The Sunday shows talk about -- but not to -- Sarah Palin

We've made note of Sarah Palin's absence from the Sunday talk shows since she was selected for the No. 2 spot on the Republican ticket. But she was certainly a topic of conversation on them today.

From the Democratic presidential nominee, Sen. Barack Obama (making his fourth appearance on ABC's "This Week" since his election to the Senate in 2004 but who postponed an appearance on Fox News Sunday for more than two years): "I think she's a skilled politician. She wouldn't be governor of Alaska if she wasn't a skilled politician, and I think her performance at the convention showed what a skilled politician she is."

Asked later in the program whether he'd "go one on one with Sarah Palin" on the basketball court, Obama replied: "You know, I would play her a game of horse. She looks like she's got some game. She played in high school. You know, I know she's a sharpshooter, and I know that -- I probably wouldn't do target practice with her. I think she'd be a better shot than me.  But on the basketball court, I think I'd stand up pretty well."

From the GOP presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain (making his 65th appearance on CBS' "Face the Nation," breaking the record previously held by former senator and 1996 GOP presidential nominee Bob Dole): "We've been campaigning together. The electricity has been incredible.

"And I would like to say it's all because of a charisma injection on the part of Mr. John McCain, but it's not. They're excited about this, this reformer, this lifetime member of the NRA, the person who was a point guard. She has -- I mean, and I'm sure that Gov. Palin has failings. And I'm sure she's made mistakes, because she's had a long career, from city council to mayor to governor.

"But the fact is, she's kind of what Americans have been looking for."

From Palin's Democratic counterpart, Sen. Joe Biden (making his 42nd appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press"):  "Look, she's a smart, tough politician, and so I, I think she's going to be very formidable.

"But you know, eventually she's going to have to sit in front of you like I'm doing and have done. Eventually she's going to have to answer questions and not be sequestered. Eventually she's going to have to answer questions about her record."

And when might that be? ...(see below)

Let's hear from Rick Davis, the McCain-Palin campaign manager, who had this exchange with Chris Wallace of "Fox News Sunday":

WALLACE:  Why is she scared to answer questions?

DAVIS:  I don't think our campaign is the campaign that has not given immense amount of access to the press.  That's the Obama campaign.

WALLACE:  Why is she scared to answer questions?

DAVIS:  She's not scared to answer questions.  But you know what? We run our campaign, not the news media.  And we'll do things on our timetable.  And honestly, this last week was not an exemplary moment for the news media.

WALLACE:  I understand that.

DAVIS:  And so why would we want to throw Sarah Palin into a cycle of piranhas called the news media that have nothing better to ask questions about than her personal life and her children?

And I think our attitude would be why don't we let that pass until we expose her to ...

WALLACE:  I think there are legitimate questions that -- and it doesn't have to be a huge news conference.  I'm not telling you how to run your campaign.

DAVIS:  Sure.

WALLACE:  There are legitimate questions about is she or is she not ready to be commander in chief.  If last week didn't work, why not this week?

DAVIS:  Sarah Palin will have the opportunity to speak to the American people.  She just gave a speech to 40 million Americans in her convention.

WALLACE:  But that was reading a script.  She's not answering questions.

DAVIS:  She's in the process of, you know, getting to know people out on the campaign trail, and she will do interviews, but she'll do them on the terms and conditions of which the campaign decides that it's ready to do it.

And, Chris, all due respect, I mean, you know, the information that the news media has been putting out on Sarah Palin is not what I would call objective journalism.

So until at which point in time we feel like the news media is going to treat her with some level of respect and deference, I think it would be foolhardy to put her out into that kind of environment. ...

WALLACE:  My only point is there are legitimate questions to ask her, whether it's for anybody else, about what -- is she ready to be president, what does she know about foreign policy?

DAVIS:  Absolutely.  No question about that.  And she will be available to the news media when and if we decide that that is going to be the case.

WALLACE:  So you're not at this point willing to say when. 

DAVIS:  No.

-- Leslie Hoffecker

Photo credits: Barack Obama, Saul Loeb / AFP/Getty Images; Sarah Palin and John McCain, Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images; Joe Biden, Brendan Smialowski / Getty Images for "Meet the Press"

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Comments

[BJ]

Well check out ABC next week! She'll be interviewed there.

