CNN, John McCain's camp at odds following confrontational Campbell Brown interview

In one of those moments a network executive would excitingly term "great TV," CNN's Campbell Brown and John McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds clashed on air Monday over vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's foreign policy credentials.

Tensions -- and voices -- rose after the anchorwoman told Bounds that she was just "trying to get someone from the campaign to explain what foreign policy experience [Palin] has." Bounds repeatedly skirted the question, choosing instead to criticize Barack Obama's lack of executive experience.

"All right, Tucker," Brown said as she ended the segment with a broad, sarcastic smile. "I'm just going to give it to ya, baby."

The clip was much in demand today -- and, CNN revealed, the McCain camp made clear it was not pleased.

This afternoon, anchorman Wolf Blitzer announced on air that McCain's planned interview with Larry King tonight had been canceled by the campaign. Blitzer said McCain aides complained that Brown had gone "over the line" in her grilling of Bounds.

McCain campaign spokeswoman Maria Comella later explained the cancellation with this sharply worded statement:

"After a relentless refusal by certain on-air reporters to come to terms with John McCain’s selection of Alaska’s sitting governor as our party’s nominee for vice president, we decided John McCain’s time would be better served elsewhere."

Meanwhile, ABC News announced that it would be broadcasting "the only interview" with McCain during the week's Republican National Convention. Charles Gibson will handle the questioning, and the network will dole it out -- parts will air Wednesday on "World News Tonight" and "Nightline" and Thursday on "Good Morning America."

UPDATE: Jon Klein, president of CNN, has issued a statement in support of Brown's interview. "Campbell Brown did what journalists do," Klein said Tuesday evening. "She asked fair and important questions in a respectful way and was simply trying to get a straight answer to a straightforward question."

-- Kate Linthicum

Comments

[CNN HAS LOST IT]

campbell brown must have missed her pms pills. her angry liberal bias is showing

[j. g.]

Commonsense, you are an infant.
Gorepan, that is the funniest post I've seen. Please keep it up!

[Carla]

Another thing that I don't understand is this whole bit about Palin not being able to be VP because she is a mom. How did feminism reach a point where women can't be VP because they are moms, but men can be president when they are dads?

[Mike Amich]

I have really been searching hard to know what experience Sarah Palin brings to the table and this interview was one more sidestep the McCain camp takes to avoid an issue. "Common Sense" does not think Sarah Palin is being treated fairly, but all the people are trying to find out is what makes her the best qualified, and we hear no answers. And when we ask, we get accused of picking on her because she is a woman. And let's remember that Campbell Brown is a woman and just ran circles around Tucker. Can we say that Campbell is picking on him because he's a man?

And now John McCain is upset over the scrutiny by the media to get answers (or fears he will be asked the same question) and thinks that ignoring the media will make them go away. Ignoring them will only raise more questions. I thought McCain was a man that could take a little pressure. If his camp is unable to answer simple questions, how can we trust him to answer the really tough ones that come with being President?

[roger murrdock]

Tucker could not answer her simple and apt question, so she is over the line? But its fine that he accused her, unwarrantedly, that she was disrespecting the office of governor? He sidestepped the question which deserves to be answered since the Republicans initiated the whole question of experience. Its understandable that Tucker couldn't answer the question, because apparently there was nothing with which to answer it.

[J. Humphries]

Tucker Bounds did not and could not answer the question. No one knows anything about Sarah Palin except that she comes from Alaska. Even John McCain doesn't. What we are seeing is damage-control that is in fact backfiring. This makes the McCain camp look silly ... and frankly they are. Censoring the media is not the way to do it. If you can't answer the question, you can only be upset with yourself. It has nothing to do with being a woman (as suggested by Common Sense"). McCain did no vetting whatsoever, combined with bad communication skills in the Republican Party, and egocentric sidesteppers (like Tucker), you get nothing but a huge mess. Who do you want to vote for in November?

[Ronald Hicks]

McCain has proven himself to be the biggest flip-flopper in history. After campaigning about "Affirmative Action" in his own state, he makes a decision to appoint a mediocre Palin as VP just to have a token female on the ticket to attract Hillary voters.

