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Sarah Palin brands Katie Couric interviews 'unfair'

by Paul Conneally | October 3, 2008 at 10:42 pm

590 views | 22 Recommendations | 10 comments

Sarah Palin has branded 'unfair' the interviews with Katie Couric where she looked unsure at times and was pulled up by the media for refusing to name any newspaper that she read to keep her informed of current affairs. She will have won few friends in the press by now claiming that the interview was unfair because Couric asked the 'wrong questions'.

Most would agree that it's the job of journalists to ask the 'right questions' but politicians from all sides have to realise that the 'right question' from a journalistic point of view might feel very 'wrong' to them especially if it gets them hot under the collar. The politician's job is to deal with the 'wrong question' appropriatly and not complain about questions from out left field - the best can respond intuitively and turn such situations into a home run.

"Ok I'll tell you honestly the Sarah Palin in those interviews is a little bit annoyed because it's no matter what you say you are going to get clobbered," she told Fox News.

"If you choose to answer a question you are going to get clobbered on the answer. If you choose to try and pivot and go on to another subject that you believe that Americans want to hear about you get clobbered for that too."

Mrs Palin gave several interviews to the CBS News anchorwoman Katie Couric - known for her unaggressive interviewing technique - in which she struggled to answer questions about foreign and economic policy.

The interviews caused alarm among some conservative pundits, who believed the Alaska governor looked out of her depth.

Now, she has accused Mrs Couric of not asking the right questions - those that would give her an opportunity to attack the Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

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Rachel Nixon

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 23:46 on October 3rd, 2008

LotusFlower, I like this story. It's good stuff.

I agree with you when you say: The politician's job is to deal with the 'wrong question' appropriately and not complain about questions from out left field - the best can respond intuitively and turn such situations into a home run.

Paul Conneally

at 00:05 on October 4th, 2008

Thanks Rachel. That art of being able to 'think on your feet' is so important and one I've never quite mastered!

René

at 00:43 on October 4th, 2008

I heard the editors chopped up the interview also.

Paul Conneally

at 00:52 on October 4th, 2008

The original broadcasts look fairly 'unchopped' but subsequent news peices both televised and text have of course (just as we do i guess) edited to add spice or represent a certain angle.

I think she seems more agile on her feet than Biden does - in many respects - that guy appears to my UK eyes at least to have had a charisma bypass.

World_Groove

at 08:08 on October 4th, 2008

CHARISMA BYPASS ! Thats a great line !

I spent some time yesterday looking for the full transcript, and have not found it to be released. Only the "aired" transcript has been released. I had read that the full interview is quite long, something in the realm of an hour, and quite a bit of editing has taken place.

fastback

at 03:53 on October 4th, 2008

Katie is a bottom feeder when it comes to ratings and everyone knows that she is not a serious journalist. She has tried to boost her ratings with a gotcha style brand of interviews and has failed. Some questions were relevant such as the sepreme court justice question however many were superficial and irrelevant. I do not care what journals or magazines she reads, questions like these are ignorant. Many people in the U.S know the slanted journalism that favors the democratic ticket. I am thankful for talk radio and the internet in the U.S. and hope that these will continue to be freedoms enjoyed here. I would like the MSM to ask some serious questions of Obama such as what qualifications does he have to be president, 143 days? The whole story of Obama is not covered in the media, and he is given nothing but softball questions.

Barry ORegan

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 04:14 on October 4th, 2008

LotusFlower, I like this story. It's good stuff. Well then she should stop talking to reporters, sometimes she is her own Best political opponent.

Paul Conneally

at 04:22 on October 4th, 2008

Thanks Barry - I believe that almost all modern politicians rely too much on party machinary to provide them with pat replies to pre-determined or guessed questions - when one comes up that they haven't been prepared for it can throw them.