Couric's interview was 'fair'? ha - Game Change (2012) Discussion

[–] Niv-1 12 years ago

Moore, Harris, Roach, Strong all gave money to Obama. Harrelson gave money to Kucinich. There was all democratic donors and democratic fundraisers all giving money to democrats and being democratic activists making this movie. They say all their sources are republicans and with Schmidt and Wallace being number one sources for the scenes where a doctor observes Palin at a BBq to see if she is mentally healthy. Because it was the phone call between Schmidt and McCain that talks about Palin not being mentally all there and having to be checked out. McCain denies all this as do other republicans and there is photo evidence on dates given in the movie that she was having catatonic stupors that she was out in public doing fine and not having catatonic stupors. ANd why would somone going through the trauma of catatonic stupors be allowed to do a VP debate.

The couric interview is bad but does that mean like the movie says that was ignorant about all things in the world and not know where her son was and who he was fighting and anything about foreign policy and not know where Germany was or that England had a prime minister or that Osama bin ladin was not an employee of Saddam Hussten. The movie says she thought Saddam Hussein was behind 9/11 but does not expand on her thought process to see if it includes that she though Osama was working for Saddam.

Her book has a scene where Couric asks her abortion questions 5 times in a row in different ways. And the original poster brings up Couric lies about what Palin said to make her look stupid and the question of what she reads was obviously coming from couric about "do you read, are you literate , do you know how to read" that was obviously why Palin was so annoyed and why the interview was so bad because of dislike of Couric for Palin and the reverse. Why did Palin thing Saddam was behind 9/11 was that radio or reading?

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[–] stilavictor 12 years ago

ThirstMutilator, Couric didn't write Palin's answers. It wasn't that Couric made Palin look bad in the interview, it's that Palin made herself look bad. That's what people remember of Palin's campaign, and people who watched the Couric interview or any of Palin's other public disasters don't need a movie to remind them.

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[–] Niv-1 12 years ago

But this movie is a lot about her private disasters. Her severe problem with catatonic stupors. Her bad diet that caused her mental problems which made a doctor profile her at a arizona bbq. I wish they went into more details on the doctor and gave him a name. What was he looking for? What did he see? But even if you learn that the point was that Scmidt was so shocked by Palin's behavior that he was calling mccain about her having nervous breakdowns and mr. wallace was calling schmidt about catatonic stupors and all this stuff but she still remained on the ticket!!

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] Niv-1 11 years ago

her mental status was a serious medical issue they could have used. people say catatonic stupor and mental breakdown and all this stuff about her behavior which was perfect reasoning to drop her. No one would have disputed dropping someone from the ticket who dispalyed catatonic stupors and mental breakdown symptoms! the doctor at the arizona bbq was a perfect person to use in press conferences to say he did have to observe palin because people were concerned her mental health! Once you get to the point of hiring a doctor that's all you have to say? YOu don't even have hire the doctor and try to have palin sit with the doctor and talk to the doctor but in the movie its just observation and all he says is "not half bad" that's encouraging for potential VP! Maybe for an everyday woman maybe.

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[–] Buff70 11 years ago

I think if they really wanted to save her, Republicans would have brought up the Postpartum Depression issue, and played that card. That could have saved Palin, and make Dems and the media look like monsters. But instead they attacked her with labels such as 'catatonic stupor' and 'emotionally unstable'.
See, the Republicans had the chance to play that PPD card.

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[–] Niv-1 11 years ago

Good point. Why hire a doctor to observe her halfway? Send her to one! Dump her from the ticket.

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[–] stilavictor 11 years ago

Well obviously Niv, in spite of what you personally believe, the GOP didn't think Sarah Palin was insane. And they didn't dump her from the ticket even though you think they should have.

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[–] Niv-1 11 years ago

It's not what I personally believe its what the movie shows. And wallace didn't even vote for mccain because palin was on the ticket. The GOP did think Palin was insane they hired the doctor.

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[–] Felix-La-PuBelle 11 years ago

Couric's question was: "You’ve cited Alaska’s proximity to Russia as part of your foreign-policy experience. What did you mean by that?"