[Christine Beatty]

"she will be available to the news media when and if we decide that that is going to be the case."
I see. The woman who'll be a heartbeat away from being Commander in Chief and she can't even fend for herself on a talk show? How will she do in the real world? This is a disturing thought. If I were in the Obama camp I would spotlight that she's being insulated from tge press and pointedly ask why. The voters will draw their own conclusions.

[Mark Jensen]

Why does "I'm singing in the rain, I singing in the rain" come to mind. The right is much better at tap dancing and they are doing a great version right not. The right thinks that it is wrong to have the American People "vet" the Alaska Governor? Time someone did!

[Marks]

Should I find the quotes where Cindy McCain said Gov. Palin has experience with the Russians and foreign policy through osmosis since land mass of Alaska and Russia are "close by"

It's not Gov. Palin has to answer about her life, she has to deny the innuendo being put forth by others.

.
She has to own up on the "necessity" of getting Federal Money through earmarks while Wasilla Mayor.

Projects not discussed in open Congress budget meetings but slid through by corrupt Alaskan Senator Ted Stevens. She hired a lobbying firm with ties to him.

Gov. Palin says "When I get to Washington.." She's been there many times already. She's had the insider track to earmarks, makes her a knowledgeable player in D.C. politics and use of lobbyists.

Voters for McCain/Palin will continually says she's not an insider or player in DC, that's a lie.

[Cynthia]

The media are obviously a bunch of egotistical control freaks!! I like how Davis said that they are running a campaign not the media. It's like the media think they run the world and everyone is supposed to answer to them. Who do they think they are? We have given far too much power to the media, and I hope McCain/Palin just keep doing what they are doing and send the message that they are going to do what is best for America, not bow down to media pressure. I think liberal media are very scared because here is a woman who they can't intimidate or control and who threatens their power over people, and they are as mad as a bunch of wet hens!

[ann]

ooooh, Sarah Barracuda is afraid of media pirhanas!

[James Katt]

Sarah Palin believes that victims of rape and incest should be forced to bear the child of the rapist and incestual relative.

No one in the Republican Party wants her to answer a question about such a belief like this.

Sarah Palin is an extremist. As such, answering questions rather than reciting a speech will expose her extremist points of view.

[basementfrog]

Who would believe the republicans would bring in the first true communist subversive to our government. The left should give this woman a chance.

Last year, 2007, Alaska's legislature approved a major increase on those windfall profits on the oil industry. The state of Alaska has received more than $10 billion this year from oil revenue. Thanks to the addition of these new taxes, that is double the amount it received the year before.

The idea on how to spend the money comes from Alaska's governor Sarah Palin. Her administration now gives $1,200 to every single Alaskan to help them pay for gas. On top of that, each resident will receive an annual dividend of $2,000 from an oil-wealth savings account. Think what a family of 7 could do with that money (Gov. Palin has 7 members in her family).

That's a fancy way of describing wealth redistribution , i.e., downright communism. And that is real change we can believe in. Will she do the same for the Lower 48 states?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwvPNXYrIyI

Secession party 6 months ago. 7 year membership

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PizrJLV30yI&feature=related

God will punish American – her pastor

The republicans are too busy hidding all the things she's done that make Obama look mild by comparison...her church is truly insane...just in a white way so its less offensive in the good ol' USA.

[Ron Holland]

New Sarah Palin For President 2012 Website

Forget John McCain: We Want Sarah Palin For President in 2012

Getting ready to work for Sarah Palin, starting now at http://www.palin4pres2012.com

[Jose from Florida]

What says about your judgement as president when you pick a VP that..

as mayor of Wasilla, tried unsuccessfully to ban books in the city's public library.

Alaska has a well deserved reputation of being the nation's biggest welfare state, and as mayor Palin obtained $27 million in earmarks —

$1,000 per capita — for Wasilla, despite purporting to be a champion of ending wasteful spending.

