Wednesday, October 1, 2008

What newspapers do you read?

Sarah Palin reads "most of them", according to her CBS interview.



COURIC: And when it comes to establishing your world view, I was curious, what newspapers and magazines did you regularly read, before you were tapped for this, to stay informed and to understand the world?

PALIN: I've read most of them again with a great appreciation for the press for the media, I mean...

COURIC: Like what ones specifically? I'm curious that you...

PALIN: Um, all of 'em, any of 'em that um have been in front of me over all these years, um...

COURIC: Can you name any of them?

PALIN: I have a vast variety of sources where we get our news too. Alaska isn't a foreign country where it's kind of suggested it seems like, wow how could you keep in touch with what the rest of Washington, DC may be thinking and doing, when you live up there in Alaska. Believe me, Alaska is like a microcosm of America.

(Transcription from http://www.americablog.com/2008/09/cbs-palin-cant-name-one-single.html



Truly Alaska is a microcosm of America!

4 comments:

nathan3700 said...

I've seen a couple of excerpts of this interview and it looks to me like Couric is purposely pressing for "gotcha" answers. Palin knew she was in enemy territory and she was flustered. Either Palin knew her favorite newspapers would be ridiculed or she learns about the world more from television like most Americans. Either way, a mother of 5 isn't going to be as sophisticated as many dedicated newspapers readers believe themselves to be. Should we discriminate against mothers? I'm willing to cut her some slack.

It's not like Palin wouldn't be able to study up any any given issue when it came time to signing a bill or executing an order.

For me values trump knowledge, party trumps person, and for president at least, people skills trump sophistication.

Digger said...

First, let me say, before this season, I've only voted once. Never really asked questions, didn't really care. Tech has been more fun, and relevant, then politics. However -- Palin's platform -- ethics -- caught my attention during her bid for Alaska governor. And I've listened with half an ear since. Last night, blowing off steam -- this section of the Couric interviews raised my BP.

Palin responds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBg0bFAOmOE

Talk show addresses the larger issue -- gotcha journalism and unequal coverage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wwWqBdSxxI

Biden FDR gaff, noted in talk show clip, with replay's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Jf17Yo7hBM

In light of the gotcha tactics, Courics journalism lost some credibility with me. But then, maybe that's why we watch "news" from one perspective or another -- it feeds our ego -- the feeling that we're making the right choice.

Sergey Solyanik said...

To Nathan:

...and faith trumps brains.

Been there, done that. Check the demise of the Roman, British, and Soviet empires. It looks like the time has come for the US. Unfortunate, but, unfortunately, not unexpected :-(.

nathan3700 said...

I agree that the demise of the U.S. is not unexpected. Nothing lasts forever. I won't go into the reasons that I think the U.S. is suffering because there is no bumper sticker answer to that. There will be a lot of finger pointing, but I assure you that the most adamant finger pointers will be cherry picking their facts. I'd encourage you to read my blog:

http://nathanstudy.blogspot.com