Couric's Palin Interview Levels The Field

MarketWatch Media Columnist Jon Friedman Gives Analysis On CBS News Anchor's Upcoming Sit-Down With McCain Running Mate

(MarketWatch)  This column was written by MarketWatch's Jon Friedman.

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With no disrespect to any of the other television networks or anchors, I can't wait to see Katie Couric's interview with Sarah Palin. It will feature two accomplished women talking to each other on national television.

It will also allow Palin and Couric the opportunity to present different images to America.

Couric, who has anchored the "CBS Evening News" for two years, will spend a few days talking with Palin on Sept. 28 and 29 and the interview will air on the 29th.

After a rocky introduction, Couric has done solid work on the evening news program. She is launching an intriguing spot called "Presidential Questions." On Sept. 17, she raised the points of how the two presidential candidates would prevent another terrorist attack and what personal flaw might hinder the ability of either man to be President of the U.S.

If Couric could get Palin to offer thought-provoking answers to her questions, she'd go a long way toward finally erasing the media's ever-present "perky" characterization of her. The quality of her work should speak for itself.

Palin, lampooned brilliantly by Tina Fey on "Saturday Night Live," will have an agenda, too. Palin will hope to show viewers that she has the gravitas to run the country someday.

CBS presents an ideal opportunity for Palin. She has already made a strong impression on many conservative "hockey moms." Many see a connection with Palin's struggles to "have it all" as both a working mother and an accomplished professional.

CBS will allow Palin to address an audience that has had a reputation for appealing to a greater number of liberal Americans than its network competitors.

To its chagrin, many Americans continue to identify CBS as the TV network that had to apologize publicly for its unsubstantiated report on President George W. Bush's National Guard service during the Vietnam War.

Wowing viewers and voters

Palin may have wowed the nation since Sen. John McCain tapped the obscure governor of Alaska to be his running mate. And, if you believe the Republican Party's hype machine, she may even be able to kill a moose from fifty paces, but she had better watch her back, nonetheless.

Couric is starting to hit her stride after two years in the anchor seat the "CBS Evening News" and she won't take any guff or double talk. We're starting to see media writers (including this one) writing favorable pieces about Couric after a relentless stream of criticism. Either Couric is getting more comfortable and self-assured in the job (I think so) or critics are finally warming up to her. Maybe the viewers will follow.

Palin pretty much skated by in her first network interview, with ABC's Charlie Gibson except for a few awkward moments when she digressed about the White House's foreign policy.

Gibson tried hard to keep Palin honest with focused questions. But he was destined to come up short in his interview. (Click here to read Friedman's analysis of the Gibson interview.) If he put Palin's back against the wall, he would have been blasted as a big-city, elitist sexist. But if Gibson had given Palin what amounted to a free pass (I knew he wouldn't do that), he would have been castigated as a wimp.

Now, CBS will level the playing field for viewers by matching its Unsinkable Molly Brown versus McCain's version of Marge, the fearless sheriff in the Coen Brothers' classic 1996 movie "Fargo."

Nobody will be able to accuse the media of sexism when it's Couric who will be firing fastballs at Palin's head.

Tough questions

If I had Couric's ear before the interview, I'd suggest she hammer on two issues: national defense and the economy.

I'd want to hear Palin discuss the crisis on Wall Street and in the housing market. Maybe we shouldn't expect her to have a solution right away, but I would like to hear her talk about wha it means to her.

With this interview, Palin is trying to show she represents more than just her home state, she's looking to be the voice for small town America.

And how will Palin propose to solve the messes involving Social Security and health care?

It's going to be up to Katie Couric to tell us all what it means.

What do you want Couric to ask Palin?

Join the online community of Media Web readers by posting comments directly to the MarketWatch.com site.

[freedog008]

I don''t care if she tanks. I''m voting for McCain not Palin. AND, if God forbids, McCain tanks, Palin will bring in someone like Condi Rice or Colin Powell as VP and all wil be hunky dory. I''ve worked with lot of people like Palin. There are those who talk a good game, and those who make good decisions. Palin has got to where she is, so quickly because she''s a good decision maker. She, like Truman, would be a great President if the situation met her head on. She''s the type that will rise to the occasion.

