From The Road
September 29, 2008 9:34 PM

"Gotcha Journalism" Or A Double Standard?

By
Scott Conroy
Topics
Sarah Palin
(CBS)
From CBS News' Scott Conroy:

(SEDONA, Ariz.) In an exclusive interview with CBS News' Katie Couric, both members of the Republican ticket brushed aside Sarah Palin's apparent contradiction on Saturday of John McCain's policy on Pakistan.

Palin's assertion that the U.S. should "absolutely" launch cross-border attacks from Afghanistan into Pakistan in the event that it becomes necessary to "stop the terrorists from coming any further in" came in response to a customer's question at a Philadelphia restaurant.

McCain told Couric that although Palin's comment was not something she should have said out loud, it was undeserving of extensive media coverage.

"But, look, I understand this day and age of 'gotcha' journalism," McCain said. "Is that a pizza place? In a conversation with someone who you didn't hear the question very well, you don't know the context of the conversation, grab a phrase. Gov. Palin and I agree that you don't announce that you're going to attack another country."

The video of Palin's exchange appears to show that she heard the question about Pakistan perfectly well. In fact, she engaged in an extended dialogue with the customer on the subject.

When Couric asked Palin what she learned from the experience, the Alaska governor echoed McCain's charge that the media was behaving in an unsavory fashion in its decision to publicize her comments.

"That this is all about "gotcha" journalism," Palin said. "A lot of it is. But that's okay, too."

But on the same day that both Republicans dismissed Palin's off-the-cuff comment on Pakistan, Palin criticized Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden for a comment he made to a voter, under similarly unscripted circumstances.

Stumping in Ohio last week, Biden responded to a woman who shouted a question about clean coal from a rope line.

"We're not supporting clean coal," Biden said. "Guess what—China is building two every week, two dirty coal plants, and it's polluting the United States. It's causing people to die."

Soon after the comment was made, McCain seized on Biden's remarks, saying "[Obama's] running mate here in Ohio recently said that they weren't supporting clean coal either." The McCain/Palin campaign also released a web video, which showed part of Biden's comments on clean coal.

Biden spokesman David Wade issued a statement saying, "Senator McCain knows that Senator Obama and Senator Biden support clean coal technology. Senator Biden's point is that China is building coal plants with outdated technology every day, and the United States needs to lead by developing clean coal technologies."

Then on Monday—the same day she decried the "gotcha journalism" that showcased her unscripted comment to a voter on Pakistan—Palin followed McCain's lead in seizing upon Biden's remarks to the Ohio voter.

"Just recently, Sen. Biden made it perfectly clear that in an Obama-Biden administration, there would no use of clean coal at all," she said.

Asked to clarify why Biden's gaffe was worthy of ridicule, while Palin's flub deserved a pass, a McCain/Palin spokesperson said, "It would seem Biden's remarks were very clear on the issue whereas Palin's response was only part of what she has previously said on this issue."

  • Scott Conroy

    Scott Conroy is a National Political Reporter for RealClearPolitics and a contributor for CBS News.

Add a Comment See all 66 Comments
by pvtguy July 3, 2009 5:56 PM EDT
So Scott Conroy article is nothing more then a sportscasters account of events? Clearly this garbage bag journalism might be great press and makes great gossip, but it does nothing for advancing and improving the problems we have in society. Basically, with all this rhetoric, we have had a lame duck establishment for some 40 years. Time we throw the bums out, and ignore dirty laundry journalism.
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by revgazza October 2, 2008 6:15 AM EDT
The hypocrasy of Katie Couric is amazing. She rips into Palin like a witch and then allows Biden to make some interesting guffs. Fo example Bidens comments on the financiail crisis "When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn''t just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. He said, ''Look, here''s what happened."

Hmm FDR President in 1929? TV in 1929? and this man is supposed to be smarter than Obama and more experienced? Also remember it was Biden who said that Obama wasn''t qualified to be President. But hey the liberal left swoons at Obama''s very words.

