Free Sarah, Day 29: If she can hunt caribou, she can talk to reporters

It’s been 29 days since Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was named the GOP vice presidential candidate. She has yet to do a news conference.

And in our campaign to ”Free Sarah” — and allow her to speak freely to the press — there were some developments Thursday.

On the day in which the second part of her two-parter with CBS’ Katie Couric hit the airwaves, the VP candidate took four impromptu questions from reporters covering her on the trail. Which makes five such questions in all since she was became a candidate for the nation’s second most powerful office and the running mate to GOP presidential candidate John McCain.

And PBS anchor Judy Woodruff lent her backing to ”Free Sarah” efforts to pressure the McCain campaign to allow the candidate to answer questions from the press.

Here, we give you excerpts from the pool report of Palin’s questioning Thursday by reporters on the street.

Question: ”Do you agree with the way the Bush administration has carried out the war on terror? Is there anything you would have done?”

Palin: ”I agree with the Bush administration that we take the fight to them. We never again let them come onto our soil and try to destroy not only our democracy, but communities like the community of New York. Never again. So yes, I do agree with taking the fight to the terrorists and stopping them over there.”

Question: ”Do you think that our continued military presences in Iraq and Afghanistan have inflamed Islamic extremists?”

Palin: ”I think our presence in Iraq and Afghanistan will lead to further security of our nation, again, because the mission is to take the fight over there. Do not let them come over here and attempt again what they accomplished here, and that was some destruction. Terrible destruction on that day. But since Sept. 11, Americans uniting and rebuilding and committing to never letting that happen again.”

Question: ”Do you support the re-election bids of embattled Alaska Republicans, Representative Don Young and Senator Ted Stevens?”

Palin: ”Ted Stevens’ trial started a couple of days ago..We’ll see where that goes.”

Report says she ignored a follow-up question whether she would support them with a vote.

Question: ”What do you think of the bailout package before Congress?”

Palin: ”I don’t support that until the provisions that Senator McCain has offered are implemented in Paulson’s proposals.”

Here’s the recap of our running tally of candidate Palin’s accountability highlights so far:

*Interview with Couric on CBS.

*Two interviews with Charlie Gibson on ABC.

*One televised bear hug disguised as an interview with Fox’s Sean Hannity.

*Five shouted questions from reporters.

*Unprecedented attempts Monday in New York to keep pool reporters from even sitting in the same room with Palin during her world leaders tour photo op.

Days left before the election 2008: 39.

Posted By: Carla Marinucci (Email) |
September 26 2008 at 07:30 AM