McCain Blows Off WSJ Reporter (VIDEO)

John McCain's famously cozy relationship with the press is getting a bit testy. Taking questions in Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday the Arizona Republican blew off Wall Street Journal reporter Elizabeth Holmes, right after she stated her name and affiliation.

"Who else has a question," McCain interjected, before calling on a journalist with CNN. (For some comedy, watch Sen. Lindsay Graham's face on the far right of the screen after McCain shoots down Holmes.)

Later in the press availability, McCain went back to Holmes for her question. But another reporter told the Huffington Post that the brush off was legitimate and the message was clear: "He was definitively dissing her."

Holmes did not return a request for comment, but it should be noted that the exchange occurred after her name appeared on two recent articles that the McCain campaign likely viewed as critical. On Wednesday, Holmes co-authored a piece titled "News Coverage Of Obama Irks McCain Team."

"John McCain used to jokingly call the media 'my base.' Now, he and his aides are becoming increasingly frustrated with what they see as a growing press infatuation with his rival, Barack Obama."

That same day, her byline was on an article titled: "Consensus May Be Nearing on Iraq Pullout," undoubtedly a foreign policy frame that the McCain campaign is loathe to acknowledge.

The relationship between McCain and the fourth estate has come under some strain during the past week. The Senator, who has a lengthy track record of respect for the press, has unleashed his aides to publicly air grievances with what they see as fawning coverage of Barack Obama. This past week, the campaign handed out JV Press Passes to reporters who didn't cover the Illinois Democrat's trip overseas.

At the same time, Obama - who is much more closed-off to the media than McCain - has, himself, begun to stir the ire of the press pool. The New Republic reported Thursday night that the Senator's staff had been stifling their inquiries and airing complaints about coverage.

Reporters are grumbling more and more that the campaign is acting like the Prom Queen. They gripe that it is "arrogant" and "control[ling]," and the campaign's own belief that Obama is poised to make history isn't endearing, either. The press certainly helped Obama get so far so fast; the question is, how far can he get if his campaign alienates them?

Comments

[whatsthatsound]

09:44 AM on 07/28/2008

McCranky

[naturallight]

11:38 AM on 07/28/2008

Yup Graham face was funny.

In an effort of full disclosure you shoulda mentioned that Rupert Murdoch owns the Wall Street Journal. In an effort of further disclosure­, WWII Hero Gen. Douglass MacArthur referred to Rupert's Daddy as a Quisling. DId you know Rupert had to become an American citizen in order to legally own our airwaves?? That means he can be hanged under U.S. treason laws....

[macintoshsauce]

06:50 AM on 07/28/2008

McCain: Must not piss off Rupert Murdoch...

[Pam4Waters]

03:12 AM on 07/28/2008

I can't stand McCain. With Fox Noise getting caught altering photos 3 times in the last couple of weeks, I have to say that, that is an unfortunat­e choice of photos for McCain to use with the article.

[SconnieGrl]

01:33 AM on 07/28/2008

I can't wait for the debates. It'll either be, "Does someone else have a question," (even if there's only ONE moderator) or "That's not the reason I'm running for the President of the Unites States," like he told Georgie this morning when asked about gay couples adopting children.

[truthinreporting]

11:12 PM on 07/27/2008

I am loathe to form an opinion on anything that is a short clip or sound byte. We all know how misleading that can be having been subjected to this type of reporting that passes as journalism­.

However, I have read and seen enough of M's spouting of misinforma­tion, and his and his surrogates­' statements and campaign tactics to know without a doubt that this kind of 'leadershi­p' is not what I'm looking for. Why do they persist in such negative attacks? Apparently­, they have nothing better to offer us.

[ProfessorVP]

07:13 PM on 07/27/2008

What's the big deal? He didn't call her a trollop. Or worse.

[KarenJW]

07:48 PM on 07/27/2008

The big deal is that he is running for BIG office! He should conduct himself accordingl­y. The endearment­s that he reserves for his dear wife are his business - when he addresses her in private, that is. However, his blatant disrespect for this woman defines who he is!

[ProfessorVP]

08:36 PM on 07/27/2008

I should have written **** SARCASM ALERT***** for you, Karen.

[recruitgal]

06:13 PM on 07/27/2008

Graham's "Mee-ow!" expression is what makes it art... :o)

[Vurt]

05:18 PM on 07/27/2008

next comment please...

[nonconformist2]

04:57 PM on 07/27/2008

Somebody knows they are losing and it makes them very very cranky!

[MetryJen]

09:10 AM on 07/27/2008

I'm still trying to figure out why they say the press is in love with Obama. I see more articles against him than for him, check out any given day on RealClearP­olitics as an example. This is just McCain trying to pull a Hillary - complain about bias and watch the media wrap themselves in knots trying to prove they're not. Its totally ridiculous­. The problem is that most of the country isn't absorbed in this election as we are, so all they see are stories about McCain's maverickne­ss and Obama's cockiness. End result - Obama's still only up by 6. If the people really knew about McCain's constant gaffes and failed policy prescripti­ons it'd be a landslide. But they'll never know, because the "liberal" press ain't biased, no!

[nonconformist2]

05:01 PM on 07/27/2008

O definitely gets more media attention, the problem is, as you stated, most of the attention is negative in their attempt to knock him down a peg or two.

[aztecdiva]

09:02 PM on 07/27/2008

But when those same polls factor in Nadar and Barr that lead goes from 6 to 10 to15. The media is playing with the numbers and creating the false impression of a tighter race.

[Repuganator]

08:56 AM on 07/27/2008

Maybe what McSame & his minions ought to consider is that if they want the kind of press coverage Obama is getting, they should do & say things that are interestin­g, informativ­e & worthwhile­. After the fact attacks are not gonna do it. We're sick & tired of this crap & with the proof being in the pudding...­.look what the last 8 years have done to us.

[serena1313]

11:46 PM on 07/26/2008

Not only does McCain have a cozy relationsh­ip with reporters they protect him. CBS edited out two damaging gaffes John McCain made during an interview with Katie Couric.

ABC Gibson and Stephanopo­ulos are so biased toward McCain that they unfairly present Obama in the worst possible way. Fox News likewise. Fox should change its name to anti-every­thing-Obam­a. Andrea Mitchell tells Obama to be careful not to be too presumptuo­us, the new meme. It's been picked up by the WaPo, The National Review, Time, AP, etc... A reporter on CNN warns Obama about being so well received abroad.

No matter what Obama does it is never good enough. After flawless trip abroad pundits are saying he looked "too Presidenti­al." I have never seen such blatant BS.

Had journalist­s done their jobs Americans would learn that having respect and support from the world community is a powerful tool for a US President. The world respects Obama. In contrast the world sees McCain as representa­tive of all that has been bad for the world.

America needs all the help it can get. In a global village and economy we need allies.

[Lupin77]

09:42 PM on 07/26/2008

He is so rude!!

[Lion24]

07:52 PM on 07/27/2008

Don't want any probing questions, John? Don't run for President.

[ObamAtomic]

07:40 PM on 07/26/2008

He is planning to give an speech(Ger­many) after he be swear President of the Party.
Reporters will be barred from the event
Closed doors,secl­uded area,fores­t scenery

[Cactusflower]

07:36 PM on 07/26/2008

The real McCain is showing up, now that he realizes the challenge before him. He just throws tantrums instead of figuring out how to overcome the challenge. Do we want such a man leading the country? We will be in even deeper trouble if he wins the election.