Media Must Not Cover Palin Until She Holds a Press Conference

I know I'm supposed to talk about the debate today, but I could not help but notice that the McCain campaign is still embarrassed by Sarah Palin. That's why she's campaigning in Texas, not a contested state, and California, a huge loser for the Republicans. Do you see Sarah Palin in a battleground area, say, Ohio or Pennsylvania?

Of course not, because the McCain campaign still lives in fear of Palin saying the wrong thing in a place where it may matter. So Palin continues to regurgitate what's handed to her by the campaign, and the fanatics she attracts eat it up; they eat it up and they are still hungry for more. For the zealots, it's not enough to say Obama pals around with a terrorist. They shout that Obama is a terrorist! There's no place to go that's too far when you're talking to the fringes of society. Obama's a lesbian! is right around the corner.

But Palin gets media coverage, and this baffles me. Why cover Palin if the media cannot speak to her? Why cover her if, as is now the case, the media are not allowed to talk to her supporters?

This is ridiculous. It's out of hand. And the media that continue to cover Palin's repetition of talking points are the enablers of a McCain-Palin regime that embraces the tactics used in China.

No talking to the VP candidate. No asking her views. We'll let you in the press know what you can say about Palin.

Jeez, I did a three minute segment on Fox News last week that was more of a back and forth than Palin has done since she became the nominee!

Andrew Sullivan was the first to talk about Palin's failure to hold a press conference, but I thought the McCain campaign would allow Palin to do a press conference at some point. They have not.

The press needs to stand up, not just for itself, not just for the right of a free press, but for the people. This isn't about the McCain campaigns' need to hide Palin. This is about the possibility of a future president who refuses to hold a press conference.

This is about a possible future President who hides in plain sight.

This is about democracy and our right to know and to hear from a candidate, unfiltered.

The press needs to grow up, and say, "We're not going to take it anymore." You know what, some conservatives may get pissed. Too bad. Stand up for what's right.

Follow the lead of Campbell Brown on CNN - there's a person who, regardless of her views (she's married to Dan Senor, who was Coalition spokesperson in Iraq), is outraged by the McCain camp's treatment of Palin. Why is she the only non-partisan media person speaking out?

No more Palin until Palin stands in front of a podium and gives a press conference.

Comments

[Archivist1000]

I absolutely agree. Palin is dismissing the press/media who are the extention of the voters. The media is covering her anyway, as if any crumb is better than nothing.

Well as a voter, it's not! If she won't talk to the press while she's trying to GET the job of VP ... imagine how dismissive she will be if she GETS the job.

I am sick of hearing her regurgitate talking points, and I am sick of the press lapping up her every word as if it means something.

We need more than crumbs and have a right to more than crumbs; the Media needs to ignore her. She shouldn't be calling the shots, WE SHOULD.

[susie1776]

Personally, I think the media should stop covering the McCain campaign, PERIOD until McCain starts playing fair with them. He doesn't like what someone says so that person gets kicked off the plane, or the interview/­appearance gets cancelled, or the campaign refuses to allow reporters to speak to Palin, etc, etc, etc. The media should be ashamed of themselves. They holler all the time about freedom of the press and here they are, kowtowing to these people.Get off the planes, stop televising their speeches, stop having their surrogates on your programs, shut them out of Face the Nation and Meet the Press and the Situation Room and Olbermann and Hardball and Rachel Maddow shows. Make them disappear off the campaign map. See how fast they will change their tune.
On another note, please stop talking about the hateful attacks against Obama and wringing your hands about how awful they are. Every minute of airtime, every clip you show gives the McCain shame a victory.

[deadelephant2]

AND, if and when reporters are actually able to speak to her, they need to risk being thrown off her plane by asking REAL questions, not the stupid things they asked in Florida at her "press conference".

[Marbur]

I have been saying this from day ONE. The press is the pipeline for the public to educate themselves & decide who these candidates are & their policies as welll as how intelligent they are. Crucial at this time is how candidates conduct themselves because that tells us how we can expect to be received globally. We desperately need focused, intelligent, calm individuals to lift up America & it's esteem with the world we live in, it's getting smaller every day & so is America's image.
How can America sit idly by & watch the REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR VP get away with this nonsence while she thumbs her nose at us and the press. You have the means to make a difference here, go out & do it. No access no coverage. All we hear is scare tactics & insults from the VP candidate we need to hear if in fact she has an original idea or thought, can she deal with N Korea, Beijung, Pakistan, the middle east - shia or sunni etc..

You are so right.!

[mmerose]

If the media weren't making any efforts, The People wouldn't know about Palin's devotees hollering "Terrorist" and "Traitor" and "Kill Him" and calling a black sound tech "Boy."

If that's all the McPalin campaign want covered, fine! And keep reminding America that the tight wraps mean the campaign knows Palin is unfit.

[BlueAsh]

Yes!

But how do you do that?

[jmbates]

Palin is not news, she is publicity, and the media is giving McCain free (& dishonest) commercials.

If she refuses to be accessible and newsworthy, ignore her.

[rpd123]

Matt:

This is not just a legitimate gripe; it's a legitimate cause. We deserved better, especially with the current state our country. Her failure to be accessible reveals the GOP's appalling lack of regard for us as citizens.

[katbab]

It's about damned time somebody from the media said something about this! I have been so angry at the media for letting the McCain campaign dictate the rules. It is your JOB, media, to get answers from this woman. How are we ( THE AMERICAN PEOPLE) going to know who is going to be the VP or possibly, the PREZ! It is riduculous that the media is acting SCARED! Scare of what? That you may not get an interview in the future if you push too hard, now? Well, wake up! YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET ANYTHING FROM PALIN UNLESS YOU PUSH FOR IT NOW!!!!! I have been screaming about this since Charlie Gibson interviewed Palin. DON'T COVER PALIN anymore until she gives a press conference and anwser ALL of the questions she has been avoiding. If she wants media coverage, she needs to give a press conference, first.

[JayInDallas]

I agree with Kat. Palin needs exposure more than it needs her. By playing on her terms, the media is doing a disservice to the American voter. Turn off Sarah Palin and you've pulled the plug on the McCain campaign.

[Workinwithu]

True it is

[popizzy]

totally agree

[tedbear]

Absolutely, don't even cover what she is doing. What good will it be to the McCain campaign if there isn't FREE publicity covering her appearances? If the media ignores her, she'll either have to come around and answer whatever questions she is asked, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER CANDIDATE, or be ignored as a candidate.

Geez, how hard is that? Wink, Wink!!!

[uclafan]

BTW - look at the differences in her large audiences. Filled mostly with high school cheerleaders, pre-teens and essentially people of non-voting age.

[CTagainstPalin]

I am a probation officer and Sarah Palin wouldn't get my job because when I had the interview, they actually asked follow-up questions!

[MsCanadian]

I can appreciate what you're saying about no more coverage for Palin because she won't hold a press conference. However, I really don't want to hear her rambling on with more lies. If she does have some media interviews, the interviewers need to get tough on her and stop the protectionist nonsense. Otherwise, why bother?