[im4honesty]

JOHN McCAIN: "I believe the fundamentals of the economy are strong."

THEN THE NEXT DAY:

"Well... I... err... ummm, what I meant was the fundamentals of the economy are the working men and women, and anyone who disagrees with me is against the American worker."

The question is:

ARE YOU STUPID ENOUGH TO VOTE FOR McCAIN/PALIN???

[homespunlady]

LYING her way into the Whitehouse - like Cheney lied us into WAR - abusing her power then claiming "PRIVILEGE" because she has MORE POWER than ANYONE ELSE FACING A SUBPOENA then HIDING the TRUTH along the way....Good start to this "Cheney in a dress".

In the MEANTIME all those "spoiled brat" NEOCONS that have DESTROYED our ENTIRE ECONOMY are busy DUMPING THE BILL on the POOR and Middle Class!!

The NEODEPRESSION is STILL in the works - the DEBT DID NOT GO AWAY !

IT''S GOTTEN BIGGER with this GIGANTIC TRANSFER OF WEALTH TO THE UPPER ONE PERCENT!

Guess Who''s going To PAY for this NEOCON FRAT PARTY DAMAGE?? Certainly NOT THOSE WHO TOOK THE MONEY AND PARTIED AWAY what they did not HIDE IN FOREIGN "VACATION HOMES"!!

CHECK FOLKS- what POLITICAL PARTY are all those CEOS and financial scumbags that are STEALING YOUR pension and kid''s education SAVINGS!!

The "dirty little secret" is that McCain has gotten FAR MORE MONEY donated TO HIM through "LOOPHOLE" Party donations from these SCUMBAGS and is CONNING his way to "GET AROUND" his CAMPAIGN FINANCE RESTRICTIONS.

As usual the NEOCON "PARTY OPERATIVES" have gone into their "dirty trick" bags to FOOL the GULLIBLE "peasants" AGAIN.

FEUDALISM here we come and with Palin we can expect a "Holy Inquisition" as well if you disagree with her!

[wlmrtpatriot]

Oh and here goes.....Obama is a muslim.
Not that I care, nor that I know what I''m talking about, but as I read some of your comments I see some of you don''t either.

[wlmrtpatriot]

Barky voted for the extension of the FISA bill. Joe Biden was a loud supporter of the Iraq war.
That''s beside the point: liberals hate women, no matter what women do they are still hated.

[ralphcat1]

They would be very happy to have the political discussion centered around "Obamas is Muslim" or "what they did to Hillary" or "lipstick on a pig". These people are set on cutting all government social programs and abolishing all government regulatory agencies so they can continue with their profitable, dangerous and radical influence on our government. It boils down to "Four More Years?"

[ralphcat1]

Ask her if she favors Christian dominion - the ending of the separation of church and state, replacing U. S. democracy with a theocracy. Ask her if she knows that her candidacy was selected by the Council of National Policy, the secret right wing umbella group of the most powerful figures of the Christian right including James (SpungeBob is gay) Dobson and Erik Prince (Blackwater).

[kmar20009]

Perhaps she can explain why she raised the tax on oil to 75% of its sales price, passing the cost along to US consumers. She then requested the largest federal grants per capita of any state from the federal government so that she could mail checks to each Alaskan. (who already paid no state taxes). Might that not explain part of her 80% popularity rating?
The total comes to something like $3600 per resident and it all comes from the pockets of the lower 48. Not bad for a family of 7... especially if you can charge the state rent for living in your own home.

[scorpio59er]

Retiring Republican Senator Chuck Hagel told the Omaha World Herald today that he does not think Sarah Palin is qualified to be president. %u201CI think it''s a stretch to, in any way, to say that she''s got the experience to be president of the United States,%u201D he said. %u201CShe doesn''t have any foreign policy credentials," Hagel added. %u201CYou get a passport for the first time in your life last year? I mean, I don''t know what you can say. You can''t say anything.%u201D

You pubs fight it out amongst yourselves. BWAHAHAHA!

[oldanalyst]

Please ask her if she has discussed with McCain what her duties would be. Since she has experience with energy companies, will she deal with energy issues for the president?

