GOP Tightens Image Control As Palin Prepares for Debut

[question everything]

The Wall Street Journal

September 3, 2008

GOP Tightens Image Control As Palin Prepares for Debut
By LAURA MECKLER, MONICA LANGLEY and ELIZABETH HOLMES
September 3, 2008; Page A1

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The McCain campaign scrambled to take control of the public debate over vice-presidential pick Sarah Palin, canceling her public appearances and teaming her with high-powered Republican operatives as she prepared for a speech Wednesday night that will be her first, and perhaps most important, chance to define herself to the American public.

(snip)

But Republican officials remained nervous about how the choice was playing in the country as a whole. Some new polls showed Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama gaining a big lead in recent days following his party's convention last week. A USA Today poll taken over the weekend found Sen. Obama leading Sen. John McCain 50%-43% among registered voters, up from a four-point lead before the Democratic convention. A Diageo/Hotline poll gave Sen. Obama an 11-point edge, up from four points earlier in August. Even some voters who were initially enthusiastic about the Palin pick seemed more circumspect after the new revelations. Christina Hewitt, a mother of three in St. Charles, Mo., attended a rally Sunday in O'Fallon, Mo., and screamed support for Gov. Palin. Two days later, her excitement had ebbed. "It is a little bit shocking because I'm pretty conservative so it was hard to swallow," Ms. Hewitt said. She said she still supports the McCain-Palin ticket.

(snip)


Some have wondered publicly if Sen. McCain properly vetted his choice... McCain aides and Republican leaders have increasingly tried to dismiss critical reports of Gov. Palin's life by blaming unfair, biased media coverage. They set about telling her story in their own words Tuesday with a video emailed to supporters, called "Introducing Gov. Sarah Palin." The 60-second spot used her speech from Friday's announcement and headlines praising her as a "maverick" and a "reformer."

(snip)


In Alaska, the McCain campaign has tried to control the flow of information as liberal bloggers and the media mine her past. A team of public-relations aides has settled into the state and asked Gov. Palin's friends and family to avoid speaking to the media. In a conference call with friends and local activists on Monday, the campaign suggested that media requests be funneled through the campaign to make sure "we said supportive things," according to one participant... Democrats say some of their early polls since the selection suggest that Gov. Palin enjoys limited appeal beyond the Republican base and evangelicals who appreciate her positions opposing abortion and gay marriage.


URL for this article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122039868736392867.html (subscription)

[skooooo]

1. "Sen. Barack Obama gaining a big lead in recent days"

Whatever is causing this shift, we need to keep it up!!!

:bounce:

[TwilightGardener]

2. The propaganda police have landed in Alaska--the only truth we shall

hear from this point forward will sadly come from the Enquirer and other tabloids, because the GOP essentially has the state in lockdown.

[Agent William]

9. To late, the Titanic has already hit the iceburg.

There's more to come. It takes a few days/weeks for the reporters to do there job, and GUARANTEED the stories will not be good. Don't forget that the Democrat operatives were the first to arrive. The questions will linger on, and even if Phalin makes a "great" speech, the questions will wash over any hype that the cons put on her.

[pot luck]

3. "'She has to familiarize herself with every position John McCain has held over a number of years.

That takes work and briefing,' one McCain aide said."


Good luck with that. Even John McCain isn't familiar with the positions he's held over the years.

[MrModerate]

5. I hope they don't do that.

I don't want the contradictions to make her spin off into outer space until the middle of next week at the earliest.

[progressivebydesign]

7. Ya, ain't it a bitch that McCain chose someone he didn't even know??

Those people are such a joke. The media, if they were doing their jobs, would point out that McCain said a key to choosing a running mate was someone he knew well and had worked with... now theyre' playing catch-up and trying to change the game. Suddenly national security doesn't mean jack shit to them, nor does the economy, now it's abortion and teen pregnancy.

Rove had better hope there's a lot of evangelicals out there, cuz they've lost their security and fiscal voters with that reckless choice.

It's still.. "the economy, stupid"

[MrModerate]

4. Given the fragility of the Alaskan electrical grid . . .

I hope the 'Lican revetting team doesn't turn on all their paper shredders at once or they'll shut the place down.

[Marsala]

6. The Independents will run from this theocrat /nt

[question everything]

8. Hi, Marsala, Welcome to DU

:toast:

[writes3000]

10. Thanks for sharing. The Republicans have to be nervous.

So far, the numbers don't show that this VP pick has helped them.

[denem]

11. We have to be nervous. The media is setting the bar so low for Palin

virtually anything she does will be a triumph.