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

[mespace]

It's hard to get in there and dig for gaffes when you can't get too close. She's running for the VP slot, why does everyone even care? Can we get something more convincing than "She's a heartbeat away." At least when she talks, I actually think she believes what she says. I get the feeling Joe Biden says what he thinks he's supposed to say to get ahead in the polls. http://mespace.wordpress.com

[LemonMeringue]

There is something physically wrong with McCain. The rapid eye blinking, the uncontrolled tongue, the lapses. If he is inaugurated on January 20 I don't think he will last the year.

You think he believe that stuff? Then she's not just dumb, he's evil.

[utd]

Um, but he's already ahead in the polls, like way ahead.

I think you are correct though Sarah Palin believes what she says, she just can't remember what she says, or what John McCain's policies are, or what papers she reads, or any Supreme Court case besides Roe v Wade.

[NTO08]

Um, but he's already ahead in the polls, like way ahead.

The polls are apparently as volatile as the world markets...­Obama's huge lead has gone up in smoke, as Gallup and Rasmussen have him up by only a few points now at most...mor­e realistic, more believable, and certainly more credible..­.but of course Obama supporters will pick and choose their polls to suit their viewpoint, ignoring reality, as is their wont...

Obama's hope that America would not be divided 50/50 has not come true...the­re are still deep divisions culturally and politically that rhetoric and slogans just will not salve.

[LemonMeringue]

If she believes the stuff she says, God help us all.

[alabaman]

The media should be should be blasting this story out everywhere to stop the Secret Service from doing this. Can't they get a court order to force the Secret Service to give them access?

[BMS]

Are the Secret Service supported by our tax dollars? Because I never agreed to my taxes being used to censor the press.

Disgusted American

[peaches49]

This is truly scary stuff. Why isn't the media screaming out about this? Where are responsible congressmen and senators when the need is there to speak out about these actions. There seems to be a lot of talk and no action. This combo of McPalin is very dangerous --one is not qualified for her job and the other does not know it. I truly do not understand how any one can support these people and their ideas .

[Frenbar]

The corporate media and the democrat party have been the willing enablers of George Bush and his fellow war criminals for the last 8 years. This latest 'revelation' should come as a surprise to nobody.

[LemonMeringue]

The corporate media takes its direction from the Bush administration. They're useless tool, with a very few exceptions.

[maggsa]

McCain's sexist tool is Palin and boy does she don't know it yet. How thick can you get. Look no one is interested in her, no one cares what she says or what she thinks. Who cares what her security service are saying. Its over for Sarah Palin. Stuffed dummy days are over. Yes, McCain would have done better with anyone else. Go Obama/Biden - the world is begging for change!

[dinatate]

Good God.....th­is whole Palin mess couldn't get more Orwellian. Her statement last week, (after she was found GUILTYof abusing power) when she said something to the effect of "I'm glad I was cleared of wrongdoing" and now completely restricting the freedom of the press. Hasn't anyone read l984? Seriously?

[thepianodiva]

She's totally Orwellian. Excerpt from transcript of v.p. debate:

"Say it ain't so, Joe, there you go again pointing backwards again. You preferenced [sic] your whole comment with the Bush administration. Now doggone it, let's look ahead and tell Americans what we have to plan to do for them in the future. You mentioned education, and I'm glad you did. I know education you are passionate about with your wife being a teacher for 30 years, and god bless her. Her reward is in heaven, right? ... My brother, who I think is the best schoolteacher in the year, and here's a shout-out to all those third graders at Gladys Wood Elementary School, you get extra credit for watching the debate."

Utter gibberish. Double talk and double think. Can you believe t.v.s talking heads actually discussed this stuff? Shameful and idiotic.

[moeg]

If McPalin is elected, Sarah will finish the job Bush and his henchmen started 8 years ago. Before this century hits the quarter mark, it would be the Third Reich all over again. The really sad part is that a once-heralded "hero" will be the one responsible. How so many in this country are so blind is beyond comprehension.

We must elect Obama-Biden.

But then we can't let them let us down. We need a vigilant populace, a proactive populace, a protesting populace. Part of what happened since the activism of the late 60s and early 70s is that America got complacent. Too many video games, too much reality TV. Too much self-indulgence. America, if given a second chance at democracy and an esteemed place in the world, needs to get up off the couch and STAND UP. Putting O in the Oval Office should be just the beginning.

[josephiatron]

moeg, well said. My thoughts exactly, but you said them more eloquently.

[moeg]

Thanks josephiatron!

[proudem]

Make the scary man and the bad lady go away.

[izAriver]

Wow, are we under martial law or something?

[AmHope]

This is just a preview of what to expect if McCain/Palin get into the White House.

[inwhatrespectcharlie]

The press has let us down...the media should be all over Palin. When will she Meet the Press...

[dinatate]

No doubt. Like last week......­why wasn't her delusional behavior all over the front page of every newspaper when she pretended that she had been cleared of any wrongdoing in the Troopergate investigation? Isn't that kind of delusional behavior or out-and-out deceit newsworthy?

[Ethics101]

I'm still waiting for the whole story the press fell asleep on with Jeff Gannon and the White House visits. ; )

Nothing gets too much press that could cause a "stir".

[chronic]

The right wing in the US is dangerous to America and the world!!

[suhud]

So is Palin going to ben freedom of the press if she gets elected? Is that how she'll "broaden" the office of VP? Here, in Germany, somebody tried that back in the 30's...

[bygollymissmolly]

So much for a free press. Pretty soon we won't have any rights left.

[Yermammy]

This is truly sad. When I was a kid and read a lot, the Secret Service was one of my hero's. Like Firemen and the Police. This is truly sad, folks.

[aubrey8]

Palin's running scared she doesn't know enough about the issues to talk about them.

Where's the media on this....he­r refusal to talk to the press really concerns me. she's made it an issue.

[JoeQuimby]

No teleprompter is her Kryptonite

[PJBroughton]

Palin doesn't possess the capacity to put a sensible simple sentence together. That's the issue with me.
I'm disgusted that she and I share a simple chromosome (as that's all we share) in common.