3 newspapers endorse McCain; coincidentally, their reporters dumped from Obama plane

The Barack Obama for president campaign has kicked off its campaign plane three newspaper reporters.

The campaign says it was a tough decision deciding to boot the working reporters for the New York Post, the Dallas Morning News and the Washington Times. But, they say, there are only so many seats on the plane that the spunky new Christian Science Monitor politics blog calls "O-Force One."

And somebody had to go for these last few campaign days.

It's probably just a simple coincidence that all three newspapers recently endorsed Obama's Republican rival, Sen. John McCain, for the White House job.

"It feels like the journalistic equivalent of redistributing the wealth," quipped John Solomon, executive editor of the Times, which lost its seat after three years of travel with the candidate and just 72 hours after endorsing McCain.

That newspaper's website this afternoon headlined a report that Obama spent nearly $700,000 in U.S. campaign donations just on staging and lights for that Berlin victory rally last summer and those 200,000 Germans who can't vote over here. Gee, you could dress more than four Republican vice presidential candidates with that much money.

What's not to like in that news for the Obama campaign?

The Dallas paper reported no evidence its plane departure was political. Think about it: Why would a political campaign take retribution on reporters for a decision made by their publication's separate editorial boards? The publications, after all, pay their own way on the charters.

That would be a cheesy hardball -- and quite possibly counterproductive -- Chicago kind of thing for a frontrunner to do, especially one on a national unity ticket. A candidate's organization would have to reflect an enormous ego and over-confidence to pull something like that.

Next thing you know such a campaign might urge supporters to clog a radio station's phone lines or e-mail boxes just because it gave air-time to an Obama critic.

And it's certainly not the kind of hands-across-the-aisle, bipartisan change we need and/or can believe in a national capital that could use a large dose of both.

True, the Obama campaign has buttoned itself up from most press access, apparently fearing some kind of late-minute gaffe that might threaten its lead in most polls.

A reporter could choose to travel instead on the Joe Biden plane, plenty of seats there, and perhaps really exciting, except the old-time senator who ad libbed that Hillary Clinton might have been a better Democratic VP pick coincidentally hasn't done a media availability since right after the Republican convention in early September.

Amazingly, as Howard Kurtz points out, two seats did suddenly open up on the Obama campaign plane this weekend to accommodate Ebony and Essence magazine reporters. Another coincidence. 

--Andrew Malcolm

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Photo credit: Associated Press

Comments

[TimL]

So umm yeah,

So they are newspapers from either very red states or states that are not in play. Most of them are not national papers. And finally the biggest whiner from NY was told prior to their endorsement of McCain.

Why do you guys even post this garbage. The news is supposed to report ummm NEWS. Apparently you are now on par with tabloids.

[maggie]

Whatever happened to reaching across the aisle? Airplane aisles not included? This is troubling.

[moonbuggy]

Just goes to show that the 3 journalists opinions are 100% WORTHLESS since what they say is bought and sold and only based on whether or not they got the job, or lost the job. People like this shouldn't even vote.

[MM_A]

I would make a comment, but who knows? The Obama campaign might find a way to have its supporters block it.

[Chris Bell]

I doubt McCain would be able to get away with this.

[Disgusted]

Obama said on national news two nights ago that he would work with the opposition if elected and appoint them to key positions. What a liar. He won't even allow them to continue on his airplane. He will not be bipartisan; he's too radical for that. This, voters, is just the beginning of controlled government by Obama. It will be what he wants, his ultra liberal programs. Obama is to egotistical and arrogant to listen to anyone. The United States will be in a sad condition if he's elected. I feel sorry for the young people Obama has fooled and who will vote for Obama as their future & their children's future will be very different than mine, raised in a democracy, instead of a socialist union Obama will make our nation.

[Allan Wallace]

I thought picking Joe Biden was enough to show old time politics still reigned. "Political change" is an anachronism with either party.

[ronbo4]

This is just another form of censorship. It is much like what your organization is doing with the censorship of the tape of Obama where he toasts Rashid Khalidi during the event where Khalidi is honored with inflamatory remarks about Israel. What has he offered the paper in this collusion?

[Donna H.]

I'm fed up with reading that the rally at Berlin was attended by 200,000 Germans, when there are 200,000 American civilians and 50,000 American military living in Germany, not to mention American tourists and others who happened to be in the area, many of whom were no doubt eager to hear Obama in person. Apparently the U.S. media failed to even send any reporters to take a stroll through the crowd to see how many Americans they would encounter. Are they so totally ignorant of Americans living overseas? The MSM needs to stop covering up their failure to do their homework and stop peddling this nonsense of the crowd consisting of all Germans as fact.

[allan wallace]

I thought picking Joe Biden was enough to show that politics has not changed. I guess he can rub our faces in it now that he has assumed power.

[truthhurts]

well, it is worth a good investment of $700,000 in europe to regain our lost footing, than spending on the wardrobe of fish catcher!

[KIP]

HOORAY FOR oBAMA

[Annamaria]

Just what America needs-->a new administration that cannot process criticism and demonstrates contempt for anyone else's opinions. Oh God deliver us from fools and politicians!

[Dante]

What a blind apologia.

I'll be interested to see just how blithely the Times takes it when and if a future Republican candidate boots its reps from his plane after the paper has declared for his opponent.

You people are a partisan joke. You are everything that is wrong with journalism today.

[ChuckInWichita]

Sounds to me like there's wee bit of jealousy seeping out of the comments of Mr Solomon. Jealous that Obama acually had $700,000 that he could spend in Berlin. We, the contributors, thought it was great!! Mr McBush had the opportunity to opt out of Federal Funding just like Obama did.