McCain's slapdash approach to making what may be the most important choice of his political career does not inspire confidence that, given the opportunity, he would surround himself with a quality Cabinet. Or that he would properly screen nominees for the U.S. Supreme Court.
McCain had no inclination to thoroughly vet his choice of a potential Oval Office occupant.

Voters shouldn't make the same mistake.

[Alyson]

There must be some reason the Republicans won't let he talk -- someone is afraid of something. Duh!

[Robert Hewson]

From:
Head of State
http://tinyurl.com/5mbefu

Sunday, September 07, 2008

"Actual Responsibilities": If You Can't Manage a Hockey Rink, Can You Manage Economic Policy and National Security?

From the Wall Street Journal:

Palin's Hockey Rink Leads
To Legal Trouble in Town She Led >
By MICHAEL M. PHILLIPS
September 6, 2008; Page A5

WASILLA, Alaska -- The biggest project that Sarah Palin undertook as mayor of this small town was an indoor sports complex, where locals played hockey, soccer, and basketball, especially during the long, dark Alaskan winters.

The only catch was that the city began building roads and installing utilities for the project before it had unchallenged title to the land. The misstep led to years of litigation and at least $1.3 million in extra costs for a small municipality with a small budget. What was to be Ms. Palin's legacy has turned into a financial mess that continues to plague Wasilla.

"It's too bad that the city of Wasilla didn't do their homework and secure the land before they began construction," said Kathy Wells, a longtime activist here. "She was not your ceremonial mayor; she was in charge of running the city. So it was her job to make sure things were done correctly."

Ms. Palin, now Alaska's governor and Republican Sen. John McCain's running mate, has pointed to her two terms as Wasilla's mayor, from 1996 to 2002, as evidence that she has enough executive experience to take on the presidency, should the need arise -- more than Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, who touts his own background as a community organizer in Chicago.

"I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities," Ms. Palin said Wednesday in her acceptance speech at the Republican convention.

Litigation resulting from the dispute over Ms. Palin's sports-complex project is still in the courts, with the land's former owner seeking hundreds of thousands of additional dollars from the city.

Cite:
Head of State
http://tinyurl.com/5mbefu

[Alyson]

There must be some reason the Republicans won't let he talk -- someone is afraid of something. Duh!

[Jermacd]

Welcome to the Republican party . . . goodbye America hello China. Whatever happened to goverment of, for and by the people? How does this campagin strategy of silence and sequestering change from the Bush administration where the press is not allowed to ask tough questions of the administration? Who are Cheny, Rove and Palin? Don't ask don't tell. The Republicans just want to continnue to spoon feed the media.

It's no longer God Bless American it is now God Help America.

[paul vanotti]

Unbelievable...So how long can John McCain hide his vice presidential Sarah Palin from the media? If she doesn't have what it takes to stand up and answer questions from reporters, then what kind of VP will she be? And, God help us, what kind of president? Reading from a script at the Republican Convention was not enough!

[mavis beacon]

So Davis is giving Wallace the run-around. IF Sarah Palin was a such a tough barracuda, she could handle the press, RIGHT NOW. She could just say NO COMMENT to questions about her family. C'mon, Sarah. If you are such the pitbull, let's bring it on!!

I watched an interview she did as governor. Can't remember who the interviewer was, but the questions had something to do with drilling in the ANWR. Sarah just kept answering the same stock lines to almost every question... like she didn't really grasp the nuances of what the interviewer was asking her.

The real reason she is being sequestered is that they are trying to give her a crash course in American foreign policy, as WELL as history. I think she is going to come across as a total yay-hoo when they finally interview her and the analysts go at it.

She's pretty, she's a great speaker; but then so are any number of female newscasters and actresses. It's not uncommon for "personalities" to become state governors. Jesse Ventura comes to mind... and Arnie of CA. (In Arnie's case, it doesn't hurt to have the Kennedy clan to debate with at holiday dinners, so he has a built-in edge.) And Reagan of course. But Reagan had been the president of the SAG and had been governor of a very populous statefor 8 years before he was elected president. He also majored in economics and sociology in college.

I just don't think Sarah Palin is too smart. I think she's smart enough to get elected governor of Alaska, but I don't think she is going to be able to hold her own with REAL journalists. Just don't think so, or she would have already. I think she is an opportunistic ex-beauty queen. Inquiring minds want to know the truth.

