Reporters Spar With McCain Press Aides Nicolle Wallace, Brooke Buchanan (VIDEO)

Clearly not all reporters are enamored with John McCain's press operation.

Early Wednesday, the Fox affiliate in St. Louis posted video of an awkward, testy exchange between several reporters and McCain's senior press aides -- Brooke Buchanan, the national press secretary, and Nicolle Wallace, the former White House communications director.

"I think there was an attempt by somebody in your staff to take a look at the shot, and I have never, ever had anybody at any organization..." a peeved station staffer told Wallace before being interrupted.

"Really? You've never done anything at the White House?" she replied. "I was at the White House for seven years and we looked at every shot." The staffer pushed back, "Not at our shots," while his colleague asked Wallace, "Which White House?" She refused to answer, saying it didn't matter. He replied, "Oh yes it does!" Wallace told him he looked "agitated."

Later, another reporter asked the McCain aides for their names. Buchanan responded, "Why does that matter?" and asked sharply, "Do we have a problem here, because if -- we may want to reschedule for another day..."

A compelling look at the sausage-making behind presidential candidate interviews.

Update: Some more details on the reporters in the video, from a reader: "The Fox (KTVI) reporter in the blue shirt with his back to the camera is Charles Jaco. The NBC (KSDK) reporter sitting next to him is Mike Owens. The last person standing up asking for names is Mike O'Connell from CBS (KMOV)."

Comments

[Boboday555]

Let's all cut the ladies some slack.
Its their, nearly impossible job, to make sure the republican presidential candidate John McCain knows every single question beforehand, that Mr. McCain has thoroughly memorized the answers provided to him by his 'handlers', that the cameras catch the senator's good side and that the lights flatter instead of reveal the republican nominee.

Those poor ladies have enough crap to deal with...

[Paladine]

One question...WHAT White House did she serve in for 7 years?

She looks all of 22!

[ecotopian]

The Bush White House. She was White House Communications Director from 2005-2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolle_Devenish

[adzeman]

No she's actually 300 years old. Lives on blood of virgins and kittens.

[ErnestineBass]

Weergins? LOL
We got no weergins, but we gots pawlenty of tastee, fresh kittens...you want?

The current overabundance of cats (and dogs) is due to either, 1) idiots who are either too irresponsible or too cheap to have their pets spayed or neutered, or, 2) people who, through their own fault, or those of a greedy, immoral bank, have lost their homes, and hence must turn their pets over to a "publicly-funded" animal shelter.

Oh, and BTW...I'd pay good money to watch one of you neocon religious freaks explain the concept of abstinence to a dog who's humping your leg. BahWahahahahaha

[markkraft]

"Lives on blood of virgins and kittens..."

This explains how Jenna and Barbara got through seven years of the Bush White House unharmed.

[EarthToZoey]

Brittney, Kimmie, and Brooke. Sounds like a set of Bratz dolls.

[ErnestineBass]

Just take away the plastic...oh, wait...never mind.

heh heh

[gage]

You're a sexist. Why do have a problem with the fact that McCain has female staff?

[misterbone]

"Why does that matter?" It won't matter at all in 4 months, Brooke.

[frl]

the girls seemed to have quite an attitude. i don't know what went on that made them so defensive, but if that is the extent of their people skills.... :(

from what the video showed, i didn't think the men seemed arrogant at all. maybe i missed something. the girls just seemed really defensive.

[Perla]

Perspective is an interesting thing. I saw it just the opposite (and I can't stand McCain).
Of course, I also saw them as women, not girls.

[infinity]

Why do you refer to the women as "girls" and the reporters as men, and not, let's say, boys? Aren't you being as condescending as these young women appear to be to the reporters? Like the rest of us who viewed a 2 minute snippet of the conversation, you admit having no idea of what transpired prior to, or after, the exchange and so have no context to judge what brought it about or how the apparent disagreement was resolved. Remember that the tv station the reporters work for made the tape; don't you think the station has a vested interest in portraying its reporters favorably? Another tempest in a teapot during the summer campaign doldrums. Perhaps if the reporters had done their jobs properly we would have a video of some insightful discussion by the candidate on national issues rather than this somnolent kerfuffle.

[Krikkit]

What does it matter? They look young enough to be girls. The important thing is that they are trying to control what get's released of their candidate, which means they are starting to realize they've got a non-winner on their hands.

[frl]

give it a rest already. ever hear grown women call each other "girl"? even older women do.

anyway, the woman (happy now?) had quite the attitude when asked what her name was. period. and the boy (happy?) wonder only asked her name!

