BuffettNews.com

Maybe freedom of the press ain't so free?

FOXNews.com wrote:Journalists from three major newspapers that endorsed John McCain -- the Washington Times, the New York Post and the Dallas Morning News -- have been booted from Barack Obama's campaign plane for the final leg of the presidential race.

the three newspapers' reporters were told to find alternative transportation by Sunday so that the plane could accommodate "network bigwigs" and reporters from two black magazines, Essence and Jet.

Dallas Morning News Editor Bob Mong told FOXNews.com that the "indication" from the Obama campaign was that they were kicked off the plane since they don't represent a national outlet and they don't represent a swing state.

"We argued that [considering] the size of the Morning News and stature, we obviously would want to be on board," Mong said. "We're obviously not happy about it, and continue to protest."

He said, in fairness, that the McCain campaign recently pulled Morning News staff off the Republican's plane when space became an issue -- but he said the Morning News would be back on McCain's plane again this weekend.

It sure ain't free on Tuesday night.

USA Today wrote:Obama campaign to charge media election night fees

CHICAGO (AP) — Media organizations will have to pay up if they want a prime spot to cover Democrat Barack Obama's election night party in a downtown lakefront park.

Obama's campaign, awash in money after raising a record-shattering $150 million last month, is asking news organizations to pay anywhere from $410 to $1,870 depending on where they want to be and if they want telephone or Internet service in Grant Park.

but glamour and jet magazines kept their seats.

mmmm mmmm mmmm.....

Don't forget, the American Flag was removed also.

Funny Elrod that you don't mention anything about how John McCain has kicked reporters off of his plane.

Martonian wrote:Funny Elrod that you don't mention anything about how John McCain has kicked reporters off of his plane.

This thread isn't really about McCain.

But since you mentioned it, Joe Klein and Maureen Dowd are columnists not reporters. They can make up an opinion anywhere, they don't need to travel on the plane.

The reporters were removed from Obama's plane soon after their newspapers endorsed McCain. The timing suggests retaliation.

Elrod wrote:

Martonian wrote:Funny Elrod that you don't mention anything about how John McCain has kicked reporters off of his plane.

This thread isn't really about McCain.

But since you mentioned it, Joe Klein and Maureen Dowd are columnists not reporters. They can make up an opinion anywhere, they don't need to travel on the plane.

The reporters were removed from Obama's plane soon after their newspapers endorsed McCain. The timing suggests retaliation.

If the Obama campaign wanted to retaliate, the first organization they would kick off would be Fox News. But Fox still has a presence on the plane.

And McCain's camp has removed the Dallas Morning News staff also because of space requirements, are they too stifling the press?

Again, you seem to have difficulty comprehending the subject of this thread.

But since you brought it up, the Dallas Morning News editor was quoted above "the Morning News would be back on McCain's plane again this weekend."

They wouldn't dare remove Fox after delaying the start of a World Series game for Obama's infomercial.

...and in the grand scheme of things, this matters, HOW?

Elrod wrote:

Martonian wrote:Funny Elrod that you don't mention anything about how John McCain has kicked reporters off of his plane.

This thread isn't really about McCain.

But since you mentioned it, Joe Klein and Maureen Dowd are columnists not reporters. They can make up an opinion anywhere, they don't need to travel on the plane.

The reporters were removed from Obama's plane soon after their newspapers endorsed McCain. The timing suggests retaliation.

You're right - it does suggest retaliation. IMHO in the case of DMN - it's about time!!! DMN doesn't really have that great of a reputation in Dallas for fair and unbiased reporting that's for sure. December 1991 when it bought it's rival Dallas Times Hearld and then shut the sucker down the next day ended the ability for Dallasites to obtain reporting from both sides of issues. Back then the only reporting the DMN did on issues from the gay community consisted of reports of gay bashing and that's it Then back in 2001 I think, maybe 2002 when another paper tried to get a start by printing and offering a free morning paper comsisting of maybe 25 half size pages, it was strongly rumored that the DMN threatened to raise advertising prices to those that purchased ads in the other paper- thereby shutting it down. It was damn pathetic that in order to get a really good in depth story about certain subjects you had to read the Dallas Observer riddled with all the escort service ads and personal ads. It was the Dallas Observer that broke stories about many issues that mattered to a lot of people in Dallas such as the mismanagement of the city employees retirement funds as well as in depth reporting on city council proceedings. Their being booted off Obama's plane- I call it kharma. Yeah I still read the DMN but the it's the only english language daily paper in the city.

[stepping of the DMN soapbox now]

Elrod wrote:Again, you seem to have difficulty comprehending the subject of this thread.

But since you brought it up, the Dallas Morning News editor was quoted above "the Morning News would be back on McCain's plane again this weekend."

They wouldn't dare remove Fox after delaying the start of a World Series game for Obama's infomercial.

I'm glad Obama will be charging the press corps for the party on Tuesday night.
I'll bet you'll find that those proceeds will likely go to a local charity.
You know it WON'T be spent on somebody's wardrobe.

...and that World Series game has HARDLY impacted by the Obamamercial of Wed night.
If you look back at the start times of each game prior, first pitch was uniformly thrown at 5:37pm. EDT
If there was any delay produced, it was by Fox who feels the need to BS for at least 15 minutes, along with the non-stop, mood-dampening commercials for crappy Fox shows.

Elrod wrote:Again, you seem to have difficulty comprehending the subject of this thread.

But since you brought it up, the Dallas Morning News editor was quoted above "the Morning News would be back on McCain's plane again this weekend."