McCain must believe that Americans supported Hillary during the Democratic campaign based solely on her gender. He is entirely wrong, which is why I am so angry. We supported Hillary because she has the skills to lead this country. Palin cannot hold an intellectual candle to Hillary, Biden, or Obama. What is McCain thinking?

Let's just hope America does not get fooled by McCain and his Manchurian candidate.

[NO U]

Common Sense: Cordially...if you can't stand the heat, get back in the kitchen.

[sandy]

I found Campball Brown's inteview, way over the "line" talk about reverse sexism, how dare she call Tucker "baby", she was was both rude and vulgar, and could not be more obvious concerning her own political views. I have watched CNN over the years and have always admired the anouncers, for their interviews, both the men and the woman on the political team are welll informed and I might add very fair to the candidates from both political parties. A spoiled mouthy brat like Ms. Brown has no place on this team or for that matter on a highly respected network like CNN

[libertarian at heart]

the irony here is that campbell brown is married to a neocon from the bush administration, dan senor.

for those not in the know, there is a war going on in the republican party right now between the neocons and the fundies. the neocons think that the fundies will be the death of the republican party as we know it. the fundies are irate at the neocons for not delivering on their promises to pass legislation on the social issues they care about. the brown/bounds tension on screen captured the essence of the debate in a very public way.

caught in the middle are the libertarians, who represent the purest strain of republican dogma. all we can do is look on in disgust at these two different forms of extremism.

[Jenson]

The truth is, no democrat would never be asked to go into such detail about their "foreign policy" experience. Has Campbell ever asked questions like that of Obama? No, never. She treated him with kid gloves in the debates with Hillary (As mocked by SNL) CNN news is very pro-Democratic party and it shows.

[Marysia Miller]

I believe the comments and innuendo spewed forth by Obama surrogates is distasteful and disrespectful to the candidates. I also believe it is insulting to the process which has been a mantra for the Obama campaign beginning with Alice Palmer through Hillary Clinton and now John McCain and Mrs Palin.
Barak Obama has shown lack of leadership and judgement with regard to his stewardship of his infamous campaign through his inability to corral his 'followers' and their distasteful commentary. They are crude. This is a direct reflection on Barak Obama and his attitude of arrogance towards others and their actual accomplishments.

[John]

This is about a network campaigning for ONE specific candidate. She consistently asks..."I " want someone to tell "ME"....When , as a "journalist" do you place yourself above reporting facts, noyt your own personal opinion. That is why cnn is rated so low.....I am going back to watching FOX.

[Michael]

I think Campbell Brown did the right thing. I am tired of republican rhetoric about Sarah Palin's (Shocking Sarah) executive experience. If Tucker Bounds cannot give a single example of her experience or a single example of a decision that she has made, then it is only fitting that we, the voters, need to see shocking Sarah for what she is. If the republican response is to tuck their tails in-between their legs and sprint off to networks with softball questions, then their behavior underlines the fact that McCain made a mistake and the republicans know it. American voters are not stupid. We can see through the fudging....

[Independent in Illinois]

I am a firm believer that a woman can perform any job as effectively as a man. Therefore, if a man running for president or vice president is going to get grilled, have all their dirty laundry aired, and all verbal gaffes posted, then it is fair game for a woman running for one of those positions. It is not sexism to apply the same scrutiny to all four of these high profile candidates. Besides, if a person can't handle these tough questions from the media then they shouldn't be running for one of the two highest positions in this country.

Note to all media and bloggers - DON'T INVOLVE THE CHILDREN, ABSOLUTELY NO RELEVANCE!!!!

[Natosha]

I am a female and from the south. The condescending tone that Brown used just goes to show how biased the media really is. He did answer her questions. He did try to explain and when Brown coiuld not convince him to change his answer she threw in a good southern ladies comment for that's just a bunch of crap.

When did reporters stop being reporters and begin giving commentaries. Ask the question, listen to the answer and then let the public decide what was said. We really aren't so stupid that we don't know what we hear.

As for McCain not coming to the interview, why should he? If you aren't going to listen, if you are going to call him a lar (in a nice southern way of course) Why should he encourage people to watch you and help your ratings.

[scootmandubious]

Considering how well ABC handled the democratic debate, maybe George S. caqn join his pal.

Mayhaps they can find out John's faovrite grilling recipes.

By the way, the best clip of the night was the RNC cio-chair referring to the nomination of Sarah PAWLENTY!

