Claiming media is 150% "in the tank" for Obama, McCain cuts off contact with reporters following him

[bigtree]

September 22, 2008 06:28 PM

MEDIA, Pa. -- John McCain and Sarah Palin have cut off nearly all contact with the reporters who follow them, and their top officials began the week by picking out one perceived adversary by name for a direct pummeling.

But by day's end, thanks to a stop in a quirkily named Pennsylvania municipality, members of the press could close their eyes and briefly imagine the unlikely possibility of dialogue with the candidates they cover.

"Let me ask you a few questions, Media!" Sarah Palin said, before launching into a familiar series of rhetorical queries about Barack Obama. (For example: "Our opponent likes to point the finger of blame, but has he ever lifted a finger to help?")

In a morning conference call with reporters, strategist Steve Schmidt had described The New York Times, which had published a story about campaign manager Rick Davis's work for a lobbying consortium of pro-home-ownership groups, as a "pro-Obama advocacy organization" that was "150% in the tank" for the Democrat. That appears to make the paper at least half as much more of a problem to McCain than NBC, the previous favorite subject of the campaign's bias claims . . .

read more: http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/09/media_matters_f.html



HuffPo finds that McCain has relied on the NYT for his attacks on Obama:


McCain Campaign Sent Out Scores Of Attacks Citing NY Times

September 22, 2008, 6:04PM

The Huffington Post adds some sorely needed perspective to the buffoonish attack the McCain campaign lobbed at The New York Times today:

For a party that rails against the New York Times, the Republicans sure depend on the Grey Lady to score political points.

Since the end of the primary, John McCain's campaign has sent at least 60 emails to its rapid response list that reference the New York Times. They have used the paper to repeatedly knock Obama for voting "present" in the Illinois State Senate. They have used it to defend McCain's record on Jack Abramoff, to accuse Obama of flip-flopping on Iraq, and to bolster the case for vice presidential pick Sarah Palin...

Moreover, since July 1, the RNC and the McCain campaign have sent out at least 38 press releases that reference the Times, while, since the end of July, the RNC has sent out at least 65 emails that quote the paper.

This, of course, was before the McCain campaign had decided that the Times isn't a real journalistic organization, as McCain adviser Steve Schmidt said today.

read: http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/09/mccain_campaign_sent_out_score.php


from The Washington Independent:

McCain Camp: If You Point Out Lies, You’re ‘In The Tank’ For Obama
http://washingtonindependent.com/6788/mccain-camp-if-you-point-out-lies-youre-in-the-tank-for-obama

[Kingofalldems]

1. There is no such thing as 150%

Another lie.

[bigtree]

16. pfft!

:spray:

[Tunkamerica]

28. yes there is.

maybe not in this context but 150% exists.

[bigtree]

34. like 'universal means the entire universe?'

-- from last night's Sat. Nite Live

[Tunkamerica]

40. two nights ago, but no

I'm just correcting the false idea that 150% doesn't exist. 150%=1.5 . It exists. Can this idea of "being in the bag" for Obama be described in percentages greater than 100%? No. Except as an exaggeration. But, don't confuse people. Somebody's going to read that comment and really think that percentages over 100% don't exist. Especially if it's been a few years since 3rd grade math.

[bigtree]

43. of course, most folks would read that in context

. . . and conclude that there can't be more than 100% of the media, and that 150% is a typical exaggeration by the McCain camp.

[Yavin4]

75. Your Answer Is 150% Correct

just a little joke.

[Kingofalldems]

66. Right, I meant it in this situation

Like a ballplayer saying he will give 120% effort. One can only give 100% effort.

[shadowknows69]

29. Republican math

It can do anything.

[Indenturedebtor]

47. Yes all we need here are some derivatives and some leverage n/t

[Ikonoklast]

52. I agree with you 200%!

:hi:

[BlooInBloo]

82. The number 1.5 doesn't exist??? OH NOES!!!!! ARITHMETIC TOTTERS!!!!!

:rofl:

Gawd I love genius DUers.

[grannie4peace]

2. he can't face the fact it his own fault he's losing

[DJ13]

3. Cutting off all media access is a kiss of death in politics

Good!

