Just dawned on me - Couric completely dismissed Palin. Here's how -

[MANative]

She quite frequently called her "Mrs. Palin" instead of "Governor Palin", which is by form and etiquette, her more proper mode of address. This is a subtle, but very clear, dis to little miss Sarah. I can't recall a time when she used "Mister" with any of the other interviewees - it's always been "Senator." What do you think?

[gatorboy]

1. To be honest, Palin does the same thing. She never referred to Biden as "Senator", always "Joe".

[MANative]

2. The difference is that Sarah isn't smart enough

to know the "proper" form of address, and if by some odd chance she DOES know, she uses the less formal as a way to show her "folksiness." I guarantee you that Katie knows the traditional usages for honorifics.

[peace13]

7. At the very beginning of the debate Palin asked Biden if he minded if she call him Joe. n/t

[MANative]

8. Which Emily Post would tell you is a HUGE faux pas...

The more senior (either in age or rank) person would invite the junior person to use a less formal mode of address. It's extremely presumptuous for the junior person to do that. I know most people don't care much about etiquette, but the House - and especially the Senate - run on those protocol rules.

[ErinBerin84]

3. I've been seeing McCain ads calling Obama "Mr. Obama" instead of "Senator Obama"

They are strange to me...Peggy Noonan is another one who does this, but I honestly don't think I've ever heard "Mr McCain."

[MANative]

4. Haven't seen those -

but if McShame is doing that, it's purposeful as a slight. There is (or at least there was a few years ago) a book of protocol for the proper use of titles and honorifics for government officials. For example, judges are referred to as "Your Honor", etc. The protocol includes forms of address for former government officers, too. IIRC, if someone has held more than one office, they are always referred to with the honorific for the highest office they held. As in, Al Gore is always properly addressed as "Mr. Vice-President."

[begin_within]

5. Peter Jennings habitually referred to "Mr. Bush" instead of "President Bush" - I think on purpose.

[MANative]

10. Could very well be!

You may note that the New York Times will use the "Mr" form in articles, but the norms are different for writing and direct address or spoken reference.

[CrispyQ]

6. It must have been difficult for Couric to take the interview seriously, especially as it went on.

I suspect she went in with an open mind, but after listening to Palin the Vacuous grasp for answers to questions that a VP candidate should have been prepared for, must have really frosted Couric.

[MANative]

11. It seemed to me that Katie's frustration grew as the

interviews went on. For all of Katie's faults, she is well known for doing her homework and being prepared. I'd guess that she felt insulted that Miss Moose was so unprepared.

[fed_up_mother]

9. And gave right wingers a huge talking point

She could have referred to her as Governor and still asked the same questions. And, in fact, I don't think she was subtle at all, since her disdain for Palin was quite obvious. I'm glad that undecideds are getting to see how ill-informed "Governor" Palin is, but I wish Couric had been more professional.

[MANative]

13. I think her disdain grew and became more obvious

after the first round. She seemed more respectful in the first set, I thought.

[ErinBerin84]

12. Howard Fineman said

that Katie Couric told him that the interview was only supposed to be for one day. But Palin thought that she screwed up badly and could do better, so she asked Katie to meet with her the next day for more. Fineman said that Katie told him Palin was worse on the second day, and that she was surprised by how she didn't seem prepared at all.

[MANative]

14. Yes, I heard him say that, and I was a little surprised that

he had related that story of what seemed to be a private conversation between them. Katie MUST have given him permission to do that.