[gage]

That "girl" is McCain's national press secretary.

Obama has a male press secretary. Good thing, since his supporters are amazing sexists.

I'm a woman, and I saw a couple of white guys trying to pull some some BS on those "girls".

I'm a republican, but now I see what the PUMAS are so mad about. Obama supporters are very sexist.

[scouserinlondon]

I am a supporter and I am not sexist.,therefore your statement is untrue.

You should not tell lies, you know what will happen to your nose..... 8>>>(

[bored2tears]

When their candidate loses the election, will Buchanan and Wallace return to their jobs at the DMV?

[lbrillante]

Okay maybe they are afraid after all of the 'green screen' publicity but I don't see what good it will do them when they won't see what he looks like once he sits down.

They have much bigger problems than what his 'shot' looks like. They have to worry about what comes out of his mouth. I can't believe this guy is still in the race for president. Hasn't this country been through enough with George Bush, I can't believe ANY of the republicans are taking McCain seriously as a candidate.

[Nolewoman]

I'm with you.

[DMHendrix]

Didn't Nicole Wallace used to work for Bush? Explains a lot.

[Sloopydrew]

They act EXACTLY like the PR women (and men) I deal with when I attend movie screenings and publicity junkets where you have 5 minutes to interview an actor in some hotel room. I honestly can't stand the majority of these people (PR).

[venicesurfer]

well they have a busy schedule and other interviews.

[smags72]

That's no reason to be rude, condescending and really defensive.

[DrFitz]

Most of the entertainment reporters interviewing celebs are idiots who couldn't ask an intelligent question if their lives depended on it.

[unpoetaloco]

I can promise you that these are former sorority girls whose biggest responsibility to date has been chairing a charity auction at their sorority house. They are so tightly wound that if one thing doesn't go as planned, they start unraveling like a cheap cable knit sweater.

[Ladyrantsalot]

Sorority sisters. Exactly. I was busting my brains trying to figure out who they reminded me of. I can almost hear them now: "whatEVerrrrrrrr, Brooke. My Gawwwwwwd. Is that man pushy or whaaaaaaat?"

[johnbkk]

haha .. they don't seem like the smartest pair.

[gage]

Another sexist.

[truthyguy]

The tone of any organization flows from the top down. McCain has been known for years to be quick tempered and angry, with vicious snipes when he doesn't like something. His campaign press staff simply treats people as they are treated.

[hopefull2008]

What is it they say about getting in a p**ing match with someone who buys ink by the barrel .... ?

[kkuate]

McCain's own Shock and Awe!!
McCain has learned so much from Bush in the past 7.5 years - It is becoming more and more dificult differentiating one from the other, and this reflects on their campaign staffers behavior.

[jamesjm]

I am a cameraman and have worked with politicians, reporters and at the White House. The Press Aides have every right to look at the shot before the interview. They want to keep a high level of integrity to the shot. There are a lot of lame cameraman and Producers out there (hello Fox) that can't set-up a nice interview background with pleasing lighting. Obviously, the Reporters had the cameraman roll and shoot their tangle with the Press Aides. That is dirty and just degrades their ethics and morals more. Perhaps they the reporters got their experience at Hardcopy. Furthermore, these reporters are a bunch of pompous wannabes that think they should-a-been something. When you work at Fox, your scraping the bottom of the barrel....

[smags72]

You're right, they do have the right to look at the shot. But there is no reason to be snippy and defensive. Those reporters were 'a bunch of pompous wannabes that think they should-a-been something?' Really? Did you get that from the video footage, or do you know them personally? Because I didn't see that in the video at all.

[markkraft]

Why does it matter what the rules are for interviews with the President? McCain deserves no more consideration regarding interviews as Dennis Kucinich, Ron Paul, or anyone else who was a candidate.

He is *NOT* an incumbent... he's a public official, plain and simple.

[Steeevyo]

She's hot.
I know I know.
Always that had that weird thing going for Republican press secretaries.

" Do we have a problem here?"

Rrrrrr, ust gives me goose bumps. ;-)

[Hagrid]

7 of 9 in the White House

[jubo]

That Press Secretary?

[Mellenbal]

They are Republican Press Borg. Reporters will be assimilated.

[jubo]

What do you have against hips? That hourglass would last a second.

[urnumbersix]

OOOoooo!
Good one. "...Hourglass would last a second..."
I'm stealing this one to use on other, shall we say, "boyish"-shaped women.

[Wildcatdiva]

This where the internet is not your friend. Some of you people are a little creepy.

[Steeevyo]

Or maybe they're ironic?
Satire?
No?
Oh well.