[avaistheone1]

10. Good. Now McCain will have to pay for any air time he gets.

:rofl:

[spotbird]

26. Bush basically did it

But he wasn't in their face about it.

[KoKo]

38. He did and was successful. I don't think the media is going to get their nose outta' joint...

because those on the Campaign Trail don't have to do any work at all exposing the McCain-Palin lies, now. They barely did any reporting before...so what difference does it make if they are cut off. They get to fly around on a Press Jet and Blackberry their friends and family and eat at great restaurants on their "per diem" rather than the hog swill most candidates have to eat on their "whistle stops."

Those "reporters" have it good these days. Just look at David Gregory and how far he's come for doing no work except showing up at Press Club to dance with "MC Rove." Got him his own show at MSNBC. :puke:

[WCGreen]

41. Really, all they ever really do is point and shoot and then emphasis

the key word in their spiel and ad a head toss...

[Subdivisions]

4. Good. And those reporters should save their orgs the travel

expense accounts they're riding around on.

No press, no coverage. Fine with me. =)

[msongs]

nice graphic, would like to see THAT on some youtube/viral ads nt

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. This is not going to help them in the least.

They are going down and flailing, feeling that all of creation and its creatures are conspiring against them. Steve Schmidt is getting really desperate.

Look at it this way: if the mess with the press, how are they gonna get their message out? Squawk Radio? O'Reilly, Hannity and Savage? As if.

[gratuitous]

20. Oh, I dunno

It seems to have worked like a charm for the Bush administration. Admittedly, McThuselah is sounding a little more ham-handed about it, but is it really so different from Ari Fleischer menacingly telling reporters that stories evincing skepticism about the official White House line "had been noted in this building"? And we all know that the media reporters really, really like their barbecue, and the possibility of being cut off by Straight-Talkin' Johnny Maverick might just scare them back in line.

It's gotta work for the McCain campaign a lot better than discussing the issues.

[Trekologer]

50. Bush was at least smart about it`

The Bush administration wasn't as overt as the McCain campaign and gave out access for favorable coverage. The McCain campaign is shooting themselves in the foot. This will drive the press to be "in the tank" for Obama.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

67. Well...

They are accusing the press of being in the tank to their faces and ears. Not wise.

[calico1]

6. Oh my!

Can we say paranoid?

That's not a good idea....

[central scrutinizer]

7. meanwhile Obama meets with O"Reilly

Biden has had 68 interviews, Palin 2 and one of those was the scripted love fest with "journalist" Hannity.

[Supersedeas]

65. and Saddleback -- meanwhile

[Naturalist]

8. THEY ARE WEAK

and are going to loose it and have many tantrums. I just hope McCain doesn't have a stroke. He really feels he is owed the Presidency.

[JerseygirlCT]

31. Yup

And I think we're due for the mother of all childish tantrums when he loses. Please, when he loses.

[LaPera]

9. Take the ball and go home...Hey, it works for Limbaugh & Goebbels....keep saying it

and before you know it, you have news organizations bending over to be more conservative than Fox News as if that were possible....say liberal radio can't make it...and the truly stupid talking heads and even dumber corporate heads.. believe him, and it to be true....Just say anything over & over and people will believe it as truth...some Nazi said this what's the fuck his name, Rove?

[calmblueocean]

11. I actually started laughing reading this. What a whiner!

"You all HATE me! I'm gonna go HOME!"

Team McCain sounds like a 5th grader on the losing end of a kickball game. The more he whines like this, the more votes he's going to lose.

[Turbineguy]

12. McCain should be used

to getting fucked up the kazoo by his own party by now.

That really is his problem.

[VP505]

13. Easy answer to a tantrum like that is

for reporters to just quit covering McSame/Palin, no more requests for interviews no more cameras at their speeches ,etc, then see how fast they get over their tantrum and have an attitude change.

[screembloodymurder]

32. While we're at it, Obama should tell McCain

he's too busy helping straighten out Bush's mess to have a debate.

[VP505]

35. LOL, that would be funny

but I think I want to watch a Harvard trained Constitutional Law Professor run circles around grampy McSame.

