Sarah Palin Appears to Scare the GOP
It's time to let the vice presidential candidate meet the press head on
A major reason Sen. John McCain picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate was for her toughness in taking on her state's lawmakers, the oil industry, and anyone getting in her way. So, why is the GOP campaign so fearful that it refuses to get her out before reporters in a full, freewheeling press conference?
Even the conservative National Review magazine wonders why Palin is being kept away from reporters except in highly controlled venues.
Palin's so-called interview with Fox's Sean Hannity was a joke. No surprise that cheerleader Hannity asked only home run ball questions and was almost reverential toward her.
ABC's Charlie Gibson asked tougher questions, but Palin responded mostly with campaign-style answers and stayed out of trouble.
Before Katie Couric of CBS, Palin goofed by saying she would have to get back to the anchor to give any examples of McCain's reform activity in Congress. Palin was clearly stumped.
It reminded me of President Dwight Eisenhower's answer at a press conference before the 1960 election when asked to give any ideas Ike's administration got from Vice President Nixon. Ike responded: "If you give me a week, I might think of one." Nixon's presidential campaign had to choke on that unintended zinger.
Sen. John F. Kennedy's campaign was delighted to get confirmation from Ike that he couldn't instantly come up with any Nixon idea. Nixon, after all, had been in office for eight years.
Talking to Couric, Palin also sounded as if she were on Saturday Night Live when she extolled her experience by being a next-door neighbor to Russia and Canada. Couric was not confrontational at all, but a flustered Palin could only mutter "reporters" as she struggled to come up with a logical response.
In Palin's highly structured campaign, the vice presidential candidate received an almost laughable lesson in foreign policy when she was squired around the United Nations to meet and greet a few leaders. Her meeting then with Henry Kissinger, now 85 years old and still apparently lusting for headlines to prove he isn't a has-been, was equally humorous. Palin looked like a college student at Kissinger's feet.
Who knows whether Palin might give a good account of herself in a wide-open press conference? However, McCain's campaign seems too worried to find out or let Palin be Palin. They insist she is tough enough to take on Big Oil but not, apparently, Campbell Brown.
Her best test may come in the debate with Democratic Sen. Joe Biden. You know Biden's advisers have warned him about being condescending toward Palin or looking at all smug with his obviously stronger experience in Congress, especially in foreign policy.
Senator McCain surprised even many in his own party by turning to Palin. As a candidate who is campaigning as one who "puts country first," it is high time he let voters see her under pressure. Why is he holding her back, and why isn't she demanding to be unleashed on her own?
Reader Comments
Obama
I keep hearing and reading about Obamas experience and expertise. Also, his experience on foreigh policy. Well,
1) Barack Obama, has Absolutely No Eperience in anything. "Especially Foreign Policy". Out of all four people running for office, McCain has the most experience of all.
2) Obama, has "No Expertise in anything". He is not an accountant. He can't balance any budget. Nor can he get spending the tax payers under control. He already has plans to spend $800MM as soon as he is in office, if elected. He reminds me of a Monday morning golfer. You know, the ones who tell of their good game they had. Then you find out he played by himself. He has less experience in "Foreign Policy" than my (7) year old grandson.
2)The "one and only reason he went to Iraq, was because he found that McCain was there several months earlier. Also, he got the publicity from all the networks like he was really doing something. (McCain received no publicity.) CBS, ABC, CBS and MSN followed and reported like he was a prince. It's to bad he didn't acknowledge the troops while he was there. Instead he ignored them, and walked right by them unless he noticed a camera pointed at him. McCain went there not for publicity, but because he loves his country and he knows the troops are fighting the terrorist on their grounds. Trying to Protect the "United States of America". McCain took the time to shake hands and talk to each and every soldier he met. But, you didn't hear that on your 6 PM NEWS. "He didn't do it for publicity". "He did it because he loves America, Jack !!! Obama will not even acknowledge our American Flag. And that just PI_ _ _ _ me off !!
