Are those really chains of chauvinism keeping Sarah Palin from the press?

Wed, 09/24/2008 - 2:47pm

Reporters were outraged as they were once again kept from questioning Gov. Sarah Palin during her UN tour yesterday. One voice that rang loud above the flurry was CNN anchor Campbell Brown's "rant" directed at the McCain campaign last night:

 

In her surprisingly forceful comments that lasted about 90 seconds, Brown began by saying that she'd "had it" and she knew "a lot of other women are with me on this." Then, apparently in defense of Palin, Brown accused the campaign of outright sexism and binding its VP candidate in "chauvanistic chains" rather than letting her face tough questions.

While I agree with Brown that the McCain campaign has indeed made some insulting sexist judgements about women voters-- like assuming they'd be swayed merely because the Republicans added a woman to their ticket -- I'm reluctant to apply the big "S" word here.

I'm not convinced that the McCain campaign is hiding Palin out of concern that it's got a "delicate flower" to protect. After all, she is its sharp-shooting, moose-hunting, maverick. It's more likely that her handlers are keeping an unprepared candidate out of the spotlight lest she make a whopper of an error, something bigger than the Bush Doctrine misstep.

Bottom line: Brown is voicing valid frustrations shared by voters and journalists alike. With less than six weeks to go before election day, it's time for Palin to have an open dialogue with the press. And an interview with Katie Couric isn't going to suffice.

But what do you think? Has the McCain campaign got Sarah Palin locked down in chauvinist shackles?

Rebecca Frankel | Permalink | | Comments? Login or register
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To be very frank, after

by AllyAlvi on Wed, 09/24/2008 - 1:56pm

To be very frank, after reading all these things, I’m also thinking on the same lines.

Sarh Palin

by Joe Wilson on Wed, 09/24/2008 - 2:05pm

"But what do you think? Has the McCain campaign got Sarah Palin locked down in chauvinist shackles?"

Is the Pope a Catholic?

Now that you mention it,

by hiffy on Wed, 09/24/2008 - 2:07pm

"It's more likely that her handlers are keeping an unprepared candidate out of the spotlight lest she make a whopper of an error"

is not so amiss from, "McCain is a sexist because he picked an unprepared, unqualified female candidate entirely because of her gender given the precedents going about this past year or two, and try to woo female voters".

However, I am biased because I am fond of the alliteration.

Strategic shackles

by jgarzik on Wed, 09/24/2008 - 2:18pm

It seems most likely that the campaign needs as much time as possible to get Palin up to speed on national and international issues, as well as there tactically being no benefit to press access at this juncture. The October 2 vice-presidential debate looms large on the horizon, a make-or-break event for Palin.

Morally, the McCain campaign should give more Palin interviews. We are so close to the election, and we know so little. Voters need more information.

Tactically, the McCain campaign will minimize her press access. She is simply more vulnerable a to "press hit" right now. The press is salivating to ask their lists of insulting and "gotcha" questions, basic history and knowledge questions nobody seems to want to ask Obama or McCain. McCain campaign knows this, and are wisely keeping her largely away from the press for now.

According to the local press, Palin did well at an unscripted town hall meeting. I predict the McCain campaign to focus on those, rather than interviews with a hostile press. Republicans and right-leaning talk radio hosts are already using this town hall meeting to refute the charge the Palin isn't answering questions, turning the argument into a demagogic attack on the supposedly anti-Palin media.

Chauvinism is last of the list of things that come to mind, when she has the biggest test of her career in about a week (VP debate), and when one false step could easily have her on the ropes and defending herself at that debate.

Jeff @ Armchair FP

The obvious thing

by Lure D. Lou on Wed, 09/24/2008 - 2:47pm

about the 'cuda is that she will say or do anything to get elected and not spoil McCain's party at this point. Since she has no ideas of her own anyway the McCain people don't have to worry about her expressing them....they do have to worry, though, about her showing her dummy side when asked a straight question or coming out with another "will o'God" comment that might get a few more voters scratching their heads. Rather than seeing the 'cuda as a pit-bull I now see her more as a hungry stray in designer specs...In a way she's a little like Brett Favre on the Jets...trying to learn the playbook with the world crashing in around him...the difference is that Favre knows how to play the game. The 'cuda is still in the locker room.

Not the only one

by Jax on Thu, 09/25/2008 - 2:00am

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who is stunned at how the McCain camp is shielding their VP pick.

It's crazy to think that she can't handle the press, but is ready to go toe to toe with someone like Ahmadinejad or Putin. If she can't handle Larry King, these guys will eat her alive.

When, in the history of modern American politics, has their been a camp that handled one of their candidates with such kid gloves? It's madness and it's killing the campaign.