Speaking of Youngstown, when I covered John McCain's last appearance there April 22 as part of his "forgotten places in America" tour, he went right from the stage at Youngstown State to a small conference room, where he held a freewheeling news conference with the local and national press. He stood and took loads of questions on a variety of topics, just as politicians of every stripe do every day. (For instance, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl has an event in Bloomfield today -- you can almost guarantee that he'll meet with reporters, and if he says anything interesting about the URA or other topics it will be at the top of the 5 p.m. news.)
Of course, Ravenstahl is only a mayor and not running for the top job in the land. But McCain's decision to stop meeting with the press -- and not expose running mate Sarah Palin to a single news conference -- is a clear break with his past, and part of the media pack that once adored McCain, and which he called his "base," is starting to turn on him. (See Richard Cohen in the Washington Post.)
Today, the DNC is trying to exploit those complaints, launching a "McCain Press Watch" counter, showing 34 days since his last presser, and 18 days from the Palin unveiling and her first one. (It's here.)
What does it all mean? I have no idea -- I'm only a reporter.
UPDATE: Palin's sitdown with Sean Hannity of Fox News, taped in Cleveland, airs tonight and tomorrow. Politico with more on press complaints, including a near riot by a dozen reporters on the McCain plane yesterday.
Posted
Sep 17 2008, 10:01 AM
by
Timothy McNulty