McCain-Palin Media Avoidance Watch, Continued

Jake, once again you seem to be out of the loop. Palin was there for the 60,000 people in Florida yesterday. Where were you?

The media is in a tizzy because they are not being allowed to play kingmaker. Given the explicit Obama bias by mainstream media, should anyone be surprised that they should not be the arbitrator in who is prepare or not?

The longer that Sarah Palin makes no public statement on her own, the more nervous I get.
If it were me, or Hillary, or Michelle, or any other thinking and serious woman, they would be chafing at the bit to prove to the world how worthy they are and fit for public office. That Sarah Palin stands at the podium to “recite” her lines without any appearance of wanting to break out of the “mold” makes me VERY uneasy.

I hear Biden’s available for an interview, coffee, back rub or anything else. Any takers? Anyone?

Gathering 60000 people is something the party organizers do. The reality is that Palin cannot answer questions because she has no knowledge about issues and no experience to answer these questions. The more questions answered the more Palin appears like an amateur, a high school grader and that is a reality. McSame is sequestrating Miss Alaska Congeniality.

Jake,
The press is carrying the water for the liberals. You mention whatever the liberals smear Palin and McCain with without fact checking, then you complain that Palin and McCain won’t talk to you.
Please do yourself a favor and watch 60 minutes from last night. The questions that Scott Pelley asked McCain about Palin came right from the liberals.
Thanks to sites like Newsbusters can we see these things.
The message you (and the rest of the media) need to hear is that we completely see you as part of the Democratic Party. So why would McCain or Palin want to answer questions from you and your liberal media friends?

OK forget the press. If Palin is asking for our votes she could at least answer a couple questions from 60,000 Americans.
seriously are we asking for a 100% scripted leader, never being asked to evenslightly be out of her comfort zone.- SCARY time in America

I want to Know who she LIED to the most, Mr. Gibson or Sean Hannity; Wasila or Juneau Alaska; Alaskan Independence Party or Republicans; Alaska State or McCain; America or Pit Bulls?
Remember, Two-Face was a Batman villan. Where is Batman, when we need him?

The McCain/Palin ticket not addressing the press is the same as them not addressing the American people. The speeches are nothing more than propaganda at this point since they are so filled with distortions. I don’t live in this country to “fall in line” – I want answers to real questions. If Palin is not ready for our press, she ill-equipped for the White House.

I guess it has not occurred to the MSM that they are being BOYCOTTED.
Personally, I watched ABC News faithfully for decades, but have not tuned in for weeks. I watched CNN during the Conventions, because they were the only ones not breaking in during the speeches. But shortly following the RNC Convention, they too went right back to their Obama slanted reporting and McCain/Palin bashing.
It’s not that I don’t expect the media to report on negative items regarding the candidates, I just don’t think it’s right to report completely positive stories on one party, and nothing but negative on the other……
Start reporting the news in an unbiased manner, MSM, and maybe then we will find something suspicious with a candidate avoiding the media……..

Shiny…Palin attended a “staged” Town Hall meeting with McCain and repeated the same ole grap…bridge to nowhere, drilling,and this is my “first dude” crap…

With all due respect, Jake, would YOU want to talk to the press if you were Sarah Palin? You guys have behaved like a bunch of vultures, hoping for her political death. Hell, I’d avoid you at all costs too.

Paige:
Well, in case you haven’t noticed, sometimes the blogosphere is the ONLY place you can find news items, particularly ones the MSM, in their slanted reporting, does not wish to report upon, such as the criminal investigation into the Palin email hacking.
For some reason, no follow-up stories have appeared in the major news networks since the story originally broke almost a week ago…………
If the victim had been a Democratic candidate, the MSM would have had updates on an hourly basis…

Tem…I beg to differ….Obama has been on O’Reilly, 20/20, schools, Town Halls…he is open to all questions and ready to answer.
Although, it may not be the answer you right wingers are looking for…

So, McCain-Palin play by Obama rules, and Tapper’s suddenly outraged? The faux exasperation isn’t credible! Because, frankly Jake, it’s “dah Rulz” that the press established. Ask no probing questions, investigate no squeamish subjects, put nothing in context, don’t investigate, and merely assume the best of Candidate Obama.
The press has established the view that soundbites matter and actions don’t. So, the press concludes that Obama’s claim to be post-partisan is legitimate, belying the fact that in his entire career he has shown no tendency to adhere to anything but a liberal orthodoxy.
Further, the press never investigated or challenged anything, allowing narratives such as “Obama was raised by a single mother on food stamps” to become his biography when in fact he was a child of upper-middle class privilege and affluence. The majority of the press has left completely untouched the “pay for play” way that Chicago politics are played, completely ignoring the fact that Governor Palin took on entrenched interests and has refused “pay-play politics” as usual.
Obama got nothing but the gentlest, most coddling of questions from journalists for 18 months, it’s clear that the press wants nothing but to play “gotcha journalism” with Governor Palin, and that there will be no attempt to treat her fairly.
You’ve made your own bed, so cry me no river, Mr. Tapper . . .

say what you want. Obama has taken interviews and questions for over a year. Most recently a press conference last week and one on one with FOX,O’riley and others.
Palins only and most extensive interview was with the biggest Obama hater in the world- Hannity.(not even a question from spineless Combs)

Just going by facts and actions i don’t think it sexist to say
Palin seems to be nothing more than a CHEERLEADER.

jozy
Sorry, those 60,000 figures are ABCs also. SO, YOU LIBS HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO ARGUING ABOUT GOV. PALIN’S CROWD SIZE? A LITTLE DESPERATION SETTING IN?