[JOJO]

FIRST SHE HAS TO GRADUATE FROM THE CRUSH COURSE GIVEN BY McCANE LOBBYIST TEAM SCHOOL

[Major Tom]

At Obama campaigns, the crowd chants "O-BA-MA". At McCain campaigns, the crowd chants "U.S.A." Telling. Small town/rural voters, blue-collar and not, see one of their own in Gov. Palin because she is the real deal and Obama truely has no clue about those folks. Now obama is begging for Hillary's help and offered to pay part of her debt. Wow! Palin is a real game changer. Just how scared is Hussein Obama now?

[Is McCain's campaign sexist?]

Rick Davis' comments portrays a very protective stance about Palin. It's interesting how these same of comments would make a male VP candidate sound particularly weak and pathetic. So it appears to be a sexist attitude from McCain's campaign to protect Palin in this way and be so unapologetic and open about it.

[tommy d]

Why would Palin want to be interviewed by journalists who very day express their undying love for Obama and their unmitigated hatred for all Republicans? The fix is in. There's no point in Palin giving interviews to anyone in the mainstream media.

[Spitfire]

Grok this :

What if McSame is a Saturday night special, a throwaway gun?

What if the repugnicans DON'T WANT to win this election?

What if they just aren't interested in picking up their own - considerable - messes? Or just don't know how? Just look at them, listen to them. These guys aren't rocket scientists, after all.

That doesn't mean the old geezer can't win, though. God knows there are a lot of things that can go wrong, like that "Florida Hat Trick" they pulled the last time...

[Ronald Vander Schaaf]

This unknown woman from the unattached state is now possibly attached in a big way to a huge responsibility. She is completely unknown to most Americans. On the surface she is attractive, young, energetic, unafraid, and engaging. All of those have nothing to do with the responsibilities that she will be handling. Does she have good judgment of people, can she analyze issues, is she able to accept opinions contrary to hers, is she able to ferret out the truth, does she know the political landscape nationally and internationally, does she know how to choose appointments, can she compromise, does she know how the White House operates, is she good at negotiating with foreign leaders, does she know who the foreign leaders are, is she acquainted let alone steeped in the nuances of relations between countries (allies/non allies/enemies), has she visited many foreign countries, does she know how legislation is formulated and passed, does she know federal law, will she add signing statements to legislation, does she know American and world history, what does she know about economics, how would she handle the national debt and the mortgage crisis and the high unemployment rate, can she be away from her family for long periods of time, is she willing to work long hours, what is her plan for Iraq, Iran, Russia, Israel/Palestine, North Korea, China, Venezuela, does she know how the pentagon is organized and how it operates (as well as all of the federal departments), what is her plan for global warming. If she could answer these questions satisfactorily I could come up with a few more.

[scootmandubious]

If she appeared on one of these shows, she actually might have tio defend her lie about the Bridge to Nowhere.

Sarah Palin was for the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it.

Palin also remains, and always was, a champion of earmarks.

If you want the fully sourced story (everything is documented), here it is:

http://scootmandubious.blogspot.com/2008/09/debunking-lies-of-mccain-palin-bridge.html

[Pat]

Working Americans are suffering in this RECESSION. Yes we are in RECESSION, the Bush McCain RECESSION. All over America there are people being foreclosed, laid off, suffering from inflation, specifically food and gas costs. This is linked to McCain and his policies as the "incumbent candidate" of George W. Bush. McCain is for the fat-cat, foolish corporate executives who lay off workers, run their companies into the ground, yet leave with $50 million golden parachutes. McCain is for the corporate tax cheats who screw American workers, paying $0 in tax. McCain is for the thieves at Enron and the other oil barons and defense barons making billions at expense of the US taxpayer. Have I told you we are in a RECESSION? McCain is a hothead. McCain has a tendency to fly off the handle. Do you want his finger on the New-Clear trigger. Don’t let McCain rob you of your SOCIAL SECURITY and Medicare by his privatizing initiatives. Don’t let McCain tell us to stay in Iraq for the next 100 years. Vote Obama/Biden. .

