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Sunday: Coldest state, hottest topic.
posted at 2008-08-31 13:20 | Last modified 2008-08-31 13:20
At the Washington Post, it’s all Palin, all the time:
- Dan Balz and Robert Barnes report McCain advisers say Palin made it through a thorough vetting process.
- James Grimaldi and Kimberly Kindy have the backstory on the Alaska legislature’s investigation into Palin’s alleged abuse of power.
- Karl Vick reports Palin’s hometown is shocked, but many are supportive.
- The verdict from the paper’s editorial writers: “Puzzled and Skeptical.”
The NYT is all over the story, too:
- Adam Nagourney and crew say Palin’s playing well among conservatives in swing states like North Carolina.
- Elisabeth Bumiller and Michael Cooper report advisors to McCain say “conservative ire” nixed his top choice, Joe Lieberman.
- Jackie Calmes reports mixed responses from less-conservative women voters.
- Over on the op-ed pages, Gail Collins isn’t surprised to hear that.
Even in Alaska, reactions ran the gamut. Editors at Palin’s hometown paper are understandably thrilled. But the Fairbanks News-Miner’s editorial board was less enthusiastic, while Anchorage’s Tom Kizzia questions Palin’s much-touted opposition to the Bridge to Nowhere.
On the tube
McCain surrogates were all over the Sunday talkers this morning, defending their candidate’s choice of Palin.
On Stephanopoulos this morning, Cindy McCain praised Palin’s national defense credentials.
“Remember, Alaska is the closest part of our continent to Russia. So it’s not as if she doesn’t understand what’s at stake here. It’s also about making decisions and being targeted in what she thinks. She has a great mind.”
On Meet the Press, MN Gov and VP also-ran Tim Pawlenty looked tense when Brokaw quoted Palin’s own mother-in-law saying “I’m not sure what she brings to the ticket, other than she’s a woman and a conservative.” Pawlenty replied by listing Obama’s credentials but omitting the eight years the Dem served in the IL State Senate before going to DC. (If you have to redact your opponent’s resume to make your candidate look comparable, you’ve probably got a problem. Just sayin'.)
Pawlenty went on to praise Palin’s “guts and grit,” and denied that her gender was the reason she was selected:
“I think Senator McCain has picked a candidate who complements and amplifies his strength – a maverick with a record of reform.”
When Brokaw questioned the scientific value of teaching creationism, something Palin supports, Pawlenty said “From an educational and scientific standpoint, [that issue] should be decided at a local level by local school boards.” Later in the show, Republican strategist Mike Murphy conceded this and other social issues could drag down the ticket if that’s what Palin becomes best known for.
Not that the pundits were entirely negative. Murphy thinks Palin could help the ticket if she's handled correctly. And CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo praised the AK Gov's expertise on energy issues, calling her “very accessible, very personable.”
Fans and foes notwithstanding, there can't be much doubt this is not how Republicans wanted the Palin rollout to go. GOP representatives could have used their TV time today to promote their convention and their agenda. Instead, they had to spend it defending their ticket. Owning the news cycle isn't always an entirely good thing.
Closer to home,
The N&O’s Rob Christensen has some convention-week advice for John McCain.
McClatchy’s Barb Barrett profiles top GOP campaign strategist and NC native Charlie Black.
The N&O's Anne Blythe looks at how Elizabeth Edwards’ political fortunes have been affected by her husband’s peccadillos.
Related: The AP reports a former Edwards aide denies his ex-boss’s speaking fees have gone up.
The Insider's Scott Mooneyham dissects this week’s veto vote.
At Greensboro, Binker has a nice piece on local GOP delegates headed for Minneapolis.
Winston-Salem’s James Romoser reports Palin reactions here in NC are mixed.
Asheville’s Eun Kim says Western NC Republicans were “shocked” by the pick.
At NCNN, Clayton Henckel reports GOP Senator Richard Burr and gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory think Palin was a great choice.
Comments? Drop me a line.