It is also the right and responsibility of the media to follow the criminal investigation on the Palin email hacking. There is a suspect, and searches have been conducted.
So where’s the stories in the MSM about this?
Seems to be a very large silence about that aspect of covering Governor Palin.

I am hoping Jake will pick up on the story about team Obama hiring a PR firm to smear Sarah Palin.

Paige
For what business did she use the account?
This ought to be easy to answer.

Lee
I have been wondering about that. Last week I heard on radio that thay found the guy – son of some democrat office holder, I think somewhere in the SE, but then TOTAL SILENCE!! NOTHING!! IS THIS A COVER-UP OR HAVE THEY GOT THE WRONG GUY??

When was the last time Obama answered questions?
Posted by: drjohn | Sep 22, 2008 9:39:22 AM
Last Wednesday.

This column proves McCain’s point. When he/Palin don’t take questions, we hear about it from everywhere. When Obama hasn’t taken questions, McCain had to point it out — the media hasn’t complained a bit about that.

McCain is a rich guy who does not understand wealth building and the global economy. By the way he has a low IQ and can’t deal with complex issues like the global economy. Palin is a journalist by profession who is afraid of journalists. Again, she has a low IQ and a MAJOR lack of understanding of global affairs. I doubt that she can even name all 50 states of the union. McCain/ Palin is the great opportunity for MASSIVE POCKET TROUBLES for many families in the US.

To me, this makes it easier to see that some Politicians want to give people the only limited information, sometimes wrong information, to make their point. Knowing that many in the electorate are uninformed. People, realize that THEY COUNT ON YOU BEING EASILY GUIDED BY THEIR STATEMENTS. Don’t allow yourself to be played like this. You know that people going for the highest office in the land need to be exposed to the press. You know that you want to be sure that the person that could be making decisions that could affect the country/world should have a handle on the issues. Because of partison politics, smart, descent people are saying ridiculous things that are contraty to these ideas. THINK ABOUT WHAT IS AT STAKE! I am a Democrat, but I want the same thing for any Democratic candidate. When the press unmercifuly went over Rev Wright (who is not running for Pres.) for weeks at a time, I was cool only because I expected the same scrutiny for all candidates. Now everyone is crying foul because the press want to ask the Palin a few questiongs on the issues? Republicans, are you aware of what this looks like to others on the outside looking in? It is sort of nuts.

Obama took questions, last wednesday, after his speech, about the economy.
McCain walked off stage, when reporters were asking questions, on wednesday.
What does McCain know? He knows little about the economy, according to his own words, so he was afraid, the reporters where going to play, ‘stump the candidate’.
How often can we expect Mccain and Palin to hide, if the were in the White House? This is not a good example. Maybe McCain can send out his lobbiest to talk for him.

Zaggs – Biden has done 55 interviews and press conferences since being named VP. Palin has done ONE. Sorry, the love-fest w/Hannity does not count.

LOL, Failin cannot even seem to manage her own teenage daughter so exactly how is she expected to manage the entire world? What a joke. then, lets not forget about the Lying Man McBush himself. God help us all if they win in November.
Susan

This is ridiculous. She should at least be subject to interviews! If she’s so prepared, let her come out and show what she’s got, then they can shut all of us up.
It will be bad if McCain and Palin can give Bush and Cheney a run for their money. I just read the thing about the Spanish leader blunder, and remember McCain’s bomb bomb bomb Iran comment? And then Palin has to say Perhaps So to the possiblity of a Russo-American war (and this one may not be “Cold”, if we’re unfortunate). It doesn’t matter what their intent was- it shows lack of diplomatic tact.

A swimmer has the right to sun on the deck when the water is full of sharks and the other swimmer’s coaches are throwing chum into the waters.
So work on your tan lines, Governor. If the coaches want their swimmers to play bait, let them.

When was Bidens last interview.
When did did Obama take tough questions from the press in 20 months of his campaigning?
In history when has the VP candidate ever really went before the press.
Oh by the way was she not interviewed on Fox just last week?
For all you saying that Palin does not have the experience to be VP, what experience does Obama have to be President?
The same questions you ask of her, you should be more asking of Obama, see he is the top of the Dem ticket.
But Hypocrisy at its best,
Journalism has died in 2008!! R.I.P. 1776 – 2008
Journalism started off young and non-partisan tough on the questions
Upon its death and for the 50+ years prior its death it has become weak and controlled by Marxism.
If Palin was a male no one would be saying what they are saying, and it is proven, because no one is asking about Biden.
McCain has learned that the Main stream media is in bed with Obama, that is fact.
Imagine if the 2 CEO’s from Fannie May and Mac who walked away with over 100 million dollars worked on McCains campaign as they do for Obama, it would be front page news forever!!
Obama who received the second most in donations in total since 1989 from Fannie may and mac (and he has only been a Senator for 2 years) imagine if that was McCain!
Jake why are you not reporting on the fact that if the Dems allowed the Republicans to adjust the Fannies and the banking industry in 2003 we would not be in the economic position we are now.
Obama stood in the way of changes to the Fannies because of the money he received from them!!
But but we worry more about a VP candidate!!

Dubya – You had a few mistypes in your statement, I corrected them for you to make it more truthful!! –
It is a joke to me that some of you are trying to defend OBAMA’s refusal to deal with the media and answer questions. That type of garbage shouldn’t be an acceptable strategy from someone running for city dog catcher let alone from a candidate running for the THE highest office in the land. HE clearly doesn’t have a grasp of the issues or George Soros would have HIM on every major news outlet just to keep HIM as the primary topic of the campaign.
Public servants have a duty to be available to the media so those they represent know where they stand on the issues. Keeping OBAMA from being subjected to the same questions as the other candidates is nothing short of a disgrace to a campaign that has pledged to be honest with the American people.

