Gotcha Journalism to Blame for the Deconstruction of Sarah Palin?

Gotcha journalism is the art and science of covertly cornering the subject of an interview until she - or he - believes the only right answer is one that greatly damages the subject's reputation. It is interesting to note that the cornering is a gradual process, and much like a game of chess, there are a number of moves the interviewer makes with the express intent of eliciting a predetermined response.

In the aftermath of the interview, the footage may then be sliced, diced, spliced, and put together in a form of montage that would make even Mother Theresa come across as a knife wielding loon. There are several subtle undercurrents that take place during such an interview, and while in the past the notion of gotcha journalism was by and large frowned upon, it is now coin of the media realm.

For example, when Connie Chung got the elder Mrs. Gingrich to whisper to her that Newt referred to Hillary Clinton as a b*tch, Ms. Chung clearly misled the subject of her interview and although she got her gotcha moment, Salon reported in 1999 that her career took a nosedive.

Gotcha Journalism Today

Less than 10 years later, gotcha journalism is alive and well, and actually considered edgy. The Observer reports that Sarah Palin believes herself to have been a victim of this interviewing technique, and -- bless her heart -- she is right. That said, it should also be pointed out that both the McCain and the Obama campaign have heavily drawn from the well of gotcha journalism's tricks and tools, and if the campaign ads are any indication, neither side is willing to let go of this tactic any time soon.

The Deconstruction of Sarah Palin

The double standard with which Sarah Palin has been treated is the kind of stuff that future textbooks will be made off. The media bias is so tangible that you could quite easily cut it with a knife.

Take for example, the persistent nag that Governor Palin lacks foreign policy experience. It may be factual, but then the same was true for Governors Carter, Reagan and Clinton. Nonetheless, it is persistently bandied about in such a manner as to deconstruct her, at the same time using her quotes and appearances in such a manner as to underscore her obvious lack in this area.

Will Crying Gotcha Help Palin?

Blaming gotcha journalism for her inability to weather the finesse of highly trained journalists with an ideological ax to grind is not going to help Sarah Palin. Sure, had the McCain campaign shied away from using this tactic themselves, she might have had a leg to stand on.

Another little tip that becomes clear from a San Francisco Chronicle article discussing the Joseph Wilson - Valerie Plame debacle showcases that the failure to disclose the whole truth and then stick with it usually provides the rope for the journalist's gotcha snare.

In the final analysis, it is not gotcha journalism that is deconstructing Sarah Palin, but instead it is the length of rope she is handing to journalists that is aiding in her deconstruction.

Sources:
http://www.salon.com/people/rewind/1999/07/10/chung/
http://www.observer.com/2008/media/interview-couric-palin-and-mccain-complain-gotcha-journalism
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/07/14/EDG4PDN4TU1.DTL