i know i know – there’s a presidential debate on tonight. like the first one, i watched the first few minutes of it and then couldn’t take it anymore. all it is is pithy comments and stupid, degrading cliches (like those are going to convince anyone.) i’m sick of watching it because i’m sick of being talked to like i’m 5. by both candidates.
so anyway, i wanted to blog about this Katie Couric / Sarah Palin interview thing. Everyone’s going crazy because Sarah didn’t answer a question very well about how John McCain’s had a “long history” of reform, or whatever.
Here’s the thing. The interview was kind of painful to watch, because Governor Palin, like everyone else these days, was giving little cliches and proverbs instead of answering questions. (Though I feel like in her debate, she changed that). And I think Katie Couric did exactly what she was supposed to – she pushed the issue. She wasn’t getting a straight answer, and so she asked the question again, even apologizing for “belaboring the point.” That is what journalists are supposed to do!
The ironic thing is, that’s the only time she’s done that! I’m glad she did it, because it shed some light on something Sarah Palin said that she shouldn’t have. But look at Katie Couric’s interview with Joe Biden – absolutely embarrassing. He literally says that after the stock market crash in ’29, “President Roosevelt went on TV and…” blah blah – first of all, Herbert Hoover was President in 1929. And secondly, television hadn’t been invented yet.
But here’s Katie Couric’s voiceover after that: “Relating to the fears of the average American is one of Biden’s strong suits.” What happened to holding interviewees accountable? (Not that I ever expected her to – it’s Katie Couric. But she did for Sarah Palin, didn’t she? I wonder who she’s voting for. Gosh we should never be able to tell that from a journalist!! Fire coming out of my ears!)
And she goes on to talk to Joe Biden about a low-blow ad his and Obama’s campaign released about McCain “not being able to use a computer.” Biden says he didn’t like the ad and he wouldn’t have put it on. Couric says – but didn’t Obama approve the ad? Here’s what Biden says:”I don’t…the answer is…I…I don’t think anything was intentional about that.” What the hell does that mean? He accidentally tripped and fell and approved an ad? And Katie just smiles and nods. Aw, she’s cute.
But perhaps the best moment was when Couric told Biden the debate between him and Palin would have a “different dynamic since she’s a woman.” AHHHHH Gloria Steinem! Charge! Do you think she would have said that if McCain was about to debate Hilary Clinton? Holy crap, man. Holy crap.
I’m so tired of the media. I just keep thinking what if I were an undecided voter – where the hell would I go to get more information? Listening to the candidates themselves is out, because all they’re saying is “Main street is suffering…you need to make your mortgage payments…i won’t raise taxes…” blah blah blah. I’ve given up trying to decipher exactly what they’d do because they’re too busy trying to sound like a good idea. And their web sites are out, too – same story. The media is definitely out. Man. (Personally, I’ve pretty much turned to the blogosphere. At least those writers are up front about their opinions – it’s easy to find facts that way, when people aren’t afraid of actually being concrete on something.)
Here’s at least part of the Palin/Couric interview. It’s pretty painful, but if you watch the vice presidential debates you might feel better:
Here’s the Biden interview. Watch Katie closely – I think she’s drooling.
and for fun:
sweater weather 