I have it up, in case you missed it.
http://scootmandubious.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-post.html

[tony]

Why would Mccain refuse to take questions, certainly Obama and his campaign had been questioned numerous times and they seem to handle it well. What is John Mccain running away from? Or is he not ready to answer a journalist question but ready to lead country.

[B]

So when is Barack Obama going on Fox for an interview? Oh yeah, it's only 'childish' when Republicans do it.

CNN is the Fox equivalent for Democratic party. Wake up folks.

[BJ]

The way Campbell Brown has treated both female candidates, you would think she was a male chauvenist, hiding in a skirt. She was horrible to Hillary, and now, she's doing the same thing with Palin. She must have some sort of inferiority complex when it comes to other women. Either that, or she's a paid Obama surrogate.

[B]

One more thing...

And when Campbell Brown stops throwing soft balls at Team Obama, then we can start to believe that she's a tough journalists asking fair questions. Seriously, you will never see Campbell asking Axlerod to name Obama's accomplishments nor will you see her trying to play gotcha with an Obama spokesperson. Rezko? Ayers? Wright? Nope. It's more important to probe the sex life of a 17 year daughter of the Republican VP pick or toting the talking points of the Daily Kos' kooky half-baked theories. Campell Brown is a stones throw away from the left-wing attack machine.

[Corey]

To the poster named "Common Sense"... you seem to be lacking in it. I don't descount your claims of sexism by the media, but to cast your vote for the opposite party you believe just because you are mad is immature. Your vote should be formed ONLY by who you feel will best lead this country forward. You people who are willing to ignore this and vote over emotion or to "get even" with the other party (or even worse, the "sexist media") make me sick. I don't care who you vote for... just do it for the right reasons.

Oh, and you are not "pulling the lever for Palin". You are voting for McCain. His, and only his name will be on the ballot for the Republicans. Know what you are talking about next time you post.

[MissNoVa]

Common Sense, you must be one of those overblown PUMAs the talking heads got so hyperventilated about.

It's not sexism, it's the MSM doing their job--finally. Men have repeatedly been scrutinized like this, some times with disastrous results. Let's go back to 1972. His name was Thomas Eagleton, and he was George McGovern's VP pick. Although a long-serving Senator from Missouri, he was asked to withdraw by McGovern when the media revealed that Eagleton had been hospitalized on multiple occasions, and an unscrupulous newspaper reporter fabricated a hit piece against him.

I'm a woman, and my definition of sexism is having Palin tell me what I can and cannot do with my body. Shame on McCain for not taking seriously his responsibility for fully vetting a VP candidate--this doesn't reflect well on how he will approach the Presidency. A vote for Palin is a vote against women's rights. I'll pass.

Gorefan--your comment is pure genius! LMAO!

[Mark Walton]

I am a lifelong Republican and former member of the media, I have no problem with Campbell Brown's line of questioning. Palin's lack of foreign policy experience is fair game just the way Barack Obama's lack of any real political experience is also fair game. All we want as Republicans is for the media to treat both sides the same way.
In other words, if the media is going to spend so much time on Palin's husband's DUI 22 years ago, why are we not also hearing about Obama's cocaine use about the same time frame?
Let's get real, mainstream media, and stopping taking sides and report the facts. If we are going to pick the right person to be President, we need to know all of the facts before making that decision. That is the #1 responsibility of the media.

[About Time]

It's about time a member of the much-maligned mainstream media actually tried to get a straight answer from somebody. Any body.

McCain's flack still hasn't answered the question. And his silly claim that Palin has foreign policy experience because she "commands" the Alaska National Guard would be laughable -- except when you realize he was serious.

Campbell Brown should be assigned 24/7 to buzz the so-called straight talk express.

And, I can't help but respond to the comment from "Common Sense" above:

I think every "female" candidate, just like any man running for office, would readily expect to have her or his past actions, positions, and experience (whatever there is) reviewed. Since the McCain campaign has done precious little to tell us about her (if they actually knew anything), somebody has to dig in to tell all of us prospective voters just who we're being asked to consider. Remember, my friend, we've already had at least 19 months -- and for some, decades -- to learn all we'd want to know, and more, about all of the other non-Palin candidates.

This isn't sexism. This is filling in the blanks.