3) Sarah Palin, is going to make mistakes. Just like Obama has. Just like McCain, and Biden. And, just like Dwight David Eisenhour did in in 1960, when he was asked if he could tell one thing that Vice President Nixon has done. He said, "I WILL NEED TO GET BACK TO YOU NEXT WEEK ON THAT ONE" !!! So get off her back !! She has far more experience and expertise than Obama could think of. OBAMA CAN TALK THE TAIL OFF A MONKEY. BUT HE WILL NOT MAKE A PRESIDENT...***
barack obama
Of the nearly 27 million dollars that Obama's campaign has raised, over half has come from outside the U.S. Places like Iran and Saudi Arabia. Those countries are hoping that Obama will win.
Obama want the tax off the profit of your home should you sell it. If yoy bought a home for 100K, and sold it for 200K, HIS NEW TAX PLAN WOULD TAKE 28k, ON TOP OF ALL THE OTHER TAXES...... Even the Clinton's, are now saying that Obama is not ready to lead this country...
If you notice the news media, everyone of them are Obama supporters. Even the "Arbatraitor" that asked the questions on Thursday night to Biden and Palin, is writing a book about Obama. If you will remember back to Thursday night, she was biased. When she would as Biden a question, on (4) four different occasions, she started out by "Praising" him, telling him how great a job he is doing, or has done, or how great he is. She even went so far as to mention the specific projects. She never praised Governor Palin, about the great work she has done.
Every news person on T.V., mentions how little experience Pali has. Sarah Palin has far more experience than Obama. And is better qualified to lead this country. What gives Obama the right to think he is ready to be our commamder and chief. One hundred and fourty three days in office, and he thinks he is ready to be our president. He has never done anything that anyone can think of.
Barack and his wifes student loans at Harvard University were paid for by the Terrorist and Muslims that he "is not friends with". (Yea Right!!)
Obama is the largest liar in the United States. He said he was not a Muslim. However, on two occasions that I have seen on television he has a slip od the tongue, and no one has said one blasted thing. 1) He mentioned that Mc Cain has not mentioned his "Muslim Faith'. Then the interviewer said "Christian faith ?" Then Obama said Christian faith. The interviewer never said a word, and neither did "ANY OTHER NEWS MEDIA"... 2) In another interview on national T.V., he mentioned the 53 states, not 50. In the Koran that the Muslims use as their Bible, it tells of 53 States. After being friends with Jeremiah Wright, ahd Wright being his pastor for twenty years, marrying Barack and wife, then baptising his children, he said he had never heard Wright say anything about hating America or Whites. (Yea Right). I have a taped interview, where Obama said "point blank," that Wright and he dad many conversations concerning the matter....
If he is elected president, he will not place his hand on the Bible,, He has never paid respect to the "American Flag". On Thursday night 09/25/2008, Obama had a fund raiser dinner in New York. Many people were there "Including the BEARD WEARING S.O.B. from Iran." BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT !!
I could write about Obama all night. But, I just get angry thinking of Obama being President of my country. The country that I love, and fought for in Viet Nam. Its a disgrace and slap in the face !!
Palin Must Go
With all the acceptable candidates for VP, why Sarah palin ? McCain could have walked away with the election with a moderate well known Republican- Tom Ridge for example. The conservative right are so scared of Obama they would have clung to McCain no matter who he picked. Sarah Palin is not only annoying with her fake cutsey act, but comes across as a complete airhead- vintage Gracey Allen-Edith Bunker. During the debate she obviously threw out the haggard sound bites her handlers and trainers crammed into her head- and not much more. I am a moderate republican and I have no choice but to go with Obama. Palin's selection shows horrible judgment on McCains part. Who is he going to select for his cabinet-- David Duke , Pat Buchanan, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity ? Thank God Jerry Falwell is not available. He's a real " Maverick" alright. Had I known he would go off the deep end, I would not have voted for him in my states primary.
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