Baby Steps! Palin Takes a Reporter's Very Soft Question
At an event today at the Museum of Russian Art, the McCain campaign did not allow questions for Governor Sarah Palin, except for one asked by a reporter from Alaska who wanted to know if she'd still have time for her home state. They've got two months to go in keeping her away from real questions. But so far so good!
Here's the pool report from Maeve Reston of the L.A. Times:
Pool Report #1a
9/4/08
Minneapolis - The Museum of Russian Art Governor Sarah Palin
NO NEWS
In the midst of a private luncheon of the Republican Governor's Association (in another room), the press was ushered into an small, dimly lit adjoining art gallery. Palin, in a gray suit, waited already in place as we entered. She was flanked by nine governors: Gov. Perdue of GA, Gov. Rounds of SD, Gov. Gibbons of NV, Gov. Blunt of MO, Gov. Lingle of HI, Gov. Douglas of VT, Gov. Heineman of Neb., Gov. Hoeven of ND. (Check all spellings). Lingle introduced her and said how happy all the governors are that Palin was chosen.
Palin made about a six minute statement that amounted to a reprise of the themes of her speech (working on transcribing statement will be pool report #1b).
She read from notes at a podium outlining her resume as a "chief executive," her experience vetoing millions of dollars as gov, and her work on energy issues.
When she finished, she shook hands with fellow governors and ignored reporters who tried to shout questions to her (the staff interrupted, telling us no questions).
The one exception was an Alaska news station. Palin seemed to surprise her staff by turning to face their camera as the rest of us were being rushed out of the gallery. So we rushed back and caught her midway through what I think was the first or second sentence of her response. Maria Comella may be able to help you with the first part.
The Alaska reporter asked something along the lines of: Governor, We feel like we're losing you - are you still going to be there for Alaska?
Palin's answer mid-sentence: " -- believed in the positive changes that needed to be ushered into our state. Now we're going to bring that change, that reform to the nation and again I have Alaskans to thank for that so I appreciate so much all that they have done in terms of support and This is going to be really good for Alaska also. I get to travel across the nation and let people know about our great state and about the people who live there."
Q: We feel like we're losing you a little bit.
PALIN: "No I'm happy to be governor of Alaska couldn't be more proud, of course, of my position as governor of Alaska."
She took no further questions.
So apparently she thinks she is just a cheerleader for Alaska First! HHMMMM, isn't that the rallying cry of the secessionist group she is aligned with?
The question sounds like it came from a lapdog, rather than a legitimate news reporter. For the reporter to say "WE feel like we're losing you....," is downright presumptive. What could possibly make them feel they had the right to speak for all reporters, or all Alaskans? I guess this must be another shining example of that "liberal media bias" the Republicans are always whining about. (Actually, I'd lay down good money that the reporter was from the local FAUX News affiliate.)
She's got the perfect bling for the right-wing Christians. My gag reflex is working overtime.
What is about this reporter? This time he didn't even attend the event, he just sent along the pool report. Why bother? He's a good example of why the news media, for the most part, is held in such low regard.
Evita Palin
(working on transcribing statement will be pool report #1b)
(Check all spellings)
Looks like you need to remove some editing notes.
REPUBLICAN VP A MUSEUM FOE
Much of the copious news coverage swirling around Sarah Palin, Republican John McCain’s surprise pick for vice president, has focused on the relative inexperience of the freshman governor of Alaska and former mayor of Wasilla, a suburb of less than 10,000 people outside Anchorage. However, the 44-year-old Palin had proven experience with one thing during her brief tenure in government: slashing museum funding. As mayor of Wasilla, Palin quickly moved to cut the budget of the Dorothy G. Page Museum, a city-run institution that teaches Alaskan history and includes exhibits about the Gold Rush and the Iditarod.
According to a 1997 report in the Anchorage Daily News, Palin summarily fired museum director John Cooper (along with many other city officials. Palin, known for injecting her religious beliefs into government, also reportedly pressured town librarian Mary Ellen Baker to ban books, and then tried to fire the woman when she refused). Palin cut $32,000 from the Page Museum’s $200,000 budget, provoking the three 15-year employees of the museum, Ann Meyers, Opal Toomey and Esther West, to resign en masse. "They’d rather quit than continue working for a city that doesn’t want to preserve its history," the Daily News reported. Wasilla was running a $4 million budget surplus at the time.