Grey Matter when did Biden have 55 interviews since he has been chosen there has not even been 55 days!
When was he on FOX (OReilly or Hannity and Colmes)?
On another note when did Obama have 55 interviews in 20 months

Oh, those screams of “media bias” from the right. Captain America said he and others are forced away from the MSM to find the “truth.” I guess that means Fox News. They soon forget the joy they felt when the media probed John Edwards, Elliott Spitzer and even Barrack Obama. Sarah Palin could be president (a scary thought). But every day McCain and company keep her sequestered, it does nothing but convince more and more undecided voters she’s not fit for the job. The media freeze-out is backfiring on McCain.

They are out there meeting voters Jake.

It seems as though Palin could have put the national security of the United States at risk by doing Alaska’s business on an easily accessed Yahoo account.
She’s supposed to know about foreign policy and national security because of her proximity to Russia, yet she couldn’t even protect her own email from a bored college student.

Exactly…now what about trained IT specialists I’m sure Russia or some other country would have?
Will all the US national security secrets come spilling out and be posted online for all the world to read?

“It seems as though Palin could have put the national security of the United States at risk by doing Alaska’s business on an easily accessed Yahoo account.”
If you consider pictures of Trig and the dogs vital national security, you might have a reason to worry.
Otherwise, when a sitting Democratic official’s teen age son commits a felony to help a Democratic nominee for President, you might want to ask if something important has been left on the side of the street to be carried away by the junk collectors, that being, Democratic values?
Do you really think you can win anything of consequence by becoming your own worst nightmare? That seems awfully immature.

len:
Yes, for how many years did the Democratic Party keep saying “Watergate” any time a question regarding THEIR honesty or integrity was broached by Republicans??
For some reason, when the tables turn, and a DEMOCRAT is hacking a national Republican candidate’s email in a smear attempt, all of a sudden it’s the crime VICTIM’s integrity that is questioned, rather than the CRIMINAL’s.

Palin is big JOKE…

And OBAMA answers questions? WHEN??
Must of missed that media day.
Obama is a FRAUD – he cannot answer a question without a prepared response from his campaign.
McCain/Palin – BEST for USA

No need to present her to the media. They have thier mind made up who gets their vote as Gibson, The View, MSNBC, CNN, NYT, etc, etc etc…. have showed the nation. THE NATION KNOWS WHAT IS GOING ON. The only thing keeping obama in this race now is RACE, because 95% of people that look like him are voting for him. Now you try and tell us who the racists are? Yet the press says if Oba loses, its will be because of racism. I say if he wins its because of racism in the Black Community, since they are voting based on the color of his skin. A definition of Racism: when 95% of an ethnic group vote for the most unqualified nominee in history based on the color of his skin. My argument is much more logical.

It is now 24 days since the hockey mom was announced as a potential president of the United States next January and she still hasn’t given a news conference or has any plans to hold one.
This black-out of all serious press access has never happened in modern American political history before.
It’s what I would call a scandal. Plus it tells us (as does Palin’s Alaskan CV) how secretive a McCain-Palin administration would be.
How DARE she talk about transparency in government and power.

“McCain himself was once the most accessible presidential candidate in modern history;…But he himself has gone 40 days without taking questions from his press corps”
Why should he subject himself to the liars who smeared him about his “possible” affair and who have produced a series of fairy tales about Sarah Palin?
He would be as crazy as Rev Wright to even talk to the Obama-press.

Ryan C.
Like I said, TRY and tell us. I gave you a number that validates racism, you gave me an answer based on nothing but, well just nothing.

The problem of course is that the answers were:
Weren’t we in the press corps insulted? Clearly not. You were still in the tank for him regardless.
Didn’t the American people see how cowardly this was of Obama, the disdain it showed he had for accountability? Clearly not. As he still has the same % of the vote as McCain.
See… as much as you want this to be Obama vs. Palin, it’s not.
And Obama vs. McCain… just makes The One look smaller and smaller every single day.

With the biased media as evidenced by the Charlene Gibson interview, why should she waste her time talking to Obama supporters when she can instead use her time better by talking to real voters like the 60,000+ in Florida over the weekend. Get a life – TappedOut

Mccain will be a joke cum Nov5.
Palin will be history cum Nov5.
Clowns donot take questions from public they only perform and that is what they have been doing. If they start to take questions from public their fake costumes comes off, lies gets revealed.
Obama/Biden08 – Save our 401k retirement

Psssst, Jake….Palin’s out in the real world meeting real people and being vetted by them…why would she want to meet with you elitist reporters, so you guys can distort her message like ABC and Charles Gibson did?
No thanks. Like she said in her famous VP acceptance speech–she DOESN’T CARE ABOUT YOUR GOOD OPINION. She’s meeting american people face-to-face who she says she will be working for. Not you guys in the media. Get over your bloated sense of self-importance.

Just for the record. Americas freedom of the Press is one of the most important elements of the constitution, helping to ensure that no party or ideology becomes all to influencing in helping the make up our politics. It needs to be balanced. When one side or the other gets too much exposure to the pulic, it becomes dangerous that they will be able to sway public opinion unchallenged. Right now, we are seeing the most extreme, concentrated left wing media bias in the history of our country. Only the blind, ignorant or closed minded can not see this. These news organsation have a duty and they are failing us. They should NOT have an agenda. They should ask each the same questions of each party and allow equal time. They DONT. The FCC needs to look atthese companies and see if they are breaking the rules or the law. They have to be dangerously close. ITs not good for americas media to be so biased.

