Media Threaten Boycott Over McCain-Palin Campaign’s Efforts To Restrict Access
Media Threaten Boycott Over McCain-Palin Campaign’s Efforts To Restrict Access
Earlier today, the McCain-Palin campaign backed out of its promise to allow print journalists from reporting on Gov. Sarah Palin’s (R-AK) U.N. meetings this afternoon. Instead, the campaign wanted to turn it into an elaborate photo op, deciding to allow photographers and a CNN camera crew only. According to Politico, the press have begun to revolt:
But the imbroglio began developing Tuesday morning when Palin’s handlers informed the small print press contingent covering her campaign that the print reporter designated to cover the events, Elizabeth Holmes of the Wall Street Journal, would not be allowed to cover the sprays. [...]
The campaign also at first moved to bar CNN, the television network designated for pool duty, from sending its editorial producer – basically a hybrid print/video journalist – though the campaign budged when the network threatened to withhold its cameras as well.
With increasingly negative press coverage over these events, the campaign eventually allowed Holmes into the Karzai event for a whopping 29 seconds, and has now agreed to let her cover the next two “sprays” before Palins’ meetings with Colombian President Uribe and former U.N. Secretary of State Kissinger. Earlier in the day, the networks had voted to ban any use of photographs and videos from the event, to protest the lack of editorial presence and deny the McCain-Palin campaign of a free photo op.
Similarly, in Ohio today, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) ignored questions from reporters on the bailout, prompting one journalist to yell, “Has your bus become the No Talk Express?” Watch it:
Today at 4 p.m. ET, McCain will be holding a press conference, his first since Aug. 13. Palin has yet to hold a press availability.
Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date
52 Responses to “Media Threaten Boycott Over McCain-Palin Campaign’s Efforts To Restrict Access”
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
If this is how they campaign, how might they govern? The Fourth Estate is gone.
McCain-Palin expect worship from the media lackeys.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:22 pmThe McDepends/Caribou Barbie ticket is shitting themselves , realizing what a liability she is in the presence of the media.
What a joke .............
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:24 pmJust another cowardly Republican that is afraid to stand up to questions.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:24 pmUh-oh... "the base" is beginning to crumble... finally.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:25 pmSorry, I do not think the US has yet become such a banana republic that the GOP candidate for VP could seriously be kept out of the public eye, away from having to answer any substantive questions or hold a press conference and still be elected into office. I guess no BBQ for the press anymore. I have not seen such a thin-skinned, bunker mentality in my life. The debate with Biden should be good because from the extremely limited exposure where the GOP VP candidate has had to answer substantive questions, well, let's just say we certainly know why she went to six schools in five years to obtain that "journalism" degree. She has no analytical capacity. You cannot cram for that -- you cannot fake the lack of analytics. It is something that takes rigorous education over a long period.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:27 pmAs soon as the Palin/McCain camp heard that TV cameras would not be at their UN Tea Party stunt, they backed down.
The press needs to do that a lot more because Palin is still stonewalling the media. Check out...
The Palin Watch
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:30 pm"Media Threaten Boycott Over McCain-Palin Campaign’s Efforts To Restrict Access"
Well, the media certainly turned on Pinnochio Palin and John McFibber. Now the McSame campaign is barring the media access to the UN meetings? Wait, doesn't Grandpappy McSame's action is like our current clown President? McSame is acting like he is the President of the United States yet we have had the November election yet.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:30 pmAre we surprised? As someone vehemently anti-McCain, I would love to see her get more exposure to the press, which would in turn expose her stupefying weakness as a woman, as an American, and as a human being.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:31 pmp.s. Notice that media is not crying wolf to the Obama campaign about media access.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:31 pmMcCain had a 'McCain Moment':
He thought it said Freedom from the press, not freedom of the press.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:32 pm.
Q U E S T I O N:
If McBush/Falin'08 won't stand up to the timid bought and paid for press, then how in the he|| will they ever stand up to al-CIA-duh?
