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McCain-Palin Camp Tried to Block Media Access to Palin in NY
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ShareSeptember 23, 2008 12:09 PM
ABC News' Kate Snow reports: The McCain campaign tried to limit access to Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin today as she met with world leaders in New York.
For a time this morning, the McCain-Palin campaign refused to allow any editorial presence -- no reporters or producers -- to go with a network pool camera to take pictures of Palin meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
The McCain campaign eventually relented after the television networks threatened to ban and not use any footage of Palin meeting with leaders.
Palin is scheduled to meet with Karzai shortly, followed by Uribe, and then with McCain advisor, Kissinger.
The networks had arranged for a "pool" camera -- one camera to cover the first few seconds of the meetings, whose video would be pooled or shared with all networks.
Such arrangements are standard when dealing with intimate high-level meetings between leaders and candidates.
But typically, along with cameras, there is an editorial presence -- at least one print reporter, one television reporter, and one radio reporter is standard.
However, today, the McCain campaign told media covering Palin's trip to New York that they would allow only one editorial person inside.
Then the campaign scaled back further, saying it will only allow a camera and no editorial presence.
The networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and Fox fiercely objected to the McCain campaign's apparent effort to try to shield Palin from questions. Networks voted today, as a protest, to not use any video coming out of Palin's meeting.
Palin has not held a news conference since being selected as McCain's running mate, nor taken questions from her traveling press corps, frustrating journalists assigned to cover Palin for the election.
After the television networks strenuously objected to the McCain campaign's effort to block any editorial presence from the room, the campaign finally allowed one CNN pool camera and one pool producer into the meeting room.
As she arrived for her meeting with Karzai, Palin avoided reporters who were camped out at the main front entrance of the hotel, instead pulling up in a motorcade to a side entrance and quickly sneaking inside.
Palin's dance with the press continued during her meeting with Karzai. After being told that an editorial presence would be permitted in Palin's meetings, pool reporters were asked to leave after the first 30 seconds, according to the pool report. Print pool and wires were not permitted in.
"The decision was made for this to be a photo spray with still cameras and video cameras only," Palin spokesperson Tracey Schmitt told reporters.
Reporters in the room for the brief period only heard Palin, who was accompanied by foreign policy advisers Steve Biegun and Randy Scheunemann, inquire about Karzai's son.
The McCain-Palin campaign allowed a "full pool" into the meetings with Uribe and Kissinger, but the sprays were even shorter, and reporters heard nothing more than pleasantries being exchanged.
September 23, 2008 in Palin, Sarah | Permalink | User Comments (906)
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McJoke is a sham
Posted by: jen | Sep 23, 2008 12:13:28 PM
Sept. 23 (Bloomberg) -- The lobbying firm of the man Republicans say John McCain has chosen to begin planning a presidential transition earned more than a quarter of a million dollars this year representing Freddie Mac, one of the companies McCain blames for the nation's financial crisis.
Timmons & Co., whose founder and chairman emeritus is William Timmons Sr., was registered to lobby for Freddie Mac from 2000 through this month, when the federal government took over both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.
Newly available congressional records show Timmons's firm received $260,000 this year before its lobbying activities were barred under terms of the government rescue of the failed mortgage giant. Timmons, 77, is listed as a lobbyist for Freddie Mac on the company's midyear financial-disclosure form.
While Republicans say Timmons is making plans for the transition if McCain wins in November, the campaign wouldn't confirm his role. Timmons didn't return a phone call seeking comment.
Posted by: Bhrandon | Sep 23, 2008 12:13:35 PM
Why the hell is Palin metting with Bono?He is a nobody and should be barred from the U.S. I have no respect for this woman now.
Posted by: Rgeier | Sep 23, 2008 12:13:57 PM
Even Fox protested the attempt to shield Palin? Wow.
But then again, who cares. Her 15 minutes are up, now that she's just another investigation-ducking Republican. Its an old, boring story.
Posted by: Paul | Sep 23, 2008 12:14:06 PM
McCain and his economic adviser pushed through the deregulation to get us into this mess. A couple of months ago his adviser said there is no recession, that it's all in our heads and we're whiners. Last week McCain said our economy is strong. A couple of days ago he said the deregulation *helped*. Now we're watching the biggest bailout in history, and he's pointing the finger at the head of the SEC. What kind of fool trusts this guy?
Posted by: beck | Sep 23, 2008 12:14:39 PM
She cat talk because she is in an ethical legal battle .. I cant beleive the media hasnt mentioned this.
Posted by: Brian | Sep 23, 2008 12:15:41 PM
She is a fake- a dirty person in power- uses her power to get what she wants -tells lies after lie she is a clone of Bush. McCain should know better but all he cares about is the votes she can get for himI wonder if he has mild dememtia started????? The ride on the skirt tail of a unknow is over Honest the American people are not stupid .......They both should be replaced by honest people....
Posted by: me | Sep 23, 2008 12:18:04 PM
She is a disgrace. Voters must not accept this incompetence & secrecy.
