McCain plans new Palin rollout, They’ll do multiple interviews over two days. No topics are off-limits Options

[MARSMAN]

If Palin does well in these interviews and as long as they don't throw soft balls and really grill her..will you Dems layoff her a bit ? I seriously have no idea how she will do but this could be a big make or break it for the right ..


McCain plans new Palin rollout
By: Mike Allen
September 8, 2008 10:16 PM EST

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will speak at her son’s Army deployment ceremony on 9/11 and spend two days with ABC News crews later this week as part of a McCain campaign plan to increase Americans’ comfort with her as a leader.

Campaign and network officials had said on Sunday that her first television interview would be a sit-down with Charles Gibson of ABC’s “World News.”

But it turns out that she is spending much of Thursday and Friday with Gibson — at the ceremony in Fairbanks, Alaska, and at her home in Wasilla, Alaska.

Campaign aides said the anchorman will get extensive, repeated access to Palin throughout her first trip home since becoming the nominee.

“ABC News will have plenty of time to question her and examine her and spend time with her,” a campaign official said. “They’ll do multiple interviews over two days. No topics are off-limits – there are no ground rules. There’s tons of time to talk to her about every topic.”

The remarkable rollout reflects new confidence in Palin by her handlers, who initially had suggested it would be a while before she did interviews. Now, there will be several.

Until now, Palin has been "sequestered," as Sen. Joseph Biden (Del.), her Democratic counterpart, put it on NBC's "Meet the Press" — delivering rousing speeches, but not giving interviews or holding news conferences or answering questions on the fly. She was the only one of the four national candidates not to appear on a Sunday show this weekend.

“Once you start, you don’t stop,” a Republican official said with a chuckle. “That doesn’t mean you run the faucet on high. But once you turn it on, you don’t really ever turn it off.”


The remarkable offer to ABC, made last Friday, is part of an ambitious project to sell Palin well beyond the right — to a broad swath of women and independent voters, including former supporters of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.).

“I see women right at the forefront of that, but not exclusively,” a campaign adviser said.

The official said Gibson will have the chance to “speak to her on 9/11 about her ideas for keeping America safe in the future; to speak to her as she goes back to Wasilla, where she grew up, about her life and her views and her vision for the country.”

Two interviews with Gibson are planned for Thursday, including a conversation about her support for a natural-gas pipeline – a key applause line in her convention speech. Then on Friday, Palin will talk to Gibson in Wasilla and Anchorage, the official said. She will fly into Anchorage and then drive to Wasilla.

Palin riveted last week’s Republican National Convention with a witty, rousing speech, and has injected huge excitement into the party’s ticket in the 10 days since Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) named her as his surprise pick for running mate.

“People don’t understand how to cover women politicians in a way that is completely fair and enlightened yet,” the official said. “And somehow, she has managed to transcend that.”

Christian conservatives were immediately thrilled by McCain’s choice, and his events took on new electricity.

Asked to describe her appeal, one official said: “I think she is accessible. I think she is honest. I think she is real, and I think she is fearless. In Alaska, she has been such a target because she has always fought for the interests of her constituents, because they’re her neighbors.”

The campaign adviser said: “She’s just this real, identifiable, approachable, funny, smart woman.”

Officials wouldn’t say how the ABC anchor was chosen. “There were lots of tremendous and credible and fair journalists to choose from,” an aide said. “Somebody had to go first.”

[Charlemagne]

Might be a dumb move actually.

[MARSMAN]

Might be a dumb move actually.

I agree ..

But they need to do something to prove her worth..
the press has been killing her

[woof.]

"But it turns out that she is spending much of Thursday and Friday with Gibson — at the ceremony in Fairbanks, Alaska, and at her home in Wasilla, Alaska."

oh, thiss won't be scripted at all.
I'm sure Chuck will ask some real toughies.

[JodyThePig]

the press has been killing her

No, her rhetoric is that the media is trying to kill her.

That's not the same thing as a bunch of bloggers spreading rumors.

[Charlemagne]

I agree ..

But they need to do something to prove her worth..
the press has been killing her

No, she'll get killed in an interview with the press.

[MARSMAN]

No, her rhetoric is that the media is trying to kill her.

That's not the same thing as a bunch of bloggers spreading rumors.

NY Times ?