Jake
Just out of curiosity, what good would making he lovely Sarah Palin more available to the press accomplish? I watched the Charles Gibson interview and it was a disgusting display, hard for Mr. Gibson to be fair with a mouthful of Obama.

Gee, I wonder where McCain and Palin have gone off to? If they’re anything like me, they also tend to avoid people who have treated them like crap.

Question asked McCain on the View: Why are you a liar?
Question asked Obama on the View: Are you really related to Brad Pitt?
And you wonder why they avoid the media. LOL!

Andrew Sullivan???? Thats who you go to for advice??? God help you poor soul.

Given the way the Gibson interview was edited before being aired I think the media is getting all the time you deserve with her. Not only was her interview edited to simplify her responses, but look at the questions Gibson asked Gov. Palin and Sen. Obama respectively:
First, Obama:
How does it feel to break a glass ceiling?
How does it feel to “win”?
How does your family feel about your “winning” breaking a glass ceiling?
Who will be your VP?
Should you choose Hillary Clinton as VP?
Will you accept public finance?
What issues is your campaign about?
Will you visit Iraq?
Will you debate McCain at a town hall?
What did you think of your competitor’s [Clinton] speech?
Now Palin:
Do you have enough qualifications for the job you’re seeking? Specifically have you visited foreign countries and met foreign leaders?
Aren’t you conceited to be seeking this high level job?
Questions about foreign policy
-territorial integrity of Georgia
-allowing Georgia and Ukraine to be members of NATO
-NATO treaty
-Iranian nuclear threat
-what to do if Israel attacks Iran
-Al Qaeda motivations
-the Bush Doctrine
-attacking terrorists harbored by Pakistan
Is America fighting a holy war? [misquoted Palin]
“Hmmm… I wonder why she won’t give us more quotes to truncate and shape to fit the image we are cultivating so carefully?”

Well you in the media are blood-sucking vultures, go report on Hollywood celebrities and eco-nonsense.

I can’t imagine why Palin wouldn’t want to be more accessible to the MSM! I mean, it’s not like the MSM has been slanting its coverage, running hit pieces on her, digging up trash, and asking her questions they would never dare to ask the Obamessiah.
Actually…it’s a lot like that.

Frankly, if the media would treat me like you people have been treating Mrs Palin… you wouldn’t even get a “hello” from me.
Grow a pair and learn what real journalism is. Little hint: it’s not pushing for the candidate you like while smearing his opponents and lying about them.

pacific moderate: You read Andrew Sullivan?!!! ROFL.

“Early on in this campaign, before McCain began his media avoidance strategy, the McCain campaign would muse aloud about how relatively inaccessible Sen. Barack Obama was. Why was he afraid of answering questions? they would ask. Weren’t we in the press corps insulted? Didn’t the American people see how cowardly this was of Obama, the disdain it showed he had for accountability?
Ahem.
– jpt”
This just in: Palin is not running against Obama. Repeat, Palin is not running against Obama!

Why are McCain and Palin not making themselves “available” to a hostile press, eager to present them in the worst possible light? A press that has abandoned any pretense of objectivity and sense of fair-play? Gee, I dunno.
In my opinion the press, as it is presently constituted, is the greatest danger our republic faces, or has faced, bar none – since the Civil War. The good thing is, the harder the media presses their collective thumb on the scales, the more apparent their perfidy becomes.

“The true ‘vetters’ of any politician are not the biased media, it is the voting public.”
So John,
How exactly does the public vet the candidates if they are not allowed to ask them any questions?
Do you consider hearing the same stump speech over and over again to be an accurate reflection of the candidate, the candidate’s record and the candidate’s plans?
Do you consider =campaign ads on TV to be an honest representation of the candidate and/or their opponent?
Are you really that stupid?

Did you see how ABC edited Palin’s responses? If you look at her complete, unedited answers, she did VERY well. The media are shameless liars, like their favorite candidate. I don’t blame him for refusing to get them ratings, and a platform to twist facts and soundbites.

ryanC:
You wait patiently for the debates instead of settling for biased questioning by liberal hack journalists.

Obama: Running for President
Palin: Running for Vice President
Who would we like to see answer more questions, hmmmmmmmmm?
Would you like a list?

When can we expect your “Media Avoidance Watch” update on Mr. Obama’s Wall Street/bailout plan? What does Mr. Obama propose we do about, say, AIG? I suppose we’ll never know until maybe it’s too late since the media doesn’t seem the least bit curious. Oh well. Back to the Bristol Palin ‘scandal’ of the day show…

Goodness, no wonder Gov. Palin’s favorability ratings have been steadily tanking ever since the Convention. What a case of the emperor’s new clothes!

Why should she talk to you?? You’ve done nothing but ridicule and denegrate the poor woman. If I were in her shoes, I wouldn’t talk to you either.
You idiots in the mainstream media are fast becoming a non-entity to people like me (Thank God). You’re so far in the tank for Obama you practically drool in his presence. It’s a disgrace.

“You wait patiently for the debates instead of settling for biased questioning by liberal hack journalists.”
So 1 very structured debate in which only the moderator will be allowed to ask question equals vetting?
Do you really consider asking about the predominant foreign policy change of the last 15 years (aka the Bush doctrine) is somehow out of bounds for a VP candidate?
I am pleased with the debate setup for the Presidential debates (subject & format).
All this could be alleviated by her (& him) taking some questions from the press or even the public.
McCain promised weekly press conferences & a q&a session in Congress alah British Parliment.
Why should anyone believe him given his behavior during the campaign?