.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:32 pmthese actions would be the reasoning behind the recent "blame the media" meme... now all the conned bots will cheer and say woopie, screw the evil librul media... we luv sarah no matter wut.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:32 pmJust stop covering it. Switch people to other stories -- Obama, for example, and let the winning team dominate the new cycle.
The Republikkkans will be thrilled to not have the media around their guy, and that'll free up a lot of resources for printing well-researched, deep stories on the panoply of McCain-Palin lies without any need (or desire) to go through the pro forma asking them for reactions.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:32 pmWhat have they got to hide? Has there ever been a more secretive and evasive CAMPAIGN as this? WTF?
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:33 pmif both of these pu$$ies cant face the media, how will they face john stewart?
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:35 pmUh-oh, Johnnyboy, not a good idea to piss off your "base"!
But hey, you keep right on doing what you're doing. ;o)
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:36 pm.
McPalin logic...
"Ignore the press for now and maybe we can woo them at the next McBBQ"
.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:36 pmCheck this out, from CNN:
Palin, her legs crossed and at one point patting her heart, was leaning in eagerly and smiling. Karzai, wearing his traditional clothes but without his trademark karakul hat, was also grinning while discussing the child. His remarks were mostly unintelligible as the noise from the clicking cameras drowned them out.
“What is his name?,” Palin asked.
“Mirwais,” Karzai responded. “Mirwais, which means, ‘The Light of the House.’”
“Oh nice,” Palin responded.
“He is the only one we have,” remarked Karzai.
After 29 seconds observing the meeting, CNN and other photographers covering the meeting were escorted out of the room.
She couldn't even ask a tough question in those 29 seconds for the cameras!
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:37 pmI hope this doesn't sound sexist, but if McCain wanted someone by his side to make him look good, couldn't he have simply hired Palin from an escort service? You really can read all about the GOP 2008 campaign in your local grocer's checkout isle.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:39 pmQuick! Somebody send Smokin' Joe Lieberman in to 'splain to McNumbNuts that the "Rose Garden strategy" is reserved for use only by incumbent presidents running for re-election.
Of course -- since McNumbNuts is running for GDumbya's third term -- he just might be thinking he's running for re-election.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:40 pmAwww, a fifth-rate fourth estate goes all "girly."
..and McCain pouts like a whiner.
Funny how those republican epithets always come back to bite 'em in the @ss, like the "baby momma" hoohah.
Pity Bristol didn't 'limit access' as well as Mom.
*rimshot*
Thankyewthankyewverrymuch....
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:41 pmWho the heck is running that campaign anyway? And, may I just add, "Good job - keep going through election day!"
Obama/Biden '08
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:43 pmI would say that the press should just leave the McPalin team alone instead of just meekly saying "thank you sir, may I have another?" all the time. Unfortunately, this would work in McPalin's favor, since any exposure of their flaws would be detrimental to them.
What the media should do is to state their terms to the campaign and then don't argue when they are refused. Instead, report "we attempted to report this event, but we were barred from attending." Or, "we contacted the campaign for comment, but they refused." Or, "we invited campaign representatives on our show, but they declined." And above all, do NOT fall into their little media-manipulating marketing games.
It will soon be obvious that the McPalin team is as secretive as Dick Cheney. This will not put them in an attractive light with the voters.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:53 pmHow is McCain going to follow OBL to the gates of hell when he is afraid to talk to a big bad news reporter?
How can he win the "war on Terra" when he is hiding under his bed from the media?
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:54 pmOT BUT IMPORTANT!
The deadlines for registering to vote are coming up in most states. Be smart and check to be sure you are registered to vote. Brad Friedman at Bradblog.com is reporting all kinds of new schemes the Republicans are coming up with to disenfranchise Democratic voters. Visit this web page to find out what you need to do to make sure you are still registered to vote:
http://www.votersunite.org/info/RegInfo.asp
Then once you verify you are registered to vote, if you can, vote absentee. No muss, no fuss, no waiting in line!