Ask her if the office of the Vice-president is part of the executive or legislative branch? Does she view the office as Cheney does? If so, is she going to be a secretive as Cheney is? She has claimed transparency as governor. Will she make the same claim if elected as Vice-president?

[ralphcat1]

John McCain said this about ''Dances on wolves'' Palin the other day: "she''s the world''s leading expert on energy issues". This an a quote from our "leading expert" from a news clip the other day: " Of course its a fungible commodity and they don''t flag, you know, the molecules, where it''s going and where its not, but in a sense of the Congress today, they know that there are very, very hungry domestic markets that need oil first, so I believe that what Congress is going to do, also, is not to allow the export bans to such a degree that it''s Americans who get stuck holding the bag without the energy source that is produced here, pumped here. It''s got to flow into our domestic markets first". Not only is John McCain a complete liar- somewhere in Alaska, a village is missing it''s idiot.

[mart7lin]

I would like to ask Gov. Palin to tell us what steps she has taken to combat violence against women in her state. Alaska ranks #1 in this category.

[rookieat65]

I know what this topic is about. But untill I can get someone to give me Mr.Obamas qualifications I''ll keep asking. All you dems want to put Mrs. Palin in the White House !
Where oh where is Mr. Obamas qualifications?
What budget did Mr. Obama oversee?
What military did he interface with pryor to his visit to Iraq, not counting the commanders. In Germany he skipped seeing the troops in the hospital bacause he couldn''t take the press and photogs.
He is the chairman of the European/NATO oversight committee. He has yet to have a meeting ! Why ?
Why did he have three different answers over three days regarding Russia and Georgia !
Why didhe ask the Iraqi government to delay negotiating with the Bush Administration untill AFTER the elections???

[ordisi1]

Give us an example of her Palin''s ignorance? Don''t just label her ignorant and call her names like Moose Barbie, make your case. That''s what blogs are all about.

[ordisi1]

I call NBC and MSNBC entertainers too. I believe they are putting on quite a show. I WAS a faithful NBC viewer until their election coverage made me switch forever. I won''t even watch a sitcom on their network. That''s how sick their coverage makes me. Many of my friends and co-workers have also switched. I find myself watching CBS and FOX now. That''s why I''m on this website now. NBC has and continues losing viewers daily.

[suzie63-2009]

You liberals write things that aren''t exactly true. What did you learn in school? How to be hateful. So, what she has opinions that are different than yours. Your opinion and your nasty mouth is no better. Now, pay attention and stop acting like you are the greatest gift to this earth...you are not the center and the world does not revolve around you. I am educated, pro-life, and I vote. I have every right to be conservative, just like you have a right to be a liberal. The big difference is I do not judge people.

[ordisi1]

I believe Palin will WOW Couric and finally silence those who think she''s a dumb, female Alaskan. Those who call her Moose Barbie make me sick. She''s an accomplished female politician. I''m sorry her accomplishments threaten so many. You may not agree with her politics, positions, values, etc, but nonetheless, she deserves to be treated with respect.

[ikez78]

Can Katie ask questions that aren''t all from the left is the big question

[glwatford]

We have already seen shades of our current President from Governor Palin''s interview with Charles Gibson, as she demonstrated her loose grip on a command of the English language (nuclear is not spelled nuculer and should not be pronounced that way, among other things). But, she has appears to rely heavily on good friends and unqualified individuals to run her state''s government (classmates and husband), which already is a misuse of her administrative power. Perhaps Ms. Couric can ask her, if her governing is as ethical and transparent as she claimed durinfg her campaign, why all of the maneuvering to block the current investigation into her actions? Don''t ask about the Bush Doctrine...she''s been coached by now...

[rookieat65]

The only gaff the media talked about was the Bush doctorine. They missed her asking for qualification and then Mr. Gibson creating a HUGH gaff himself by saying "As I understand it". Now you are asking her to comment on what Mr. Gibson understood !
You all keep compairing Mr. Obama to Mrs. Palin !
When are you going to ask Mr. Obama about the $100s of millionsin earmarks to Illinois and somegoing to
his church and his wifes employer.
When did Mr. Obama talk to foreign heads of state before his July junkit to europe and middle east?