Palin’s media problem

As the will-she or won’t-she speculation intensifies for 2012, Palin and those closest to her must also consider this: how would she handle the media glare over the course of a lengthy presidential campaign?

Palin’s press performances in 2008, fairly or unfairly, lead to her undoing, as perceptions of her being severely underqualified for the position she was pursuing took hold.

But if Palin thought dealing with the press was a tough chore before, wait until she enters a marathon presidential campaign.

Could she cope with such an extended period of scrutiny?

Remember, this is someone who has yet to enter the set of shows like “Meet the Press” or “This Week,” testing grounds for all serious presidential contenders. And while she clearly feels more comfortable within the confines of a Fox News studio, taking to those airwaves alone won’t cut it, especially if she’s serious about winning. To persuade doubting independents and broader audiences that her candidacy stretches beyond a conservative base, Palin will have to indulge the alphabet networks along with other less hospitable media outlets.

Think about it. How much credibility would Palin lend both herself and her candidacy if she squared off with Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric again? It would serve as demonstrable proof of both her growth as a politician and in her confidence to talk about substantive issues with serious reporters, qualities that were sorely missing during her final days as a vice-presidential candidate.

Amongst the GOP base, it will always be good politics for Palin to mock, deride, and delegitimize the media. But she should not let her animosity blind her from taking such a group more seriously. For if she does indeed decide to run for president, how she goes about handling the “lamestream” media will be as important as any strategy for winning Iowa or New Hampshire.

Aaron Guerrero is a 2009 UC Davis graduate, who majored in political science and minored in history. He formerly interned for Rep. Dan Lungren and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and is a freelance writer.