[JodyThePig]

NY Times ?

Trying to kill her?

[jonah]

NY Times ?

yeah. this was a good article.

especially the end:
That’s why the Palin choice was brilliant politics — not because it rallied the G.O.P.’s shrinking religious-right base. America loves nothing more than a new celebrity face, and the talking heads marched in lock step last week to proclaim her a star. Palin is a high-energy distraction from the top of the ticket, even if the provenance of her stardom is in itself a reflection of exactly what’s frightening about the top of the ticket.

By hurling charges of sexism and elitism at any easily cowed journalist who raises a question about Palin, McCain operatives are hoping to ensure that whatever happened in Alaska with Sarah Palin stays in Alaska. Given how little vetting McCain himself has received this year — and that only 58 days remain until Nov. 4 — they just might pull it off.





Palin makes me sick.

[Charlemagne]

yeah. this was a good article.

especially the end:
That’s why the Palin choice was brilliant politics — not because it rallied the G.O.P.’s shrinking religious-right base. America loves nothing more than a new celebrity face, and the talking heads marched in lock step last week to proclaim her a star. Palin is a high-energy distraction from the top of the ticket, even if the provenance of her stardom is in itself a reflection of exactly what’s frightening about the top of the ticket.

By hurling charges of sexism and elitism at any easily cowed journalist who raises a question about Palin, McCain operatives are hoping to ensure that whatever happened in Alaska with Sarah Palin stays in Alaska. Given how little vetting McCain himself has received this year — and that only 58 days remain until Nov. 4 — they just might pull it off.
Palin makes me sick.

not because it rallied the G.O.P.’s shrinking religious-right base

I'm most interested in this. What is the cause for this base to be shrinking? It would seem to go along with my posts in the McCain/Obama Independent voters thread.

[JodyThePig]

not because it rallied the G.O.P.’s shrinking religious-right base

I'm most interested in this. What is the cause for this base to be shrinking?

The religious right's general dissatisfaction with John McCain.

[Evil Eddie C]

The article in the original post is from Politico, correct?

If "no topic is off limits" then how do they already know what Charlie Gibson is going to ask her on which days?

[Charlemagne]

The religious right's general dissatisfaction with John McCain.

It would appear they have no place to go this year. Bob Barr??? Come on. Maybe Palin brought some back into the fold though.

[woof.]

The article in the original post is from Politico, correct?

If "no topic is off limits" then how do they already know what Charlie Gibson is going to ask her on which days?

Because they told him what questions to ask, and they told her what answers to give.

[drumdad]

This is gonna be pure puffery....a sympathetic profile of her returning to small town America after her big moment on the national stage, with interviews with neighbors, family, etc. There will be 5 minutes of puff for every 1 minute of questioning.

[Supple Wrist]

it's no accident they chose the least confrontational "reporter" i can think of for this interview. gibson comes off as a guy who teaches the classics of western literature at a private school for young gentlemen.

it doesn't really matter though.

they know what the questions will be based on discourse of the last week and have canned answers for them, or general purpose evasions for the ones they might have missed.

more importantly though, the viewers will see only what they want to see anyway, regardless of what she says, just like the responses to bush's embarrassing performances in the debates against gore.

this will change no minds one way or the other.

[pococurante]

"Ready on week three" to give a simple interview.

Wreckless choice to put a melanoma away from the oval office.

[Dan Electro]

I'd like to see BHO do this, or agree to debate McCain as McCain has offered. What? Is Barry afraid of the old man?

For that matter, where's Biden been? They've got him under wraps because they know they've made a mistake. Let's see him travel around and answer all questions.

I think John and Sarah (hey - aren't those Terminator characters?) can hold their own in interviews. I guess we'll see, eh?

[Supple Wrist]

I'd like to see BHO do this, or agree to debate McCain as McCain has offered. What? Is Barry afraid of the old man?

For that matter, where's Biden been? They've got him under wraps because they know they've made a mistake. Let's see him travel around and answer all questions.

I think John and Sarah (hey - aren't those Terminator characters?) can hold their own in interviews. I guess we'll see, eh?

meet the press, last sunday

are you suggesting obama has been ducking the press?

[pococurante]

meet the press, last sunday

are you suggesting obama has been ducking the press?

He's been hiding out with Bill O'Reilly to avoid real journalists.