Even FOX Rebels Against Palin Media Shutout
By Nicole Belle Tuesday Sep 23, 2008 8:00am
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Dude, first you lost ABC, and now you've lost FOX News, as evidenced by this testy segment with Shepard Smith yesterday. That's just gotta smart for a Republican when the official water carrier for the Republican Party openly chastises you for keeping the press away from Sarah Palin during her crash course in getting the appearance of foreign policy gravitas via photo ops.
The campaign had never intended to actually let the press pool into Palin's sessions with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, but Palin's aides indicated last night that designated reporters would be able to watch the Alaska governor greet the visiting dignitaries before heading into a closed-door session. Palin is also meeting with former secretary of state Henry Kissinger later today, where the same rules would apply.
This morning the campaign shifted course and said no print reporters would be welcome at the outset of the meetings, though a foreign policy aide might brief the print media later today. Cameras, however, would remain free to capture Palin's entry onto the world stage.
Does the McCain campaign actually think that a photo of Palin with world leaders (because you know that at best they exchanged a few inane niceties, nothing that could be considered substantive) will actually obviate the charge of being a lightweight on foreign policy? Clearly the answer is 'yes', but considering the press reaction, this could backfire on him big time.
Couldn't happen to a more deserving campaign.
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Aw, poor Fux...
Firstly!
This is laughable
To paraphrase LBJ, when you lose George Will and Faux News, you start losing the country.
And they say a picture is worth a thousand words...
But here's a Secret Transcript From the Kissinger-Palin Meeting
Do you think this is all an attempt to seriously downplay expectations for Palin for the debate? That while she's cancelling all these shows we're supposed to think she's incapable, while all along she's practicing for the debates. And when she finally does debate Joe Biden, she "knocks it out of the ballpark" again?
I mean please -- they shortened the debate times for one reason: They're going to fill it with zingers. She's going to have all her one liners ready and excoriate Joe Biden. He'd better be prepared.
And what gives with the Bono meeting? Are his record sales that slow?
And yet, Senator Obama gets derided for his "lack" of foreign policy experience - and then gets derided for his attempts to enhance the perception of his foreign policy experience by - you know - going overseas.
Who the hell cares about Palin? We are in an economic crisis and she's playing politician. Screw her. The media should shut her out and stop talking about her and taking pictures of her. Before long, no one will remember who she is. Come on media, stop giving her air time, the end!
Don Davis @ 5:
Still More Leaks from the Kissinger-Palin Summit
Yesterday, Campbell Brown on CNN
Free Sarah Palin!
"Tonight I call on the McCain campaign to stop treating Sarah Palin like she is a delicate flower that will wilt at any moment," said Brown. "This woman is from Alaska for crying out loud. She is strong. She is tough. She is competent. And you claim she is ready to be one heart beat away from the presidency. If that is the case, then end this chauvinistic treatment of her now. Allow her to show her stuff. Allow her to face down those pesky reporters... Let her have a real news conference with real questions. By treating Sarah Palin different from the other candidates in this race, you are not showing her the respect she deserves. Free Sarah Palin. Free her from the chauvinistic chain you are binding her with. Sexism in this campaign must come to an end. Sarah Palin has just as much a right to be a real candidate in this race as the men do. So let her act like one."
I'm beginning to think that the whole Palin episode is just a way for the Republicans to completely undermine the idea of a woman ever taking the office of Vice or full-blown President. There really can't be any other explanation for any of this because as time goes on, it just gets worse and worse...
RCE @ 6:
Good point. Even though they cut Acker off, they'd made their point for her. Palin will look sharp doing her impression of Fey doing her impression of her. Biden will look old and gray, like, well, McCain.
Palin sure does not represent strong women when she agrees to be seen, but not heard.
AP - September 24, 2008
NY - Early today, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin arrived at United Nations headquarters on the East River in New York City.
After shunning reporters but seeking camera exposure, Governor Palin was seen pointing across the water at Queens. Nearby spectators heard Palin delightedly shout "OMG! I didn't know you can see England from here!"
I can see it now - Palin will say she's met with President Karzai, ergo, she has foreign policy chops.
