ABC's Kate Snow Attacks Palin for Lack of Media Access

Photo of Scott Whitlock.

"Good Morning America" weekend anchor Kate Snow complained on Wednesday's show about a lack of access to Sarah Palin during the vice presidential candidate's trip to the United Nations in New York. The ABC journalist snidely commented on the Republican's meetings with world leaders: "But aside from a few photo ops, New Yorkers aren't getting much more than a glimpse of Sarah Palin." She added, "New York City is a pretty easy place to get lost in the crowd, even, it turns out, if you're a potential vice president."

Regarding the exits and entrances of Palin, Snow remarked, "Outside, a clear shot of her exit. Until, a patrol car and Secret Service SUV just happened to pull up right in front of our cameras." While discussing camera footage of Palin talking to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, she fretted, "The pool camera got 15 seconds. With Henry Kissinger, even less."

Kate Snow hasn't always had to complain about a lack of access. She has repeatedly received exclusive interviews with Bill Clinton, in particular. And in return, provided fawning coverage to the ex-president. During the August 4 edition of GMA, the journalist actually prefaced a question by telling Clinton he didn't need to answer: "Pretty simple question. And maybe you don't want to answer it right now and I respect that fully. But, if you want to answer it, do you personally have any regrets about what you did campaigning for your wife?"

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On July 24, 2007, she went with the former commander in chief to Africa as he promoted his Clinton Global Initiative charity. Snow rhapsodized, "In Africa, they seem to be on a first-name basis with the former president, shouting ‘Bill! Bill!’" The reporter also cooed that Clinton might "redefine the role of first spouse in America." (Snow has also extolled Senator Hillary Clinton during her run for the White House.) Is it likely to think that coverage of a conservative Republican like Sarah Palin would be similarly glowing?

It should be pointed out, however, that Snow's ABC colleague Jake Tapper actually did note when a Democrat restricted access. On July 24, 2008, during Barack Obama's tour of the Middle East and Europe, Tapper complained from Obama's plane: "Inside, the plane has been redesigned to separate the senator and his staff from us lowly reporters."

A transcript of the September 24 segment, which aired at 7:31am, follows:

ROBIN ROBERTS: But first in this half hour, with just one week until her debate with Senator Joe Biden, and six weeks until the election, Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is essentially getting a crash-course in foreign policy. She's here in New York spending time meeting with heads of state at the United Nations. "Good Morning America" weekend anchor Kate Snow is here with the latest and is joining us in Times Square. Kate?

ABC GRAPHIC: Sarah Palin at the U.N.: Tense Times With Press

KATE SNOW: Good morning, Robin. We're told Governor Palin and her husband, Todd, stayed in last night. No Times Square night life for them. The goal of this trip is to bolster her foreign policy credential, to get her familiar with world leaders. But aside from a few photo ops, New Yorkers aren't getting much more than a glimpse of Sarah Palin. New York City is a pretty easy place to get lost in the crowd, even, it turns out, if you're a potential vice president. We caught a few frames of the governor as she left her hotel, Tuesday. Zipping off to her first meeting ever with a foreign head of state, Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai. After she slipped in through a side door, the campaign allowed cameras and one producer in the room for 29 seconds. The campaign says they talked about security in Afghanistan, the need for more U.S. troops and energy policy. We heard Governor Palin ask the president about his young son, born last year.

GOVERNOR SARAH PALIN: What is his name?

AFGHANISTAN PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI: Mirwais.

SNOW: Outside, a clear shot of her exit. Until, a patrol car and Secret Service SUV just happened to pull up right in front of our cameras. Next up, Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe. They reportedly talked trade. The pool camera got 15 seconds. With Henry Kissinger, even less.

UNIDENTIFIED VOICE TO CAMERA MAN: Would you please turn around and walk out the door? Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you, guys. Please. Thank you.

SNOW: Outside, a quick good-bye. And even quicker exit.

MATTHEW DOWD (ABC News analyst): The campaign is trying to protect themselves and Governor Palin, from putting her in a position where a mistake can be made.

SNOW: While Governor Palin played diplomat, husband Todd and the kids were secretly sight-seeing, taking pictures in front of the Statue of Liberty, visiting Ground Zero, eating hot dogs in Central Park. And trying on princess dresses at FAO Schwartz. Constantly in motion, Palin side-stepped questions and fans as she was whisked from one meeting to the next. In fact, the one Palin who was talking wasn't really a Palin at all.

SARAH PALIN IMPERSONATOR: Hi. This is Sarah Palin.

SNOW: The Daily News caught this look-alike Palin on tape. But the real governor was far more elusive.