“they will just crucify her the way Gibson did.”
Crucified her?
LOL.
Gibson did everything he could to help clueless along. Even feeding her into her pre-prepared scripted answers.

I think after the election McCain as POTUS should force the licenses of ABC, CBS and NBC to be auctioned off to organizations that are not politically motivated but care about the country and integrity. The current MSM might as well be working for the Obama campaign. I never watch Fox before this summer. But I have to tell you they are more balanced then all the networks put together.

What the MSM doesn’t seem to understand is that we don’t need them to know who our candidates are, we can look at their actual voting records and their history in public office. we don’t need to get our news from them.
We will listen to them speak, we will hear the answers directly from their own mouths without the media hearsay, and if their record is one of moral and fiscal reform and accountability and lines up with their own words then we will see it…if it is one of contradiction and manipulation we will see that.
We don’t need to hear a reporters spin/opinion on an issue and we don’t want to hear a reporters spin/opinion on any issue. We want information that is non-partisan. If we wanted an opinion we will listen to and watch programs that are more in line with our own.
If the MSM wants more viewers and better ratings…they will stop playing for the left and start asking the exact same questions of every single candidate running for office, with no zeal or excitement displayed for one over another.
It’s a thing called integrity, of which the MSM has lost all understanding.
And when it comes to Sarah and McCain…we actually trust them to do what is right because of who they are.
We Conservatives/Reps respect honesty, integrity, personal accountability and humility, why does the modern MSM think we would listen to them?
It’s baffling.

ABC to Palin: “Why don’t you do more media interviews?” (subtext) “so we can misquote you, cut and paste your answers, make it seem like you’re answering the wrong question, throw your thoughtful answers on the cutting-room floor, and make you look like a fanatic?”
Palin to ABC: “Maybe I’ll speak directly to the American people, so they know everything about me!”

The Palin phenomenon as
Republicans have been
marketing her appearance
on the national scene has
been coming under increasing
scrutiny.
The verdict is in.
The Arctic Empress is wearing
no clothes.

America’s turned out to be the laughing stock of the entire world. You go to war with a country that didn’t attack you “for the sake of democracy” and look at the state of the democracy you morons are peddling. Voter caging, personal smears and attacks, the media wants to vet Palin and they are doing a disservice to America and are ‘in the tank’ for Obama. Bush asks you to suck on a trillion dollars to bail out his corporate buddies, a socialist concept made real by a republican administration, then turn around and labal Obama the socialist. Once again a Republican president has but you all in such debt that–surprise, surprise!!–it looks like it may be too costly to initiate a universal health care plan. Osama Bin Laden and his terrorists buddies are laughing away in their caves as America self destructs to the chants of “America first” as ‘real Americans’ rob you of 700 billion dollars while looking you dead in your eye and telling you their going to do it. I doubt Americans have any idea how truly stupid they look.

so you are the barometer of ability to lead. Get real. Get a job in journalism. What ever became of your last female role model, Cingy Sheehan?

“So 1 very structured debate in which only the moderator will be allowed to ask question equals vetting?” Yes. It beats numerous edited interviews by a liberal media.
“Do you really consider asking about the predominant foreign policy change of the last 15 years (aka the Bush doctrine) is somehow out of bounds for a VP candidate?” No, and its not out of bounds for a PRESIDENTIAL candidate either.
“McCain promised weekly press conferences & a q&a session in Congress alah British Parliment.” Do you really want to bring up promises that were made by the candidates? Didn’t Obama promise to take public financing? How many town hall offers did Obama refuse?

Feel free to stop being completely biased FOR Obama, and I will imagine they will treat you with respect. Continue to treat them with Contempt, and maybe they will win without you, and you will be completely eviscerated and your entire media base will collapse.

So Jake says that McCain/Palin should take interviews from the press whenever the Press wants them to. yet I look at the top of Jake’s Blog and there is an ad for Barack Obama for President. Bias? You make the call. Ny the way, McCain was on 60 minutes last night and Palin speaks with Couric this week. I would consider a vote for Obama if he answered some tough questions. Obama follows the readings of Saul Alinksi, I read some his Marxist ideals in college. Saul says to lie to the public and do whatever necessary to get elected and then run roughshod over them once you’re in office. Obama wants to raise our taxes and then he lies about Social Security to the Senior Citizens. Most retired folks will hurt if the Cap Gains tax is raised back to 35%. Time to answer some tough questions Barack. Speak the truth! Please!

The way that the media has gone into the tank regarding Obama gives me the heebie jeebies.
Palin’s interview showed me that she can handle those heebie jeebies. She’s smart.

Republicans will vote for
the Republican ticket no
matter whether the
candidates are good for
the country or not.
You can’t find anyone worse
than Songbird McCain. The
Rpeublicans will still vote
for him.

The media is in a tizzy because they are not being allowed to play kingmaker. Given the explicit Obama bias by mainstream media, should anyone be surprised that they should not be the arbitrator in who is prepare or not?

“Gibson was rude”
How was he rude?
“cut up her answers so that she came across badly”
How so?
Her answers seemed as fluid as her speechs.
Granted they are soundbites that say little of substance.
But how did they make her come across badly?

Can you say “cost reductions” at ABC?

Atlanta Media Guy -
If you’re going to talk about Saul Alinsky, please 1) spell his name correctly and 2) refrain from calling him a “Marxist.” This sort of name calling makes me wonder if we’re on the verge of a new McCarthy/HUAC Era.
Alinsky was one of those dreaded “community organizers” who believed in economic justice and helped people of all races and religions in ecomomically devastated Chicago areas like Back of the Yards and Woodlawn.
It would have been surprising had Obama not studied his principles and techniques while he organized unemployed steel workers on the South Side of Chicago.
Generations of community organizers and not-for-profit groups have relied on Alinsky’s books to help improve the lives and communities of ordinary working folks. I’m sure the have-nots wish they could afford to hire lobbyists. They have community organizers instead.