All she has to do is repeat her Bridge to Nowhere line, and she's toast.
Maybe he's her pimp. That's why we can't see what Dr. Kissinger is gonna do with her.
Michelle Otis. Was that her name? Man, she brought a butter knife to a gun fight. Yikes. I guess when you walk on to the set of Faux as a conservative, you don't have to prepare. Wow. Talk about not having an answer. I don't think the talking points can keep up.
This is just more of the same cry baby b.s. from the right. Oh, boo-hoo, the press asked me what the Bush Doctrine was and I didn't know. They were unfair to me so I'm taking my toys and playing in the corner by myself.
News flash, Palin: this ain't Alaska and you're not running for head dog sledder. This is the United States of America and we deserve to know if you can hack it under pressure. We deserve to know if you have two brain cells to rub together. That backwater bullshit of hiding behind your Wasilla High School buddies and using a Yahoo account won't fly in the big leagues. Your facing the heavy hitters now.
Remember, the Republicans have shown they can win with a women on the ticket. Her name was Dan Quayle.
Don Davis @ 5:
Holy crap Henry, you fat tub of lard! Less pastrami, more matzo!
I turned it off.
(Most) Americans don't get other cultures anyway: they look through the lens of America. She could spend a year overseas, and still not get it.
I've been in Korea for 11 years, and I still don't get a lot of stuff. It's THAT different.
She's gaining knowledge. Indeed.
Has anyone in the media mentioned how presumptuous it is for her to be pretending to be some kind of world leader?
It just seems like something that would fit with that lightweight posing near the foreign dignitairies. Maybe they totally used up the word "presumptuous" when they were bashing Obama during his goodwill tour.
Because a photogenec VP is really what America needs right now.
She's getting foreign policy experience. From the footage, she can see Hamid Karzai from her chair!
btdt @ 14:
LMAO
Edwin Hussein @ 20:
Great place, South Korea isn't it?
MoDo, who i normally can't stomach, actually criticized palin today...
let's face it, all the media personalities are pissed because their net worth is half (or less) what it was a year (or a week) ago.
.
McCain's Manager being a fraud pusher.........
...a story that the MEDIA will shutout.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2008/sep/24/johnm...
Palin finally opens to press:
"You wanna investigate me? Roll the dice and take your chances. I eat breakfast 300 yards from 4,000
CubansRushins that are trained to kill me, so don`t think for one second that you can come down here, flash your badges and make me nervous."I can't wait until Palin meets Bono today and asks him what it was like to be married to Cher!
Karzai and Kissinger should be rightly pissed off at being used like this. It's a crap gig for both of them.
Eric Almighty - I agree. It's presumptuous.
I dont worry about it anymore.
While they may be prepping Palin for this debate, Biden has been ready for it for years.
And in these past weeks the McPalin campaign has given gifts of way more then enough "zingers" for Biden to underhandedly stick her multiple times over … all the while smiling like a gentleman.
They will spin it as sexist and all that but people with any type of grip on reality will see this farce for what it is.
They may try and compare Palin and Obama as lightweights but I’m thinking that after the debate it will be clear that Moose-stick doesn’t even register on the scale.
This is funny. Faux News, out of all the cable channels, is actually complaining about Palin? I don't even consider Faux News, news. It's a propaganda tool for the Repug Party. To hear of them bitching about Palin tells me they are in a free-for-all. Obama is leading in the polls and their heads are about to explode. Can you imagine if Obama wins? A African American? They will freak. I hope to God Barack wins.
I just want to know what got into Shepard Smith. He sounded like a real journalist there. You think Fox'll fire him?
WARNING: Palin Rant...
Sarah Palin is well on her way to becoming a gaffe riot! Did you catch her statement today attacking Obama/Biden about renewable energy? Clueless! Absolutely clueless!! And she's ready for the world stage? She's not ready for a corner stage at a back room bar in Wasilla! The overriding question shouldn't be "Is she qualified?" It should be "Where did she learn to walk upright?" She's the quintessential small town beauty pageant contestant. I'm surprised she doesn't end every statement with "... and world peace." If she had to think to ovulate she'd be childless! As I watch her I can't help but wonder — What were they thinking? And then the obvious hits me — They weren't.
