Palin: Protection from the Press

Sarah Palin was in New York yesterday meeting with foreign leaders.  the McCain-Palin campaign tried to prevent reporters and television producers from viewing the VP nominee's meetings with the world leaders in town for the UN General Assembly. 

"The campaign had planned to allow a “pool” camera and producer -- serving as representatives for all five television networks -- as well as wire and newspaper reporters into of most of Palin's meetings.  But, at the last minute, the campaign informed the press corps that only cameras – without reporters or producers accompanying them – would be permitted. 

The five television networks protested, threatening not to shoot video of the meeting at all unless an editorial presence was allowed into the meeting.

The campaign relented, and a CNN pool producer was permitted to view the beginning of Palin's meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the first of the day. 

Representatives from wire services and newspapers were not allowed into the Karzai meeting, but will be allowed into subsequent meetings with Columbian President Alvaro Uribe and former secretary of state Henry Kissinger, a campaign aide said. 
 
One aide (possibly from Karzai’s entourage) repeatedly said “No writers” and tried to block the CNN producer from entering the room during the Karzai meeting, according to a pool report, but a senior Palin aide allowed the producer to enter. 
 
Images of Palin with world leaders would likely to help boost her foreign policy credentials, but tough questions from reporters could overshadow the event. Members of the press were in the room for a total of 29 seconds during the Karzai meeting, according to the pool report.

The campaign has cautiously shielded Palin from reporters, allowing just a few interviews and preventing reporters traveling with the campaign from asking questions. She has not held a press conference since being chosen by McCain four weeks ago, and has not done the traditional local interviews when traveling into media markets."

Seriously? This is not North Korea. You cant just shut the media out when the coverage may not be favorable. What is the McCan campaign trying to hide? If she cannot be trusted with cameras as she talks with leaders, surely she cannot be trusted with the trust of the American people. with In the few clips the networks were allowed to broadcast, you can hardly hear Palin and the leader exchange pleasantries. She nods an smiles allot and inquires about new babies. But picture of her meeting with foreign leaders will only encourage the love affair Republicans have with Palin. This quote below is so telling:  

Maureen Dowd lampoons Palin meeting yesterday with Henry Kissinger. “How the mighty 85-year-old Henry the K has fallen from his days chasing Jill St. John and running the world to his hour briefing of a 44-year-old Wasilla hockey mom who may end up running the world.”
 
Is this the headline McCain camp wants? The AP: "Palin meets her first world leaders in New York."