Biden, very intelligent person and I'm glad to see the intelligence and highly educated of our incoming leaders will be in the White House because whatever that is we have now is a total disgrace to our Country. I'm sorry that you believe that the GOPs choice of a V. P. is what's best for the American people, but I'm so elated that the GOP will not be in power. I notice that you continue to protect the GOPs pick of a V.P. That's the problem with the USA, mediocrity or dummy-down (however you want to call it) is wonderful for some people. I'm tired of it. I see it too much on the job and in the White House.

[kareemachan]

I did, actually. Let's see: one college for bachelor's degree, another for a law degree, smart enough to be in Congress since 1972, and chairs the Foreign Relations Committee.

And Palin? Five schools including community colleges. Degree in "communications journalism". Wow.

[levelshot]

McCain's Biggest Mistake was letting you speak at the RNC Convention and pairing you up with Joe Joe The Wannabe 6 Figure Plumber on the campaign trail.

[OGoodGrief]

Palin wants to believe the issue was that she had to put her "life, family, and reputation in the hands of others that she did not know" and it was "out of her control."

The fact is it is her fault for handing control over to the McCain staffers in the first place. If she were any kind of a leader and had any political saavy beyond winking and smiling for the camera, she would have retained firm control of her image and message from the start. But Palin is not a strong person at all and readily handed it all over, easily becoming a follower allowing the McCain people to lead her around by her nose.

Beyond that, she continues to be delusional about the interviews she gave, not wanting to accept responsibility for her poor performance. At the end of the day, only Palin is responsible for what comes out of her mouth and she sounded like an idiot in both the Couric and Gibson interviews -- two lightweight journalists by any standard. And that was her best chance to reach millions with her message and share who she was. Giving sound bites to reporters is hardly an interview strategy, but maybe an important tactic for a woman that knows nothing about politics or government.

[neverbeenfooled]

Well put. Your perspective is reinforced by her naivity in allowing herself to be conned by that phoney Sarkozy telephone interivew.

[IkeChicago]

Sarah every time you talked to the media, it went horr ibly wrong, now you want to try a new tactic with the media. It's call stripping, hmmmmmmmmm, you want to be a strip per, too old Sarah.

[cyndeewi]

No dear, you have it wrong. McCain's biggest mistake was his choice of you.

[x004Ronin]

Yes, McCain was dumb not letting her speak to the press more. I mean, she clearly thinks she did a great job with Charlie Gibson (Bush Doctrine? In what respect, Charlie? Is that a gardening technique?) and Katie Couric (I read all news sources everywhere­...it's all about job creation and healthcare reform).

I was nervous about Palin after the pick by McCain because she was a former TV anchorwoman, so she could've been really good on TV. The Katie Couric interview put those fears to rest.

[krabby]

No, she read sports scores on KTUU-TV for about a year. (1988)

[Rogo99]

The punchlines write themselves! You couldn't have teed it up any better....

[Ira7]

I think I'm going to die laughing here! Is this woman THAT out of it? It was her interviews that KILLED McCain's chances.

If he had locked her in the closet, he might have had a fighting chance.

But I thought she would have said her biggest mistake was wearing the red pumps with the navy blue skirt.

[Tom Joad]

"I would like to have the opportunity to prove to them that my gut instincts were going to be quite adequate."

yes, Sarah, we all need a leader who operates on adequate gut instincts. That's just what Amerika needs. We don't need someone intelligent and thoughtful, just a 'gut check' kinda guy...oh, wait...isn­'t that what we've had for the last 8 years? yes, now i remember..­.and look how well that has worked out for all of us.

[DJE12857]

OF COURSE GOV.PALIN WANTED TO GIVE MORE INTERVIEWS. TO HUMAN EVENTS,RUSH,GRETA AND HEIL HANNITY. HE HAD HIS HEAD SO FAR UP HER BUTT HE WAS ALMOST WEARING HER GLASSES. MCCAINS BIGGEST MISTAKE WAS IN CHOOSING HER. THE REASON THEY STOPPED HER FROM GIVING INTERVIEWS IS BECAUSE THEY HEARD HER INTERVIEW WITH CHARLIE GIBSON AND LET OUT A COLLECTIVE" WHAT HAVE WE DONE!'

[btanner]

"I would like to have the opportunity to prove to them that my gut instincts were going to be quite adequate." Reading not required, eh? Thanks, but an emphatic NO THANKS!!! She obviously didn't know how Dubya got us into this mess. My God, the ignorance and arrogance are so over the top. Can't she just do her own reality show? She can pick up where Anna Nicole Smith left off.