Vote McCain/Palin. They won't waste time thinking!
Go Ahead... Keep laughing at them, but know that 46% of the voters in our nation are evangelical, they, and the majority of Americans only watch FOX, and/or Christian broadcasting, and/or the corporatistly controlled MSM - They do not read/watch us.
“Go Ahead... Just Keep “Allowing” - Keep Denying The Realities - It’s Not Like It’s Actually Getting Worse - Much Worse - Blatantly And Faster.”
It’s not like there is any possibility that...
“We’re Gonna Frickin’ Lose This Thing” Right?
“You Don’t Want It To Be True...”
But Deep Down, You Know It Is Our Shared Reality.
Maybe she talked about hockey with Karzai. Hockey's big in Afghanistan, right? And the season does start soon.
Shepard Smith is probably the least partisan guy Fox has, though that bar isn't exactly set very high...
spindip @ 34:
it's like during katrina, shep was apoplectic until they helicoptered him away for a xanax and a 'reality check' (as in don't forget who signs yours).
Pretty cool.
Now she can put the photo of her meeting with Henry Kissinger on her wall. The moose-murderer and the mass-murderer.
All snark aside, of course.
JoeSixPack @ 17:
It's getting laughable,...
'Here's a good point critiquing the McCain campaign, comment?'
"OBAMA!! WHAAAAAAA!!!!!"
Shep Smith is about the best and only good thing they have at fox.
They made up for that segment this morning when they had some guy on who has done "in depth research" on Obama and Ayres. He was throwing out a lot of "looks like" and phrases like that about their relationship. At the end of the segment that blond guy with the idiot son, finished up by restating that Ayres was a known terrorist.
I guess that's their idea of "balanced"
This whole thing with Palin has become sheer comedy. Everyone is dancing around the fact that anyone of us could have been introduced to these heads of state, smiled, chitchatted and moved along. As if that somehow makes us worldly and smart. It's just a freakin' joke.
Worst possible scenario, the economy crashes and Palin is President of the US
But she can see Russia from where she lives.........Cough Cough!
Everybody keep a lookout.
Tonight is the NBS Premier of the new show "Lipstick Jungle".
Expect to hear the McCain campaign criticize NBC for unfairly attacking Palin based upon the show's plot. :)
spindip @ 34:
Cavuto is on the failed FOX Money channel. Maybe he will replace Smith.
Mugsy @ 44:
Oops, that should read "NBC" not "NBS".
She is now a graduate of the Sally Struthers Correspondence School of Foreign Policy! She can haz foryn policy experienz and is now an "Expurt!"
jakflorida32169 @ 35:
This is exactly what they want.They want people to bash the shit out of her in order to get the sympathy vote. It's already working ......amongst liberals even !
Don't count on Palin winning a debate with Joe Biden -- not matter how much cramming she's done.
The Conservative Arguement about the Bail-Out is, "Blame immigrants!" "It's all their fault!" Jesus, most data shows that immigrants rent, not own. Now Malkin and her ilk are blaming immigrants. Will this madness end?
Someone over at Kos last night called Palin, "Snowjob Squareglasses".
Centrocitta @ 49:
Tortoise and Hare. As long as he prepares and doesn't assume she's no contest he'll mop up with her.
Centrocitta @ 49:
But you can count on fox and probably other cable news shows claiming that she did.
so, she gets a few pictures taken with some repubic friendly leaders and she now has foreign policy creds? WTF.
to follow that logic, i had my picture taken with bernie parent so i guess i now have hall of fame goalie skills.
Mike @ 36:
From my point of view here in North Georgia, where my neighbors call me anti-American because I support Obama, it looks scary but think of it this way; those 46 percent evangelicals don't like to lose their sons in Iraq, their houses and their jobs AND pay a trillion or more to bail out those that already ate their lunch and their 401k. Calling themselves evangelical is like putting on perfume when you did not take a shower to make yourself presentable. They are not all that committed, their purse is closer to them than their bible. 80 percent of all people think this country is on the wrong track, that include at least 26 percent of those evangelicals.
Go out and register new voters, let people know that you support Obama and why. Stick your neck out. We can win if we all give it everything we got.