[Tom J]

I can't believe he used the word DEFERENCE. What does he have in min - all journalists calling her 'little lady'? 'Your highness"?

We don't 'DEFER' to politicians - they;re supposed to work for us! That means they defer to US!

And that sums up what's wrong with these ridiculous people who hijacked the Republican Party.

Now read all about Palin in the Anchorage Daily News:
http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/

[germanguy]

What is happening to us?

I have been a staunch Republican for over 40 years and now I am totally disgusted with my own party. What is this party doing? How is it that we have gotten to the point of desperation? How did our integrity, decency and fair play become so distorted that we would resort to such decentful behavior, to get our candidate elected?

In the past I was one to just accept a statement from my party as being the 'truth', because I felt our party was one of integrity, but that was before the internet. But in this election, I researched the negatives being thrown out and discovered that the party has been intentionally deceiving the voters of our GOP party, as well as those who have yet to decide.

Just recently we (GOP) released a statement attacking the democrats for going after governor Palin and her family. Then, when I researched it to find out who among the democrats made the statement, I find that it was actually one of our people who released the statement. WHY? Why do we have to use such tactics?

And on this vetting issue, even though our candidate couldn't get Joe on the ticket with him, why did we grab a woman at the last minute? Have you forgotten that there are those of us out here John that will back you, even if you picked Joe?

When John first shared his POW story with us I felt a kindship with him, as I am a disabled veteran of that war. But now, after hearing the story so many times, I begin to realize that this is not the right thing to do, especially to gain support based on 'heroism'. I couldn't help but think of the 52,000 silent heros. Those of us who survived, which John was fortunate to do, shouldn't use our 'hero' status for personal gain. We must always remember to researve that privilege for the true unsung heros who are not with us today. Please John, stop.

You now leave me stranded at sea, aboard a ship to nowhere. What has become of my right to vote? I may as well sell my vote on EBay, since I will probably get more for it there, than I will out of this reckless election.

[Mothermary]

Some of the comments talk as though the press is a throwaway commodity that we need not deal with in our country. Nothing is further from the truth. The press is known as the fourth estate in our country, and was important enough to be mentioned in the first amendment to the constitution as a right that congress may not interfere with. Full press access to the workings of government is a given in a free democratic republic such as ours. Without the press we are a totalitarian state in the making. The American people have every right to know exactly where Palin stands on all of the important issues we face every day. Contrary to Mr. Davis' assertions, the people run the show in the USA, and if Palin can't face the people in the form of the free press, she has no right to run for the second highest office in the land.

[Chris K]

Reading this blog terrifies me. Do you people operate motor vehicles and other complex machinery? Back away from the keyboard, people, and find some place quiet to think.

Gov. Palin is "handled" like all politicians. She'll appear when it suits the needs of the campaign as defined by campaign managers and approved by the lead candidate. She isn't scared. What a silly thought. Is this really news to anyone? Demeaning any of the candidates pointless and absurd. They're all accomplished.

Let's stop the shallow (and transparent) arguments of "tax cuts for the rich", "four more years of George Bush" and "the Democrats are ready to tax and spend" and get back to issues. These standard fear tactic statements are insulting to anyone who thinks for themselves.

Lean left or lean right. Just be thoughtful about it, make informed decision, and don't get sucked into the petty fray led by the incoherently insecure who have a deeply seeded need to be aligned with the "correct" side.

[Hilary Smith]

There are plenty of white people who, against their own self interest, will not vote for Obama because he's half black. If we elect McCain because we can't put our stinking racism aside it will be the end of the middle-class in America.

[Hilary Smith]

It doesn't appear Palin sees herself as accountable to the people. She doesn't think she owes the voters an appearance on TV where she can be questioned. Is this still a democracy?

[Mad Jayhawk]

It is amazing how a lie that gets repeated over and over again becomes the truth. Every thing from Sarah Palin tried to ban books to Sarah Palin was burning library books in her backyard has been said about her asking the librarian a simple rhetorical question. There is no evidence of one book being banned, one book being recommended to be banned, or the librarian being fired for not specifically banning books. This baseless and slanderous attack on Gov Palin is absolutely incredible. The librarian worked for Sarah Palin for 2 years after Palin had a discussion with her about banning books. The librarian was so principled and upset why did she do that?

