McCain Turns Sour on His Onetime Media `Base' as Election Nears

Hatuey · 09-02-08, 09:40 AM

McCain Turns Sour on His Onetime Media `Base' as Election Nears - Yahoo! News

Quote:

McCain's campaign manager, Steve Schmidt, yesterday lashed out at what he deemed ``offensive'' and ``demeaning'' coverage and questions from reporters after McCain's running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, confirmed her 17-year-old daughter is pregnant.

``It used to be that a lot of those smears and the crap on the Internet stayed out of the newsrooms of serious journalists,'' Schmidt said at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Schmidt's criticism is the latest example in the unraveling of what was once a fond relationship between the presumptive Republican presidential nominee and the media. Starting in the 2000 Republican primaries, the Arizona senator became a media sensation by chatting up the press in the back of his ``Straight Talk Express'' campaign bus. The national press corps freely mingled with McCain for hours on the bus, with no topic off limits.

More recently, though, McCain, 72, has accused news organizations such as the New York Times, Time magazine and the NBC network of being unfair to him. The campaign even considered pulling out of one of the three presidential debates because it would be moderated by Tom Brokaw, a former NBC News anchorman.

Quote:

As the relationship has deteriorated, McCain has stopped hosting his once-famous ``straight talk'' get-togethers on his campaign plane. He also has abandoned regular press conferences.

Instead, he stops occasionally to read short written statements in front of cameras, like he did Aug. 31 in Jackson, Mississippi; then walks away from questions shouted by reporters.

His campaign plane is custom configured with a lounge area designed for hosting question-and-answer sessions with the press. McCain inaugurated the lounge on one of the plane's first flights and hasn't used it since.

Quote:

McCain also took a combative stance in an Aug. 27 interview with Time reporters James Carney and Michael Scherer, refusing to answer a question about his definition of honor.

``Read it in my books,'' McCain said. ``I'm not going to define it.'' That exchange set the tone for the rest of the interview: McCain answered a question about his opinion on premarital sex by saying, ``I don't have any response to that type of question.''

He added, ``Write what you want.''

I heard the media is mean to people.

American · 09-02-08, 09:58 AM

Looks like you're feeling a lot of hatred this morning. Why don't you go get a cup of coffee and settle your nerves?

Zyphlin · 09-02-08, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatuey

McCain Turns Sour on His Onetime Media `Base' as Election Nears - Yahoo! News

I heard the media is mean to people.

Title could be equally correct with "Media Turns Sour on their Onetime Hero as election nears".

I find it hillarious honestly. McCain got buddy buddy with the media for 6 years by going on, talking down republicans, talking down Bush, talking up democrats, questioning conservatives, etc. He starts running for President, starts playing politics, and stops doing the attacks they love and they turn on him. And now McCain is going "huh, I thought they liked me".

No John, they didn't like you. You were a useful idiot. You got up there, and gave them someone that was "bipartisan" to do all their attacks for them. And the moment you weren't useful for that anymore, and the moment you stood in the way of getting their guy into office, they went for your throat.

McCain's simply having to deal with the spoils of all his work the past 6+ years. Conservatives in general aren't buying his politicing in the past year and a half and are looking at the previous 6. Democrast are now not buying the past 6 and are just looking at the past year and a half. And both are going "eh, we don't really like you".

Hatuey · 09-02-08, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zyphlin

Title could be equally correct with "Media Turns Sour on their Onetime Hero as election nears".

I find it hillarious honestly. McCain got buddy buddy with the media for 6 years by going on, talking down republicans, talking down Bush, talking up democrats, questioning conservatives, etc. He starts running for President, starts playing politics, and stops doing the attacks they love and they turn on him. And now McCain is going "huh, I thought they liked me".

No John, they didn't like you. You were a useful idiot. You got up there, and gave them someone that was "bipartisan" to do all their attacks for them. And the moment you weren't useful for that anymore, and the moment you stood in the way of getting their guy into office, they went for your throat.

McCain's simply having to deal with the spoils of all his work the past 6+ years. Conservatives in general aren't buying his politicing in the past year and a half and are looking at the previous 6. Democrast are now not buying the past 6 and are just looking at the past year and a half. And both are going "eh, we don't really like you".

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I find it sad. But also pleasing. Nobody had a problem with the false 'Obama is a Muslim' stories. Now the media is turning itself on another victim and it wants to cry foul.

Zyphlin · 09-02-08, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatuey

I find it sad. But also pleasing. Nobody had a problem with the false 'Obama is a Muslim' stories. Now the media is turning itself on another victim and it wants to cry foul.

Wahhhhhhh?

There were a number of conservatives on this board that were rather vocal against the "Obama is a Muslim" and even the "Hussein" thing that was just trying to further that line of thought. What in the world do you mean "Nobody"?

Hatuey · 09-02-08, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zyphlin

Wahhhhhhh?

There were a number of conservatives on this board that were rather vocal against the "Obama is a Muslim" and even the "Hussein" thing that was just trying to further that line of thought. What in the world do you mean "Nobody"?

I hope you get my drift by now.

Zyphlin · 09-02-08, 10:38 AM

You've telling me that there was no one in all the media that was speaking out against the Muslim thing? There were no pundits calling it ludicrous, no democrat opperative guests that were on these shows saying its not true, etc? And I believe even John McCain got angry about such claims, even getting angry at someone praising him using the Hussein middle name.

And are you also saying that the media as a whole is chastising people for the current smears and attacks of her kids? That CNN and MSNBC and the USA Today are saying these attacks are uncalled for and unfair and smears? Cause I haven't really noticed it, I've noticed the media kind of pushing it.

I'm completely confused by your accusation here that somehow everyone was fine and dandy with the Obama is a Muslim thing, with no one in the media or candidates speaking out...but your assertion it seems that everyone is standing up for the attacks and smears on palin's kids?

Reverend_Hellh0und · 09-02-08, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatuey

I find it sad. But also pleasing. Nobody had a problem with the false 'Obama is a Muslim' stories. Now the media is turning itself on another victim and it wants to cry foul.

Since they won't hold you to it, I will.

This is a dishonest post. I had a huge problem with the Obama is a Muslim stories and posted against it.

aps · 09-02-08, 11:31 AM

When he acts like a jerk, can you blame the media?

Quote:

"Anything you want to talk about," [McCain] promised reporters aboard the Straight Talk Express in Iowa back in March 2007. "One of the fundamental principles of the bus is that there is no such thing as a dumb question." . . .

And so when TIME's James Carney and Michael Scherer were invited to the front of McCain's plane recently for an interview, they were ushered forward, past the curtain that now separates reporters from the candidate, past the sofa that was designed for his gabfests with the press and taken straight to the candidate's seat. McCain at first seemed happy enough to do the interview. But his mood quickly soured. The McCain on display in the 24-minute interview was prickly, at times abrasive, and determined not to stray off message.

There's a theme that recurs in your books and your speeches, both about putting country first but also about honor. I wonder if you could define honor for us?

[McCain] Read it in my books.

I've read your books.

[McCain] No, I'm not going to define it.

But honor in politics?

[McCain] I defined it in five books. Read my books.

McCain's Prickly TIME Interview - TIME

He has a temper problem and the media sees that. One of the reporters on the Chris Matthews show (whose name escapes me) pointed out how she has watched him lose his temper and almost lose is temper regularly. Yeah, that's who I want in the White House. NOT.

rsixing · 09-02-08, 11:36 AM

Boo..****ing...hoo. Cry us a ****ing river McSame.