Until Thursday, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin had refused to subject herself to direct questions from the press covering the campaign trail. She finally agreed to an interview with ABC's Charles Gibson, but at this point it's unclear what other interviews she'll be doing.

One reason the McCain campaign has cited for Palin's reluctance to meet with the news media is the claim that reporters have been unfair to her and her family.

At one point, McCain's campaign manager said Palin would not speak with the media “until the point in time when she'll be treated with respect and deference.”

He then went on to say she would do interviews on the terms and conditions the McCain campaign found acceptable.

Aside from the fact that this approach undermines the role of the press in a democracy - a role this nation's founders felt was so crucial that they started the Bill of Rights with an amendment to protect it - Palin's approach has not served her well.

If the governor would simply take some questions and express her views outside a controlled setting, this firestorm surrounding her would die down. And the stories from her past that the campaign has labeled as one-sided or taken out of context might come across as significantly more balanced.

That's because absent the chance to ask the candidate herself about specific issues or past actions, the media is going to other people with some knowledge, including people who might not wish to see her elected. But regardless of the source, it's still second-hand information at best.

The media is also digging into past statements and records in an effort to get a sense of Palin's positions on national issues. Inevitably, some of that reporting will dig up references that are either outdated (perhaps she has shifted a stance over time) or misinterpreted. All it would take to prevent such misinformation is a candid conversation with some reporters.

What the press avoidance strategy has brought the McCain/Palin campaign is a remarkable level of attention. Palin, perhaps largely because of her unknown status until just a few weeks ago, is drawing huge crowds and bringing giant TV ratings. But it's not clear if the attention has helped or hurt the campaign in terms of reaching the key voters - those people who fall in the middle of the political spectrum.

My point here is not to blast Palin or the McCain/Palin campaign. But I hope their approach is not something other candidates - whatever the office might be - try to copy. In the long run, it's a strategy that short-changes both the candidates themselves and the voters.

Executive editor Jeremy Boyer's column appears Saturdays in The Citizen and he can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 231 or jeremy.boyer@lee.net