DOWD: I think they over-thought this and over-planned this in such a way that it actually could hurt. It makes her seem like she's just another politician that's doing the things that everybody thinks is necessary.

SNOW: Today, there are more meetings on tap. Governor Palin meeting with the leaders from Ukraine, Georgia, Iraq and Pakistan. Some of those meetings are solo. Some of them are alongside her running mate John McCain. And, in fact, they meet also with Bono, the lead singer of U2, with his One campaign. And, Robin, we're wondering whether they can sneak Bono in through a back exit.

ROBERTS: Yeah. That's a little tough, especially in this town with Bono. Hey, Kate, thanks so much.

—Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center.


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After the way the media in general has behaved...

I wouldn't give them the time of day...

 

 

silly me...

I didn't realize that political leaders and candidates for office were required to give the media access to their meetings.  But then I guess I forgot that the MSM is the fourth branch of our government. 

it is perfectly legitimate

it is perfectly legitimate for the American people to want to get to know this candidate - up until a few weeks ago, most of us had never heard of her,  it just says so much when she is shielded and not given press access, they are obviously afraid we will see her for what she is -- not much

Of course, the press has

Of course, the press has had access to B Hussein and a lot of us have arrived at the same conclusion ... "Have you seen what makes up B Hussein? Yep, not much."

"All generalizations are false, including this one.” Mark Twain

talking points are

talking points are out. 

 

Ronald Reagan, 1962: I did not leave the Democratic party, the party left me.

Insert: your name, 2008, and the Republican party.

 

press on a witch hunt

All the press wants is a gotcha moment. It isn't about "getting to know her"

McCain/PALIN '08

PALIN/Jindal '12

Boo Hoo

ABC is an embaressment on our once great nation...Palin and the GOP were 100 percent correct in limiting there access to these meetings....first and foremost...it is not there business....and also, why would the GOP give them an opportunity to find more opportunity to trash Sarah Palin....I cannot believe our country has a huge element that looks at this zebra guy, says he is worldly and has a full working knowledge to run a country....and then take Sarah and trash her.....If I had to designate one or the other in a living trust to take over...and that is basically what we have here...Sarah Palin is without question the only choice....

zebra guy?? what class

zebra guy?? what class

Let's say the McCain

Ther's not going for a gotcha with Palin.

They're loaded for a Destroy Ya deluge.

Let's say the McCain campaign had okayed Palin taking questions yesterday, after meeting various world leaders.

You think the questions would be about foreign policy? No chance.

The first question bellowed from the baying mob of hacks as she stood next to President Khazi...

"Mrs Palin, questions continue about you abusing your office in trying to get a dedicated police officer fired. How do you answer these serious allegations. And the allegators?"

Then all hell would have broke loose.

Still waiting for the AP to ask Obama anything remotely "difficult."

Vote 4 change. Vote 4 anything. See Jack & Mr Shy's first campaign ad for the ONLY viable 3rd party candidate.

Solution to Palin

Solution to Palin Questions: If the press wanted everyone to get to know her, they would televise her town hall meetings with McCain, where she actually takes questions from real people. All they would have to do is to present the questions, and then advertise her answers.

MSM Response: What? The questions weren't from the press, therefore the answers convey no information whatsoever. Only we, the Mighty, Significant Members (MSM for short) of the annointed press can ask Significant and Meaningful Questions.

___________________________________ 

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it is in English, thank a Soldier. - My barber

I wouldn't talk to anybody

I wouldn't talk to anybody that drags my 17 year old's womb all over the ariwaves while snarkly questioning the provenance of my own child.

Treat Palin like Obama and Biden (or vice versa), or piss off.

I love it when the liberal

I love it when the liberal media starts to whine like children, especially when a politician keeps them at a distance. The smart politician knows that the media only wants sound bites that can be used against that person. All I can say is... Sarah, you go girl!

Liberals Have A New Goddess

 

 

Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/  

X

Its probably good tactics to avoid Big Media. The more they rant about it the more they call attention to what happens when they do get to savage, err interrogate, errrr, assail

 

I know the word is at the tipo of my tongue...

Boo Hoo cont.

Here is what Sarah Palin needs to do, come out and look directly at the news media, put her right hand to her right eye in a fist and rotate it several times while saying boo hoo.

This is the same Kate Snow

This is the same Kate Snow who led off the much-edited interview with Charlie Gibson on 20/20, with a hit-job piece that should have been titled "Everything Bad We Can Come Up With Against Sarah Palin, Without the Annoying Context" .

Why would you bother giving this stupid little wench the time of day, if they've already treated you this way.