Hotline After Dark -- No Biz Like Show Biz

With the AIG bailout announcement, the economy continued to the big topic on TV. There was also a lot of reaction to statements made by two John McCain advisers.

"Countdown" aired NBC's Mitchell's conversation with McCain Victory chair Carly Fiorina.

Mitchell: "Can I just ask you about an interview, I believe you did this today on KTRS Radio, the 'McGraw-Hill Show,' and you were asked whether Sarah Palin has the experience to run a major company like Hewlett-Packard which you did and you said, 'No, I don't. But you know what? That's not what she's running for.'"

Fiorina: "Well, I don't think John McCain could run a major corporation. I don't think Barack Obama could run a major corporation. I don't think Joe Biden could run a major corporation. But on the other hand, a major corporation is not the same as being the president or the vice president of the United States. It is a fallacy to suggest that the country is like a company" (MSNBC, 9/16).

CNN's J. King: "They have not run a major corporation but what is the United States government? It is the biggest business, if you will. It requires executive decisions like that. ... Yes, she said Obama and Biden aren't qualified either. But at a time they are trying to make this compelling economic argument to seize control of the biggest issue before the American people, to have ... a senior economic advisor -- although she volunteers for the campaign -- say that you're not qualified has them furious. And she was told to cancel some other interviews she had scheduled today, and I'm told you won't see much of Carly Fiorina on TV, at least for a while, because of their disappointment on this. ... This was another miscommunication from the McCain campaign at a pivotal time" ("AC 360," 9/16).

Mitt Romney: "Having been a governor and the CEO of a state, I know it's real tough to run a state effectively and I know it's real tough also to be a CEO. Both are very tough jobs. And I believe that John McCain, with 25 years of experience in the Senate, and Sarah Palin actually having run a city and run a state, they have the experience it takes to run the government and they have the experience it takes to run a company. I'd be happy to hire them" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 9/16).

More after the jump, including Obama on the economy and a one-on-one with Todd Palin.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

Meanwhile, McCain economic adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin joked that McCain helped create the BlackBerry when he was chair of the commerce cmte.

GOP strategist Leslie Sanchez: "I think it's catnip. It was just really poorly worded. There's no excusing that. But, you know, fundamentally what he's trying to say is John McCain was responsible, very much so, for the telecommunications act in 1995 and 1996 that had the advent of having a very strong part of our economy. Again, not a funny line. I think we'll hear about it for the next few days. It was really a bad misstep" ("Situation Room," CNN, 9/16).

MSNBC's Maddow: "John McCain invented the BlackBerry -- really? Even though he says he doesn't know how to use the email? I totally thought the BlackBerry was invented in Canada, very confusing. But somewhere I should say, Al Gore is smiling" ("Rachel Maddow Show," 9/16).

STEP BY STEP, DAY BY DAY

CBS' Couric sat down with Obama fter his speech in Golden, CO.

Obama, asked what steps he would take as POTUS that would have an immediate impact on the economic crisis: "We have to overhaul our regulatory system. ... We've got to have complete transparency and openness in how our financial markets are working to restore trust. But what is really going to make the biggest difference on Wall Street right now is not only increased transparency, but also the strengthening of the housing market. I think that involves providing more assistance to both borrowers and lenders to get a fixed mortgage that the homeowner can pay."

Couric: "Would we be able to see the benefits of those kinds of measures pretty immediately, or would this take a long time to see the benefits?"

Obama: "Well, the regulatory overhaul, frankly, it's going to be hard to do that in the next two months. We've got to wait until a presidential election, a new Congress. But I think that it's something that we can get done early next year. And if we can just stabilize things and ride out some tough few months and then overhaul the regulatory system, our tax code, and start investing in things like clean energy, then I'm confident that we can get the economy back on track by next year" ("Evening News," 9/16).

CHASING TODD

And the second part of FNC's Van Susteren's interview with Todd Palin aired last night. Some highlights:

T. Palin, on AK: "The Secret Service, they're pretty excited about this winter up here, and I'm already signed up for the Iron Dog. And so they're looking forward to driving snow machines. ... I just told the Secret Service that, you know, don't be afraid of trying to stay up with me, and I'll just get you trained up on a GPS and you'll be OK."

Van Susteren: "The Secret Service and the media are going to be chasing you, you know, like crazy."

T. Palin: "It's going to be fun. I mean, if we get that opportunity and move on, move forward to the next phase of our lives."

Van Susteren: "What's your sort of thoughts going into this race? ... Is there some part of you thinks that ... this is exciting, but on the other hand, boy, this is a nice life up here?"

T. Palin: "Life is about experiences and opportunities. And so, you know, I look at our kids, as when she won governor, going down to Juneau, the capital, living in the mansion. So that's a life experience. And so in our eyes, it's another life experience for our family and other Alaskans to share this opportunity that's in front of Sarah."

T. Palin, on the first time he met McCain: "I was very impressed because, I mean, just an American hero. ... The first thing he said to us was, you know, tell your son thank you for his service. ... Their son was just getting home the next week, so that bond right there was pretty powerful."

T. Palin, on Cindy McCain: "I think she's great. She's a class act."

T. Palin, asked if he likes being called "first dude": "Todd's fine. Todd works good" ("On the Record," FNC, 9/16).