The decision by the McCain-Palin team to keep Sarah Palin away from the press is one of the most atrocious breaches of public faith seen in our lifetimes. If elected as Vice-President, Sarah Palin stands a statistically significant chance of becoming the President. 9 of 44 Vice-Presidents have become President. John McCain is 72 and has twice been treated for melanoma. Keeping her away from the press is a strategy designed to conceal her viewpoints from the American people and to prevent the citizens of this great country from having sufficient information to evaluate a vice-presidential candidate.
Sarah Palin must be questioned by Charlie Gibson as if she is to become the President. This may be one of the few opportunities for the American people to evaluate a potential President’s policies and her approach to governing. In my lifetime the major news networks have gone from the "fourth estate" to corporate shills for oligarchical capitalism. Corporate-owned ABC, you scored this "exclusive" interview with god only knows what promises. Break them all, please. This is your last chance to show us that the mainstream press in this country still serves the good of the citizenry, and not just its desire for profits.
Charlie Gibson and ABC, you owe it to the American people to ask Sarah Palin the following questions. Not questions about her family, her appearance, or her hobbies. Questions for Sarah Palin, the woman who may well become President of the United States.
- You fired numerous tenured public officials during your time as the Mayor of the City of Wasilla, Alaska and as the Governor of Alaska. You have been accused of firing them because they were disloyal to you, your family, or your political agenda. Do you intend to govern by placing loyalty and ideology above qualifications?
- You had a long affiliation with the American Independence Party, and your husband is still a member of that party. The American Independence Party has an extremist platform by anyone’s measure, calling for secession of the State. Its leader has stated that "the fires of hell are glaciers compared to my hatred for the government of this country." Do you repudiate the extremist views of the American Independence Party in seeking to govern this country?
- Did you pressure the librarian of the City of Wasilla to remove books from the public library? Which books did you ask her to remove? Who asked you to make this request?
- What experience have you had to prepare you to handle diplomatic crises? What skills do you have that will enable you to interact successfully with foreign leaders? Can you give us any examples of a situation that you believe illustrates your experience, skills and judgment in a way that is relevant to our evaluation of your ability to handle foreign affairs?
- You have said you are a fiscal conservative and will govern from that viewpoint. Yet you personally sought earmarks, hired a lobbyist in Washington to get earmarks, and spent a great deal of money on a sports complex, leaving the City of Wasilla in debt when you left office. You initially supported the Bridge to Nowhere, although you later disavowed it. Why should we believe you will govern as a fiscal conservative given this track record?
Please add your questions below.