[John Reece]

One whole week and no interviews!?!?!?!? Maybe Sarah was holding out to surrender her media cherry to the Oprahmessiah. No luck there.

[W. Earl]

Thank you Jayhawk!!
Reading this blog has dropped my IQ 40 points. I am amazed at the comments. Of course the McCain campaign is going to prepare Palin for the national media, why is that so surprising? By the election Palin will have given dozens of interviews. Whats wrong with taking a couple of weeks to prepare?
If I was a Democrat I would be worried sick what Biden was going to say before the election. The more he talks the more chances for him to insert his foot in his mouth (remember the clean and articulate african american comment)?
We have had 20 years of Yale (or Ivy League) educated Presidents. Lets get some real people in Washington, and if that means people educated at the Naval Acadmey or University of Idaho, so be it.

[Alessandro Machi]

It's so cute to see so many men cackling and gossiping about a woman they just met. It probably has some women bewildered at no longer being the best at gossiping.

Oh well, I guess all that bullseye practice against Hillary Clinton has really paid off for the democratic party, my former party until Pelosi, Dean, Brazille and Reid vacate it.

http://www.HILLARY-WINS.com
http://www.FAIR-REFLECTION.com
http://www.CAUCUSCHEATING.com
http://www.HILLARYCLINTONFORUM.net

[Dave Miner]

If Sarah Palin becomes commander in chief, and faces a crisis, she will read a speach with conviction, but no questions please! Sarah Palin, female Bush.

[SWATI (IN MELBOURNE)]

The absolute stupidy of the Amrerican people continues to amaze me! What do they feed u guys out there! Stupidity Beans?! Anyone with half a mind can see through the lies of your John McCain and his dolled uo wife (god..what an ugly woman) and now Sarah Palin to top it all!!! as they say here in OZ - UN-BLOODY-BELIEVABLE!

[harryo]

Rick Davis' comments are amazing. Palin's supposed to be a big girl and there's nothing stopping her from defending herself from false claims about her and her family. Every presidential candidate and VP choice have appared on the Sunday talk shows soon after their respective conventions. Palin is the first VP candidate I can remember who has ducked the press. Davis says she "will be available to the news media when and if we decide that that is going to be the case" I guess that's going to be Nov. 5 (the election is Nov. 4.)
The McCain-Palin is supposed to be ready to lead "Right Now." If that's the case why does Palin has to be prepped to deal with the national media? If the governors of California, New York, Florida or Texas received the VP nomination, they would have no problem dealing with the national media because they do so on a regular basis. The question is , will it be Carl Rovw that preps Palin if the GOP wins the White House and something happens to McCain early next year? W. Earl says he's happy to see someone who finished near last in his Naval Academy class and someone who barely earned a degree from the University of Idaho take the White House over a Harvard Law Magna Cum Laude and Syracuse law grads represent the continue dumbing down of America? This thnking isn't too much different from saying that those Ivy League folks who run the legal, medical and travel industries have screwed things up so much that instead of Ivy League trained doctors, lawyers and airline pilots, you would rather have a "regular person" from Cal State Disneyland perform your open heart surgery, defend you from a false murder charge or pilot your LA to Sydney flight.

[DrBanks]

Given that both Biden and Obama appeared on the weekend talk shows yesterday and neither was asked relevant questions about a curren tissue they are steeped up to Obama's ears in, the government's takeover of Freddie Mac and Sally Mae, why would Palin want to go on these left-tilted, lightweight shows?
Obama's key financial advisors, Franklin Raines and Jim Johnson both served as CEO of Fannie Mae. Both made millions of $$s off of what will be the largest single government bailout in US history. Rahm Emanuel served on the Board of Directors for Freddie Mac and opposed every reform proposed by the Bush Admin. to save that entity. He also is a major Obama operative and advisor. Millions of $$s flowed from these men to Obama'a campaign and they will be rewarded/repaid with US tax money. This is public knowledge yet Main Street Media is interested in Sarah Palin's views on child birth and religious conviction - kind of sexist, don't you think?