Rand Paul is in the middle of a media storm because of his irritable exchanges with Savannah Guthrie. It’s not like she has raised any invalid questions. The Kentucky senator actually did change his perspective on Iran and aid to Israel and when she talked over him a little, he sure did not react appropriately.
Paul is aware of his problems, this is not the first time his temperament had been questioned and been on spotlight. His behavior these days are getting more focus and attention in comparison to the issues he wants to talk about.
Just last month she has “shushed” anchor Kelly Evans from CNBC. He has admitted that he has a tendency to get mad when he feels he is being asked unfair questions. Now when he is being accused of being short-tempered with female journalists, referring to Megyn Kelly, his response was that he is equally thin-skinned with both men and women.
Like Paul, Scott Walker is the new spotlight of the nation and he also has the reputation of talking into trouble in his early interviews. He has refused to answer questions regarding evolution; Obama’s Christianity and complains of “gotcha” journalism which led to Wisconsin governor’s narrative just when he was mounting in the polls. Ever since then, he has backed down from national interviews altogether.
Hilary Rodham Clinton had a tough rapport with the press ever since her days as the first lady. The way her private email uproar spread like a wildfire did not obviously help the situation. Clinton and her team remained mostly silent as the story spiraled out of proportion. In the news conference, she seemed very rigid and scripted while deflecting questions she didn’t prefer answering. She has also later joked about having a fresh start with the media although that is still being awaited on.
Ted Cruz had been more alert when the media had unfairly accused him of scaring a 3-year-old girl during an oration in New Hampshire about the world being on fire. He has even joked about being depicted as Freddy Krueger on MSNBC and also said that media likes to portray Republican as stupid and in his case absolutely crazy.
Politicians and media have a never-ending history of going at it and even calling each other names. George H.W. Bush swung away at Dan Rather in an epic showdown on the “CBS Evening News.” Bill Clinton complained about the “knee-jerk liberal press.” Dick Cheney called a New York Times reporter a “major league ass-.” And the list goes on.
In the event of long campaigns there will be journalists trying to as impudent and unfair questions. The way a candidate reacts and responds starts to become an alternative to how they will take on and manage the pressure of the presidency.
Paul and the other will without a doubt get their act together in public or eventually lose control of the message that they are trying to convey.