Please pass this URL around and make sure everyone you know is verifying that they are still registered to vote.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:55 pmGood points, missmolly.
I never thought it was a good idea for McSame to feed the "biased media" red meat to the wingnuts.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:55 pmhanshiro Says:
Awww, a fifth-rate fourth estate goes all “girly.”
..and McCain pouts like a whiner.
Funny how those republican epithets always come back to bite ‘em in the @ss, like the “baby momma” hoohah.
Pity Bristol didn’t ‘limit access’ as well as Mom.
I LOVE IT, hanshiro! Here is another one for you:
Newsflash:
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:56 pm“Tina Fey has just been signed to appear as Sarah Palin in the upcoming VP debates.”
A Republican spokesperson said “Tina brings the kind of humor, intelligence and quick thinking we need to represent Gov. Palin in these debates against Sen. Biden and his vast foreign policy and economic experience.”
No word yet as to what Gov. Palin will be doing during the debates. Some say she may be standing on the Alaskan coast and looking for Russia or reading up on becoming a “Baby-Mama’s Baby-Mama”.
SP Biloxi Says
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:31 pm
p.s. Notice that media is not crying wolf to the Obama campaign about media access.
__________________________________________________________
Of course not. But then, Obama has far fewer flaws to hide.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:57 pmnice one, upside99!
September 23rd, 2008 at 3:00 pmThere is a common thread between McPOW, Chimpy, and raygun. All all liars, all are all hype no substance.
September 23rd, 2008 at 3:01 pmCaribou Barbie tried to convince Karzai to open trading ties between Afghanistan and Alaska.
Heroin for meth , straight up ............
September 23rd, 2008 at 3:03 pmThe actions of a campaign reflect the personalities of the candidates. The one word which seems to best describe the campaign is "irrational". So, one is left with the inescapable impression that Flippy and Chippy are irrational. As such they are disqualified from public service, in my humble estimation.
September 23rd, 2008 at 3:07 pmLet me get this straight. The media are threatening to boycott Palin because Palin is boycotting the media.
September 23rd, 2008 at 3:09 pmHis straight talk express has finally come off of the tracks..
September 23rd, 2008 at 3:10 pmthe John Mcwars protection socoiety has revolted.
Palin-McCain/GOP loved the press attention at the start. Now they hate it.
The Press loved Palin-McCain at the start, now they hate them.
Palin-McCain need the MSM for votes and the MSM want and need Palin-McCain for ratings (not only in total but also to avoid losing conservative ratings over perceived bias for ‘not covering’ Palin-McCain enough through no fault of their own).
Palin-McCain have been burning their media bridges fast—they are treating the press worse than Bush did; at least from Bush they got invites to parties and rides on Air Force One.
And because McCain is being so reactionary every day the press is going to be more aggressive. Obama meanwhile just needs to keep an open invitation to the MSM.
September 23rd, 2008 at 3:11 pmThe McCain campaign will use this as proof the liberal main stream media only covers Barack Obama.
September 23rd, 2008 at 3:15 pmO.T. Sorry...Please call the gov of Georga and ask for a stay of exacution for Troy Davis..He is scheduled to be exacuted at 7 P, M, tonight....1 404-656-1776...Democracynow and even the pope have asked for clemency.....There is another rehearing of his innocence before the court's scheduled for next week, it will be to late.....Please...Blessings
September 23rd, 2008 at 3:16 pmThis farce speaks volumes. Palin is so unfit to be president she needs to hidden and protected from the impotent American press
September 23rd, 2008 at 3:16 pmPalin must be even dumber than we think if they are that afraid that somebody will hear her speak.
September 23rd, 2008 at 3:31 pmCan you imagine this moose brained (no offense to moose) barbie trying to have an intelligent conversation with world leaders at the U.N.? Please, she could barely get by Charlie Gibson!
September 23rd, 2008 at 3:32 pmOh my, what do you think those she met reported back to their respective countries. They must all be sh***** their pants at the posibility of this abject idiot in charge of the worlds largest military.
