Secret Service Blocking Reporters At Palin Rallies: Milbank

Via Romenesko, the Washington Post's Dana Milbank reveals in an online chat that the Secret Service is stopping people reporters from interviewing people at Palin rallies:

Arlington, Va.: The Secret Service has now labeled the "kill him" report as unfounded. Why isn't The Post giving this report as much coverage as the original false report received?

Dana Milbank:

Glad you asked, because I saw this earlier. This is actually about the incident in Scranton, not the one in Clearwater, Fla, that I wrote about here.

I wasn't at the Scranton event, but I have to say the Secret Service is in dangerous territory here. In cooperation with the Palin campaign, they've started preventing reporters from leaving the press section to interview people in the crowd. This is a serious violation of their duty -- protecting the protectee -- and gets into assisting with the political aspirations of the candidate. It also often makes it impossible for reporters to get into the crowd to question the people who say vulgar things. So they prevent reporters from getting near the people doing the shouting, then claim it's unfounded because the reporters can't get close enough to identify the person.

Comments

[imusintheevening]

If they don't know their job is protect the protectee can they really protect Obama?

[Karenjane53]

She can't handle the press. Isn't it sad that we have to keep the VP candidate away from the press because she isn't smart enough to handle them?

[mmerose]

Yeah, that's a reasonable implication, if the Secret Service is serving the Republican political agenda, are there different policies and procedures for the Democrats?

[kidvidkid]

Here is a candidate for public office who refuses to conduct a press conference (as Andrew Sullivan points out, Joe the Plumber has held more press conferences than Sarah Palin) and who is using taxpayer funded agents to suppress free press -- a clear First Amendment violation.

Why does the press continue to cover her? Why don't all news organizations simply agree to pull their reporters until she displays accountability appropriate to someone who desires public office?

[RJ1008]

A preview of what it looks like if she really becomes the VP. CONSTITUTION in the trash by her. Heard Cheney asking his aides why they didn't come up with such a great idea all these years.

[Pupster]

I'm surprised the Huff Post doesn't have the link to these two stories about how the McCain campaign is playing the blame game about what a disaster Palin is. Apparently, the campaign is pissed at Bill Kristol. Read both the articles. They are are hi-lar-ious.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2008-10-10/palins-talent-scout/

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/16/mccain-palin-disaster/

[Sassafras63]

18 Days and a wake-up, people! Just hang tough and ignore the noise!

[lola85]

I suspect there is going to be NONSTOP NOISE from the McCain camp from here on out.

Obama/Biden '08
Keep HOPE alive

[YellowDogInRedCounty]

Non-stop noise and DIRT

[Kindheart]

It is becoming very difficult to endure.

[Speakchic]

Oh well Milbank, this is the crowd you chose to associate with so deal with the barriers that come with it.