Why shouldn’t she avoid the media? The more she stays away the more attention she gets. Her name is a household word and the more trashing of her everyone does the more people love her. Besides, everyone (democrats and republicans alike) knows full well that the hidden agenda is to smear her and trip her up to fail just like good old Charlie tried with his rediculous Bush Doctrine question which he butchered and ended up making her look smarter than him. The fool.
Keep BO out of the white house.
MCCAIN/PALIN

Sarah Palin talking to the MSM crowd
would be sort of like Obama’s desire to chat with crazies like Ahmadinejad &
Chavez without preconditions. The difference is Sarah is intelligent enough to recognize enemies while Obama
is merely a fool. Sarah has no need to
expose herself to the supposedly objective reporters who are in fact water carriers for the Obama campaign.

hey anon – yes it is the21st century and there are alot of Americans who don’t believe that global warming is man-made.

I have not watched msm for years now. I am so sick and tired of them. Why can’t we use their reports as a campaign contribution to obamassiah?
Maybe you don’t know that it was not McCain who said there were 60,000 people there, but the fire chief. I understand that they are having the “great 0″ take his teleprompters with him every where he goes, because as soon as he gets off his written talk, he says things like lipstick on a pig.
I will never understand why we would want someone whose character is so shallow that he associates with the dregs of criminal activity and anti-American screeders (I know not a word).
All you lefties, including the press, there are lots of left countries that you could inhabit and love, this is the only one with a constitution of freedom and personal liberty. Go find your own.

Global Warming in NOT man-made. The Globe is warmed by the sun, not man. Thankfully, not all politicians are idiots.

******* Not only is global warming Not man made, it’s not even happening!! A report by a UN climate scientist came out a month ago and said:” The world is in a cooling trend”

“I think she sat with Charlie Gibson for a couple of nights during which he asked her tougher questions then he has ever asked 0bama.”
Which question was tough?
“After she is elected VP in November, the whole lot of the “main street media” is going to rue the day that they were such water carriers for 0bama that they didn’t treat this woman with the courtesy and respect that she deserved. Who will be laughing then?”
So once in power Palin will have venegance on the media?

Yeah, I guess you guys weren’t listening when she gave her acceptance speech…she’s not going to get into the good graces of the media.
I can’t really recall anyone ever anointing Jake Tapper and his liberal “journalist” colleagues as the final authorities on whether Sarah is qualified.
Hey, nice job you liberals in the media have done investigating Obama’s Chicago Machine ties and Biden’s family lobbying manners. Oh, wait. That happened in another dimension.

“John McCain, co-sponsor of bill to reign in Freddie/Fannie monster in 2005. The Dems would have none of it”
The GOP ran Congress and the committee that was intro to in both 2005 & 2006.
So how did the Dems stop this bill?

Okay Jake, I’ll bite. But why don’t you tell me where Senator Joseph Biden is now? When was the last nationally televised interview he did? Juxtapose that to Sarah Palin. When will Sen. Biden & Obama provide another nationally televised interview? When will Sarah?
No, Jake, I’ll ask when will Sen. Biden sit down with Charlie Gibson or let him hang out with him with unfettered access for 3 days? Jake, as a member of the media, you realize that stating an idea over and over again makes it akin to the truth. However, factually speaking, you lack facts babe.

Speaking of Al Gore, does he have allergies or something? He’s blown up like a balloon.

“How the Democrats Created the Financial Crisis: Kevin Hassett”
But the bill didn’t become law, for a simple reason: Democrats opposed it on a party-line vote in the committee, signaling that this would be a partisan issue. Republicans, tied in knots by the tight Democratic opposition, couldn’t even get the Senate to vote on the matter.

Ignoring the media is precisely the right strategy for Republicans. The rule should be – do nothing to legitimize the press as neutral arbiters of news and events.
They should follow through at the debates and insist that Obama pick two questioners and they pick two. That way Obama will have to answer a question from someone other than some fawning left-wing “journalist”.
The faster the major newspapers and the network “news” media fold the better for the country.

“But the bill didn’t become law, for a simple reason: Democrats opposed it on a party-line vote in the committee”
I love when right wingers offer op-ed by McCain advisers and pretend that’s its somehow detached non partisan analysis.
Of course the writer doesn’t tell you that bill was only read to the Banking committee (which the GOP controlled) before being presented to the Senate (which the GOP also controlled).
You want blame for why that bill did not receive even a vote?
Talk to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist in between indictments for corruption.

who cares about the alphabet media, WaPO or NYT? Sarah Palin should talk to voters, answer their questions..have townhall meetings, have people phone in..the media is out to get her, if the media is fair, she should participate. But the media is so in the tank for the One it is downright a disgrace. Just what kind of foreign policy experience John Edwards had in 2004? How about Bill Clinton in 1992? What about the Messiah himself? Anyone cares about what he actually accomplished when he was the community organizer, the state senator and the senator? McCain and Palin should ignore the media, and if they win the election, shut their doors for the junkyard dogs from WaPo and NYT, esp the NYT crowd. Seriously, these folks from the NYT are no better than the D&D pajama crowd from DailyKos, want to play AD&D, get these people, for real news, go somewhere else..

60,000 people on a Sunday afternoon…hardly a peep about that.
While the msm has been picking up stories planted by astroturfing Axlerod, Governor Palin as been engaging with crowds of people, endearing herself and her family to them.
She doesn’t need you, msm. In fact, you’ve behaved as her enemy, not objective journalists. It’s time you considered yourself exposed, and therefore irrelevant.

