Biden meets with Georgian president without press; Where is firestorm?
September 26th, 2008
There was a virtual coup the other day when Sarah Palin visited with world leaders and asked the press for some privacy. CNN said they wouldn’t cover a “photo op” and endless speculation ensued that the secrecy surrounding these closed door sessions equated to Palin’s insecurities on foreign policy. Campbell Brown even accused the McCain camp of being “sexist” for keeping the media at bay.
So my question is, will there be a firestorm in the media today now that Joe Biden has met with the president of Georgia without inviting the press in?
The meeting in a hotel conference room lasted about two hours. When it ended, Biden exited into the hallway, waved to reporters and security officials and went down a private elevator without taking questions. Minutes later he waved to supporters through the closed window of an SUV as he was driven from the hotel.
Posted in Election 2008 | 12 Comments »
September 26th, 2008 at 11:19 am
It wasn't that Palin wanted to meet him without the press, it was that she wanted only the photographers and not the content reporters; hence, the “we don't cover photo ops” comment. There never would have been a flap if she had gone to the office door, press in tow, and said “See you later” as she ducked inside for a private meeting (as Biden did).
September 26th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Not to mention, Palin has skirted the press at every corner of this election. Furthermore, when she does do interviews, she appears incredibly vapid and sometimes unintelligible. The media smells blood.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Oh please. Biden allows the press ample coverage on a consistent basis and has earned credibility through years of scrutiny and experience. The “press” (aka Americans with an interest in governance) are on the other hand extremely skeptical about the unseasoned Palin's abilities and knowledge of foreign affairs. No one complained about Biden because it wasn't news or even remarkable that he met with a foreign leader in private. Palin's attempt to assert herself for the second highest office in the land deserves much more attention since her low profile to this point has done little to disprove those who doubt her. If you really think this is some kind of media bias, it's time to reflect.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
No, you're right! There should TOTALLY be a huge firestorm in the media! Joe Biden, a sitting member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations couldn't possibly have things to discuss with a foreign leader behind closed doors! And it's not like he's provided access to the press for his entire career or given interviews and press conferences during the campaign on a regular basis. He should have kicked out the content reporters and only allowed photographers to stay, just like Governor Palin wanted; I mean that would clearly be the honest, policy-driven thing to do.
Good grief, this is stupid post. It's the kind of false equivalency that has made the modern mainstream media such a complete joke.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Stalinst tactics of the left. Obama has District Attorneys filing charges against anyone who speaks out against Obama. This is the future. The left tells you that Bush is creating a police state, and while the people rail against Bush the left takes away their freedom to speak before they know it. I would not be surprised if conservatives are sent to camps under President Obama. http://www.kmov.com/video/index.html?nvid=28579...
September 26th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
I'm sorry, is that unfairly cutting into someone's strategy to ask that they not be dishonest or misleading? No worries, I'm sure someone on the McCain staff would be free from indictment. Wow, maybe this is a good reality. Imagine how much could be accomplished if all the doubletalking numnuts were sent to camps! Thanks for this comment, so cute!
September 26th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
The press is pushing for Obama. They don't like the fact the Republicans are truly about the people, all the people, not just the middle class. I make close to $250K and get hammered in taxes. 33% of my hard earned money goes to state and federal taxes. I get hammered for saving my money and for being responsible with my money. I drive a car with 250K on it…I live in a 2200 sq ft home, I have no credit debt…I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth and nothing was handed to me. Accountability in our culture is non existent. People stay in their homes during hurricanes and are told to leave, yet they stay and we pay millions of dollars and risk the lives our our rescuers to save stupid people. We now want to bailout irresponsible people who lived way out of their means…NO! I applaud the Republicans for stopping the bill. The dems own congress push the bill through without the Republicans, step up to the plate, take responsibility if you think it is the right thing to do…the American people are saying NO!
September 27th, 2008 at 12:36 am
And what does most of what you have to say have to do with the price of tea in China? Biden's situation is a little different than Gov. Palin's, as he is still head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee while on the campaign trail.
So 33% of your income goes to the government. SFW! People in the UK who make more than $64000 USD/year pay 40%. Be thankful the tax rates aren't higher, as they used to be. You obviously haven't figured out a way, despite your impressive earnings, to transfer some of your compensation into a category with a lower tax rate. Why do so many CEOs pay lower effective tax rates than their assistants? HINT: it's called the Capital Gains Tax.
And how does this have anything to do with accountability? It's the Republican-nominated Treasury Secretary who proposed an insane plan that would allow him to buy toxic securities at greater than fair market value, allow Paulson's buddies at Lehman to walk off with $2.5 BILLION in taxpayer-financed bonuses, and provide nothing in the way of oversight or recourse to anyone else. At least the deal the Democrats hammered out would give the government equity stakes in banks participating, provide some oversight of the Treasury, and limit executive compensation. In quite a few ways the Democratic plan was modeled after how Sweden solved its banking crisis.
And you don't want to even start on the issue of the hurricanes. I think I've already beaten you with the Big Stick of Truth enough.
September 27th, 2008 at 10:43 am
This is not about this one event with press or not. It is about that Sarah Palin can not simply open her mouth. Every time she open her mouth (the only two interviews if you watched with ABC and CBS), she shows extremely ignorance, arrogant, inexperience, lack of basic knowledge of the world as well as issues outside of Alaska. How many interviews Joe Biden did? There is no comparison here. I am absolutely convinced that McCain's pick of Sarah Palin is insulting American women, embarrassing to the American people in front of the world.
September 27th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Of course not. The media is predominatly leftist. They will continue to paint Rep/Conservatives/Libertarians in a negative light while giving thier Socialist Democrates a free pass.
September 28th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Here is a balanced view: fuck the cocksucker ass-wipe Republicans – they are the dipshit big business coddlers asleep at the wheel who allowed the fucking mess we see the last 2 weeks. You call it – unregulated toxic lending bringing down the big financial institutions, Mid-East quagmire killing the sons/daughters of poor people, environmental laws strip-mined, out of control deficit dooming my kids future, stripping basic services for disabled – fuck those shithead bastards! Fuck those butt-fuckers and the mule they rode in on! All those fucktard assholes have done for the past 8 years is squat down and take a big steaming dump of shit right on the head of the little guy.
I Call Bullshit
October 1st, 2008 at 4:06 pm
I have to agree with most of the comments posted. Biden has a good reason for the private meeting and he didn't ask for a “photo-op”. Palin wants nothing but photo-ops. However, we shouldn't ever stop questioning and watching to ensure that our nation's leaders and potential leaders are being honest and above-board in their dealings, just like they are saying at PoliticalSlavery.com.