Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Press turns on McPalin

More good news! Back in the days of unlimited access on the "Straight Talk Express," and backyard barbecues for the press at the Sonoma ranch, McCain had built such good rapport with the press that he once referred to them as "my base." And they gave him a lot of deference in their coverage.

No more. Now his campaign managers have built a fire wall around Johnny and Sarah. No press conferences for weeks; no questions for Sarah. The last straw was today at the UN. The campaign allowed a photo-op of the staged meet and greet between Sarah and world leaders (Karzai, Kissinger) at the UN today. But nothing more. No reporters. No questions.

Some of the networks revolted, saying: if you won't talk to us, then you get no pictures on TV either. Sam Stein reports relations between McCain and the press corps have fully deteriorated. After an appearance in Strongsville, Ohio, he ignored questions about the bailout plan, prompting one journalist to scream out: "Has your bus become the No Talk Express?" McCain offered a smirk but kept on walking.

Meanwhile, Obama gave a press conference in which he discussed at length his ideas about the bailout and having to modify his realistic plans: sticking with the middle class tax cuts but delaying some of his proposed spending programs.

Again, who looks presidential; and who looks like an old clown?

Ralph




5 comments:

Ralph said...

How does McCain stand the humiliation of being muzzled by his own campaign managers and forced to stiff the press guys, the very ones he used to enjoy chatting with?

Of course, they're smart to do that. He's become a walking bomb of gaffes, misinformation, shoot-from-the-hip nonsense, and lies.

The only chance they have is to avoid any spontaneous quotes from either Johnny B or Sarah.

richard said...

The press actually got in for her interview with Karzai, for about 30 seconds. Long enough for them to overhear her talk about his child's name, then they were ushered out.

Obviously, so she can give a press conference and pretend they discussed something of substance, and no one can contradict her.

richard said...

Or rather, so she can issue a press release. She'll never give a press conference.

No what will be funny? We should count how many times she 'drops the name' of someone she met for the first time this week. "Well, President Karzai told me..."

And, of course, there's no way to verify the truth of anything she will claim someone else said.

Ralph said...

It's all so phoney. Of course, the whole purpose was to be able to say she has met and talked with Kissinger, with Karzai. I hope some reporter somewhere, someday gets a chance to ask: what did you talk about?

I love what someone today has started calling her: "the starlet of the evangelicals."

Anonymous said...

How does McCain stand the humiliation of being muzzled by his own campaign managers and forced to stiff the press guys, the very ones he used to enjoy chatting with?

I think they feel that holding on to their base is all they have - and they hope that playing the Liberal Media' card will carry them the rest of the way. I also agree with Digby that they're waiting for the Democratic Congress to pass a bailout package, and then accuse Obama of being a big-spender Democrat unwilling to stand up to the ... whomever... BushCo, Democratic Leadership, God...