It's no wonder the press isn't allowed to cover. I think the press might as well boycott the rest of their campaign, it's not going to get any better.
It's also not a bad solution for McCain, the more she opens her mouth the more she steps in it.
"Where' Sarah?"
Do we want another fascist regime in the White House? They are already looking very Booshish and Cheneyish and childish.
September 23rd, 2008 at 3:35 pmIt's hard to feel for these idiot reporters who still follow him around like abused puppies.
September 23rd, 2008 at 3:48 pmLooks like they are going to have to run another Winnebago campaign like they did with Quayle. Put her in the Winnebago and tell her not to come out until it is over.
September 23rd, 2008 at 3:49 pmI guess we'll just have to get our news coverage of palin events from the foreign press.
September 23rd, 2008 at 4:06 pm.
Shayne Says:
Palin must be even dumber than we think if they are that afraid that somebody will hear her speak.
It's even worse than that. Palin must be even dumber than Bush if they are that afraid that somebody will hear her speak!
September 23rd, 2008 at 4:13 pmSen McCain, being a Republican, has a problem. Everyone is clammoring for the Govt. to DO SOMETHING about the Financial MELTDOWN that is occuring.
But the TRADITIONAL Conservative/Republican Response would be...
"The Government SHOULD GET OUT OF the WAY, and let the GENIOUS of the UNfettered FREE Market SYSTEM Solve this Problem. We don't need another LIBERAL Big Government Solution."
Only Problem is ... What the Republicans are SELLING is the CAUSE of the Problem.
So Sen. McCain has his work cut out for him, in the upcoming Press Conference.
September 23rd, 2008 at 4:34 pmROFLMAO! Obviously, McCain has never read Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People."
The press is now doing what they should have done after the McCainites refused to make Palin available.
Heckuva job Rick Davis, Stephen Schmidt, Nicolle Wallace, Nancy Pfotenhauer, Carly Fiorina, and Lady Lynn Forster de Rothschild -- you're really winning over the American Voters!
September 23rd, 2008 at 4:36 pmMcCain should be careful hes going from maverick to elitist.
September 23rd, 2008 at 4:37 pmThere are a limited number of possibilities:
1. The people running the campaign , assuming Flippy and Chippy have little operational control, are as batscat crazy as their candidates.
2. They are stupid enough to think that having one candidate who negates a talking point every time he goes off script, and one who's never appeared off script, is a winning combination.
3. Any number of "October surprise" scenarios.
4. The real strategy is to throw the election while offering disposable, deniable, candidates. This will give the GOP four years to blame "libruls", shed the "Maverick moderates" who's "weakness" will also be blamed, and rebrand the party.
Please note that none of these includes a rational, conscious, effort to persuade anybody that they have a clue. It's all about keeping the hardcore GOP sheeple voting in a block. Win, lose, or draw, that's the only purpose for '08 campaign spending.
Sadly, when they get outnumbered at the polls, they won't change one bit. They'll whine and moan about "librul fascism" and being persecuted because the government won't stop other people from doing stuff for fun. And they'll never even consider the possibility that they might be wrong.
So let's all do what we can to encourage sane people to vote. We have to outnumber the sheeple 'cause there ain't no way to make them see sense.
September 23rd, 2008 at 5:29 pmCut her off, shut her up. No one will notice a difference in the overall gravitas.
September 23rd, 2008 at 5:30 pmReally? That'd be like what the media is doing to Nader and he didn't snub them.
September 23rd, 2008 at 7:04 pmIt's about time - why hasn't the media been screaming, "This is absurd! What kind of candidate doesn't answer questions???" A pundit should then quizzically wonder aloud, "Typically when candidates refuse to take questions it gives the appearance the campaign is hiding something, in this case it might show the Repubicans vulnerability that their VP candidate is competent only in the eyes of religious fanatics. Otherwise, Americans know she stunningly unqualified.”
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:18 pm