Sarah Palin's not on the Sunday talk shows? That's a plus, says John McCain

On July 25, 2000, Texas Gov. George W. Bush announced that he had selected the head of his vice-presidential vetting committee, Dick Cheney, as his running mate.  Five days later, the newly named (but not yet nominated) No. 2 appeared on all five Sunday talk shows:  ABC’s "This Week," CBS’ "Face the Nation," CNN’s "Late Edition," "Fox News Sunday" and NBC’s "Meet the Press."

By contrast, this year’s GOP vice-presidential selection, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, was nowhere to be found on any of the shows this morning.  In fact -- unlike her Democratic counterpart, talk show veteran Sen. Joe Biden -- she’s never appeared on any of the Sunday gabfests.

That’s no big deal, says onetime GOP presidential contender Fred Thompson. Asked today by CNN's Wolf Blitzer about criticisms of Palin's minimal experience with national security and foreign policy issues, the former Tennessee senator responded:

“Well, Wolf, I hate to break this to you, but you don't get national security experience by being on Sunday talk shows, and that's where a lot of these fellows get theirs.”

And her lack of face time with Blitzer, Bob Schieffer of CBS, Tim Russert or Tom Brokaw of NBC, Chris Wallace of Fox or George Stephanopoulos of ABC doesn’t bother the guy whose opinion matters most. This morning, John McCain had this exchange with Wallace on “Fox News Sunday”:

WALLACE:  Do you think she will help you with women and especially with disaffected Hillary Clinton supporters?

MCCAIN:  I think she's going to help me with all Americans. I think that the response that we're getting from men, women, young, old, because they want us to change America.  They want us to change it. They're sick and tired of business as usual and inside the Beltway kind of thing.

You know, one commentator said, well, she has never been on "Meet the Press."

WALLACE:  I didn't say that.

MCCAIN: Well, I hope that she's on your program first. No, she doesn't live inside the Beltway. She doesn't -- she and her husband don't go to the Georgetown cocktail parties.  But they do live a life of a wonderful family. He's -- they've had a small business. They are just really good, down-to-earth people who understand the challenges that we face.

So in all due respect to my friends that say that she has never been on some of the inside-the-Beltway activities, I say, "Thank God."

-- Leslie Hoffecker

Photo credit: Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images

Comments

[Jean]

what a smart choice for not having her parading through the tv shows...that's Joe's job and he loves it...

for more Gov. Sarah Barracuda Palin news go her:

www.governorpalin.blogspot.com

[John Quimby]

This week, Senator McCain officially jettisoned President Bush's dead weight on torture (and any Republican allies in Washington who are now uncovered and fear liability for international war crimes)

In the above story he's already getting ahead of my predictions for the next 4 weeks:

Week 1: poll numbers put McCain Campaign in free-fall as he tours Hurricane mess offering sympathy but no actual help.

Week 2: McCain switches from "She's Qualified" to "She's Innocent" as Big Donor checks dry up.

Polls accelerate into a nosedive. McCain spends week 3 trying to change the subject. GOP leadership publicly hit panic button.

Week 4: Gov. Palin hits the silk in a tearful press conference announcing her resignation to spend more time with her family.

Nov '08 - Dang - McCain shot down again!

[tlsmith1963]

Nah, they won't let Palin on the Sunday talk shows because she comes across like a ditzy idiot. And I'm not saying this because Palin's a woman. I'm a woman. Hillary Clinton is a much better speaker than Palin, & smarter too.

[scootmandubious]

This is the person who is supposed to be a heartbeat away from the presidency?

Republicans must think Americans are beyond stupid. I will look at the latest polls to see if they are correct.

America in 2008 has become absolutely surreal.

[TX REPUBLICAN]

WOW, you tree huggers really are scared, and rightly so. I find it humorous. Game over, lights out!!!!!

McCain/Palin 08'

[sandy wichman]

We hug trees.....yes... and we embrace important values that drive productivity, intelligence, efficiency and decency.

Not qualities that the Bush House or the McCain/Palin Team are known for!

Obama/Biden '08

[M Saleem Chaudhry]

With odd news cropping up about social and family inappropriate or unethical conduct as per some religious school of thought,there should be no aspersions on Sarah Palin, as she is entitled to seek fulfillment of her aspiration for V.Ps position, it's the McCain, whose credentials as aspiring President of America,should be questioned for having requisite competency for conducting thorough probe ,before finalizing the names of top associates.Even if Sarah didn't share with McCain sensitive information about personal issues , he was having enough of resources to get the same done ,before announcing her name as his V.P