McCain Freezing Out Press On Campaign Trail

John McCain has historically courted and cultivated relationships with reporters of the traveling press corps, so much so that BBC's Katty Kay once referred to the press as McCain's "base." That may be changing, according to a report from Michael Shear of the Washington Post, who observes that McCain's "new press strategy" is to "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.

Shear speculates that McCain's shift in his stance toward the press may have something to do with his campaign's recent acquisition: "The new approach may reflect the growing influence of the newly-powerful Steve Schmidt, a top adviser and protege of Bush political guru Karl Rove, who was famous for his desire to control the press's access to his candidate."

But! If you are willing to be a dedicated flack for the McCain campaign, it's a different story entirely. David Corn explains:

During a July 1 McCain campaign call featuring Senator Lindsey Graham and Orson Swindle (who was a Vietnam POW with McCain), only two questions were taken--both from conservative bloggers. The first came from Ed Morrissey, who asked Graham and Swindle, "Can you explain the significance of John McCain's command experience in the Navy...as well as whatever leadership he has shown in the Senate....and can you address...that Barack Obama doesn't have any executive experience at all?" The next query came from Matt Lewis. Referencing retired General Wesley Clark's recent comment that McCain's military service and POW experience did not qualify him to be president, Lewis asked Graham and Swindle if Clark's remark was part of "a concerted effort by the Obama campaign, or can liberals simply not keep themselves from attacking the military?" Then the call was over.

Corn asks: "Had it been merely a coincidence that the only questioners had been rightwing bloggers who had served up soft balls?" Naturally, we have no idea! But that trademarked "straight talk" is becoming a notably scarce commodity.

Comments

[rich3324]

Maverick, more like a gelding.

[trollsbwild]

thwack!

[maxdenn]

I don't know that I accept the notion that all candidates are the same. Is McCain the same as Obama?

[noamjunior]

no he is the Mc Same as Bush

[gemcando06]

No way. Obama is not the same as McCain.

McCain=Bush third term. Let us not forget that Bush also avoided the press and would not answer questions he didn't wish to answer, to the press, the Senate, the American people.

[Denemator]

Well the press doesn't write anything newsworthy anyway so what's the difference, they don't call this liar on his flip flops and blatant falsehoods, they are to blame for the past 7.5 years of eroded rights and criminal activity of our appointed leaders.

If no one is guarding the hen house the foxes have free reign.

[waverly]

Hmm ... Kinda funny that Republicans have to hide all their top GOP leaders from the public. Maybe, because their leaders are out of touch on the issues ...? Maybe, because they don't have a clue on how to fix all their mistakes ...? Maybe , because they are incompetent dolts ...?

[poppyseed]

Ah the clever Mr Rove. Let's hope his protege manages and advises his candidate, Mr McCain, as astutely as Mr Rove did Mr Bush in the 2006 cycle.

Let's see how long the lovefest with McCain's base lasts now that the big boys have taken over the McCain campaign (with the open embrace of the candidate Mr McCain, himself) and is treating the fawning, narcissistic, sycophantic press corp with all due respect.

[Bendersky]

Aaaaaaaahhh--Yet another page from the Bush playbook. It can't be that McCaine puts his foot in his mouth everytime he opens it. It's gotta be the press

[markusmarkus]

Flip flop!

[hopeless277]

As we have seen, it does not matter in the least what a candidate says. Once they have your vote, all bets are off and it's off to the Corporate Suite to pick up the pre written legislation. Both candidates are a disgrace to humanity. Both should be tried for treason and hung.

[trollsbwild]

Just remember..


THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED!

[larry278]

But you will be able to see the parts of the revolution which pass & repass you repeatedly.

[mediawatcher1975]

You should try being a little less hopeless. It never leads to positive change and you just become a bore who no one wants to talk to anymore.

[RatgurlSD]

Then DO something instead of spreading defeatism.

Yes, YOU! Get off your butt & make a difference.

[edwarvir]

Who cares what this warmonger does as long as he doesn't become president
and start another war.

[Denemator]

Hence we need to stay vigilant and not become complacent, we need every vote to be cast and MOST OF ALL COUNTED properly

[mediamarv]

27 miles sounds about right.
They aren't going to ask anything important anyway. Just continue the same ol "maverick" meme as usual.

Bloggers only from now on!!!!

[hope]

Don't avoid the press, John.

They make up at least half of your 12 supporters.

[Denemator]

He has that many??????????????

[pmag88]

McCain may believe he's doing the right thing, but if you distil the message and methods down to their core elements, what he's promising is more war, a wrecked economy, and very possibly a virtual police state. Obviously snakbit and floundering, the press isn't doing him or us or themselves any favors by providing McCain so much cover.

[diogeron]

Anybody else recall the adage about not doing battle with people who buy ink by the barrel and paper by the ton?

[sfbayani]

Who cares what he does with the lapdog MSM?
More and more people are not reading the papers anyway.
In San Francisco, the Chronicle has increased its price.
And what else?
The New York Times, Washington Post and what have you,
are out of reach. So, how do we get the news, opinions- unfortunately,
talk radio, tv but here's a sliver of hope, increasingly the net.

[trollsbwild]

The reason I find print media to be "F'ed up" is because 1) their bias is ridiculous, and their underlying facts or lack thereof leave a lot to be desired, and 2)the internet has the news brought to you much faster. By the time you get print media, it is old.

[Mij13]

Right on! I am so glad they are becoming irrelelvent. They have become part of the problem, and will never take responsibility.

[BlueOnBlue]

McCain has long known how to handle the press in ways they don't seem to mind being handled.

Before Schmidt came on board, the campaign was already using the first class section of the "Straight Talk Express" plane to reward cooperative correspondents. Those who play nice get to sit up front and have interview access to McCain, Cindy and the top brass. Those who don't play ball stay back in coach.

He used to use his bar-b-que invites the same way. Those who wrote critical pieces did not get invited for pork. Or chicken wings.

This is one of the reasons we always see McCain's limited military experience lauded in the press while scant attention is paid to just what a crappy pilot and officer he really was. And it's why nobody has still found or talked to Vicki Iseman. The first reporter who gets the goods on Vicki won't ever get on that plane again.

[AtheistAd]

On the spying ... all that really matters is how people vote on bills. Obama became a tyrant today ...

... and McCain refused to vote / splitting with the GOP.

I'm voting McCain in 2008. He's going to run the war cheaper, he isn't THAT bad on the environment, and he's gone in 4 years.

[BlueOnBlue]

"He's going to run the war cheaper"

Which one? The current one in Iraq or the one he will start with Iran? Or North Korea? Or East Timor or whatever other country warms his little warmongering heart?

[rinpochet]

I care about the Supreme Court and reproductive rights. I could NEVER vote for McCain or any other Republican.

[RatgurlSD]

Seriously? Are you high? He'll blow us all up. Yeah, that'll be a lot cheaper!

[brizzle]

But his Supreme Court nominees will stay in their new positions for decades.