Media, You've Been Dared to Test Palin. Do it Today!

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Thursday September 18, 2008 · 8:27 AM PDT

2008/09/18 · 08:27

By now, most of us have read in disbelief about Sarah Palin's incoherent non-response to one of the most fundamental, simple questions ANY job candidate is inevitably asked when interviewing for ANY job. (Indeed, just to illustrate this point, in the book "The 250 Most Likely Questions You'll Most Likely Be Asked," an interview preparation book aimed at job interview novices like graduating college students, in the opening paragraphs of the Preamble of the book, "Preparing for the Interview," the author emphasizes the importance of "consider[ing] your key skills" and "avoid[ing] cliches and generalities." Having "that confidence, that readiness?" Nope, I don't think this is what that author had in mind).

Palin's inane response can be picked apart a million different ways. The questioner asked her to cite "specific skills"; she cited none. The questioner asked about HER qualifications; Palin repeatedly responds that "WE" will be ready. Most disturbingly, Palin once again seems to resent and mock the questioner for even daring to ask the question. Her mindset seems to be, "Didn't you see me at the Republican Convention when I read that great line about hockey moms and pitbulls and the crowd went wild? What more do I need to do?"

However, perhaps lost in the stupifying, mind-numbing nature of Sarah Palin's response to the softball job qualifications question is that she effectively called off her press moratorium:

"And if you want specifics with specific policies or countries, you can go ahead and ask me. You can play 'stump the candidate' if you want to."

So there you have it, members of the media. Sarah Palin has invited - no, practically dared you - to ask her about specifics. She's ready to answer those questions now to prove her qualifications. So what are you waiting for?

[Brief rant against the media's inability to ask follow-up questions] When the media takes Sarah Palin up on her challenge, I hope that they will insist on receiving responsive answers, not pre-packaged talking points. I am attorney. I take many, many depositions. The witness I am deposing has invariably been prepared (i.e., coached) by his or her attorney how to answer specific questions. The witnesses without fail attempt to evade the questions by giving stock, non-responsive responses. It is my job to ask follow-up questions to pin down the witness into answering the actual questions posed. If I don't, I have not done my job properly and have failed my client. Likewise, when the media asks a question but allows non-responsive talking points to suffice, they have failed their client - the American people - and it is worse than if they had not asked the question at all, because it gives the false appearance that the question posed was properly answered when it was not.

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