Famously Open McCain Campaign Restricts Press Access

Washington Post:

Welcome to the new John McCain press strategy.

Avoid them.

McCain today held a 10-minute press conference, complete with podium, microphones for the questioners, network-quality audio and a camera for a local television station, which allowed CNN to carry it live.

And where was the national press corps?

Sitting on the runway 27 miles away, having been ferried to McCain's charter plane, totally unaware that a press availability was about to take place until one of the handful of "pool reporters" sent an e-mail alert.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[thepoliticalcat]

Famously open, or famously good at manipulating the MSM shills? Let's hope the old man keeps stumbling and bumbling and turns off at least 59 per cent of the electorate/.

[demfriend]

So this new Steve guy is Rove in disguise? The facts tha Mac's speaking is usually full of stuff not ready for prime time has the rest of the reporters sitting far far away while he talks to a select few. Do we rememebr last tiem when Bush only allowed certain reporters and certain people in the audience? Same stuff different name. Mac isn't going to make good marks with these reporters who have had to sell their soul to get on the plane and/or bus by making nice to the throw up point. Many might see this as the chance to get back at these backroom nasty tactics. They don't have to write the piece just tell someone else to and then let it all blow up. Mac's asking for bad stuff when he messes witht he wrong reporters like this. Cannot imagine kissing butt only to be stuck 27 miles away waiting for something else to happen when Mac's butt is firmly in front of the cameras and mic and they are stuck on the tarmac.

[Chillinout]

Now that he is dissing the MSM, maybe they will do their job and actually start reporting on the real Mcclone instead of the manufactured "maverick" Mcclone.

[thepoliticalcat]

That'll be the day. The MSM corporate w* h* o* res are not about to see their jobs outsourced to India or Africa because they spoke the truth. Their corporate bosses wouldn't like it.

[Crake]

Roves' politics in motion =D

[Dane1911]

I said the exact same thing.....­this is scary....

[shel3364]

After his "killing Iranians with cigarettes" comment, this is probably the best thing his handlers can do for damage control.

Keep the fool scripted.

[Grunty1]

Since most of the media just spews out whatever talking points they were given and ignore Mc'Cain frequent flip-flops and gaffes, what difference does it really make?

[bosshogg]

losing his bearings?????? no i'm just going to say it he's OLD.......­..........­..........­.......

[shades3]

Thank you bosshogg for giving me an opening to remind people that "losing your bearings" does NOT mean getting old. It means losing direction in the discussion, or not focussing on the discussion at hand.
This business of accusing Obama of calling McCain "old" because he suggested that McCain was veering off the subject being discussed is ridiculous. Anyone can be said to have lost their bearings, if they are seen to be becoming confused.
McCain's supporters seem intent on seizing any opportunity to say that the Democratic Party is picking on "poor John McCain" because he is old. There is no doubt that he IS old. But, the Democrats have deliberately avoided using that as a reason that he has a single-minded mindset that his experience, military, is the first arrow in their quiver. If the goal of countries is to achieve peace, how does launching unwarrented war, just because you can, achieve that end?
How can constant, unrelenting use of terrible weapons, as well as humiliation of entire populations ever lead to peace, however that may be defined??
It's insane.

[Meggie]

why in the world would he snub the press? they've completely ignored all his flip-flops, his ignorance on many issues, his disregard for Iraq's request for us to leave....
so far in the general, they've given him nothing but good press. if MSM was after his every word and each flip-flop (not just one mention in mid-afternoon, make it SEVERAL news cycles for each issue like ham-handed treatment of Obama's statements) then I could see him cutting them off.

maybe he thinks he looks old on camera without proper lighting and wants to try to control that.

[comacoma]

McCain learns from FEMA... another foolish mistake by a foolish old man.

[flyrod]

McCain and Bush do this because they don't have command of the issues. They lack a deep understanding of what they're talking about, and are unable to speak off the cuff. Unfortunately for McCain, this is where Obama shines.

[bryansmith]

A sign of things to come, four more years

[WillNYC]

he's talks gibberish.­...

[personalpolitical]

Maybe McCain doesn't respect you (the media) because you don't deserve respect. Maybe if you didn't treat him like you were head over heels in love with him he might take you a little more seriously. He is taking you for granted because you go out of your way to run negative stories about Obama, people Obama knows, or make believe "demographic problems" Obama supposedly has, while virtually ignoring anything negative about McCain. Screw the media, I have no sympathy for them.

[swift goat pet for truth]

As a political junkie, I have been watching all the races fairly closely.

I saw the GOP contenders flounder away. McCain won mostly by attrition.
I have been watching McCain for decades, and saw his 2000 presidential bid, as well as his current
flip flopping around with a poor message and a lousy organization.

I saw Hillary run an OK campaign, not great, but OK.
I saw Barrack take the nomination away from Hillary, starting from almost nothing.

I KNOW this campaign is the largest enterprise McCain has ever run.
I KNOW this campaign is the largest enterprise Obama has ever run.

Based on the RESULTS, I know whom I would pick to run the country.

[Missmn]

And yet, the national press is still giving this guy a pass. Perhaps a few more of these stunts will be enough to motivate them to do their jobs and report on the nightmare that is John McCain.