Did the McCain campaign make a mistake releasing this Palin news today?

Question

A non-partisan question. I mean, given this "truncated" republican convention... this was an opportunity for the GOP to get some good press for its response to hurricane Gustav. That was supposed to be the storyline. Instead the McCain campaign decided to overshadow it with this story about Palin's daughter.

Might they have been better served just taking the good PR of being sensitive to hurricane Gustav and releasing this news next week?

Or is it that they didn't have a choice for some reason?

Answer 1

I don't actually know, they might have feared it would break anyway and it gets a little buffer from Gustav and the Convention.  People don't vote on these kinds of issues anyway.  If anything I think it shows a strong and normal family, real people.

Answer 2

Privacy is important and Palin's daughter deserves her fair share--- Toni D.  

Answer 3

I think they were anxious to stop rumors that Palin is the grandmother of Trig.  Apparently the stories were starting to show up in mainstream media.  

Also, this way they can put the story out but it will get less coverage than on another day.

Answer 4

No, take the bull by the horns, had Palin not released the info, someone else would have, then the back lash would have been far worst.

Now was a good time, right now the story is already dead, watch the news, there is water starting to make it's way in to New Orleans again, two levies are starting to fail.

Answer 5

"Might they have been better served just taking the good PR of being sensitive to hurricane Gustav and releasing this news next week?"

I doubt it. The rumors and bad press would have snowballed and over-shadowed the good press while people asked "Why aren't they dealing with it?"

By announcing now, the rumors are squashed, and the storm coverage will blunt the impact of this situation. So, they'll overshadow the bad with the good instead of letting the bad detract from the good. Plus, she now gets to say her mea culpas during her convention speech and further put it in the past, while spinning it into proof of her dedication to God, family, country, and good old Republican values. Breaking before her speech is far better than breaking afterward.

Answer 6

Better now then later

Answer 7

Because of decisions made by Sen. McCain, the campaign was busy fighting internet rumors.  They fought these rumors by releasing the truth that he had covered-up.

Toni : How do you know that this information was first picked up by a Bush wire tap and then leaked to the internet?  Privacy? There is no such thing as privacy!