Media matters for McCain
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.
Hours later, they came to the seat of Delaware County in suburban Philadelphia, on the steps of a courthouse where two other tactical media-bashers had come to campaign before him: Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. Local lore is unclear on the basis for the town's name, but it almost certainly predates Rupert Murdoch or Marshall McLuhan or the earliest publishing-minded Sulzberger ancestors.
"I want to say: Thank you, Media!" McCain exclaimed, the type of thing that he once suggested he believed when he called the Fourth Estate "my base." Now he has gone 39 days without a press conference and appears to have permanently disabled the "Straight Talk" function on his "Straight Talk Express" bus.
Only one member of the McCain team acknowledged the ironic setting for the rally. "How glad I am to be in a place where can proudly say that Media is for McCain-Palin!" Joe Lieberman said.
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Thanks for your opinion piece. You are obviously an Obama person.
I am from Media, and Lieberman is wrong. Media is certainly NOT for McCain-Palin! I was there, holding a sign that said "McCain/Palin: You can run from the press, but you can't hide from Media!" The supporters were bused in. The protesters walked...
Media comes from the latin for middle - the town is in the middle of Delaware County, thus why it is the county seat.
and Media, PA is definitely not for McCain. At least I hope not, or I will have to denounce my town.
I live in Media. It's in the middle--media--of the county, established in the 19th Century. Charming town. But we weren't charmed by McPalin. I was there. The thousands of cheering Republicans all came in on big buses. I don't know where they came from. People who actually live and work here was in the back--as close as the cops would let us get to the grandstand-- chanting "liar! liar!" Lots of real homemade signs ("Palin: Bush in a Skirt"; "I can see Russia from my house." Another had a doctored photo of Palin in a bikini and said "Vote with your Brain."). All the McPalin signs inside that appeared handmade were all made by the same hand--I picked up a few from the detritus after the rally was over. It was an incredible experience to see the Republican sham machine so close up. I'm scared!
I attended the Media, PA rally and drove an hour to see it. Media is a town of maybe 5,500. There were close to 20,000 at the rally mostly wearing red shirts with about 20-50 Obama supporters in a corner with signs and being rude & obnoxious - mostly college kids from the nearby ritzy liberal schools like Haverford, Swarthmore, Villanova and Bryn Mawr.
This is in very liberal Delaware county and there's no way there should've been that many McCain/ Palin supporters! Lots of union folks attended but with Palin signs - husband Todd's union connections are having an impact here in PA.
We were bused in from a nearby mall parking lot in Springfield since there's not exactly a large number of parking spaces in downtown Media - a quaint suburb of Philly.
I am not an Obama fan but now you say he is spreading lies about you. Everything here is a lie? You tell us.
Possibly charged rape kits to victims, does not believe in evolution, religion is questionable, encourages shooting bears and wolves from lowing flying planes, troopergate, no abortions for rape or incest, supported the bridge to no where before she opposed it. Has a pregnant teenager, her only experiences with Foreign Relations is the fact she can see Russia from AL, Questioned a librarian about book banning and later the librarian was fired. Does not believe in Global Warming, and left her city in debt as Mayor.
HAS NOT RELEASED HER TAX RETURNS YET
Cannot stand the heat - better get out of the kitchen.