I wish journalist would become ethical again instead of playing party favourites. But then who ever could accuse Katie of journalistic integrity?
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by independant8 October 1, 2008 7:06 PM EDT
When Obama was noted for his short political experience, he picked Biden in an effort to make his presidential ticket stronger. Biden has the experience and they had been working together on the senate floor for more than two years. Obama showed GOOD judgment..
On the other hand, McCain was criticizing Obama for his lack of experience, but then he picked Palin!!! Palin has very little experience (proven in her recent interviews)..... who they did not know each other well (they met twice during the VP selection process). McCain showed BAD judgment. He did not put Country First.
McCain is a flip-flopper, who talks the talk but does not walk the walk%u2026 He rushed into delaying the debate, then he changed his mind%u2026.He rushes into decisions, which would become dangerous if was elected and could jeopardize the future of this country.
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by tx2democrats October 1, 2008 4:59 PM EDT
can''t wait for the debates...all Biden has to do is let Palin talk herself into a K-hole.....when Palin speaks, she loses her train of thought and then she finishes big by inserting her own foot into it. Can''t wait. Biden is such an excellent speaker, should be fun watching Palin stumble through this, office bet is that she resigns by Friday afternoon.
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by bks59 October 1, 2008 11:26 AM EDT
... I am tired of the Republicans having a different set of rules whenever it suits them.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by Policrypt at 06:07 PM : Sep 30, 2008


it is called "ethics of convenience" and the Greedy Old Partisans seem to have honed the skill well.
Reply to this comment
by philip9295 September 30, 2008 9:31 PM EDT
I''M A VIETNAMESSE/U.S CITIZEN,THE MEDIA HELPED FOR THE LOST VIETNAM WAR.THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE DEAD ON THE OCEAN,MORE THAN 100.000,ON THE WAY WE ARE LOOKING FOR "FREEDOOM" AFTER THE FALL OF "SAIGON" 1975 ,AGAIN ON IRAQ WAR ,AFGHANISTAN WAR AND NOW MC.CAIN/PALIN WAR...MEDIA NEWS THEY ARE KILLING, SELLING ,DETROYING,BETRAYING THE UNISTATE OF AMERICA ,THEIR OWN BEAUTYFUL FREEDOOM COUTRY...
THIS''S MY 2nd.COUNTRY,I LOVE , BEUTYFULL FREEDOOM COUNTRY ,FREE SPEECH BUT " MEDIA PLEASE" STOP KILLING MORE PEOPLE (YOUR OWN COUNTRY)REMEMBER LEARNING VIETNAM WAR ,THAT LELF MORE THAN 58.000 AMERICA HERO IN MY COUNTRY (VIETNAM) AND VIETNAM PEOPLE WHO DIE ON THE WAY LOOKING FOR FREEDOOM
"MEDIA" PLEASE HELP US AND YOUR COUTRY STOP IT.THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR MEDIA.
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by jone775 September 30, 2008 9:14 PM EDT
Obama should maintain his silence on Palin; she hurts her own chances with each and every opening of her mouth anyhow...
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by becky661 September 30, 2008 8:26 PM EDT
I watched the interviews Katie Couric had with Obama, Biden, McCain and Palin. When she interviewed Obama and Biden, she was relaxed, smiling, almost giddy. When she interviewed McCain, she was more serious. She may have smiled once. When she interviewed Palin, her arms were crossed (sign of defiance), did not smile and had a stern look on her face. Maybe she should have a body language expert to comment on her interviews like they did for the debate. It was very clear to me she was trying to trip Palin up in order to cast her in a negative light.
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by becky661 September 30, 2008 8:11 PM EDT
Had that been Obama that left his campaign to help in Washington, the media would have been saying "What a great leader he would make". Since it was McCain, they have been very critical. The media is trying to sway public opinion. The media should be investigated. However,I have found Fox News to be unbiased so quess which station I look at now. I think the media giants got together and decided they had the power to take a relatively unknow with minimal experience and make that person President. When the campaign was between Obama and Clinton, the media was pro Obama and attacked Clinton. It even became fodder for the late night talk shows. Now that the campaign is between Obama and McCain, everything Obama does is great and attack McCain/Palin. It''s clear to me the media is trying to sway the public in this election. Look at all the questionable people/companies Obama has been tied to and nothing is said. VERY BIASED!!
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by becky661 September 30, 2008 8:04 PM EDT
Palin has been repeatedly criticized for not allowing any reporters in when she met with the foreign leaders. When Obama went to Europe to hold his pep rallies (why I don''t know they can''t vote for him), he met with the leaders of France, England and Germany. No photographers or press was allowed inside. You didn''t hear complaints about that did you? The media is very biased!
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