Until Sarah Palin avails herself to the media: A blackout by the media is in order

By Mary MacElveen

During the Republican convention, they were openly hostile towards the media. Given the fact they the Republicans have nothing to really offer we the people. Given these past eight years of failed leadership it is understandable.

The Real Sarah Palin

Yet we the people have the right to see how candidates such as Governor Sarah Palin hold up to immense pressure. It is a great indicator how they will react to it while on the job. Washington DC is very different than Wasilla, Alaska or even governing Alaska itself in its complexity. I would have loved to have seen Tim Russert interview her and if he were still alive, much could have been learned from that interview. After all Palin can possibly be but a heart beat away from the presidency itself.



Most likely she is cramming for her one time only debate with Senator Joe Biden and in that debate the questions are limited and the time to answer them is also limited. Biden knows the intricacies of foreign policy since he is the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, but what of her knowledge?



Back in the 2000 presidential campaign it was all about how many would like to invite George W. Bush to their backyard barbeques: Will this one be about how many would like to invite Sarah Palin to an afternoon tea? Here we go again.



While growing up there was a running joke, “You know you are going to have a bad day when Mike Wallace shows up at your door.” No truer words could be said of Wallace. He was the champion when it came to getting the goods so to speak. I do think she would have squirmed in his hot-seat.



As I headed towards the grocery store yesterday, I was listening to my car radio as they started to report on the Freddie Mac and Fanny Mae story. Whichever news station I was listening to aired Sarah Palin’s opinion of the story, which by the way she favors this move by the government. Absent was any opinion coming from Senator Barack Obama or Senator Joe Biden. At that point, I did not care what her opinion of it was since she has yet to be fully vetted by any news organization. Anyone can cite an opinion, but we the people have the right to have questions put towards that person asking the all important questions of “Why” or “How come?”



In reading this article this morning, Sarah Palin has yet to meet the press, the last three words again reminded me of Tim Russert.



According to Politico, “Palin has yet to sit down for or even schedule an issues-oriented interview with any newspaper, magazine or television network.” Ah, there is that operative word, ‘issue’. At this point, the Republicans are running as fast as they can from the issues and as we all saw at their convention were only prone to sniping at the Democrats and the ‘liberal elites’. Why they think that the media is liberal is beyond me. The media is owned by various corporations so it is the corporate media.



In fact Joe Biden in this brass knuckle response to the Republican convention stated in this feed, “What do you talk about when you cannot explain the last eight years of failure” Biden even quoted Rick Davis who is McCain’s campaign manager when Davis said, “This campaign is not about issues.” Excuse me?! I do not know about you, but I would like to hear through detailed interviews of Palin how she will solve the problems most Americans are facing today instead of poking fun at Obama when she called into question his position as a community organizer.



America, nothing can be learned of how we as a country go forward when one reads, "In the meantime, Fox News is rolling out a special (as are other networks): "Gov. Sarah Palin: An American Woman," a one-hour biography hosted by Greta Van Susteren that includes "exclusive video and photos" and "interviews with her family, friends and colleagues" — but not Palin herself." Why bother to watch this program if Palin cannot be pinned down on how to solve the problems that many Americans are facing today.



Immediately after the Republican convention, viewers saw both Palin and McCain speaking to groups of supporters in both Michigan and Pennsylvania both of which are battle ground states. Stations such as CNN, MSNBC and Fox covered them extensively. Where is the quid pro quo?



I would love to challenge the mainstream media not to cover any campaign stop by these Republican candidates. Why give them the air time, when Palin will not avail herself to any questioning? The people have the right to know. All we are hearing are the recycled quips we heard at their convention. Nothing new is being learned of Palin.



The other night, Senator Barack Obama went into the lions den when he was interviewed by Bill O’Reilly who has openly been hostile towards Democrats and that is courage. By the way, he handled the first part of that interview like a champ.



My fantasy would be for Palin to be interviewed by Amy Goodwin of Democracy Now. This feisty governor would not know what hit her since Goodwin herself has been addressing the many issues that Palin is not speaking of.



Will this be yet again another administration cloaked in secrecy when it should be transparent? I think that is a fair question.



Since Palin is against embryonic stem cell research, I would love to hear her interviewed on this issue with Michael J. Fox present. As we all know he suffers from Parkinson’s Disease. Instead of being corralled, let her see for herself how many Americans are suffering.



She is against abortion even in the most extreme cases of rape and incest. I would love to see her interviewed at a rape crisis center. Wouldn’t you? And speaking of abortion, why not put the question to her of exactly how she intends to care for so many women if they are forced to carry their pregnancies to term? Will she be in favor of stacking more conservative/pro-life judges to the Supreme Court?



In closing, I would love for all the major news organizations to put forth a news blackout directed at the McCain/Palin ticket. If they cry uncle, it is up to the news media to say, “You avail Palin to us and then we will start covering your campaign.” It is as simple as that. Until such time, should I see her on my television set, I will simply turn the channel. So should we all.

http://www.marymacelveen.com