# McCain Supporters -- a question about Palin **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 29, 2008, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697 "2008-09-29T13:01:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/61 "2008-09-29T21:04:49Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Again, the question seems to be "why don’t you hate Sarah Palin? She won’t do what Democrats want!’ Well, no shit, Sherlock, but that doesn’t make me hate her. Why do you keep bringing up the word “hate?” You’ve used this word several times in this thread alone to describe the way you think some people feel about Sarah Palin. For example, you said “Democrats hate her guts.” Huh? I don’t hate her. Why would I hate her? I definitely don’t want her to be VPOTUS, but hate? Of course not. I don’t regularly talk with you in GD, but is this one of your usual techniques? To sidetrack the conversation by making people defend themselves against spurious accusations? ---
**Author:** ![50million](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/9fc348/32.png) [@50million](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/50million)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/62 "2008-09-29T21:25:04Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > She’s at a rally in Columbus today. She’s drawn crowds of 60,000. Why do you persist with this strawwoman thread? Where are Biden’s crowds?. Seriously, where are they? > > SEP 23 [Woodbridge Virginia](http://www.washtimes.com/news/2008/sep/19/biden-end-cowboy-mentality-bush-mccain-era/) - crowd of 200 (invited) > Sep 19 [STERLING, Va](http://www.washtimes.com/news/2008/sep/19/biden-end-cowboy-mentality-bush-mccain-era/) - crowd of 1,000 > SEP 25 JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind - crowd of several hundred The OP didn’t ask about Woodbridge, Sterling, or Jeffersonville. The subject of this thread is why was she so hidden in Pennsylvania. Nice try on changing the subject though. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/63 "2008-09-29T21:48:55Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Yay. She can attract a partisan crowd. Who does she think she is, some sort of celebrity? > > But that notwithstanding, I’m just curious about something: > > How do the Republican/Conservatives on the board feel about the fact that Palin has been relatively unaccessible\*? And does that affect your support for the Republican ticket? Or more to the point, is your confidence in Palin affected at all by either her interview performances so far, or her lack of being interviewed? If not, why not? > > \*Relatively unaccessible being defined as not granting interviews to the media anywhere near the rate of any other Prez/Veep candidates in the running. How about defining it as sending Biden to out-of-the-way places so as to minimize public exposure. I’m just curious how Democrats feel about losing votes from larger venues. And how many interviews has VP Biden done since being selected? We already know how he felt about Obama in the Primaries. Shouldn’t we be seeing more of him now that he has to say just the opposite? Palin is on the same 24/7 campaign circuit as the other 3 candidates and is doing well at it. Redefining accessibility to create a talking point is political hyperbole. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/64 "2008-09-29T21:50:45Z")
> [@50million](#): > > The OP didn’t ask about Woodbridge, Sterling, or Jeffersonville. The subject of this thread is why was she so hidden in Pennsylvania. Nice try on changing the subject though. No, the question was not why is she so hidden in Pennsylvania. original question: **Here’s my question – we’re about five weeks out from the election. Both presidential candidates are campaigning pretty actively, as are their wives. The Democratic VP candidate, Joe Biden, is also making a lot of public appearances before large crowds. All of these people have the press following them pretty closely.** The Op asked why she was hiding in general and suggested she was playing to small crowds. I’ve pointed out that the opposite is the case. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/65 "2008-09-29T22:03:17Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > How about defining it as sending Biden to out-of-the-way places so as to minimize public exposure. I’m just curious how Democrats feel about losing votes from larger venues. And how many interviews has VP Biden done since being selected? We already know how he felt about Obama in the Primaries. Shouldn’t we be seeing more of him now that he has to say just the opposite? > > Palin is on the same 24/7 campaign circuit as the other 3 candidates and is doing well at it. Redefining accessibility to create a talking point is political hyperbole. So then … you _don’t_ want to answer the questions? Already then … thanks for playing. And I’m not redefining anything. Biden: dozens of interviews (sorry, I don’t have the precise number, somewhere around 80, I believe), Palin: 3 interviews, two with big looping softballs, one with questions set up on a tee. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/66 "2008-09-29T22:16:29Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > How about defining it as sending Biden to out-of-the-way places so as to minimize public exposure. I’m just curious how Democrats feel about losing votes from larger venues. And how many interviews has VP Biden done since being selected? We already know how he felt about Obama in the Primaries. Shouldn’t we be seeing more of him now that he has to say just the opposite? Biden had more interviews last Friday alone (after the debate) from various outlets than Palin has had since her nomination was announced. The fact that you refuse to acknowledge this fact and minimize its importance says it all. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/67 "2008-09-29T22:22:35Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > So then … you _don’t_ want to answer the questions? > > Already then … thanks for playing. > > And I’m not redefining anything. Biden: dozens of interviews (sorry, I don’t have the precise number, somewhere around 80, I believe), Palin: 3 interviews, two with big looping softballs, one with questions set up on a tee. Cite that Biden has interviewed 80 times since his nomination. You’re comparing his interviews as Senator and Primary candidate to Palin’s post nomination. You do realize she has many interviews as GOVERNOR. But if you want to add up all those pre-nomination interviews then we need to review them to see what he said about [Obama and McCain](http://www.rightupfront.org/2008/08/joe-biden-obama-not-ready-to-lead.html). Because words mean things and if we’re keeping track of how many interviews then certainly what is said is doubly important. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/68 "2008-09-29T22:25:12Z")
