The Scum at the Top
Commentary on the Rats in Washington
Palin meets Karzai without usual reporters in tow
By Sara Kugler
APNews/Excite
© September 23, 2008
NEW YORK (AP) - Republican vice presidential candidate
Sarah Palin, who has not held a press conference in
nearly four weeks of campaigning, on Tuesday barred
most pool reporters from her meeting with Afghan
President Hamid Karzai, the first foreign head of
state she has ever met.
Journalists protested the campaign's decision to
exclude all but photographers and a TV crew from
Palin's sessions with foreign leaders. CNN decided
to withdraw its TV crew, effectively denying Palin
the high visibility she sought for her initial foray
into world affairs. The campaign then reversed course,
saying pool reporters - a small group that provides
information to all media - could attend the meetings
planned after Karzai hosted Palin at his suite in The
Barclay New York Hotel.
A television producer with a notepad was denied entry
into Karzai's suite by a man who repeatedly said, "No
writers." However, a Palin official stepped in and let
him pass, according to a pool report.
In the Karzai suite, Palin sat in a large chair a
few feet from Karzai. Behind her were foreign policy
advisers for the campaign, Steve Biegun and Randy
Scheunemann.
Photographers and the TV crew were asked to leave
after about a half-minute of recording Palin and
Karzai. An exchange clearly heard above the clicking
of cameras involved Karzai's son, born in January 2007.
"What is his name?" Palin asked.
"Mirwais," Karzai responded. "Mirwais, which means,
'The Light of the House.'"
"Oh, nice," Palin said.
"He is the only one we have," Karzai said.
Presidents and members of Congress routinely allow
reporters to attend photo opportunities along with
photographers. Reporters sometimes are able to ask
questions during the brief photo sessions, usually
held at the beginning of private meetings.
In response to questions about why pool reporters who
routinely travel with Palin were denied access,
spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt didn't offer a reason in
a statement that read, "The decision was made for
this to be a photo spray with still cameras and video
cameras only."
At first, campaign aides said pool reporters would
not be admitted along with still photographers and a
video camera crew taken in to photograph Palin's
meetings with Karzai and Colombian President Alvaro
Uribe, who were in town for the United Nations General
Assembly. She was to meet later with former Secretary
of State Henry Kissinger.
Those sessions and meetings scheduled for Wednesday
were part of the Republican campaign's effort to
give the Alaska governor some experience in foreign
affairs. She had never before met a foreign head of
state and had first traveled outside North America
just last year.
At least two news organizations, including The
Associated Press, objected to the exclusion of
reporters and were told that the decision was not
subject to discussion. Campaign aides subsequently
announced that reporters would be allowed to accompany
photographers into the later sessions with Uribe and
Kissinger.
Palin has been criticized for avoiding taking
questions from reporters or submitting to one-on-one
interviews. She has had just two major interviews
since Republican presidential candidate John McCain
chose her as his running mate on Aug. 29.
On Wednesday, McCain and Palin were expected to meet
jointly with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili
and Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko. Palin was
then to meet separately with Iraqi President Jalal
Talabani, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
On the Net:
McCain campaign: http://www.johnmccain.com/
The Scum at the Top - Home
E-mail: dwagner2@isd.net
©2008 DJW
Last Modified:
October 21, 2008