I think the question "What do you mean by that?" gave her a pretty wide lane for her to clarify any and all context misunderstandings.

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[–] katspajamas22 11 years ago

Right, to which she responded, "well, it certainly is," with an assured smile.

The journey was terrible...the trip was alright

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[–] stilavictor 11 years ago

"to which she responded, "well, it certainly is," with an assured smile."

That's creepy...

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[–] maggiemaysss 11 years ago

It is a movie that set out to make her look mean and crazy. Hollywood hates anyone who won't have an abortion. So yes, it won awards but given by Hollywood.
As far as Obama, wish they would make a movie showing all of his faults but of course THAT will never happen.

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[–] stilavictor 11 years ago

^Game Change just won big at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Every time Game Change gets big media for being nominated or winning something, the angry little people suddenly show up here, all outraged, shouting their impotent fury.

Check back thru the board and see. Every time.

"Hollywood hates anyone who won't have an abortion.

Really maggiemaysss? Turn off Jerry Springer and finish your G.E.D.

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[–] druss44121-1 11 years ago

Stupid liberal media!!!! IT'S ALL A CONSPIRACY!!!

Meanwhile Obama gets it so easy, why he's only been called an evil traitor un-American sociopath loser idiot mastermind socialist communist Muslim atheist n****r!!! You got it so easy Obama thanks to the LIEberal media!

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[–] stilavictor 11 years ago

Sheesh druss44121-1, are you kidding?.

Of course. Game Change just won best tv film at the Golden Globes.

Every time Game Change gets press for being nominated or winning something, the angry little people suddenly show up here, all outraged, screaming their impotent fury.

Check it and see.

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[–] Niv-1 11 years ago

where are the hbo movies about obama? there are none. But there is one on palin of all people! One person at one rally holding one sign is like the entire republican party. Or like anyone in the media or on CNN or NYT or LA times or NBC CBS ABC or you have the daily show and all media that never ran any kind of negative story on obama even once and still never do. And SNL never spoofs obama ever!

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[–] Felix-La-PuBelle 11 years ago

"And SNL never spoofs obama ever"

Except for all the times they have.

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[–] Wagnon1680 11 years ago

"And SNL never spoofs obama ever"

Except for all the times they have.

Lots of uninformed rednecks that don't know how to work a TV out there. Can't get it off of FOX News.

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[–] bobt256 11 years ago

Palin's her own worst enemy and exposed herself as unfit for national office during the '08 campaign so why attack the messenger? Ever see "Sarah Palin's Alaska" when "eagle eye" Palin kept missing while shooting at a stationary grazing caribou? Another Palin falsehood exposed. I guess that was the "Gotcha' Media" out to get her on her own show? BTW Palin spoofed herself on SNL, if that's a bad thing, what does that tell you about her? Just like her "thanks, no thanks on the Bridge to Nowhere" flip flop, she's willing to throw her former political allies under the bus if she thinks it will get her another rung higher up the political ladder of success. Face it, Palin's an in-over-her-head grifter looking for the next quick buck to finance her lavish lifestyle or did you forget her $150,000 dollar shopping spree on the Republican National Committee's credit card fiasco?

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[–] transmentalist 11 years ago

Correction: Palin did NOT spoof herself on SNL.

She was especially noteworthy for being a celebrity guest who did NOT spoof herself; rather, she continued to take herself seriously and put up with some VERY GENTLE ribbing from the regular cast.

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[–] stilavictor 11 years ago

"Correction: Palin did NOT spoof herself on SNL."

Palin's rockin' to Amy Poehler rapping about her while eskimos sing backup.

"from my porch i can see russia and such"..."when i say 'obama' you say 'ayers'"..."shoot a mother-humpin moose, eight days of the week"

"she continued to take herself seriously"

...by gettin' funky with a dancing moose. Spoof.

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[–] transmentalist 11 years ago

No, if SHE had done that rap, THAT would've been a spoof.

What Palin did was mild indulgence, a bit of "going along" with the spoof.

It's a small difference but a significant one.

When politicians make fun of THEMSELVES during, say, a White House Correspondents' Dinner. THAT's a spoof. It shows self-awareness and humility, qualities Palin lacks entirely.

