Palin set for sit-down interviews
— -- Nearly two weeks after she was chosen as John McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin sits down today for her first talk without a script.
Since Palin made her debut Aug. 29, the Republican vice presidential nominee has not taken questions from voters or from news reporters. On Sunday, the McCain campaign announced she would give interviews today and Friday to ABC anchorman Charles Gibson. The first segment will air at 6:30 p.m. ET on the network's evening news.
It's an unprecedented delay for a modern politician. Palin has been compared to Dan Quayle, who was not well-known when the first President Bush picked him as a running mate, and to Democrat Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman on a major-party ticket when she became Walter Mondale's running mate.
Both Quayle and Ferraro held news conferences the day after their selection was announced. Ferraro was asked about reconciling her abortion rights support with her Roman Catholic faith. Quayle was grilled about his National Guard service.
Palin has spoken briefly to Alaska news outlets since her nomination, spokeswoman Maria Comella said. Democratic running mate Joe Biden gave interviews the day after he was nominated Aug. 23, and appeared on multiple TV networks Sept. 3 with his reaction to Palin's acceptance speech.
Palin is undoubtedly studying up on national issues, says David Beckwith, who was Quayle's press secretary when he was vice president. "Somebody's going to ask her who the president of Ukraine is and she's not going to know, and (someone will say), 'This proves she's not qualified to be vice president,' " he says. "I'm sure they're not only tutoring her as fast as they can but they're also telling her things like don't guess (at answers), don't assume, don't lie."
ABC News spokesman Jeffrey Schneider said the campaign did not limit questions. "There is nothing that's not on the table," he said.
When McCain appeared on CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday, host Bob Schieffer pressed him on when Palin would begin making interviews. McCain, who has appeared on the show 65 times, said it would be "in the next few days."