Kathleen Parker on NPR today was saying [Palin](http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MDZiMDhjYTU1NmI5Y2MwZjg2MWNiMWMyYTUxZDkwNTE)needs to step down, and this coming from a conservative columnist. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/69 "2008-09-29T22:28:33Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > Biden had more interviews last Friday alone (after the debate) from various outlets than Palin has had since her nomination was announced. Cite? Palin is exposed to the same press corps following her around as any other candidate. Now if you want to whine about Biden getting more exposure then you can write to the various news agencies and bitch about it. That’s a completely different issue than news agencies not being able to talk to her. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/70 "2008-09-29T22:30:06Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#): > > Kathleen Parker on NPR today was saying [Palin](http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MDZiMDhjYTU1NmI5Y2MwZjg2MWNiMWMyYTUxZDkwNTE)needs to step down, and this coming from a conservative columnist. Thanks ever so much for your input but it has nothing to do with this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/71 "2008-09-29T22:38:34Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Why do you keep bringing up the word “hate?” You’ve used this word several times in this thread alone to describe the way you think some people feel about Sarah Palin. For example, you said “Democrats hate her guts.” Don’t you think that screaming obscenities at her is a sign of hate? I linked to an example in my earlier post. > [@](#): > > I don’t regularly talk with you in GD, but is this one of your usual techniques? To sidetrack the conversation by making people defend themselves against spurious accusations? I’m not side-tracking anything. I cited a reason why Palin might not want to make a lot of public appearances in heavily Democratic areas. This is in direct response to the question of the OP. OK, so you don’t scream at her. Good for you. Others do. I’ve given you an example. You asked for a clarification, and I gave it to you. If you want to be offended when I condemn something that someone else did, there’s nothing I can do about that. Fortunately, also nothing I need to do. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/72 "2008-09-29T22:43:41Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Cite? Palin is exposed to the same press corps following her around as any other candidate. Now if you want to whine about Biden getting more exposure then you can write to the various news agencies and bitch about it. That’s a completely different issue than news agencies not being able to talk to her. Cite? I saw him on CNN and MSNBC and he was also on CBS and even Fox discussing the debate. The only reason he wasn’t on ABC was because they wouldn’t talk to him if they couldn’t interview Palin either (who was, obviously, completely missing from any news station that night). Palin since the RNC? Gibson. Hannity. Couric. It’s not out of lack of trying that no one else can score time with her. That’s 4 to 3 (since the math seems to be beyond you). The MSM _wants_ to talk to her, but while she may be visible (at events, rallies, photo ops), but visible is not the same thing as _ **accessible** _. She is the most insulated, least accessible candidate on a major party POTUS/VP ticket in the last 50 years. It’s pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/73 "2008-09-29T22:44:29Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Don’t you think that screaming obscenities at her is a sign of hate? I linked to an example in my earlier post. You said “Democrats hate her guts.” Not “Some Democrats hate her guts.” I trust I don’t have to explain the difference to you. > [@](#): > > If you want to be offended when I condemn something that someone else did, there’s nothing I can do about that. Oh, so that _is_ your litle game. I point out the illogical nature of your response and that means I’m “offended?” Cute. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/74 "2008-09-29T22:50:27Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > Cite? I saw him on CNN and MSNBC and he was also on CBS and even Fox discussing the debate. The only reason he wasn’t on ABC was because they wouldn’t talk to him if they couldn’t interview Palin either (who was, obviously, completely missing from any news station that night). > > Palin since the RNC? Gibson. Hannity. Couric. It’s not out of lack of trying that no one else can score time with her. That’s 4 to 3 (since the math seems to be beyond you). > > The MSM _wants_ to talk to her, but while she may be visible (at events, rallies, photo ops), but visible is not the same thing as _ **accessible** _. She is the most insulated, least accessible candidate on a major party POTUS/VP ticket in the last 50 years. It’s pathetic. 