Palin avoids the press, but Obama’s running mate isn’t talking either

Today, the press finally had enough of Sarah Palin’s refusal to address them. While holding meetings with numerous foreign dignitaries, Palin’s staff refused to let editorial press into the meetings, though one “pool” camera was given permission. The campaign was hoping for the nice pictures of the meet-and-greet, without having to face any questioning. Unfortunately for Palin, virtually every news agency refuses to provide a camera without an editorial presence also being allowed in the door. After a brief standoff, the Palin team backed down and allowed a member of CNN’s editorial press into the meeting… for 30 seconds. The entire story from that lengthy stay is chronicled here.

According to Fox News’ Shushannah Walshe, an embedded producer covering Palin, the Republican Vice Presidential candidate has done two interviews since her nomination, and one of those was with publicly-stated conservative Sean Hannity. Palin has apparently been asked one spontaneous question from a member of the press corps over the past month. The following passage comes from Walshe’s blog:

“It is traditional for the press traveling with a candidate to have some relationship with the candidate and special access because of all the hours logged on the plane and on the campaign trail. But, Palin still has not come back to answer any questions or talk to her press corps. The only time the press has met the Alaska governor is on her first solo flight three weeks ago and it was off the record. We shook hands with Palin and she was quickly ushered back to the front of the plane behind a gray curtain where she has remained for the three and a half weeks she has been a candidate.”

However, Palin is not the only potential VP to brush off the press. CNN reportsthat Democratic nominee Joe Biden has not spoken to the media in two weeks. His campaign blames it on a busy schedule. That same report also states that Biden did 90 interviews with national or local media between September 7 and his nomination on August 27.

Now, trying to be as free from supposed partisanship as possible, here comes the opinion.

Even if our two vice presidential candidates were on a completely even exposure scale, the interview scorecard would still read Biden 90, Palin 2. But let’s face it; they are not. Biden has been a U.S. Senator since 1973, and is a talkative one at that. People who follow politics know plenty about him. Those who don’t follow politics have heard of him. Palin has been a governor since December 2006 and few had ever heard her name or seen her face before the Republican National Convention.

We the people deserve to know who Sarah Palin is. As this blog has already stated, that cannot be done through completely scripted speeches. I hear people everyday tell me how “relate-able” she is. How do you know? We really don’t know anything about her, other than that higher ups in the McCain/Palin campaign do not want her exposed to the media, for reasons that can only be speculated. If that reason is because she is inexperienced dealing with the national press and the big stage, I cannot sympathize. She is, after all, running for Vice President of the United States. If the reason is that the “evil liberal media” will inaccurately portray her, my thoughts are here. I mean, for goodnes sake, even Fox News is upset at her now. She is running for Vice President of the United States of America – she must be accessible.

However, let this be clear: Biden’s previous exposure does not exempt him from speaking to the press. The majority of Americans know very little about the Delaware senator and he needs to be asked the tough questions, just as Governor Palin does.

My vote has not yet been decided, nor will it be until a few days before the election. I feel that is the best way to fairly view all of the happenings of the campaign season and make the best decision. There is far less room for pride or bias to enter when one has not committed to a candidate before the process has ended. That being said, the McCain/Palin ticket’s contempt for the press continues to rub me the wrong way. I want to hear them answer questions, not just recite talking points. I eagerly anticipate the debates, beginning this Friday night in Oxford.

I would never refuse to vote for a ticket because of their relationship with the media. I would, however, refuse to vote for a ticket that I was not able to get a feeling for because of their paranoia. I know that I am not alone, and that is why I am confident we will be seeing a more accessible McCain/Palin and Obama/Biden in the very near future.