Notice the only dirt the media can find on Joe Biden is to say that he made a gaffe when he said it's patriotic to pay more taxes if your income is 250,000. And that wasn't a gaffe. In fact, Biden needs to stress this fact every day until November 4. I'm sure he will get in in during the debate too. In fact, I hope he finds a way to mention it several times during the debate.
pissed@53, You got that right. Kerry slammed Bush. And the rights reaction? Bush held his own. I don't know what debate they were watching. But Kerry kicked Georgie's ass. I am beginning to think these people are truly insane and beyond help.
I just crapped my pants..Was that actually Fox Noise taking issue against Palin!
If this is the case...she is DOOMED
Don Davis @ 10:
Seriously, if Palin is not creaped out at this meeting she must not be human.
Radically Moderate @ 58:
creeped!
You know how it works in the debates. The Democrat has to be absolutely perfect every single second, without a single "um" or pause. The Republican shouldn't drool much. The Republican didn't drool at all! We have a winner!
uncle wally @ 37:
It is at Camp Julien.
Already the McCain camp is lowering the bar for McCain and Palin. How low can they go? Why don't they submit questions in writting and not show up at all?
Does anyone else find using leaders of other countries as a foil for our inexperienced and ignorant political candidates insulting to them? I'm just shocked at the poor judgment of the McCain campaign. Actually, it's pretty degrading for Palin too - to be paraded around for various photo ops.
The media makes me laugh about Joe Biden's "gaffes". When he said Obama was good looking and clean, Joe was projecting his own admirable qualities onto Obama because Joe knew months ago that he was going to be the VP pick. This was all part of the Dem campaign strategy. How stupid does the right-wing media think we are anyway?
i wonder why world leaders would bother meeting with her. also are karzai and uribe the best that would step up?
Yes, Joe Biden as the running mate has been in the plans for a long time. Joe Biden got some real good info on the Bush Administration way back in Spring 2005.
hedgehoggy @ 11:
That's what I conjectured a few days after the convention. The right-wing, xians really do want to put women back in their place - say, the 3rd century. They are seriously jealous of the way the Muslims keep their womenfolk under the thumb.
Regardless of meetings with foreign and domestic leaders (and former leaders), Sarah Palin will remain what she's always been - an uneducated, unworldly, narrow-minded, religio-botic (I made up that word), superficial, arrogant, pretender. So, now that I think about it, she's the perfect candidate for the Repugs........heaven help us.
Centrocitta @ 64:
One of the highlights of the primary debates was when whatever moderator brought up what Biden had said about Obama being clean and speaking well. Obama stepped in and said that Biden was a friend of his and a good person. Obama didn't have to do that, he could have left Biden blowing in the wind. But instead he did what a friend and a gentleman would do and defended his opponent. That's what a man of class does.
Poetic Justice Indeed! Kick them out!
It's hard to have a sympathetic ear for anything involved with the FauxNews Network. . . whatever nasty thing that happens to them, they earned and deserve. Their deliberate lies and propaganda should have their broadcast license revoked as a dis-service and failure to serve the public interest.
Exactly. They are both men of honor. I can't wait to vote for them. In 2006, I heard Joe Biden say, "We can't get rid of the president", in response to why the Democratic Congress can't end the war.
Well, I think Joe made that statement because in Spring 2005, he got some real good info about goings on inside the Bush Administration and I really do believe that Joe made up his mind at that time that he was going to be a major player in getting rid of George Bush and his criminal neocon associates.
RELATED STORY..... FOX NEWS FILLS IN PALIN INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS WITH CROTCH SHOT OF BILL O'RIELLY
unable to find other useless and disgusting news, the FUX news team of reporters has jammed its 24 hours of comedy with
BILL CHECKING OUT THE SAGGING REPUBLICAN POLES
why bother meeting with them? all she has to do is look at them from a distance (like seeing russia from alaska), and claim she has foreign policy experience. WHEN will the palin ads start? there is plenty of material to start slamming her! e.g., what is she trying to hide?: no press conferences, no press interaction at public appearances, not opening up to the troopergate affair, more of the same closed, secret gov't; etc.