4 to 3 in interviews and this is your point. That’s pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/75 "2008-09-29T22:52:32Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > 4 to 3 in interviews and this is your point. That’s pathetic. :rolleyes: Biden did more interviews in **ONE NIGHT** than she has done in **SIX WEEKS**. That you still don’t get this, that you still don’t think this is somehow a problem, is what is truly pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/76 "2008-09-29T22:58:24Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Not with some people, it doesn’t. Knee-jerkers react automatically. That’s why there’s a name for it. Cite on Democrats calling McCain unqualified? Wrong, yes, unqualified no. > [@](#): > > Maybe it would help Obama to get footage of someone calling him a nigger in his campaign ads. Why doesn’t he go out and try to provoke that? Is he too delicate? Who talked about running it in ads? I’d think that such a thing might make some of the voters with a bit of bias uncomfortable about voting against him, and it might actually help. Lots of people, especially older ones, grew up in a bigoted world. My father-in-law, who is 93 and who never voted for a Democrat for president in his life, has gone from calling him “that black guy” to “Senator Obama.” > [@](#): > > Well, yes she is. See **Magiver** ’s cites for evidence of this.All of them, obviously. Unless you have never heard of a politician pressing the flesh, attending fundraisers, photo ops, or anything except public rallies. > > My cousin attended a rally with McCain, his wife, and Sarah Palin, in Cedarburg, WI. There were 17,500 people there. > > That slacker Biden never showed his face. Doesn’t that worry you? > > 😃 > > Regards, > Shodan This wasn’t from me. Odd, though, that they don’t seem to let her out of their sight. I’m sure this is because without the celebrity (remember when this was a bad thing) McCain would get two lady shoppers and a shelf stocker at his rallies. No one doubts that she could read from a teleprompter, though. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/77 "2008-09-29T23:33:36Z")
> [@Auntbeast](#): > > Don’t underestimate that as much flack as she got for those hard-hitting interviews with folks like Katie Couric, she is getting massively more press for being hard to reach. Well, we are talking about someone who characterizes a [question from an average citizen as “gotcha journalism”](http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/09/a_voter_asks_a_question_and_it.php). That librul media is _everywhere!_ ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/78 "2008-09-30T00:20:53Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] I cited a reason why Palin might not want to make a lot of public appearances in heavily Democratic areas. This is in direct response to the question of the OP. [/quote] You are demonstrably not interested in fairness, Shodan, but it’s interesting to compare the treatment Hillary Clinton caught as candidate over and over and _over_. I wouldn’t vote for her but c’mon, there is a woman who is flat-out _hated_ by some right-wingers–and they’re openly egged on in vitriol and abuse by a slew of right-wing media types. She kept right on campaigning and didn’t ask for quarter or concessions. The Democratic party sure never demanded any on her behalf either. A useful compare/contrast to Palin’s weak performance, I think. FTR, Biden is a poster boy for foot-in-mouth disease. He does have a long track record of solid experience and proven ability to work well with others so maybe that offsets it some. And he hasn’t pulled a mind-boggling gaffe lately so maybe the pressure is just building, like in a geyser. It lends a whole 'nother layer of dread-filled anticipation to the debate, IMO. Anyway, Obama is fully aware that Biden is fully capable of verbal gaffes but he still sends the guy out to stump. I’m not at all suprised Biden doesn’t get larger crowds or much press coverage. A bowl of custard has more charisma. Solid, workmanlike and boring as shit. Anyway, certainly not ‘proof’ of anything at all: at a meeting with 3 hardcore nice Republican ladies (where I sat silent during this, because it was _that_ type of meeting) all three stated they had decided to vote for Obama, based specifically on Palin’s weaknesses. They like John McCain just fine. They said he’s just too old to risk Palin being elevated to President. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/79 "2008-09-30T00:23:18Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > And how many interviews has VP Biden done since being selected? I believe CNN reported he’s made 100 appearances. I’ll look for a cite. ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697/80 "2008-09-30T01:03:48Z")
This from Shodan’s cite in post #6: > [@](#): > > Palin responded to a question about the economic recovery plan, which was hashed out overnight. She answered, but she made it clear that she was then going to concentrate on the Blue Star Moms, “Bailout? Ok? Then I’m going to talk to these gals whose sons are also in the service. But, thankful that John McCain is able to have some of those provisions implemented in that Paulson proposal to have more sound oversight,” Palin said. “Taxpayers aren’t going to be assumed to be called upon to bail out so I’m glad that John McCain’s voice is heard and his leadership too.” > > Directly after that answer, the press was escorted out for 15 minutes and then re-positioned to a staircase in the middle of Di Bruno Bros.—which was too far away to hear what the women were talking about or to ask the Vice-Presidential candidate any other questions. > > While waiting for their drinks Palin and the women started talking about their sons in the Army. Maureen Snook said her son told her, “Mom, you won’t know where I am.” Palin responded, “That’s what my son says! I belong to the Army now. I belong to America. My baby!” referring to her 19 year old son Track who is deployed in Iraq. Note this is on Fox news. So she said something incomprehensible…again. The press was removed and repositioned so they couldn’t listen in or ask questions. And this supports your position how? Oh and how do we know what the women talked about? No press, right? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697.md?page=5)