Palin Meets Foreign Leaders, But Not the Press

Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin had a busy day yesterday. While the McCain-Palin spokespeople were disinviting then re-inviting the press, she met with Afghan President Hamid Karzhai, Colombian president Alvaro Uribe, and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. The press got under 90 seconds—for all three meetings—of access. Even the Fox News producers, on their blog, wrote, "the Palin camp went to new lengths to control the media, which is covering the GOP Vice-Presidential nominee":

It was decided by the campaign that today’s meetings with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Colombian president Alvaro Uribe, and Former Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger would be pooled. This means only one television network with their camera and producer, plus a print reporter, and wire reporters would be let in at the beginning of the meeting and then be ushered out before the leaders and Palin began talking. This is common practice in presidential campaigns, but this morning a little over one hour before the meetings would begin the pool network television producer and print poolers were told they were not allowed to enter the meetings.

This means that the Palin camp has the benefit of pictures of her shaking hands with world leaders and have that video broadcast all over the world, but there would be no risk of her having to answer even one question from a reporter at the beginning of the meetings. It is many television network’s policy, including Fox News Channel to not provide a camera if an editorial presence is not allowed in. Once the campaign realized that these pictures would not be seen they relented, but the print pool is still not allowed to enter the Karzai event.

The Caucus has details on what the media learned during these meetings, but to sum it up, just pleasantries.

Palin will be meeting with, per Politico , "presidents Jalal Talabani of Iraq, Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan, Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia and Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine, as well as Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh" today.

The Post put Todd Palin and baby Trig on the cover--the First Dude and First Baby of Alaska went to Central Park and rode on the merry-go-round. The Palin's daughters Piper and Willow are also in NYC (pregnant daughter Bristol is in Alaska; son Track is in the army in Iraq), and the family headed to FAO Schwarz, the Statue of Liberty and, yes, Ground Zero. One person who saw them at the carousel was taken by the moment, "It was charming...You could see the joy and love."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on September 24, 2008 11:31 AM

Comments [rss]

NannyState

#13, they still believe Larry Craig is straight too (but the hipper ones quietly wonder...)

Sarah Palin and foreign leaders? They probably kept asking her for "more tea and a fresh pillow".

nik13

yes #4, it was the first time she visited a 3rd world country.

robingee

mmmm, they have cookies on the table!

Future Taliban

"Why don't you tell us? You're "Future Taliban."

If I were you I'd STFU because YOU as an American azzwipe are FUTURE BROKE.

Spirit of 76

Why don't you tell us? You're "Future Taliban."

Future Taliban

"Palin is an expert on Afghanistan. After all, she does own several rugs from that country."

Speaking of which: why is that Karzai guy always wearing one on his back?.

Future Taliban

Sarah Palin = Ellie May Clampett meets the Avon Lady.

Toby von Meistersinger

Joe Biden has a lot of international experience, just ask Neil Kinnock.

Dude69

What about meetings with the leaders of the other world powers such as Russia, UK, China, Bono? Maybe she's not ready for the big boys yet..

Future Taliban

Please stop this country for a second; I wanna get off!.

Dirk

Palin is an expert on Afghanistan. After all, she does own several rugs from that country.

Politburo

Forget nukular... McCain's "Warshington" makes me want to kill myself.

Spirit of 76

I bet she can't even pronounce Hamid Karzai. Hay-mid Car-zay? I still can't understand how any adult who claims to have any level of education can say "nukular."

Mr Mel

And another thing, she has nicer legs than Hillary.

Mr Mel

FREE LEVI !

mrguy

that was nice of her to bake cookies for Mr. Karzai.

burgeon

Shhh... nobody tell her that she's just in the "International Leader" wing of Madame Tussaudes...

whitecastlerock

yes yes in my country we would have your head on a pike you stupid piece of shit...

Gee that is just wonderful-I love those to knit afghans during my kid's hockey games

yakatori

ides,

obviously your cable was out that week because your party's propaganda machine, Fox News, was all over Obama for his trip as I recall.

have you got anything else to offer because your cute little posts are making you look foolish.

faprilano

"i can see russia from my house" - said in a nasaly, bumpkin accent..........

Politburo

"So...this is an honest question: was this her first time to NYC?"

No, she attended a conference in NYC with one of her daughters.

zodak

that coffee table is obscuring my view of the vpilf.

babyhitler

Republicans are dumb enought to vote bush into office and believe that clay aiken is straight. Can you believe that the conservative base's favorite musical son is a sausage lover? Sometimes I think the entire republican party is full of closet gays who really love masochism.

Outter Burrougher

her, not he

Outter Burrougher

ides: didn't he actually hold press conferences while on that trip?

she's getting criticized for this because he not speaking to the media is a growing frustration.

JacqueMehoff

I hate that guy, kabul chic my ass.

ides_of_march

Where was the criticism when Obama did his one week, whirlwhind package tour of Europe to get his pic taken with this and that world leader?

The man criticizes Americans for going to Europe and only being able to speak English, then the fool runs off to Berlin to give a speech...in English!

berniegoetz

What's the difference between facing the press and photo-op Q&As with U.S.-appointed foreign dignitaries like Hamid Karzhai?

Lipstick stains on people's asses.

ed_Extinct

i can't believe this is happening!!! who is this woman? whow can anyone take this seriously?

Outter Burrougher

bangs head on desk

GigiDmnd

Sarah Palin has already put the wise words of Henry Kissinger - “to be absolutely certain about something, one must know everything or nothing about it” - into action by opting to know nothing.

***

Gigi

www.jewssip.com