Jake, Glad to see this posted. It is a question we should all be asking and the people who respond as if this were whining should stop and think for a moment: Would you hire someone to work in your own company who you had not confirmed was qualified for the job? If not, why would you want someone in the top office of the country who has yet to prove that she is anywhere near qualified? Besides, she claims she’s a self-described “pitbull” who can handle anything so let’s see her handle the press for starters.

The MSM is nobody’s friend…The problem is that voter’s get the impression that the campaign is afraid that she’ll make a mistake…Beyond that, there really ARE questions that go beyond the Sean Hannity softballs…1. Followup about this Trooper nonsense…2.Followup on her family’s involvement with a party that would consider cessession from the US…3. Follow-up on several questionable assertions that SHE made which bring her credibility into question…I’m sure that many of the big issue questions will be explored in the debate. The questions that require answers are these fringe issues…McCain’s campaign makes an intelligent politician look like – a Beauty Queen.

For those of you who see these news stories as a chance to attack Obama, why don’t you just focus on the issue–Palin. Is it really your opinion that a VP candidate does not need to talk to the press, answer questions from the American people and generally be accountable for her record? Is paranoia about the media so deep that you don’t think anyone in the media can ask a fair question? Can you really be satisfied that she has met the requirements of office with the amount of information you have at hand? If the answers to these questions if “yes” that’s scary enough but of course it is really the judgment of McCain that is in question here as well–picking someone who he has to hide from the public and who still remains an unknown in the political arena. The thought of having a candidate one beat away from the presidency who has yet to respond openly to her public may be the single best reason to reject her.

The media is a laughingstock. Here’s a guy all lathered up about access to one of the Vice Presidential Candidates (How many calls has Tapper made to Joe Biden for an interview?) while the Democratic Presidential nominee’s toughest question from ABC to date is which flavor of ice cream he prefers.
I understand there was over 14 million+ dollars in charitable funds guided by Mr. Obama in Chicago that oddly have not been accounted for. Where is the media scream and cry to find out what happened to the money in Obama’s trust during what appears to be his only experience handling money?
It appears there is no shame with Mr. Tapper or many of his counterparts at ABC. Who will be the first responsible news organization in America to demand to know what became of the money under Obama’s supervision as Director of the Woods Fund?

WaPo: [McCain] is not entitled to keep the public from being able to make an informed assessment of that judgment.
Problem is, since all of the MSM reporters are panning for mud in Alaska and none asking any inconvenient questions (Rezko? Ayers? Wright?) of Obama, the public is being robbed of the ability to make an informed assessment.

I see no reason for the McCain campaign to brief representatives from the Obama campaign (i.e. what you call “the media”) in the middle of an election.
The public is best served by the approach they are taking – go direct to the people and skip right over the media priesthood.
Worked for Reagan.

Jake,
the objection as I understand you is that Palin is not running through the media gauntlet that is designed to destroy her? The Ossiah goes on O’Reilly and gets an interview that was designed to portray Bill as a moderate rather than vet Barrack. Otherwise, the media is adoring.
I am still waiting for a investigation into ACORN and the Chicago machine. The scale of intensity is not equal. I am wondering how the Dems would feel if the media voted 9-1 Republican?

“I worry that when we need to know facts that we have a right to know, they will avoid communicating with us, too!!! Obama/Biden ’08!!!”
Good question, excellent observation!
Now pop quiz
Name 5 Bills/Legislation Obama has authored, fought for, and gotten passed?
Being 1 of 99 Co-Sponsors on a bill on a bill doesn’t count.
The Bills/ Legislation have to have a name or number that can be checked and verified.
Example:
McCain/Feingold, McCain/Lieberman, McCain/Kennedy
I don’t care if you agree or disagree with the bills,
I’m just trying to find out if this guy ever showed up for work!
Public law (xxx-xxxx) SB (senate bill) and such.
WE know a lot about Palin’s 20 months of Gov so far.
Over the same time space, 20 months, I can’t find a single thing this guy did.
To make it easier pick ANY 20 month segment that Obama was a State or Federal Senator, you can even use a segment that covers 20 month’s State through Federal.
If you can’t come up with some why would you vote for this guy?

Benjamin9
“I believe she has appeared before more folks than Biden.
Whats the deal w/Biden?”
Opps sorry Benjamin9, apparently you didn’t get the memo.
It’s currently a 3 way race for VP.
Obama’s running against Palin for VP, and in a distant 3rd is Biden (ya know he takes the train home almost every night” Biden.

yes the Empress as no clothes, but it is the cheering crowd that keeps her fooled until some small child will speak up, then the crowd will jeer; but what does this say about the crowd? It is to McCain’s'discredit that he foisted someone as poorly qualified as Palin on us, and it is a terrible insult to us that he should do so. Do we not deserve better? Ms Palin isn’t to be vilified for not being qualified, she is what she is, but she should have known better than to have accepted his invitation. With grace she could have said thanks but no thanks, like she did for the bridge to nowhere. However McCain took the spotlight off himself and his family and sacrificed Palin instead. This is a war hero!

With a 80% favor rating overall, (75% with dems) Gov. doesn’t need to bow down to the MSM, and if they weren’t listening, said she wasn’t going to seek their approval. MSM S/b DSM (downstream media). This lady too savvy to step in it, not like B.O. who seems to walk in it every day. The people who want to vote for her want to see her in person, not on the boob tube.

my parents live down in the villages and i will tell you there are no minorities at the villages. my parents think palin is great. my mom said she thought palin was smarter than alot of people, i asked her if she is smart enough she just said that obama is scary. ok my parents are racist, but palin needs to speak to the media. it is unbelievable that the woman in this country don’t get mad that the media treats a woman differently than a man. there is no way a man gets away with what palin does. it is a shame that america gives a white woman a free pass but obama’s wife get’s question after question about her patriotism and the media ask’s if michelle is angry. i can’t believe this country.