[screembloodymurder]

81. You may be surprised.

Obama is ahead. He should call the shots.

[kenny blankenship]

14. And they called Nixon paranoid!

Don't you think you're letting this persecution complex thing get a wee bit out of hand, Senator?
Well, if your dysfunction helps keep you out of the White House, I shouldn't complain. Go ahead, declare war against the NYTimes and sever connections with your press corps, give 'em all the silent treatment. BTW, you would not BELIEVE the vile things I heard the ABC News reporters telling the Washington Post about you the other day!

[tularetom]

15. So WTF is it gonna take for the Keating Five to not be "off limits"?

Of course they think they can bully the wussy press corps. It's worked for 25 years, but now they're even openly asserting their right to lie without question by the press.

[clear eye]

17. This mismanagement of the media is the most convincing proof that the neocons that have seized

control of the McCain campaign don't want to win. Karl Rove, who skillfully lured the media with faked leaks to get them to out Valerie Plame, wouldn't alienate them like this by mistake. He also isn't threatening reporters or dirty tricking them when they speak the truth about McCain. He is still protecting Palin which makes me think he sees her as the next Bush in 2012 or earlier if he can provoke enough of a backlash against Obama to engineer an impeachment. She has just the combination of stupidity, outsized ambition, and sadism in a "I'm just folks" package which attracted Rove to Bush.

He's still interested in the results downticket, so voter caging and other forms of election fraud will continue unabated.

[Odin2005]

61. You got it wrong, the neo-cons aren't in control anymore,

The Neo-Cons have discredited themselves and Big Money and the Religious Right are maneuvering for control of the party. McCain wanted Romney or Lieberman as VP but the fundies shoved Palin down his throat. This is the GOP's 1968.

[clear eye]

77. We all wish.

Whether or not the party, like all political parties, is divided, Rove is very much in control of McCain's campaign. What I addressed was his change of behavior in handling the media. If he didn't want this to happen, he knows very well with his years of practice, how to stop it. He wouldn't have gotten McCain all riled up and subtly maneuvered him into throwing the reporters out of the campaign. Cheney is out there stirring up trouble w/ Russia while he bribes Georgia to give control of their pipeline to whatever giant conglomerate he's fronting for. They are working for the longer run. They're not letting go w/o a fight, and bankrupting the Treasury, framing Obama for the resultant economic disaster, diverting everyone and draining any new revenue using conflict w/ Russia, and pumping up Palin who has even less regard for the Constitution than Bush, is part of it. Oh, and they've got giant Oil bankrolling them because Oil wants desperately to derail the green revolution which an economic disaster would achieve. Palin will keep the religious right on board. Watch and learn.

[firedupdem]

18. They are pissed because they are losing and they have been

called on their lies! They weren't going to let the dumb shit near the media anyway and McCain can't handle it either. Forget both of them. Go to fux tv where lies and bullshit are welcome!

[Gold Metal Flake]

19. Uh oh, no more backyard barbecues for his pet reporters.

[msongs]

21. media should PULL their reporters from the McCain plane, just wasting their time nt

[ladywnch]

33. true. then they'd just complain that no one is covering them or paying any attention

and THAT proves the media is in the tank for Obama. they whine either way...which means they win either way.(not necessarily the election just the whinning)

[billybob537]

22. Better call the WHAAAAMBULANCE

Does this mean wre not invited to the next TIRESWING cookout?
Remember this moment McCain JUST JUMPED THE SHARK
so long SUCKER!

[Quantess]

60. what's your emergency?

[stillcool]

23. I'm sure that does not include..

pimping on the television.

[Snotcicles]

24. The Media should cut off McCain. He needs them more than

they need him. He would be begging for attention after two days.

[JitterbugPerfume]

25. screw you guys, I'm going home

Cartman :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[H2O Man]

27. The Straight Talk Express?

As McCain becomes more bitter and blames the media for his problems, he is morphing into Richard Nixon. I think that a number of journalists are beginning to recognize that.

[JerseygirlCT]

30. Reality has a distinct liberal bias, McCain

And I do hope you stick to this idea. It's sure to endear you to the press that's been used to following you around slavishly.

