Reporter's Notebook: Seeing How The Other Half Lives from Obama to mcliverspot

[a kennedy]

From CBS News' Dean Reynolds:

(NASHVILLE, TENN.) - After most of the previous 12 months covering Barack Obama's campaign for the presidency, it was interesting, instructive and, well, relaxing to follow John McCain for the last few days. The differences between the two are striking.

Obama is the big time orator, McCain is the guy who struggles with a teleprompter or even note cards strategically placed nearby. Obama's crowds are larger, more enthusiastic. McCain's events are smaller, but to my eye, better choreographed. And now with the addition of Sarah Palin to some of his events, McCain can boast of crowds that match Obama's in energy.

There is an urgency to the McCain campaign now that I don't think was there before. Due to the fact that he is running second, no doubt, but it may also be because McCain has a finishing kick. Whatever the case, he is sharper on the stump than he was before. (Though I would suspect a candidate running behind would want to schedule two or three appearances per day, instead of the one McCain usually does.)

It is true that McCain enjoys taking questions from the audience in town hall-style settings. That doesn't mean he is the master of that kind of forum, it just means he's good at it. He likes to converse with voters. Obama does it well too, but seldom achieves that intangible bond with the people that all politicians crave -- or fake.

Behind the scenes, where the public is not allowed, there are other differences.

Obama's campaign schedule is fuller, more hectic and seemingly improvisational. The Obama aides who deal with the national reporters on the campaign plane are often overwhelmed, overworked and un-informed about where, when, why or how the candidate is moving about. Baggage calls are preposterously early with the explanation that it's all for security reasons.

full article: http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/10/07/politics/fromtheroad/entry4507703.shtml

[grace0418]

1. "Obama does it well too, but seldom achieves that intangible bond with the..."

...people that all politicians crave -- or fake. "

What is this guy smoking? Seriously.

[grannie4peace]

2. blah, blah, blah

i wouldn't go anywhere near mcshit's campaign

[GrizzlyMan]

3. Dean Reynolds is a fuck stick

This reads like a love letter to the McCain campaign and a hit piece on the Obama campaign.

Get this Dean, you fucking POS, Obama is trying to win this race. Pardom him if he's less worried about making sure your drink is cold.

[jpgray]

4. Refuses to coddle or schmooze with reporters?

Oh noes!

[rainbow4321]

12. See post #11 n/t

[elkston]

5. What the hell. This was a total hit piece. n/t

[elkston]

6. Read the comments too. Its hilarious people still believe in the "liberal media" concept

[TankLV]

7. mcINSANE is good at town hall forums?!?!?!

He's "good at it" because they're all CLOSED EVENTS OPEN ONLY TO SUPPORTERS!!!

He's never had to face a REAL OPEN "forum"...!!!

[TexasObserver]

8. Someone is in a snit, or auditioning for work with the GOP.

It appears his intent was to write a hit piece.

[Cha]

9. Fuck Dean Reynolds...biased lying piece of

SHIT. Everything that turd wrote in the OP's page is fucking false.

[Phx_Dem]

10. McCain is sharper on the stump?! Really?

I guess he missed the "prisoner" remark.

[rainbow4321]

11. What a bunch of whiney media pricks (McCain family fawning over media--pictures!!)

From the OP article


But this campaign can often be found in the air and flying around at the time the "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric" is broadcast. I suspect there is a feeling within the Obama campaign that the broadcast networks are less influential in the age of the internet and thus needn't be accomodated as in the days of yore. Even if it's true, they are only hurting themselves by dissing audiences that run in the tens of millions every night.

The McCain folks are more helpful and generally friendly. The schedules are printed on actual books you can hold in your hand, read, and then plan accordingly. The press aides are more knowledgeable and useful to us in the news media. The events are designed with a better eye, and for the simple needs of the press corps. When he is available, John McCain is friendly and loquacious. Obama holds news conferences, but seldom banters with the reporters who've been following him for thousands of miles around the country. Go figure.

Maybe none of this means much. Maybe a front-running campaign like Obama's that is focused solely on victory doesn't have the time to do the mundane things like print up schedules or attend to the needs of reporters.


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Nice timing on the post, BTW, I was wondering where or if I should post what I was just looking at.
Seems pictures of reporters (and gushing over them) is all the rage on Meghan McCain's blog. Reporters posing with her, one reporter being given "best dressed of the day award". So WHAT is the real problem here? McCain camp is fawning all over the reporters while they tag along, making them feel still relevant..and the Obama people are giving them a dose of fucking reality. Boo-fucking-hoo.

Here's the links and some pics and their captions



John from NBC saying hi. (He's this week's best dressed reporter. Check out his bolero!)

http://www.mccainblogette.com/archive/june_9_12.shtml


Chatting with Bo from NBC



Cameraman John.


Bret Hovell from ABC


Holly Bailey from Newsweek is this week’s best-dressed reporter


http://www.mccainblogette.com/archive/jun_4_6.shtml

http://www.mccainblogette.com/archive/jun_4_6.shtml ("media friends" comments w/ their pics)
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And so on and so on, tired of posting the pics she has taken and posted with her "media friends".
Note to these McCain media friends. Don't get too excited when she takes your pics and puts them on her blog. Cuz she and her family also have fake pet cockroaches that she took/posted pics of:

We named them Peter, Paul and Mary.

http://www.mccainblogette.com/postings/081108_0922.shtml

(and towards the bottom of the page...people posing with the pet cockroaches.

[AlCzervik]

13. For fucks sake he loves townhalls because they're screened, if there was ever going to be

a real townhall forum with actual real people and not McCain supporters he would shit his drawers.

[Oak2004]

14. Okay, let me get this straight

Obama draws tens of thousands of people, and his supporters are so enthusiastic his opponents have mocked him, and them, for it's "messianic" quality.

His opponent is forced to talk to smaller, very controlled, crowds of Republican Party faithfuls.

And Obama is the one who does not connect?