Network Revolt Over Sarah Palin UN Meeting Could Stir Things Up
The big story on Tuesday outside of questions related to the potential big bailout of Wall Street involved a sort of "cop out". Television networks were reportedly infuriated by the John McCain camp not allowing full access to running mate Sarah Palin during her meeting with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai.
Reporters were eventually let in for the preliminary part of Palin's meeting with Mr. Karzai, for an entire 29 seconds!
ABC News reports that all of the networks are objecting to the John McCain campaign's attempt to get photographs of Sarah Palin at the U.N., but no news coverage.
There's a battle going on right now over how the networks will be allowed to cover Sarah Palin's big day of visits in NY with world leaders. Palin is scheduled to meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai shortly, followed by Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and then with McCain advisor, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. The networks had arranged for a "pool" camera- one camera to cover the meetings, whose video would be pooled or shared with all networks. Such arrangements are standard when dealing with intimate high-level meetings between leaders and candidates. But typically, along with cameras, there is an editorial presence-- at least one print reporter, one TV reporter and one radio reporter is standard. Today, the McCain campaign had said it would allow only one editorial person inside. Now, the campaign is saying it wants only the camera inside with no editorial presence. All of the networks are objecting. Stay tuned.
PS. The networks have just voted to BAN any use of the photographs/video in protest.
The AP reports that CNN has pulled its TV crew from the event until a producer was allowed in. Campaign spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt said it was all just a "miscommunication." CBS has also aired grievances.
The mainstream media has increasingly begun to portray Palin as unapproachable and someone who is unwilling to talk to the press.
The Democrats and Barack Obama, meanwhile, inched up from -170 to -180 as favorites to win the White House this November as part of the Bookmaker.com online betting platform.
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Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com