[City Lights]

36. The media ought to wise up and stop covering the McLame campaign.

If they're both too a-skeered to face our lapdog media, how will they ever face America's real enemies?

I really want to see the media push back. Hard.

[Flying Dream Blues]

37. Another eerie parallel to the chimp in chief...can't we have a grownup this time? nt

[Abugface]

39. I guess this means he will tell the media to stop showing his ads ...

over and over and over again during every prime-time news cast?

Give the poor guy a used hankie :( .

[Botany]

42. The McCain internal #s must be in the toilet

If you can't communicate then you can't be President

[MadHound]

44. Somehow I don't think it's the media's actions that are causing this clamming up

Frankly I think it's the fact that the McCain handlers realize that their two candidates can't be exposed for what they are, senile and clueless, that's keeping them at arm's length from the media.

[Kansas Wyatt]

45. The pansy ass REPUBLICANS want the same preferential treatment...

Commander Idiot In Chief received over the last seven years. McCain to media: Don't believe what your lying eyes are telling you, treat me like you did Georgie in his elections.

Little pussy republicans cannot stand not getting a spot from the start, even though they are getting it in the polls. Jeez, these whining little babies piss and moan about having to earn something on their own. Pull yourselves up by your own bootstraps you damn scam-artist crybabies!

Oh, and someone forgot to tell this to Lou Dobbs, because he has been parroting "liberal media" non-stop lately and is very BIASED toward John McPalin, even though McPalin is the same as what he has been bitching about for years now with Commander Idiot In Chief.

[4 t 4]

48. Please do us a Huge favor "PALIN " McCain ticket...

SHUT UP. MOST Americans don't care.

[Kansas Wyatt]

51. Excuse you?

[vanderBeth]

46. The media is supposed to tell the truth, and when they do they throw a fit.

They must have forgot about faux noise, too.

[JVS]

49. That's smart!

;-)

[Matariki]

53. Is it just me, or does the boston.com writer have some serious problems with sentence structure?

Can anyone translate this 'quirky', run-on sentence for me:

"But by day's end, thanks to a stop in a quirkily named Pennsylvania municipality, members of the press could close their eyes and briefly imagine the unlikely possibility of dialogue with the candidates they cover."

And this:

"That appears to make the paper at least half as much more of a problem to McCain than NBC" - half as much more? what does that mean?

[Dukkha]

54. Then why are they following Palin around like Scarlet Ohara's suitors?

I guess it stings too when she call you her running mate

[palincomparison]

55. "Well," to quote Church Lady: "Isn't that conveeeenient?"

Palin doesn't have to answer at a time when she's already played 'stumped the candidate' at a forum and McCain is releasing the kind of ads he is.

Well, I know a time this week he'll have to answer a few questions. Friday, Sept. 26th, to be exact.

Heh, heh, heh...

[applegrove]

56. Is this all a cover to hide the fact Palin will not talk to real media at all?

Will that day she sits down for a thorough interview by a gaggle of reporters never come? Is she going to be the Max Headroom of VP candidates?

[The Gunslinger]

57. Man i'm tired of this shit..........

Every time I tune in to the MSM, i hear someone crying that the media is bias toward the liberals and Obama. Then the next thing I hear is Obama bashing. Liberal bias my ass.

[Duke Newcombe]

58. Isolating oneself from activities one previously enjoyed is a sign of depression, John.

Seek help now...come to think of it, seek help in December instead.

That is all.

Duke

[bigtree]

59. WaPo: The Media Blackout: Nearly 40 Days and Counting

THE country may have turned its attention to the economic crisis and a staggering $700 billion bailout proposal, but political operatives still have their eyes on other issues.

Among them, for the Democrats, is keeping track of how long it's been since the Republican presidential ticket has answered questions from the media. A Web site keeps track.

As of this writing, it has been 39 days and 22 hours since Sen. John McCain last held a news conference (despite having promised to hold weekly Q&A sessions with the press if he's elected). According to the Democrats, it's been 24 days and 11 hours since his running mate, Sarah Palin, held one.