Posted by: dem in chicago | Sep 23, 2008 12:18:41 PM
we will run an open government
uh huh just like your campagin
Posted by: Bhrandon | Sep 23, 2008 12:19:01 PM
Wow! The McCain campaign threw you guys a bone? Great! What transparency...I would just as soon have done without Palin's meetings. She's a very bad joke played on the American people. Great choice McCain.
Posted by: counting crows | Sep 23, 2008 12:19:45 PM
RGEIER,
BECAUSE BONO HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE UN ON THE UN'S MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS BY BRINGING AWARENESS AND MEETING WITH WORLD LEADERS TO ASK THEM TO JOIN THE PROGRAM AND COMIT THEIR COUNTRIES (EX, CANADA) SINCE 2005.
THE UN IS PREPARING FOR A WORLD SUMMIT WHERE THIS PROGRAM WILL BE DISCUSSED, IN NEW YORK
THE MCCAIN CAMPAIGN SPENT TIME POINTING OUT THAT SENATOR OBAMA WAS SPONSORING A BILL FROM SENATOR DAVIS THAT REQUIRED FOR THE UNITED STATES TO MEET THE COMMITMENT LEVEL WE PROMISED BACK WHEN THE PROGAM BEGAN. SO BASICALLY MCCAIN KIND OF SORT OF REJECTS IT? BUT HE HAS NO PROBLEM FREE LOADING AND USING THE VERY SAME SUMMIT TO GIVE HIS RUNNING MATE, SARAH PALIN, A QUICK "DIPLOMACY FOR IDIOTS" 101
THAT IS HOW SARAH PALIN GOT TO MEET WORLD LEADERS, AND BONO.
FUNNY ENOUGH, RUMORS FROM MCCAIN BACKERS ARE SPREADING ABOUT OBAMA NOT WANTING TO GO TO THE VERY EVENT HE SPONSORED A BILL FOR...
MCCAIN - VOTE FOR HIM, HE THINKS YOU ARE STUPID.
Posted by: GIGI | Sep 23, 2008 12:26:33 PM
If they don't want to be covered leave them alone.
THE PRESS SHOULD BOYCOTT THE McCAIN CAMPAIGN.
Refuse to run their commercials.
Do not cover their campaign events.
The jerks will come back crawling.
Never in America shall we elect a President and Vice who have not been scritinzed by the REAL PRESS (not FAUX NEWS).
Posted by: Steve_NJ | Sep 23, 2008 12:28:19 PM
None of you deserve any time with her. Your treament of her and her family was a national disgrace. None of you have any right to demand anything from her.
Posted by: s.b. | Sep 23, 2008 12:30:17 PM
Your Sarah Palin is quite psycho chick. She shoots wolf from helicopter but is too weenie to face the press. You Americans dig up the craziest weirdos to run your country, no wonder you fat blobs are in such trouble.
Posted by: euro.guy | Sep 23, 2008 12:30:43 PM
Wow! SOME VP candidate - "pulling up in a motorcade to a side entrance and quickly sneaking inside".
I hope the media and the TV networks take note of that.
Looks like the proximity to Russia has instilled some totalitarian ideas into Palin.
The question is - what's wrong with the media??
Is this still the United States???
Where are the journalists???
Posted by: Sunil | Sep 23, 2008 12:34:01 PM
How about this scenario:
McCain and Palin get elected.
McCain falls ill and/or dies, Palin takes over as President.
God tells Palin the Rapture is coming.
Palin gathers her family around her and prays.
Palin pushes the Red Button so she and her family can go to heaven.
We all die. Except for the cockroaches.
There. It's all over. We don't have to worry anymore.
Posted by: nomorerepublicans | Sep 23, 2008 12:35:43 PM
Let me get this straight, she is ready to be President if necessry and is afaraid of journalists? I know you guys are a tough crowd but come on sooner or later the girl has to speak. Can she speak?
Posted by: jenny | Sep 23, 2008 12:36:01 PM
If this story was about Obama I'm sure it would be front page news. Will the media continue to allow McCain and crew to slap them around? Do the American people deserve to know about the people we are voting for? Or we becoming socialist not only with our economy but with our elections as well.
Posted by: Erik | Sep 23, 2008 12:36:30 PM
"The McCain campaign eventually relented after the television networks threatened to ban and not use any footage of Palin meeting with leaders"
Photo-Op?
Forget Friday nights debate... I'm waiting for the VP debate.
Posted by: Vanessa | Sep 23, 2008 12:36:35 PM
How can there be any doubt in anyone's mind, of any political party, that Palin is a big zero. Trying hard to be kind. Palin and her high school educated husband are each on their own just a big zero. McCain is not much better because he picked her and keeps defending her. Hopefully the majority of Americans will vote for the USA and cast their vote for Obama/Biden because the election is between Obama/Biden and Palin/McCain, no other party ticket. I am amazed that anyone who is not mentally impaired still supports Palin/McCain. For the record, I am not a democrat but I will be voting for Obama/Biden instead of Palin/McCain because Palin is a huge zero. Being nice.
Posted by: Lawrence | Sep 23, 2008 12:38:12 PM
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