I think that it's great you are ignoring any real issues concerning the election and hammering in on these esoteric items that mean absolutely nothing. Have you posted anything about the other party and their coverage and interviews by any chance?

I'm confused, is this a political blog or a TV blog? I can't remember the last time I saw a posting on here that wasn't an extremist left-wing liberal political posting bashing McCain and/or Palin. It's gotta be at least a good two weeks since there has been a non-political blog posting on here. But then again, not too terribly surprising giving the left-wing liberal slant from The Baltimore Sun in general. No other paper with a shred of self-respect would let their TV Critic run a political blog on their website.

Hi Steve, Newsflash: All TV is political. You think Sesame Street isn't political? You think The Unit isn't political. You think even Desperate Housewives and 90210, which some conservative readers of this blog have demanded I limit myself to, aren't political? You think ads and NFL football aren't political? It is all politics, my friend. That is why I love television. I have always written about it as a political and social force. But there are lots and lots of blogs out here. Maybe you will be happier reading a safer, less threatening one that acts like TV is only entertainment -- and addresses you like you are a child. Z

Z, I thought the liberals, oh, I mean progressives, were tired of McCain attacking Obama and not the issues? Z, tisk tisk. Are you telling me with a failing economy, the country in 2 wars and a terrible health and education system, that you want to know why Williams didnt ask about Palin's wardrobe expense? I mean..come on. Even the Messiah when told in the debate that there was 18 billion dollars of pork said that it was a mear pitance compared to the overall budget. That was his way of pooh poohing the mention of pork as if it was insignificant. Well, if 18 billion is insignificant, than why are you worried about Palin's wardrobe budget?

I feel sorry for all the pundints. What are they going to do when the election is over? I guess after the Messiah wins the focus will be on calling anyone who disagrees with him a racist. Now won't that just help bring the country together. We will be entering the true era of no dissent.....or else! While you may think I will feel sorry for McCain when he loses, the true loser was Hillary Clinton. With a democratic win a guarantee since Bush ran the country into the ground. Hillary was the one who was truly muzzled by the politically correct society she so strongly fought for.

They should have spent $150,000 on tutoring instead of a new wardrobe. Because nothing says "I'm not part of the Washington elite" like a $75,000 Neiman Marcus shopping spree.

She may look cute, but she sounds stupid. With 2 weeks to go, I guess it's easier to make her over than to smarten her up.

Sarah "When does the talent portion of this debate begin?" Palin

A more accurate title for this section would be "Z for Obama" - just look at the titles to your posts. They are all negative portrayals of Sarah Palin or John McCain. Why don't you post a blog that laments the lack of grilling of Barack Hussein Obama or Joe "Loose Cannon" Biden?

What garbage. Brian Williams is a shill for the Republicans. The once allegedly liberal Sun has become just as right wing as the Washington Times. Has John McCain's relationship with Charles Keating even been mentioned? Has his graduating 494th out of 499 at the Naval Academy? Sarah Palin doesn't even know the duties of the Vice President after being asked the question four times. She is probably the least intelligent woman ever to speak publicly on the national stage.

Since when is dealing with the Truth a partisan effort, David?

State governments as well as the Federal Government require that employees refrain from even the appearance of impropriety. Both McCain and Palin have thumbed their noses at that requirement in the State of Alaska. McCain picked Palin knowing that she was being investigated. How many of you can be picked for a job if it was known that you were being investigatged? What does this say about McCain's and Palin's decision making abilities and judgment? I would have love to hear Palin asked about how she feels about ethical standards.

Williams should just say what McCain said on Letterman - "I screwed up."

Z-

It's obvious that you are not going to let up on any media-type who fails to bury the Republican candidates during an interview.

The heck with bipartisan reporting. I thought the number one rule of journalism was objectivity. Apparently, you have proven me dead wrong.

As for all of those people who took the time to respond to my last response in your previous blog, all I have to say is PUHLEASE! Give me a break. Put your partisanship aside. Your responses are as obvious as Z's postings that you are Obama supporters. Fine and dandy. Your responses overlooked one thing: The facts.

The facts support that anytime a news anchor has not asked McCain or Palin tough questions, Z has been all of over them. I have yet to read one posting from Z criticizing the media for failing to ask Obama or Biden a tough question. This whole blog reeks of Democratic favoritism.

I'm not a huge Sarah Palin fan, but somehow I don't believe it's fair or newsworthy to critcize her wardbrobe choices. Has anyone every asked Obama or McCain how much their suits cost? I bet they didn't pick those duds up at Kohls. I'm actually surprised Brian Williams, whom I respect very much, opened his broadcast by mentioning the spending spree. It's not relevant and it sure isn't top of the headlines newsworthy.