Not the most important issue of the day, perhaps. But maybe the most ironic, given where McCain and Palin were Monday:

In Media, Pa. Where they didn't take questions.


http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/22/the_media_blackout_nearly_40_d.html

[RoyGBiv]

62. Yeah, that's gonna help him ...

I had an inclination he'd start falling apart at some point in his campaign, but I didn't expect it this early.

[donna123]

63. waaah waaaah waah do mccain-palin ever stop whining?

they're just pissed the press is printing the truth, instead of talking about lipstick on pigs
people couldn't care less about crap when the paulson wants a 1 trillion bailout!

[Jeffersons Ghost]

64. K&R great

[barbtries]

68. boo fucking hoo

such bullshit. it boggles my mind to acknowledge how many people actually believe that rot.

[Alexander]

69. Reminds me of McGovern's "I'm 1000% behind Eagleton"

Just before he dumped him from the ticket.

[uppityperson]

70. "Our opponent likes to point the finger of blame, but has he ever lifted a finger to help?" wtf?

I thought she complained about his community organizing. Funny article, those poor people.

[Festivito]

71. Calculated move. Media shows his poor mind, poor events,..

He's better off letting the operatives spew their talking points without his wrinkly-faced-white-hair-dude appearing without proper camera angles.

[Mad_Dem_X]

72. "...has he ever lifted a finger to help?"

WHAT??? Is she kidding?

And banning the press? Yeah, that's a good idea. LOL

[Rosa Luxemburg]

73. Is telling the truth being in the tank?

[opihimoimoi]

74. Typ Bully Reaction::: Aggressive Anger

[Yavin4]

76. This Is How A Real News Media Would Respond

Stop covering the McCain campaign. Stop showing his rallies. Put Obama and Biden on at every chance they get. Take a hard line. Enough of this "working the refs" crap.

[CitizenPatriot]

78. two factors at play here

Media= big conglom with money / power needs being lobbied to Washington (all lobbyist must contribute to Repub causes or they do not get hired by the firms) so of course they've been in the tank for the Repukes all these years. But even they sense the shift in the wind and don't want to be caught with their ass in the...

Media= big egos who don't like being played with. in the past, accusations of "liberal bias" made them work double time to prove otherwise, but some of these folks have been around the block and remember the last time they were used and made fools of (WMD anyone?). They would desperately like to prove their value and their integrity, as the informed viewer (25-45 especially, the target group, who tend to be more internet savvy and can get real news sans spewing head) is questioning the purpose of talking heads who repeat ad nauseam what was said yesterday on the campaign trail, offering little to no insight or perspective.

I tend to be dubious of the right's motives, but on this one, I really think they overplayed their card. Every regime falls after a long run, which causes them to get complacent in their approach and to reuse the same tactics, even while the populace has changed.

Look at Rachel's numbers...the winds are shifting.

[chill_wind]

79. The McCain/Schmidt Campaign is in a death spiral. Access is everything.

Magazines and newspapers have to be sold. Advertising has to be paid for. There are financial bottom lines.

A vacuum is being filled of necessity.. and most of it hasn't been very positive for McCain in the last 30-40 days.
Schmidt, unlike his smarter counterparts, has forgotten who really runs things in Washington.

[Bluebear]

80. Temper, temper, little man!

[dkofos]

83. They just fuck up to much in front of the press. I'm sure the M$M will

still give them plenty of face time. Wouldn't want to upset the close race.

[krabigirl]

84. ? I don't even get how he could claim that. It's obvious the media is for McSame.

[Douglas Carpenter]

85. it is the media that has puffed up the "McCain is a maverick" line. It is the media that keeps the

"McCain is a foreign policy expert" mime. Even though he doesn't even know basic eighth grade geography.

It is the media that covers up error after error that would have ended the campaign of Sen. Obama if they had been reported - which they would have been and relentlessly so.

Imagine if the media simply treated McCain/Palin with the same scrutiny they treat Obama/Biden!

[intheflow]

86. But the media is his base!

BWAAHAAAHAAA!! :rofl: :evilgrin:

[misanthrope]

87. This is pretty transparent...

...They are attempting the same thing the Bushies used in the ramp-up to war. Doing this so far out from the election in a day and age where news cycles and campaigns move at breathtaking speed could certainly backfire.