I would say that it is Obama's perogative to allow/disallow whomever he chooses to be on his plane. Afterall, it is his campaign money thats paying for it to fly. Sounds to me like a whole lot of late campaign sour grapes going on here.

Maybe President Obama will grant all of them an oval office interview. hehe.

[Blog This]

As the election draws near, the Republican campaign has become increasingly desperate and correspondingly unethical and disingenuous.
The very same can be said for Mr. Malcolm's submissions to The Ticket. While the majority of his work is only as deep as bumper-sticker ideology or lapel button diatribes, his latest whining centric sarcasm is about as relevant or interesting as pop-up ads inserted into the forum which are to be scrolled passed.

[chapulin]

I hear another seat just opened up on the plane and will be taken up by a completely unbiased reporter from the communist Cuban rag, Granma.

[Angry]

Wow, you aren't even TRYING te be impartial are you? Oh wait, this is the LA Times. You're no better than Fox News.

(Wow, what first tipped you off? This is a blog. Not a newspaper.)

[Brian H]

Yikes! Don't bite down, you'll cut off that big hunk of tongue stuck in your cheek!

The Ossiah requires BELIEF, doncha know? Questions are a sign of doubt, and will get you cast into Outer Darkness.

(Oopsie -- was that a racist expression?)

[VJ Machiavelli]

I guess he feels the only loyal reporters belong on the plane. But I guess it is a warming to all that BIG BROTHER OBAMA will have no disloyal people in a "FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED" America if you don't agree we will take away not only your seat but your House, Job, Healthcare, and you will not get a "TAX CREDIT"

VJ Machiavelli
http://www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com

[Randy]

Character counts! This wasn't a coincidence, just a warm up to what Obama's campaign thought would be a coronation. Maybe this and other incidents are why the polls are dead even or showing McCain leading.

[Peter]

Thats my plane. I paid for it. Thats not a publicly financed plane. Why would I want some right leaning reporter trying to find some gaffe or tired moment or anything to hurt my candidate? I want Barack to get elected. GET OFF THE PLANE!! TAKE A BUS! WE'LL MEET YOU THERE!!

[one guy 1]

You wing nuts that accuse Obama of controlling the media are unbearable hippocrates. No one, but no one, controlled the news media more that Cheney/Bush. Travel back with me, back, backkk, backkkkk .Two words, Scooter Libby or perhaps you might be more comfortable with the Armstrong Williams propaganda, of course there’s the Army General’s that the Bush Crime Family paid under the table, caused broadcasters to hire them as independent analysts, but they weren’t to independent were they. They were actually paid propagandists for the State.

The Crime Family was extremely tenuous in pursuing journalists, (and I use the term journalists loosely) and others that asked questions they didn’t like. They would call their bosses and try to get them fired and if that didn’t work, their names would go to the white wing talkers and ditto machines. The ditto heads would start calling the TV stations, papers, talk shows, etc., demanding they be fired. Did you forget all this? I could go on, but you get the point. Well, maybe one more for posterity. Both the networks, journalists, newspapers, and anyone else in the media that provided less then flattering coverage or asked tough questions, were told their access would be cut if they didn’t “wise up”. How relevant would the media coverage be if they had no access? Ironically, it would be about the same as if they “wised up” and played along. They, (most of the corporate media) sold their sole’s for access. There will be a special place reserved for them in hell for being complicit in the ill-advised war of choice and current occupation of Iraq.

Those are facts, indisputable facts. Obama kicked off the plane, several, extreme, far right wing media “reporters” from papers who are mostly not read in swing states. They did however; offer them other accommodations and apologies. Oh, yea, Fox “news” still has a seat.

Pound salt you hypocritical wing nuts1

You wing nuts that accuse Obama of controlling the media are unbearable hippocrates. No one, but no one, controlled the news media more that Cheney/Bush. Travel back with me, back, backkk, backkkkk.Two words, Scooter Libby. Oh heck, let’s go with a few more words. Perhaps you might be more comfortable with the Armstrong Williams government paid propaganda story, or, of course, there’s the general’s that the Bush Crime Family paid under the table, hired by broadcast media to be independent analysts, but as it turns out, the generals were not too independent. They were actually paid propagandists for the State. Ever wonder why there were no dissenting opinions?

The Crime Family was extremely tenacious in pursuing journalists, (and I use the term journalists loosely) and others that asked questions they didn’t like. They would call their bosses and try to get them fired and if that didn’t work, their names would go to the white wing talkers and ditto machines. The ditto heads would start calling the TV stations, papers, talk shows, etc., demanding they be fired. Did you forget all this? I could go on, but you get the point.

Well, maybe one more for posterity. Both the networks, journalists, newspapers, and anyone else in the media that provided less then flattering coverage or asked tough questions, were told their access would be cut if they didn’t “wise up”. How relevant would the media coverage be if they had no access? Ironically, it would be about the same as if they “wised up” and played along. They, (most of the corporate media) sold their sole’s for access. There will be a special place reserved for them in hell for being complicit in the ill-advised war of choice and current occupation of Iraq.

Those are facts, indisputable facts. Obama kicked off the plane, several, extreme, far right wing media “reporters” from papers who are mostly not read in swing states. They did however; offer them other accommodations and apologies. Oh, yea, Fox “news” still has a seat.

Pound salt you hypocritical wing nuts1

[Bob the Roofer]

The New York Post and Washington Times are Neocon rags, the Dallas Morning News, not so much but you have to wonder where the liberal media is if these papers are not liberal, it just flies in the face of all that McCain/Palin rhetoric about the press. Could it be that Rush Limbaugh and the other pro-Neocon pundits are full of crap with all the "liberal/Mainstream media" hogwash? Maybe those thousands of "hillbilly herion" oxycontin pills were for Limbaugh's personal use?

[Grace]

Obama = Dubya redux