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] no_no_girl72 11 years ago

I think, but may be wrong, that was SARCASM

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[–] Schrute2112 11 years ago

so asking you to name a magazine is on par with asking someone to recite the preamble to the constitution on the spot?

okay then.

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[–] DarcyBrandon 11 years ago

I know right?

Couric is not a hard hitting journalist. Her questions were really broad. How is that mean?

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[–] LaurelCyn 11 years ago

"so asking you to name a magazine is on par with asking someone to recite the preamble to the constitution on the spot?"

LOL! Asking about reading material is a "gotcha question" in Sarah Palin's very narrow world.

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[–] Niv-1 11 years ago

Amazingly the campaign was being confronted with much worse behind the scenes and did nothing. The whole movie how McCain and his staff were being confronted daily with the most amazing stupidity and ignorance and did nothing. Even when there were catatonic stupors and tantrums about not making ads and " I know what I know"!!

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[–] mpeachhead 11 years ago

To go back to Niv's question about why they didn't drop her, there's a very good answer to that.

It's only been done once that I know of: in the 1972 campaign, which inspired two of the best political books of all time: Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail and The Boys on the Bus.

George McGovern chose Tom Eagleton as his running mater. Shortly thereafter, it was revealed that Eagleton had recieved electroshock therapy earlier in life--that he had been severaly unstable and depressed and suicidal. McGovern initially stood by him and then caved to pressure to drop him, replacing him with Sargent Shriver. This led to the worst defeat in any presidential election in history. Nixon won by a freaking landslide.

That ushered in a new era in politics where the "vettting" of the vice presidential pick was considered to be uberimportant. This is why the McCain campaign's failure to properly vet Palin was such a huge deal. Everyone knows that the stakes couldn't be higher for something like that. You want someone with the fewest liabilities possible, and you can't drop them later, or that is perceived as weakness and disloyalty. It shows poor decision making on the candidate's part. Once they chose Palin, they had to "own" her. There was no way that they could drop her without torpedoing the campaign. History had already proven this. Of course, McGovern would have lost anyway, but his VP choice sealed his fate.

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[–] Niv-1 11 years ago

You are acting like the McCain campaign wasn't being torpedoed or destroyed by palin already! She was the problem - I dont see how removing her which even prominent conservative republicans wanted would have hurt McCain more than palin was! And they could say she was vetted but they couldn't predict catatonic stupors or a nervous breakdown after she was picked! They could have said there was nothing in the past that required doctors treatment or their motivation to hire a doctor to secretly observe her.

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[–] mpeachhead 11 years ago

No, I agree with you. They were in a bad situation, but the thing is that the media and the Obama campaign were calling McCain's judgment into play. If he had dropped her, admitting that he used poor judgment in picking her, things would have been worse. The storyline would have been that McCain wasn't ready to be president because you couldn't even trust him to make the right decision on picking a VP candidate. His decision to "pause" the campaign because of the financial crisis fed into that narrative. He had to stand by her. If he had dropped her, then the campaign narrative would have been about that for weeks until he selected a new candidate. Then he would have fielded endless questions about whether he had properly vetted the new candidate. Also, she remained tremendously popular with his base, so dropping her would have alienated millions of loyal Palin supporters. She dealt him some setbacks, but she also energized his base and his campaign. He was polling behind, but he got a big surge out of her speech at the RNC. There was always the chance that Obama would screw up or something terrible would have been revealed about Obama at the last second. He had an outside shot at it. If he'd dropped Palin, he'd have had zero chance at election.

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[–] Niv-1 11 years ago

Picking Palin and standing by Palin was saying to everyone he didn't have the judgment to president. That is why so many Conservatives wanted her removed from the ticket? You say dropping her would have said to voters he wasn't ready to be President. The pick of Palin said that. Palin on the ticket said that. Removing her would have said he can fix a mistake unlike Bush who always stood by his mistakes. But McCain had the trump card! He had the main thing to make all her supporters which was like 10 or 20 percent of the voters maybe turn against her- that he had to hire a doctor to observe her because of her mental state! You drop her and reveal that. Palin wasn't involved in that so its no doctor patient privilege. McCain and Schmidt called the doctor to observe her. Or Palin is kicked off and Schmidt resigns. Palin was the reason for him zero percent. Or near Zero. The economy may have zero but Palin was totally bad for him in every way. He wouldn't had to have admitted poor judgment because he couldn't see in advance her mental collapse.

