By J. Peter Freire on 9.8.08 @ 12:38PM
After Friday, I wonder if Shuster will have me on again. Prior
to a show, producers try to be as specific as possible about the
upcoming topic. In this case (watch the clip
here), however, I was just told the segment would be about
"Sarah Palin." Well, sure, I can talk about a few things. But while
his lead question was broad, his follow-up was a total
non-sequitur. "She hasn't taken any questions, never mind from
reporters... is she ready?"
Where'd that come from, and why
not be more specific that the segment would be about whether Palin
was ready, or why Palin was refusing to speak to the press? Sounds
like it was an attempt to play gotcha with conservatives to
illustrate how little they know about Palin (hence a GOP strategist
and myself were the guests). But while he has a point that few
people know her record, behaving as though only she can answer the
questions about why Wasilla was in debt when she left is
wrong-headed. There are NBC affiliates in Alaska, and I bet a few
people in those offices know how to write out a FOIA request, or
request public documents from city hall. As it happens, reporting
isn't just interviewing the candidates.
Claiming that she hasn't talked to everyday Americans is also
wrong. She's been talking to her own constituents for years and she
can't help but talk to the voters now. Of course she'll do an
interview -- one with Charles Gibson with ABC has been scheduled
(and not, surprise! MSNBC). So much for a refusal to engage the
press.
To return to the point that few people know her background, I
would also bet that McCain's one of those in the dark. I disagree a
bit with Jeremy's assessment of McCain's choice as calculated. He
took a big gamble on somebody he knew very little about. He just
knew the superficial bullet-points, but there was no dossier. But
perhaps not compiling a file helped him fan the flames of the media
war. But we'll find out if there's something damaging in her past
-- I hope not, but given the vetting process, how can we really
know?
On this point, I argue with David White on
Inside Washington Weekly, a weekly podcast from
America's Future Foundation. David's far more critical of the
vetting process than I am, but he makes a good point. I just don't
think calling up all six of Palin's colleges will make much of a
difference, or if you can get much by doing it.
topics:
Sarah Palin, Alaska
J. Peter Freire is contributing editor of The American Spectator. Freire first came to the Spectator as an intern and editorial assistant under a journalism fellowship from the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. Since then, he has written for the New York Times, Reason, and Human Events. Prior to returning to The American Spectator, he was editor of Brainwash, an online journal of opinion from America's Future Foundation, worked for the Evans-Novak Political Report, and researched and wrote for the New York Times. Freire studied English Renaissance literature and political science at Cornell University, where he served as senior editor and columnist at the Cornell Review. He is also a 2008 Phillips Foundation Journalism Fellow and the CPAC 2009 Journalist of the Year.
You can reach his Twitter page by clicking here, or follow him @JPFreire.