They wouldn't dare remove Fox after delaying the start of a World Series game for Obama's infomercial.

Sorry, I guess I should've just fallen in line and not pointed out that McCain has done the same thing on his campaign plane. My bad, I'll try to be less objective.

Michelle Obama is traveling with Barack all this weekend so that makes for less room on the plane. And I'm not sure why Obama originally had the DMN on anyway, he was never going to have a shot in Texas.... hell, 25% of folks in Texas think he's a Muslim

And I don't think the Obama camp cares at all that they delayed the start of a WS game by 15 minutes. Much like McCain probably doesn't care that the RNC convention delayed the start of the NFL Opener.

Martonian wrote:

Elrod wrote:Again, you seem to have difficulty comprehending the subject of this thread.

But since you brought it up, the Dallas Morning News editor was quoted above "the Morning News would be back on McCain's plane again this weekend."

They wouldn't dare remove Fox after delaying the start of a World Series game for Obama's infomercial.

Sorry, I guess I should've just fallen in line and not pointed out that McCain has done the same thing on his campaign plane. My bad, I'll try to be less objective.

Michelle Obama is traveling with Barack all this weekend so that makes for less room on the plane. And I'm not sure why Obama originally had the DMN on anyway, he was never going to have a shot in Texas.... hell, 25% of folks in Texas think he's a Muslim

And I don't think the Obama camp cares at all that they delayed the start of a WS game by 15 minutes. Much like McCain probably doesn't care that the RNC convention delayed the start of the NFL Opener.

All of this petty talk reminds of a bit done on Bill Maher's show last night:

"John McCain is introducing his new fragrance...

It's called...Desperation ...for Older Men
You can always tell the smell of it."

Lightning Bolt wrote: All of this petty talk reminds of a bit done on Bill Maher's show last night:

Sooo.. this is petty, but when folks talk of Sarah's glasses or clothes the RNC bought for her, it's the end of the world??

Martonian wrote:I'm not sure why Obama originally had the DMN on anyway, he was never going to have a shot in Texas....

It sounds like you are saying that access should only be granted to those that are going to help a candidate. That sure isn't what you thought about the press having access to Sarah Palin.

Martonian wrote:The Press finally revolted a bit over Palin being on media lockdown:

Crazy Navy Flyer wrote:Don't forget, the American Flag was removed also.

Shame on you, sir. I can't believe that you aren't aware of the facts behind this ridiculous charge.

The American flag on the tail of Barack Obama's previous campaign plane (a chartered aircraft) is part of the corporate logo of the the company that owns the plane - North American Airlines.

When the Obama campaign switched aircraft to their current one, they placed a campaign logo on the tail. The American flag is included on the fuselage.

Although it has been pointed out by the 'thread police' that this thread is about Obama and not McCain, I should point out that McCain's campaign plane does not (I repeat - DOES NOT) have an American flag on the tail, either. McCain's aircraft has the flag on the fuselage.

Does your rumor mongering benefit anyone at this point?

Elrod wrote:

Martonian wrote:I'm not sure why Obama originally had the DMN on anyway, he was never going to have a shot in Texas....

It sounds like you are saying that access should only be granted to those that are going to help a candidate. That sure isn't what you thought about the press having access to Sarah Palin.

Martonian wrote:The Press finally revolted a bit over Palin being on media lockdown:

[/quote]

Look there's only limited space on the plane. And there is even less this weekend with Michelle traveling with Barry. The editor of the DMN acknowledged it was because of space issues and he didn't feel it was because they endorsed McCain.

And "media lockdown" is a far cry from removing three papers from the campaign airplane, but good try there.

Lightning Bolt wrote: All of this petty talk reminds of a bit done on Bill Maher's show last night:

"John McCain is introducing his new fragrance...

It's called...Desperation ...for Older Men
You can always tell the smell of it."

Judas H. Priest, LP...he also had Michael Moore on there...suggesting our votes be hand voted with No. 2 lead pencil and manually counted, as Canada does.

Michael Moore, now there's someone you can take his word as gospel, huh?

Moonie wrote:

Lightning Bolt wrote: All of this petty talk reminds of a bit done on Bill Maher's show last night:

"John McCain is introducing his new fragrance...

It's called...Desperation ...for Older Men
You can always tell the smell of it."

Judas H. Priest, LP...he also had Michael Moore on there...suggesting our votes be hand voted with No. 2 lead pencil and manually counted, as Canada does.

Michael Moore, now there's someone you can take his word as gospel, huh?

ahhhh...Michael Moore, the Dem's version of Ann Coulter ....between the 2 of them there hasn't been a coherent thought in years

C-Dawg wrote:

Moonie wrote:

Lightning Bolt wrote: All of this petty talk reminds of a bit done on Bill Maher's show last night:

"John McCain is introducing his new fragrance...

It's called...Desperation ...for Older Men
You can always tell the smell of it."

Judas H. Priest, LP...he also had Michael Moore on there...suggesting our votes be hand voted with No. 2 lead pencil and manually counted, as Canada does.

Michael Moore, now there's someone you can take his word as gospel, huh?

ahhhh...Michael Moore, the Dem's version of Ann Coulter ....between the 2 of them there hasn't been a coherent thought in years

no kidding, throw Bill Maher in there too...he's a friggin stand up comedian...

he continually mentions he graduated from Columbia University with a degree in political science, just a step up from humanities.

He waviers between debate and stand-up but he's still only a stand-up comedian.