Good point on the comment "if they're released."
Once it's the full interview transcript is released, take a sharp pencil and review it. How many questions did she answer directly and clearly (no hedging as in the medical records response)?
I was struck by her response to the "what is an example of a precondition?" question. She never gave an example, instead launching into a response of the need for a strategy before meeting with other leaders "who are out to destroy us"...

Hi David, Yes, you are right. I noticed that as well and failed to mention it. I am coming to think Palin is very clever and cunning in her language -- like the young Richard nixon in the things he said in his early California and VP races. Thanks. Z

Do you think there's any possibility that he didn't bring it up because it's entirely irrelevant? Has any reporter ever asked Hussein about his $2,000 suits or Michelle Omarosa about the cost of her attire? Should they?

wow, shopping sprees? are you serious. if this was a democratic candidate you would be complaining the exact the opposite way.
you are a hack and a hypocrite.

I hope you wrote an article why Obama has never been asked about his transcripts from Columbia and Harvard. But I do see how the RNC buying clothes for the campaign and then giving them to charity is the real issue here.

Right on! Last night I wrote nbc a really nasty e-mail in regards this interview and I really feel it encapsulates the disregard the tv media has for the issues in the election that are reallly important. I feel all tv media seem to spend more time on play-by-play issues than real issues. what a waste of the public airspace.
way to go!!!!

Bigger question: WHY didn't Brian Williams or anyone at NBC even mention the new AP poll showing the two at a dead heat?

Or how about the non-partisan report released yesterday showing how much more favorable the press has been to Obama than to McCain?

Answer: NBC, again, doesn't want to emphasize any news that doesn't boost Obama's prospects.

In the spirit of fairness to your readers, here's the link to a story on the AP poll.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-uspoll235894598oct23,0,6480177.story

Brian Williams also looked quite grim, and remained unsmiling, during the entire interview.

Compare that with the giddy behavior of NBC's talking heads when they interviewed Obama.

Hi, I think you are reading way too much into Williams' demeanor. I do not thiunk he looked any different. In fact, I thought he tried for "friuendly" tone in asking a question about McCain challenging a woman at one his rallies who said something derogatory about Obama. Thanks. Z

Hmmm?

Has Brian asked the other candidates about their clothing expenses? Hillary's pants suites cost. Michelle Obam's wardrobe for the View visits? Barbara Boxers or other female Senators clothing expenses?

You call this news? Reporting?

Paul

Hi, I thought the original story by Politico was an excellent example of strong reporting. Thankks. Z

The issue dealing with candidates and their choice of clothes and price tags are meaningless in this election. I do not understand why so many people make such a big deal out of it, since it came out Palin was using her own money, and not campaign donations. I believe William's interview was better for addressing the issue only in the beginning, or better yet, completely out of the discussion. There are more important matters to be discussed.

The question was important because, as Z should have pointed out, because Palin has made a big deal out of being "just folks." Hard working, middle class, etc. Just folks don't shop at Neiman Marcus.

Hi Joel, Thanks. You are right -- about the point and the fact that I should have pointed it out. Z

I don't really care that Brian Williams didn't ask about Gov. Palin's wardrobe expenses. It's an odd, minor issue. The cost does seem excessive compared to her "hockey mom" image. But then so is the Palin family net worth (over $1 million):
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i4qcqPId4Evh_9YMcUMDI7L6WOuQD93HUMV00

The Obama family can pay for its own clothes thanks to their own income. As did President (or then-Gov.) Bush, I would assume.

I hope the RNC raffles off Gov. Palin's clothing "As worn by....". I would think that would make more money for charity than just dropping the clothes off at a Salvation Army.

I don't care how much Sarah Palin spent on clothes. I do care that she is incapable of speaking in complete sentences; we've had eight years of that and it's time for a leader who can speak coherently to the nation and the world. Steve, as far as this blog being too political for a TV blog, I can tell you that Z always has been good at pointing out the political aspects of all manner of shows. Not just news but also the "just entertainment" shows. If you have time, go back and read what Z has written about Reality TV, The Sopranos, NYPD Blue, The West Wing (although David, I really did get just what Aaron Sorkin meant when he said that West Wing wasn't about politics), Mad Men (boy, does that show ever help explain the origins of our current economic conditions), and The Shield. Also The Wire. And Teletubbies. It"s hard for me to watch any of that stuff without the political reality of our place and time creeping in to my mind.

