Greatly defying the odds, the McCain-Palin ticket becomes a bigger laughingstock by the day.
On Saturday in Philly cheesesteakeria Sarah Palin said she endorses cross-border raids into Pakistan from Afghanistan – thus siding (no doubt unawares) with Barack Obama and against John McCain. On Sunday, McCain tried to undo the damage, arguing that Palin wasn't making a "definitive policy statement" just because she happened to be talking to "some young man...whoever it was". It suggested that Palin doesn't speak for herself.
Today brought a new and even more ridiculous tack. McCain and Palin spoke together to Katie Couric (when was the last time that presidential running mates felt the need to give a joint interview?). They both claimed that the question to Palin from the "young man" amounted to "gotcha" journalism. No, really, they did.
Couric: Is that something you shouldn't say out loud, Sen. McCain?
John McCain: Of course not. But, look, I understand this day and age of "gotcha" journalism. Is that a pizza place? In a conversation with someone who you didn't hear … the question very well, you don't know the context of the conversation, grab a phrase. Gov. Palin and I agree that you don't announce that you're going to attack another country …
Couric: Are you sorry you said it?
McCain: … and the fact …
Couric: Governor?
McCain: Wait a minute. Before you say, "is she sorry she said it," this was a "gotcha" sound bite that, look …
Couric: It wasn't a "gotcha." She was talking to a voter.
McCain: No, she was in a conversation with a group of people and talking back and forth. And … I'll let Gov. Palin speak for herself.
Palin: Well, it … in fact, you're absolutely right on. In the context, this was a voter, a constituent, hollering out a question from across an area asking, "What are you gonna do about Pakistan? You better have an answer to Pakistan." I said we're gonna do what we have to do to protect the United States of America.
Couric: But you were pretty specific about what you wanted to do, cross-border …
Palin: Well, as Sen. McCain is suggesting here, also, never would our administration get out there and show our cards to terrorists, in this case, to enemies and let them know what the game plan was, not when that could ultimately adversely affect a plan to keep America secure.
Couric: What did you learn from that experience?
Palin: That this is all about "gotcha" journalism. A lot of it is. But that's okay, too.
The funniest part of this interview is not the insinuation that a voter becomes a pesky journalist merely by asking a politician a question. No, the best laugh line was this from McCain after he'd dominated the discussion for a few minutes:
"I'll let Gov. Palin speak for herself."
Update: The day after this post appeared, Steve Benen wrote a similar piece entitled "ALL QUESTIONS ARE 'GOTCHA' QUESTIONS". His conclusion:
The Republican ticket is actually getting worse. I didn't think that was possible.
Mysteriously, my comment there mentioning the similarity to this piece was never posted. So I've decided to add this update.
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