Availability to the press IS an important thing for candidates

Earlier today, I set my Facebook (yes, I finally joined that infernal thing) status to "Charlie wants to know if Palin EVER plans on answering reporters' questions." This seems to me a legitimate question, and in fact has been mentioned by many commentators over the last six weeks.

Soon after I posted that remark, a good college friend whom I respect greatly responded, "I often wonder the same thing about Obama ..."

I was struck speechless (tough to do) for a moment partly because it seemed like a comment out of left field ... but mostly because he has regularly given time to reporters on the campaign trail and answered their questions. Sarah Palin, on the other hand, is usually "running late" and jumping into a car or bus without speaking to reporters. On the occasions when she does speak with reporters, she either gives ridiculous answers, dodges the question altogether, obfuscates, or downright lies:











The bottom line is that the candidates need to be occasionally made available to the media. It's important for at least two reasons: first, because it's a good way for them to get their message out to the voters, and second, because the media has a way of getting ticked off if you want talk to them. And when the media gets ticked off, they'll find subtle (or not-so-subtle) ways of taking it out on the candidate.

McCain doesn't often speak with reporters, either ... but when does, he usually seems to at least make a little sense -- unlike Palin.

Let's face it: the reason that the McCain campaign keeps Palin under wraps for the most part is that they realize that every word out of her mouth is a another vote for the Democratic ticket. She's not qualified ... she's not ready ... and she's turning out to be a drag on the ticket, which not many people would've predicted a month ago