McCain Holds Press Conference Without Press

[babylonsister]

McCain Campaign Restricts Press Access

By Michael D. Shear


PITTSBURGH -- Welcome to the new John McCain press strategy.

Avoid them.

McCain today held a 10-minute press conference, complete with podium, microphones for the questioners, network-quality audio and a camera for a local television station, which allowed CNN to carry it live.

And where was the national press corps?

Sitting on the runway 27 miles away, having been ferried to McCain's charter plane, totally unaware that a press availability was about to take place until one of the handful of "pool reporters" sent an e-mail alert.

The reporters frantically fired up their cellular modems and logged on to CNN.com to catch the end of the press conference, unable to ask any questions. The handful of reporters there asked about the FISA terrorism bill, Iran and about McCain's pledge to balance the budget.

McCain's schedule for Wednesday included a note about a "gaggle" with the pool reporters, but nothing indicated a live press conference. The tactic was a first for the McCain campaign, which
basically shrugged when asked about it.

more...

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/07/09/mccain_campaign_restricts_pres.html

[TwilightGardener]

1. Chimpy 2, Electric Boogaloo. Control the press and its questions.

[lyonn]

2. Who'd a known? Weird. Thanks Bab-Sis...nt

[Overseas]

3. And thank god his team protects him against librarians too !!

He is more and more Bushlike as the days go on.

[Robbien]

4. Why are organizations still paying press staff to run around with McCain?

These guys just spend their time twiddling their thumbs on planes and buses and pretending to give "live" coverage on their news outlets. How the heck do they even justify their existence when looking in the mirror after being treated like scum all day long?