Hi Laura, Thanks for mentioning some of the history of Z and offering some testimony that TV as a social and political force always mattered to me since I started here as TV critic in 1989. And you are so right about Palin's manner of speaking at times. I actually thought my head was going to explode last night when I tried to follow this machine gun of half phrases kind of speak that she launched into. Honestly, I have done thoudsands of interviews and focused on how someone was speaking, and I never heard anything like it. It really does sound like a programmed children's toy that is going haywire and the programmed bites are just running in a broken sequence or something. It is strange, and it should concern voters in my opinion. Thanks. Z

Who cares about what the RNC spent to help Palin look good on the stump?

With hundreds of millions to help Obama buy the election (a cash spigot funded in large part by fats cats in Hollywood and elsewhere), the Dems' inexperienced and untested pick has a limitless fund for spending on his $3,000 suits.

Much bigger news: Wonder why yesterday's AP poll is being under-reported. It shows McCain and the other one in a statistical dead heat.

Actually, I know why: It flies in the face of efforts by pro-Obama newspapers and outlets like NBC (National Barack Channel) to put over the idea that the election is over, and that the candidate they're pushing has already won. Not true.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The presidential race tightened after the final debate, with John McCain gaining among whites and people earning less than $50,000, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll that shows McCain and Barack Obama essentially running even among likely voters in the election homestretch.

The poll, which found Obama at 44 percent and McCain at 43 percent, supports what some Republicans and Democrats privately have said in recent days: that the race narrowed after the third debate as GOP-leaning voters drifted home to their party and McCain's "Joe the plumber" analogy struck a chord.

Three weeks ago, an AP-GfK survey found that Obama had surged to a seven-point lead over McCain, lifted by voters who thought the Democrat was better suited to lead the nation through its sudden economic crisis.

The contest is still volatile, and the split among voters is apparent less than two weeks before Election Day.

"I trust McCain more, and I do feel that he has more experience in government than Obama. I don't think Obama has been around long enough," said Angela Decker, 44, of La Porte, Ind.

that ap poll was for oct 15th-16th. wow- last week's news. and it was a poll of 800 people, not 800,000.

who believes polls anyway? if they decided the outcome of the election, gore and/or kerry would have been president.

who cares about $$ for clothes? a lovely way to spin to focus away from the real issues - i would be irritated if palin would be asked about that on national news. economy and foreign policy are far more important. that is why i am sticking with obama.

When this "story" first broke I thought it was about the RNC spending their donors' money frivilously. Which I suppose could be a valid criticism, IF those donors were complaining.

Now you choose to characterize it as a "spending spree" **orchestrated by Palin herself**.

Anyone who's halfway intelligent and not blinded by partisanship can easily see that this blog is a "high spin zone".

Hey, I don't have all night to read all the un-enlightened blogs from some yahoo responses, so I'll just focus on Steve, Shannondoodle (what the hell kind of e-name is that?) Ed, and Jim K.. I had always thought that the only thing the incompetent Bitch from the North had going for her was the wardrobe, then the news came out that it was paid for by your tax dollars and contributions -yours not mine, you big dolts. I kind of blew the whole thing off as a divesion until I heard today from more than one media source that what the RNC did was not allowable. Most people think that all Republicans have money, but - HELLO - there are Republicans out there struggling like the rest of America and some of them can't afford to by shoes for their children or a coat for the winter and you say $150,000 for a wardrobe for that woman is okay. The four of you must be in the minority and have the descretionary income to buy what you want at any time. If you don't then think about it

Wow, JB

Amazing - How much time is spent on out of focused issues. I ask all of the bloggers the following - how many men and women have died in Iraq and Afganisan ?- don't look it up you,should know! What is your states ranking in education ? - pick a catagory! How many people in your community get medical help and can't pay for it? We need well informed citizens not negative, bring down the other guy comments. We have many economic, education, health battles to face - please spend time on the important issues!!!!! Challenge your local (state or federal) politicians on how they have voted and how will they vote in the future. If they didn't do what they said - fire them!!!! We have had many years of inept political efforts - the last eight year just a portion. We need our citizens to hold the politicians toes to the fire and the big question - what have you done to insist on responsible representation. We have one President with one vote but the House and Senate with many votes. Focus on your representation and demand responsible legislation. I never hear from my representatives about how they voted - I have to find out my self.
Please be responsible and take the effort to learn what your representation has done! If we do that, we don't care what the politians say once every 2 or 4 years at election time - WE KNOW WHAT THEY DID.

Personally what i found most unusual of the interview was John McCain's choice of clothing (a casual, checkered shirt underneath his suit jacket.) It seems the old maverick anticipated possible questing of his running mate's expensive wardrobe and attempted to counterbalance it with his slight wardrobe nod to average joes. when all is said and done, will voters be more in tuned with the candidate's choice of clothing and what it represents or what their actual tax plan's state?

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