Well it has become a popular talking point among conservatives, the McCain campaign does not seem as eager and open to answer questions as it may appear. Although McCain often spends a great deal of time talking to reporters on his campaign bus, David Corn of Mother Jones has noticed a different approach toward those that pose questions the campaign feels uncomfortable answering.
More after the jump
Conference calls have taken press access to a new level in the 2008 election. With at least one call everyday, reporters and bloggers are able to interact with the campaigns in order to get real time statements about the day's events. The McCain campaign, however, seems to be manipulating these calls in order to push their agenda. Corn describes usual conference calls with Obama and even Clinton as interactive discussions:
After the campaign spinners and surrogates finished their opening remarks, the journalists fired questions at them. (To ask a question, reporters merely had to punch *1 on the keypad and get in line.) Hillary Clinton's aides often remained on the line for an hour or longer to answer a great many questions covering assorted topics. Obama's advisers were stingier with their time; consequently, many reporters did not get a chance to ask anything. But both campaigns took questions on a first-come basis, without the campaign aides knowing which reporter was on the other end when his or her line was opened. For the aides, it was sort of like holding a press conference in a totally dark room. When the operator said, "next question," they had no clue who would be in the interrogator's seat.
The McCain campaign, though, seems to be doing things a little differently:
This is not how the McCain campaign does it. When a reporter calls in for a conference call, he or she is asked by an operator to provide his or her name and media outlet. Then when it comes time for questions, there is a long pause--long enough for someone in the campaign to select whom should be called on. This has caused several journalists who have participated in these calls to wonder: is the McCain campaign screening reporters, and, if so, on what basis? A reporter for a progressive media outlet says that he has tried at least half a dozen times to ask a question on a McCain conference call and has had never been selected.
While the McCain camp is certainly free to use their discretion in taking questions, it is certainly a little hypocritical for them to tout the Straight Talk Express if they are intentionally avoiding questions that could provoke unpopular answers. And Corn suggests that is exactly what is going on:
No matter how quickly I press *1, I'm never afforded the opportunity to pose a question. During a June 27 McCain campaign call with former Republican Massachusetts Governor Jane Swift (who was deriding Obama for holding a unity rally with Hillary Clinton at Unity, New Hampshire), I raised my hand, electronically. Two reporters were called on--one from AOL News, the other from the Tampa Tribune--and then the McCain aide hosting the call said, "Seems we are out of questions," and ended the call. My hand was still up.
And another example, this time not involving Corn:
During a July 1 McCain campaign call featuring Senator Lindsey Graham and Orson Swindle (who was a Vietnam POW with McCain), only two questions were taken--both from conservative bloggers. The first came from Ed Morrissey, who asked Graham and Swindle, "Can you explain the significance of John McCain's command experience in the Navy...as well as whatever leadership he has shown in the Senate....and can you address...that Barack Obama doesn't have any executive experience at all?" The next query came from Matt Lewis. Referencing retired General Wesley Clark's recent comment that McCain's military service and POW experience did not qualify him to be president, Lewis asked Graham and Swindle if Clark's remark was part of "a concerted effort by the Obama campaign, or can liberals simply not keep themselves from attacking the military?" Then the call was over.
So what is going on? It seems as though McCain is limiting access, which is not exactly surprising. What could be a problem for his campaign is the effect that a revelation such as cherry picking questions has on his image as a maverick. It may be overly optimistic to predict an issue--especially with the MSMs man-crush on McCain--but exposing McCain's rank hypocrisy may have a larger impact than most cynics think.
When Clinton was caught planting questions, it hurt her in the polls. The hit she took was not part of the MSMs treatment and discussion of the incident, but rather that people want the candidates to answer questions.
Contact the McCain Campand ask them why they refuse to answer questions, and maybe we can find out if the charges are legitimate.
Update: TPM just added their take:
Asked to respond, McCain spokesperson Brian Rogers tells me that the first time the McCain campaign hears the questions that are asked on the call is when the entire call-full of reporters hears them. "No one knows the questions before they're asked," Rogers said. "No one hears the questions before they're asked."
But are the questioners permitted to ask a question -- or blocked from doing so -- based on the news org they're affiliated with? "You've been on the calls," Rogers replied. "We take on all comers."
TPM reporter-blogger Eric Kleefeld, who frequents these calls, says that his sense is that more of the questions that do end up getting asked come from friendly news outlets, though there are definitely occasions where tougher ones get posed. Kleefeld adds, however, that he has frequently tried to ask a question and never gotten through.