Biden's always a fun interview.

I think the anchor had a right to ask those questions, and I thought Biden did pretty well, even though he was obviously shocked. I stay away from the Marxist label, since spreading the wealth has been a democratic talking point since before I can remember, but I don't think she was wrong for asking it and I don't think he was wrong for answering the way he did.

If she's any kind of journalist, she knows that her job is to ask the questions that viewers want asked. She surely knows her viewership and being in the I-4 corridor, I am sure these are just the sort of questions that people in her veiwing audience do want answered. Instead of getting his knickers in a knot he should have been grateful for the opportunity to speak to the constituents there on the things that will influence them in the voting booth. He should have used the opportunity to quell fears. Instead, he reinforced them and did not serve his campaign well.

With that sort of interview, (meaning a brief, satellite interview with an important, national public figure by a local news show), the questions are typically "softball" questions like the one article quoted. That's what Joe Biden and his people expected--and rightfully so.

True, the interviewer has the right to ask whatever questions she wants to if no formal agreement has been reached prior to the interview. But even still, that does not mean that it is appropriate.

Biden, obviously, answered the questions very well.

I think that the campaign is perfectly justified in denying this station anymore interviews, especially with the candidates' wives.

Thanks Phillip, fascinating interview.

I think Ms West is in the wrong line of work - she should be writing talking points for the McCain campaign - she has the kahunas and the feel for what the real issues are - two things that have been sorely lacking.

Yes- the campaign is justified in denying future interviews. But are they wise to do so? I think Biden blew this one. Just as West saw and seized an opportunity to drill him, he should have had the cunning to see and seize this opportunity to put the matter to rest. He failed to do so and now instead of meeting the accusations head on, he retreats like a coward and reinforces people's doubts. He lost votes on this one.

brandontmilan
I think it's a little ridiculous to suppose that reporters should ASK to ask hard questions. How's that supposed to go, "Gee, Mr. Biden, can we ask you the questions everyone wants the answers to but your campaign refuses to answer?"
Gee, I wonder if they'd get the interview.
To say that candidates should have the right to espect softball questions shows just how far the media have gone at SUCKING at their job for so long.
And I DON'T think Biden handled himself well, I think he came off like an ass.
He should've been grateful for the opportunity to say that Obama's policies are nothing like socialism - oh, wait. Maybe he didn't feel comfortable with that big of a completely disprovable whopper.

GinH

As long as we're calling people names here, I think that you are coming off like an ass, too. I am not just saying that to belittle you.

It is not ridiculous to expect the people within an industry to stick to the norms within that industry. They do not need to ask permission to ask tough questions, but it would not surprise me if the news channel made it seem to Biden and his people that this would be no more than the normal "hows things goin on the campaign trail?" interviews that they've probably done hundreds of in the past few weeks.

Even still, although it may not have been appropriate, the interviewer had every right to ask whatever questions she wanted. But Joe Biden has every right to refuse to interview with them again.

And the fact of the matter is that this will make little difference with the vast majority of voters. Those who are already Obama supporters like myself will probably believe that the interview was more than Biden was led to believe. Those who are McCain supporters will probably see Biden as being a coward or, as you put it, an ass.

The fact of the matter is, this really isn't that big of a deal.

"It is not ridiculous to expect the people within an industry to stick to the norms within that industry."

Hear! Hear! The MSM's reporting on McCain and Palin has been completely unprofessional!



GinH/Brandon - let's keep things friendly, OK?

I'm the one who is being unfriendly, so I apologize.

Oh, eh, late coming back to the conversation. I wasn't saying brandontmilan was an ass - I was refering to how Biden reacted to the question. Thought that was pretty clear.
Didn't really think that comment was unfriendly toward brandontmilan, was just giving my 2 cents on the interview and to his idea that reporters owe softball questions to candidates.
Sorry to all if my question/comment seemed unfriendly, didn't really mean it to be.

I thought the whole point of the news reporters was to ask tough questions?
And if they ask them when the person's not expecting it, you get a more genuine view, as opposed to a rehearsed answer.

The entire Obama campaign has been mostly whining. It is not out of character for them to take their jacks and their ball and go home. If McCain/Palin had taken Biden's approach, there would have been no interviews after the first. Palin took Gibson's ignorant question and kept smiling. She took Couric's irrelevant question and did the same.

Are the Obamaphiles seriously thinking they can send these feckless suits to enemy foreign leaders to "negotiate" when they shrink back in offense at the term, "Marxist?" These guys can't run a country. They're offended by EVERYTHING.