If I were to ask you which newspapers and magazines you read — and yes, their online versions count — would you be able to name at least one? Katie Couric asked Sarah Palin that question and hilarity ensued — she hemmed and hawed like the kid presenting a book report on the book she hadn’t yet read: “Treasure Island is a book about an island. With treasure on it.”
Here’s the transcript:
Katie Couric: And when it comes to establishing your world view, I was curious, what newspapers and magazines did you regularly read, before you were tapped for this, to stay informed and to understand the world?
Sarah Palin: I’ve read most of them again with a great appreciation for the press for the media, I mean…
Couric: Like what ones specifically? I’m curious that you…
Palin: Um, all of ’em, any of ’em that um have been in front of me over all these years, um…
Couric: Can you name any of them?
Palin: I have a vast variety of sources where we get our news too. Alaska isn’t a foreign country where it’s kind of suggested it seems like, wow how could you keep in touch with what the rest of Washington, DC may be thinking and doing, when you live up there in Alaska. Believe me, Alaska is like a microcosm of America.
She didn’t even have the presence of mind to throw out the name of any newspaper or magazine she’s heard of: the New York Times or Washington Post? Nope. Time or Newsweek? Uh-uh. Not even Alaskan newspapers such as the Anchorage Daily News, the Juneau Empire. She didn’t even come up with the name of her hometown paper, Wasilla’s Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, where she once worked!
If that weren’t bad enough, you have to remember that in university, she majored in journalism.
In case you were wondering, here are the newspapers and magazines I regularly read, either in dead-tree or online form. For the sake of sticking to the spirit of Katie Couric’s question, I’m not including online-only magazines.
Daily:
At least once a week:
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View Comments
Locally I read The Voice and the Communicater, and sometimes The Echo and The Times.
Nationally, I read the Star and the Globe and Mail. The National Post has never caught my fancy.
I often listen to news on the CBC radio. Usually the morning news and the news magazine show which I believe is called The Current.
Since I don't have television reception anymore (I don't feel like paying the high cost of satellite service), the rest of my news comes from the internet.
Good post, Joey.
Great post.
I get 60% of my news from the widgets I have installed on google/ig (which is the best damn opening page ever!) On there I have the guardian, reuters, bbc, the star, cbc, etc.
I get no dead-tree news though I do read the issues of harpers my mom sends to me. Yay moms!
I like Ezra Klein's summary of what went wrong here.
Do try Harper's - I find it pithier than the Atlantic.
Ooooh--you have one of my favorites on your list: Washington Post. Although I live in Los Angeles, washingpost.com is my favorite source of news. I'm on the site multiple times a day.
Palin was obviously uncomfortable with the question.
I think it's obvious that she rarely reads anything at all - typical American idiot.
Ask her who the prime minister of Canada is some time? Does she know the capital city of BC, how about the neighboriing Yukon?
No passport for her until 2006???
Can she even find Iraq on a globe? I bet anyone $20.00 she would take more than 2 minutes to find New Zealand or Syria on the globe - haha would love to see that.
Clearly she has to try an hide her ignorance.
She majored in Journalism? even more ironic eh?
How is she even allowed to be on the ticket is beyond my comprehension.
Thank Goodness!
Congratulations America - Thanks for not voting in Republicans again!
There is hope!