Recently John McCain and Sarah Palin have been crying foul about the way the media has treated them, claiming they have been unfair. Gee, I wonder why that is? Could it be the fact that they were denied access to Gov. Palin when she first accepted the nomination for Vice President at the Republican convention nearly two months ago? Could it be that she refused to grant interviews to the regular media, picking and choosing who she would talk to over the last month? Could it be that she attacked the media even before she granted her first interview while campaigning for John McCain? Or could it be that the McCain campaign tried to put stipulations on the media when Sarah Palin met with some of the world leaders in New York just prior to her debate, saying they could take pictures but couldn't ask questions? Whatever the reason, the one thing you don't want to do is get on the wrong side of the media.
By refusing to talk to the media, you pretty much put yourself at their mercy, as they control what information is digested to the American public. The main thing Barack Obama has done over the past two years is use the media to help the people learn who he is. Even when the publicity was unfavorable, such as the associations with Tony Resko, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and Bill Ayers, Barack Obama stood up to the media and addressed the allegations. Even John McCain has addressed his associations with Charles Keating and G. Gordon Liddy, which basically the press has given him a free pass on. But Sarah Palin was an unknown when she was tabbed as McCain's running mate, and at the time had high favorability with the American public following her convention speech. Why then would John McCain and the Republican Party shield her from the media? She had just breathed new life into his campaign and had even pulled him ahead of Obama in some polls. This was the time to take advantage of her popularity, not scorn the media by hiding her. Then she went so far as to attack the media because they didn't know who she was.
As the media began to dig into her record in Alaska, things started popping up that looked a little shady. They wanted to question her about comments she had made in her convention speech that just didn't add up. But it seemed like every Republican in the party spoke in her defense while she just kept on smiling and refused to defend herself. Then came the interview with Katie Couric, a somewhat friendly, non-confrontational interview that showed just how unprepared Sarah Palin is to hold the position of Vice President. Recently she has begun to open up more to the media, still picking and choosing though, and even appearing with McCain by her side to deflect any questions he feels she cannot handle. She has recently been criticized by the party for trying to get her own message out, as if she was the one running for president. Hell can you blame her? She outdraws McCain in rallies by ten to one. The Republicans allegedly just gave her $150,000 of campaign funds to spend on her and her family's wardrobe. She denies the claim, but McCain says the clothing will be donated to charity.
So naturally Sarah Palin, as Governor of Alaska, has never faced the media scrutiny she is facing now. It has nothing to do with the fact that she is a woman. It has a lot to do with the fact that Americans know nothing about and have cared very little about what goes on in Alaska, until now. John McCain, Sarah Palin, and the Republican Party have created this atmosphere of disdain from the media by disdaining them when they have needed to know who you are. The American people needed to know who you are. Most of the people that were on the bandwagon just because you were a woman, a maverick, a pit bull with lipstick, have jumped off because most of all, you are still a mystery. Even I was impressed with your personality and charisma at the Republican convention and considered you a serious threat to the Obama campaign. So it's too late in the race to blame the media for your treatment, they were there for you, you were not there for them.
By refusing to talk to the media, you pretty much put yourself at their mercy, as they control what information is digested to the American public. The main thing Barack Obama has done over the past two years is use the media to help the people learn who he is. Even when the publicity was unfavorable, such as the associations with Tony Resko, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and Bill Ayers, Barack Obama stood up to the media and addressed the allegations. Even John McCain has addressed his associations with Charles Keating and G. Gordon Liddy, which basically the press has given him a free pass on. But Sarah Palin was an unknown when she was tabbed as McCain's running mate, and at the time had high favorability with the American public following her convention speech. Why then would John McCain and the Republican Party shield her from the media? She had just breathed new life into his campaign and had even pulled him ahead of Obama in some polls. This was the time to take advantage of her popularity, not scorn the media by hiding her. Then she went so far as to attack the media because they didn't know who she was.
As the media began to dig into her record in Alaska, things started popping up that looked a little shady. They wanted to question her about comments she had made in her convention speech that just didn't add up. But it seemed like every Republican in the party spoke in her defense while she just kept on smiling and refused to defend herself. Then came the interview with Katie Couric, a somewhat friendly, non-confrontational interview that showed just how unprepared Sarah Palin is to hold the position of Vice President. Recently she has begun to open up more to the media, still picking and choosing though, and even appearing with McCain by her side to deflect any questions he feels she cannot handle. She has recently been criticized by the party for trying to get her own message out, as if she was the one running for president. Hell can you blame her? She outdraws McCain in rallies by ten to one. The Republicans allegedly just gave her $150,000 of campaign funds to spend on her and her family's wardrobe. She denies the claim, but McCain says the clothing will be donated to charity.
So naturally Sarah Palin, as Governor of Alaska, has never faced the media scrutiny she is facing now. It has nothing to do with the fact that she is a woman. It has a lot to do with the fact that Americans know nothing about and have cared very little about what goes on in Alaska, until now. John McCain, Sarah Palin, and the Republican Party have created this atmosphere of disdain from the media by disdaining them when they have needed to know who you are. The American people needed to know who you are. Most of the people that were on the bandwagon just because you were a woman, a maverick, a pit bull with lipstick, have jumped off because most of all, you are still a mystery. Even I was impressed with your personality and charisma at the Republican convention and considered you a serious threat to the Obama campaign. So it's too late in the race to blame the media for your treatment, they were there for you, you were not there for them.