Considering that Charles Gibson, supposedly one of the best and most impartial reporters out there, couldn’t manage to get his “exact quote” right, even though the video is readily available, and essentially acted as if his job was to trip up this woman who had the audacity to think she could hold her own with her betters, I’m not surprised.
The reason Sarah Palin should avoid the MSM is as follows: she’s not going to get anything close to a fair hearing.
The evidence?
Elaine Povich reports that only seven percent of all Washington correspondents voted for George H.W. Bush in 1992.
David Brooks notes that for every journalist who contributed to George
W. Bush’s campaign, another 93 contributed to Kerry’s campaign.
Finally, Groseclose and Milyo from UCLA find a systematic liberal bias of the U.S. media. “This is echoed by three other studies— Hamilton [2004], Lott and Hassett [2004], and Sutter [2004].”
You want people to talk to you? Then stop slanting your reporting.

Ok Ryan, I’ll pretend you really want answers and play along.
“Gibson was rude”
How was he rude?
Simply put, aside from the attitude (and you’d need to watch the videos for that) the “Exact Words” gotcha was impolite at best; and at worst it was unintelligible as his “exact words” quote was incorrect.
“cut up her answers so that she came across badly”
How so?
You didn’t read the transcript of the first night’s interview at Mark Levin’s webpage did you? Something like 70% of what Palin said got cut from the broadcast.
Most of her answers got cut from multiple sentences covering a topic were cut down to a sentence (or partial sentence) soundbite.
When you give me a 2 hour interview, and I cut you down to 5 minutes of soundbites; nobody would think I’d done your speech justice, or given you a fair platform; would they?
When you cut most of her answers, you’ve just shown you’re not interested in what she has to say. Gibson’s editors were obviously more interested in Gibson’s questions (only some that made him look foolish were cut) than Palin’s answers.
Heck, in some cases Palin’s answer to a cut follow-up question was aired as her answer to the original question.
Dishonest, hack-job, manipulative editing; these are all fair analysis of what ABC did to the Palin interview.
Somehow she doesn’t want to come back, have partial phrases edited from paragraphs and be misrepresented again?
How dare she not allow you to butcher her comments more? Doesn’t she know that ABC controls the truth?

Finally, Groseclose and Milyo from UCLA find a systematic liberal bias of the U.S. media. “This is echoed by three other studies— Hamilton [2004], Lott and Hassett [2004], and Sutter [2004].”
You want people to talk to you? Then stop slanting your reporting.
********************************************** Just because journalists have an informed opinion does not mean they have biased reporting.
I have learned that conservatives seem to believe that the truth, served up with documented facts is a Liberal Bias.

Sarah need to address the issues and stop hiding from them. Who cares where she shop or about her sending thank you notes to her girlfriends. Seems to me that she just want attention for anything other than responding to the concerns that are confronting the nation today. She seem to be the replica of Bush and McCain in her nonresponsive mode and it is unbelievable that some folks seem to be stuck in her world of doing and saying nothing about the economic, health care, education, etc. issues that must be addressed and dealt with.

Common sense. A rally filled with cheering supporters as the candidate rereads a script is not the same as allowing oneself to be subjected to public scrutiny.
This woman could become President and leader of the free world, a place she knows virtually nothing about. We have a right to find out if she is as vacuous as her comments about Russia make her seem.
Even the courts honor the principle that witnesses should be subject to cross examination (hostile if the witness is deceptive) in order to search their knowledge and explore their truthfulness.
Today Sarah goes to the UN to make her first contact with world leaders, but guess what…nobody but nobody will be allowed to ask her what she learned! Nobody, not even Limbaugh. This display of avoidance shows that Palin, a communications major is simply afraid of speaking publicly and showing what she does and doesn’t know.
That’s just not good enough when voters have to choose a potential President.

People who respond, “Name me something Obama has done” in the comments under a blog crack me up.
It’s called Google. Try using it once in a while. At the very least you can check the Wikipedia page about him.
Sarcasm aside, reverse the party affiliations for a second. Would the people defending this no-media policy really have us believe that if Palin were a Democrat instead of a Republican that they wouldn’t be accusing her of ducking the tough questions?
If you think she is ducking, fine. If you don’t think she’s ducking, that’s fine, too. Just be consistent.
Ha. Consistency in an election race. I crack myself up.
“Whoever said the media has a uniform bias never saw three TV producers try to order a pizza.”

All of this back-and-forth about whether or not poor Sarah is justifiably avoiding being bullied by the media – who cares? People, it’s this simple: If someone is running for office, they are expected to answer legitimate questions posed by the media, so that the citizenry can make an informed decision when it is time to vote. This woman is attempting to claim the second highest office in the land. If she cannot handle the stress of responding to questions from the press now, what is the likelihood that she can handle the responsibilities of Vice President? And what does that say of her qualifications to step in as President, should the need arise? White/black, male/female, attractive/ghastly – none of this matters. Answer the people’s questions or please step down, Governor.

Those calling for “end to media avoidance by Palin” are those trying to steal the election Obama using smears and misquotes and unfair “gottchas”.
Voters should teach those evil journalists a good lesson Nov 4.
Victory to McCain-Palin will clean up washington and also the “evil” anti-america media.