Why is Palin so 'sheltered'?

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-16-2008
Why is Palin so 'sheltered'?
48
Tue, 09-23-2008 - 8:26pm

I read this article a little while ago on USA Today:
After standoff, media gets some access to Palin's meetings with world leaders
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A combined protest from ABC News, CBS News, NBC News, CNN and Fox News Channel succeeded a short time ago in getting the Republican ticket of presidential nominee John McCain and running mate Sarah Palin to partially back down from an attempt to severely limit the media's access to her meetings today and tomorrow with world leaders in New York City.

As ABC News' Political Radar blog reports, the campaign had said only one TV video journalist -- a photographer -- would be allowed at Palin's meetings. No reporter or producers were going to be let in. That flies in the face of standard procedure. Usually, one "print" reporter, one radio reporter and one TV producer are also present at such meetings.

In protest, the networks agreed not to broadcast any of the video footage from Palin's sessions. That got the campaign's attention.

The compromise: A producer is also going to be in the room. In the past, TV producers have also sent their "print" and radio brethren notes about what went on at such events.

Still, as The Politico reports, "print reporters" remain "on the outs."

Update at 12:48 p.m. ET: The AP now reports that the campaign has agreed to let some reporters into Palin's upcoming meeting with leaders. Earlier today, she talked with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Update at 2:20 p.m. ET. A pool report.

Elizabeth Holmes of The Wall Street Journal was the "print" reporter who was supposed to be allowed into the Karzai-Palin meeting, but was not. She sent a report to other journalists who cover the GOP vice presidential nominee. Among the things she wrote about the scene at the New York hotel where the meeting took place:

Gov. Sarah Palin emerged from ... a beige SUV. ... Senior policy advisers Randy Scheunemann and Steve Biegun were outside the hotel waiting for her. ...

Your pooler then ran into the hotel lobby and was restrained from boarding the crowded gold elevator, despite her shouting on behalf of the pool. The group of cameras returned via another elevator just a few moments later. ...

From CNN's Peter Hamby, who was the only editorial representative allowed in:

The press pool (still and TV cameras only, plus this producer) entered into Karzai's sizable suite ... shortly after noon. One handler, who did not appear to be with the campaign but rather with Karzai's entourage, repeatedly said "No writers," and he tried to keep this pooler from entering the room when he saw my notebook. However, Chris Edwards, Palin's deputy chief of staff, allowed me to pass.

Palin was seated in a large chair a few feet from Karzai, with a table in between them. From the view of the pool cameras, Palin sat on the left, and Karzai to the right.

Seated slightly behind Palin were foreign policy advisers Steve Biegun and Randy Scheunemann, who are accompanying the governor in her motorcade today.

As the pool entered, the Afghan president appeared to be telling Palin about his young son, who was born in January 2007.

Palin, her legs crossed and at one point patting her heart, was leaning in eagerly and smiling. Karzai, wearing his traditional clothes but without his trademark karakul hat, was also grinning while discussing the child. His remarks were unintelligible as the noise from the clicking cameras drowned them out.

This was the only exchange that was heard:

"What is his name?," Palin asked.

"Mirwais," Karzai responded. "Mirwais, which means, 'The Light of the House.' "

"Oh nice," Palin responded.

"He is the only one we have," remarked Karzai.

At this point, the pool was hustled out the room and down to the hotel lobby. Pool was in the room for a grand total of 29 seconds.

Posted by Mark Memmott at 12:43 PM/ET, September 23, 2008 in Media, Presidential race, 2008, Republicans | Permalink

So it this is her change to 'meet world powers' why is she being so sheltered? Why aren't the press allowed to cover it? Could it be that they are afraid of a major screw up? I really don't get it.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-10-2008
Tue, 09-23-2008 - 8:40pm

<<This was the only exchange that was heard:


"What is his name?," Palin asked.


"Mirwais," Karzai responded. "Mirwais, which means, 'The Light of the House.' "


"Oh nice," Palin responded.


"He is the only one we have," remarked Karzai.


At this point, the pool was hustled out the room and down to the hotel lobby. Pool was in the room for a grand total of 29 seconds. >>


From that snippet of conversation I can tell that they were addressing a number of important foreign affairs issues.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2007
Tue, 09-23-2008 - 8:48pm
It was a photo-op.

Sopal

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-16-2008
Tue, 09-23-2008 - 9:09pm

"those who need a reason to like Palin. "

That is scary - it that actually addresses the need to like Palin it must be a very easily addressed need. Not to discriminating are they?

I just can not get over the absolute bunk this campaign is trying to get us to swallow. Just how dumb do they think we are??? It is very frustrating I get so tiered of the people who run our country being, or seeming to be, less intelligent than the average American. I want a smart president!

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-27-2007
Tue, 09-23-2008 - 11:52pm
I can't believe I'm saying this but I agree with the dems on this one, lol.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2007
Wed, 09-24-2008 - 1:12am

Sopal

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-19-2008
Wed, 09-24-2008 - 1:18am
She's gearing up to deal with a liberal, smear-minded media.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-19-2008
Wed, 09-24-2008 - 1:23am

*** I don't get why she's being sheltered either as I want to hear her views on as many things as is possible before we vote which is just a short time away.

McCain, Obama and Biden have had years to prep for the press and the elections...Palin has had a few weeks. It's only appropriate...and fair...that she be given some time to become familiar with McCain's policies, record and the campaign platform before she's thrown to the wolves.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2004
Wed, 09-24-2008 - 3:33am

The press is not entitled to monitor everything Sarah Palin says. . .it is not entitled to access and to print her private e-mails. . .the press does not seem to realize this.


The press has proved it is not interested in an objective search for facts. . .it is interested in playing "gotcha".


If balanced journalistic effort were the goal, some of the hordes of reporters sent to Alaska to determine if Palin was actually the mother of her fifth child and other smears would, instead, have been sent to Chicago to look at Obama's relationship with Ayers, the purchase of his home with funds from Rezco. . .Heaven forbid, his relationship to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.


The press has lost all credibility. . .what with reporters considering "news" to be their reports that Obama sends "chills up their legs", "news" organizations would be more truthful if they just ran Vote-Obama banners across the tops of their "reports" and issued Obama campaign buttons for "reporters" to wear on air.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-08-2008
Wed, 09-24-2008 - 3:34am

Remember she said, "You have to be ready for a position like this you can't blink". Well she's not only blinking but stuttering. She is going back on what she said. If we go to war, and McCain is dead, they are not going to give her "time" to play catch up. Sorry, this is NOT a children's hockey game.


iVillage Member
Registered: 09-08-2008
Wed, 09-24-2008 - 3:38am
Our enemies are not fair and balanced. If Palin can't handle the "big bad media" she sure as heck is

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