Well it would be a welcome change to see a gorgeous face compared to HELLery Clinton ( no wonder wild Bill had so many,many,many,many,many,many,many,many,many,many,many,many affairs and Hellery only had one kid.
Then one looks at Pelosi Gods joke on UGLY and Feinstein another barf bag looking MUTT face and Boxer a lunatic from Brooklyn who made it big time on the left coast and last O'Bama's wife who would give a gorilla a run for the money in looks
This may be the first time she is proud to be an American but America sure ain't proud of her mealy mouth looks.
I was a life long democrat, Beam, Koch, Kennedy, but enough of higher taxes as the senate and congress is mostly democraps now and in the last two years we took a nose dive as taxes increase/ gas prices doubled and unemployment up and housing starts down.
FANTASTIC, AMAZING "Palin cut $32,000 from the Page Museum’s $200,000 budget"
Glad to see someone still around CUTTING taxes to help the poor folks and stop wasting tax payer funds.
Moron think about what your typing
"Wasilla was running a $4 million budget surplus at the time." what better time to start trimming the budget? She did an amazing job and will put money on services needed to help the needy.
Amazing lady and great tax saver not like NYS with billions in the hole and crooked EX comptrollers and governors and the rest of the whore mongers like Ted Kennedy and the EX democrap Governor of NJ here you have someone who is religious, has a great budget and you find fault with this AMAZING
The most annoying thing is any post is "Hmmmmmm".
Pretty catty posts about Palin all over the internet.
Well, NYCmasterplumber, it is obvious you agree with the McCain-Palin new tag: this election is based on personalities (and most certainly in your view, the "looks" of a woman). Thank goodness not everyone votes on "looks," nor has your particular insight on the appearances of women in general. Now my gag reflex is working overtime, buddy.
I find it interesting that, in all the blogs I've read this evening regarding Palin - the media's treatment of her, the biased, gender-based attacks, the alleged attacks on her family, etc. - that the rebuttals all devolve into attacks on the person (either of the candidate or the person who expresses their opinion). Is it really so impossible to focus on the issues? It's as if the whole country is suffering from ADHD, and everything but the issues is discussed and commented on because it's just too boring, or takes too much thought. AND, ON THE TOPIC OF THIS ARTICLE [Palin Takes a Question]: Are we really not going to be allowed to learn who this person is politically? Are we really supposed to be satisfied with "the story" of Palin, and the vignette of her family? Is this non-substantive information supposed to assuage our interest and concern about McCain's likely successor? (Remember, she will step into his shoes if something happens to McCain - a fact that cannot be ignored.) For those who liked McCain before there ever was a Palin, she appears to be a free-radical; she is much more extreme regarding religion, the environment, etc. than is McCain, and I am not sure that I agree with her policies. I'm concerned about the discussions regarding book burning and banning, her introducing religion into her governance, her invoking God to explain Irag, etc. These are all charges levied at her, and yet she doesn't respond. She doesn't answer any of the questions, and we don't hear her voice. I find I am offended at McCain's patriarchial stance - the circling of the wagons around Palin which suggests I am supposed to swallow hook, line and sinker his choice for a running mate, no questions asked. It's as if I'm Oliver Twist saying "thank you sir, may I have some more" and implies I should be spoonfed my political meal and be happy about it. It also suggests that I am supposed to forget who is spoonfeeding me - a politician, first and foremost. McCain and Palin's posturing with respect to Palin's low profile is preventing the American people from making an informed decision, and it is working the negative effect on me. I won't vote for an unknown entity, and the lack of unscripted conversation suggests to me there's something (or many things) that the McCain team doesn't want to come out, or at least not without a carefully crafted, double-talk answer.
Give me a f'n break. Palin has been attacked since day 1, & you think she's getting off easy? Have you been gargling bong water? Oblahma, the left-wing messiah, has enjoyed the softest media coverage of any candidate...perhaps ever. It was obvious in the primaries & it continues today. But by all means, continue to play the victim. I weep for the future if Barack "The American Idol Candidate" Oblahma gets elected.
She isn't being attacked if she is unable to answer even simple questions. She is being hidden.
And behind her bling McCain, who has no plan to help America except a story about living in a box, is hiding behind her skirt.
How does she expect to lead?
Who does he expect to lead?
That's a real hummer!