As I noted in the previous post, Sarah Palin was the only one of the four candidates not to appear on one of the morning talk shows today, and the McCain campaign has refused all interview requests. Josh Marshall refers to this as “training wheels we can believe in.” Andrew Sullivan has checked back as to how long a delay there was between previous vice presidential candidates been named and them facing the press.
Sullivan found that It took four days for both Dan Quayle and Geraldine Ferraro. Lloyd Bentsen gave a press conference one day after being chosen. Joe Lieberman’s first press conference was one week after the convention ended, but at least he had appeared many times before the national press in the past. Thomas Eagleton was interviewed on the day of his selection and appeared on Face the Nation two days later. George H.W. Bush gave press conferences one day after he was picked, and had been before the press frequently during the primary campaign.
Sullivan also noted that the McCain campaign can’t even get their story straight as to when Palin will grant an interview:
Here’s McCain’s response this morning on when Palin will be ready to meet the press:
“Within the next few days and I’m strongly recommending that she come on ‘Face the Nation’ with Bob Schieffer,” McCain said in an interview that was taped on Saturday.
Here’s Rick “Not About The Issues” Davis:
“She’ll agree to an interview when we think it’s time and when she feels comfortable doing it,” David said on “Fox News Sunday.”
Sarah Palin is setting new records for avoiding the press, which is more significant both due to her lack of previous discussion of national and international issues and as this convention is much closer to the general election than previous conventions. Tim F. at Baloon Juice believes the reason is not simply that she is unprepared, figuring that if Dan Quayle could do it, Sarah Palin could do it:
Taking a wild guess, the answer most likely has to do with Palin’s problem with telling the truth. In her short time on the national stage Sarah Palin has lied about practically everything. She lied about opposing the Ketchikan bridge, she lied about selling a state plane on eBay and about making a profit on the sale, she lied about visiting Ireland (her plane refueled there), she lied about fighting lobbyists and pork (she set a record for both), she lied about Obama’s legislative accomplishments.
More, it now appears indisputable that Palin lied her moose hunting ass off about inappropriately using her authority to fire Alaska’s public safety chief. The public record already has more than enough proof that she lied to the Alaskan people about not putting pressure on the commissioner to fire her ex-brother in law. Then she lied about cooperating with the commission. This poses a vexing problem because even Larry King or Chris Wallace have to bring this up and there is literally nothing that Palin can say. If she repeats her earlier denials the evidence will damn her now and the looming investigation report will damn her even worse. The only credible answer would be to come to Jesus on national TV, except that she risks admitting to an impeachable offense.
She can’t lie, she can’t tell the truth. I don’t envy the campaign for the tough spot that McCain’s rash decision left them in. At the same time I don’t much sympathy for Alaska’s lying, power-abusing tinpot Bush.
Sarah Palin’s dishonesty is a major problem for the Republican ticket, but so is John McCain’s with even Fox News pointing out some of his lies. Obama’s campaign should hit hard on the lack of honesty shown by both John McCain and Sarah Palin. This would work well with both their message of change and with showing how electing them would give us another four years of George Bush-style governing.
