Since Sarah Palin was tapped as John McCain’s running mate, everything from her family to her hair to her glasses has been scrutinized. Today, CNN targeted her phonetics.
The network pointed out the word “nuclear” was spelled phonetically as “new-clear” in the text of her convention speech. While a camera shot caught the text of Palin’s speech in the prompter, CNN says the script handed out to the press still had the phonetically spelled out word in it.
It is not uncommon for broadcast writers to script words phonetically for talent. In fact, news personalities are known to get angry at writers and producers who do not phonetically spell out words which are easy to fumble when reading a prompter during a live broadcast. However, CNN portrayed the phonetically scripted word “new-clear” as a way Palin would spell the word herself.
Seemingly anxious to connect the Alaskan governor’s pronunciation of the word to President Bush’s famously mocked pronunciation, CNN’s Jeanne Moos showed how Palin could not pronounce “nuclear” correctly either without a phonetic guide. Anyone who reads a teleprompter needs a little help now and then. Just ask Larry King.
Since Eisenhower first ran for president in 1952, it has been a common strategy for Democrats and media members -- as if there's much of a difference these days! -- to depict Republican presidential candidates as too stupid to hold the office.
CNN correspondent Jeanne Moos, who is known for her light and often humor-tinged reports on a variety of topics, profiled politically-active elderly women in a report which aired on Wednesday’s "American Morning" and "Newsroom" programs, devoting all but six seconds of her two-and-a-half plus minute report to "granny" supporters of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. While the Democratic supporters are seen dancing at rallies and posting YouTube videos, the only McCain supporter who appeared in the segment was McCain’s own 96-year-old mother, who merely stood in a background during a campaign stop.
In recent times, Al Gore has been in the winner's circle. From the Oscar to the Nobel to NBC's adoring Green Week, Al has known nothing but triumph.