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[–] MuchToBeGratefulFor 11 years ago

This supposed "mental collapse" would have been detected if they had spent any real time vetting her. You're dreaming if you think that McCain's judgment would not be called into question if he had dropped Palin.

But McCain had the trump card! . . .he had to hire a doctor to observe her because of her mental state! You drop her and reveal that.

That would be huge turnoff to voters. Again, you're dreaming if you think a stunt like that would have saved McCain's campaign. On the contrary, it would have destroyed it. And McCain knew it. The only choice he had was to stick with Palin and hope for the best.

You must be the change you seek in the world. -- Gandhi

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[–] Niv-1 11 years ago

I don't think so because the Pressure of actually being a VP nominee would only be present when she was VP nominee. So when Schmidt and McCain got together to hire a doctor to secretly observe her for mental illness that should have told them immediately that removal was the only option. With all the vetting in the world it can't vet actually being VP nominee! His campaign was already destroyed completely because of Palin and so its just either its destroyed because of Palin or helped by removing which even conservatives and republicans wanted in large numbers.

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[–] MuchToBeGratefulFor 11 years ago

Well NIv-1, everyone in the world understands and agrees that it would have been disastrous for the campaign to dump Palin. Except you. Just accept that.

You must be the change you seek in the world. -- Gandhi

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[–] Niv-1 11 years ago

This is just not true. Palin was disastrous for the campaign more. Conservatives were demanding her removal. Noonan, Krauthammer, Murphy and more. It was a widespread belief that dropping Palin would have been a major course correction. Palin was a big mistake and disaster and conservatives were demanding her removal. McCain and Schmidt were calling doctors to secretly observe her, she was ruining the campaign internally and externally. It's impossible to accept as true something that is false.

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MDZiMDhjYTU1NmI5Y2MwZjg2MWNiMWMyYTUxZDkwNTE=

And she didn't know about the secret observations

Many conservatives and Republicans were bashing her and demanding her removal from the ticket and McCain had to get a doctor to observe her to see if she was actually mentally ill!

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[–] GoodbyePorkPieHat 8 years ago

Asking about reading material is a "gotcha question" in Sarah Palin's very narrow world.



So it goes.

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[–] liamforeman 10 years ago

I will never understand why Couric gets this bad rap for that interview. Did you see her interview with Biden? Couric performed basically the SAME interview. Problem was that Biden is a statesman of substance and intellectual worth. Palin was a vapid Caribou Barbie. There is a video on Youtube where the exact same questions are asked and you get Barbie's response right next to Biden's. It's embarrassing.

When you consider a simple question like "What do you read to formulate your thoughts and political ideas?" a so-called gotcha question, you are in WAY over your head. She was too stupid to realize it. Palin was such a detriment to the campaign. Yes, she aroused the crazy stupid base, but they are just a small minority. Even major conservatives didn't vote or voted Obama due to her.

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[–] Niv-1 10 years ago

The movie makes it clear it may not have been just stupidity but also mental illness. Why then all the talk about catatonic stupors and nervous breakdowns and the doctor secretly observing her at the Arizona BBQ!

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[–] mysticnox 10 years ago

Couric is about a non-serious a reporter as you can get. She's a woman that does feel good stories and talks about movies and fashion. She is NOT a hard hitting reporter and never has been. The questions were easy and should have been simple to answer. Failin Palin made them seem like the worst thing in world to answer the most common sense things. Failin Palin did it to herself, sorry.

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[–] Niv-1 10 years ago

The movie shows a woman so obsessed with Alaska poll numbers she didn't do any prep at all and was just single mindedly focused on Alaska poll numbers. Wallace felt strongly that palin was going insane before the couric interview. It's why a doctor was hired to follow palin Around to see if palin was exhibiting signs of mental illness when she was at the BBQ.

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