Well, it is a step up from their previous claim that Palin had foreign experience because you could see Russia for Little Diomede Island—where most Alaskans and probably Palin as well have never set foot. A few thousand more of these baby steps up and she'll have more foreign policy credentials than a fifth grader!
FOX is telling every little bitty news story they can find in order to not talk about the economy.
54 willie
So if I get my picture taken with a pregnant women
Does that make me pregnant?
apparently mccain believes we're stupid enough to think that there is no difference between someone who consults others and someone who needs others to tell her what to think.
This is a page right out of the Charismatic Evangelical playbook, getting your picture taken with celebrities and world dignitaries in an attempt to make yourself appear legit. TV evangelists do it all the time. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, eh, Sarah?
Palin IS qualified to be Vice President!! She's just not qualified to run for office.
ysbaddaden @ 75:
Well, it is contagious...
fastfeat @ 7:
I tell you I'm so sick of that guy, first meeting with Bush, then aligning himself with Pat Robertson for ONE. Europe hates this Palin woman and what does he do, he agrees to be her butt boy for an hour. Is it really worth that much to him to be called "Sir". Was there really that much of an egotistical competition to obtain the same title as Geldof?
I can just picture the "crowd" Palin would draw were she to go to Berlin and speak!! She's a real draw. yeah, right!
If all the press gets is a stinking picture, why not just photo shop Sarah with every leader of the world. All this meeting foreign leaders for a few minutes is a joke. It is nothing more than a receiving line introduction. Frankly, until she starts to answer questions, the media should refuse to cover her at all. How about a countdown, i.e., 40 days and still no questions answered, 41 days, 42 days, etc.
chama @ 13:
hedgehoggy @ 11:
Palin was hand selected by radical right-wing extremist James Dobson and his cronies. This is not about getting woman into the White House. It is all about getting one of their own into the White House, someone who is maleable and compliant. These are Dominionists. Women have a subserviant role in their view. The primary goal of Dominionists is to politicize faith, to merge faith with patriotism, to reconstruct our history, our stories, to fit their world view and their goal for a new world order. It is a facist/totalitarian movement.
There is no mystery.
Did you know that Sarah Palin ate General Tso's Chicken? Yes, she did at China #1 Buffet. (She thought it was "Like strange and foreign and gross" and then made a joke about eating dogs, but that's besides the point).
This proves that Sarah is ready to lead us to war against China!
Karen in CT @ 31:
Really?
Karzai = former Chevron executive, selected to "govern" Afghanistan to further ensure compliance with the U.S. for the pipeline, that Karzai?
Kissinger = corrupt Nixon lacky, whose ineptitude kept us in Vietnam much longer?
The are the Republican loyalists. C'mon.
79 Fanon Says: ysbaddaden @ 75:
54 willie
So if I get my picture taken with a pregnant women
Does that make me pregnant?
Well, it is contagious…
_______________________________________________________
Can you get it from a toilet seat?
"Does the McCain campaign actually think that a photo of Palin with world leaders (because you know that at best they exchanged a few inane niceties, nothing that could be considered substantive) will actually obviate the charge of being a lightweight on foreign policy?"
Keeping the press out would have allowed them to claimed whatever they wanted about the meetings. Instead we know that she met with them for about 30 seconds and pretty much the most important thing she said to any of them is 'How old is your daughter?'
pissed off patricia @ 51:
Priceless.
It is interesting that the only two world "leaders" they could line up are neocon puppets. Well, not so much interesting as predictable. I suspect both of their Swiss bank accounts got a deposit recently.
Things must really be grim if ol' Henry (Gollum) Kissinger has to be extracted from the shadows of Mordor to prop up Mrs. Palin's "experience."
CafeenMan @ 52:
The Republicans seem to have low expectations of her and even lower standards. All that is required of her for anything is that she "hold her own". Pathetic.
Centrocitta @ 55:
Biden also said he opposed the AIG bailout, while Obama was in favor of it.
So many posts say, "Even [name of conservative supporter person or network] disagrees with McCain!" The post usually concludes with, 'this new McCain strategy is so dumb, it is even backfiring for McCain with his conservative supporters.'
This is not effective. You can't sl