Barbara West photo from WFTV.com
If the Obama campaign was looking for a way to turn their adoring fans among the media against them, it appears they may have found it.
In a Florida television interview with Barbara West of WFTV in Orlando, Joe Biden was asked some questions he didn't like. Regarding Obama's "spread the wealth around" comment to Joe the Plumber, West quoted Karl Marx's credo: "From each according to his ability, to each according to his means" and asked how Obama's policy was different.
She then asked Biden about his own statement that some rival nation would create a conflict to "test the mettle" of Barack Obama and that we should be supportive because the response will not be immediately viewed as being right.
He didn't like either question and apparently, after a pow-wow with the campaign, it was decided that no more interviews would be granted to the station. An interview with Biden's wife was immediately cancelled and the station received a written notice:
"This cancellation is non-negotiable, and further opportunities for your station to interview with this campaign are unlikely, at best for the duration of the remaining days until the election," wrote Laura K. McGinnis, Central Florida communications director for the Obama campaign according to the Orlando Sentinel.
The questions were not outlandish. They were addressing real concerns that real people have. They were not accusations. They were just questions. (link to interview below)
Whether the media favors right or left, one thing they adore more than their chosen candidate is themselves. When you start suggesting that tough questions are out of bounds or start ostracizing media outlets because you don't like their interviews, even the most sympathetic media outlets are not going to tolerate it; not on TV, not on radio, not the newspapers and definitely not the bloggers, right or left.
It's probably too late in the game to have an effect on the election, but if the Obama/Biden administration thinks their going to spend four years in the White House fielding softballs from the press, they've got another think coming.
Comments
My favorite question... read it a couple of times if you have to:
"Now you recently said, 'Mark my words,it will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama.' But what worries many people is your caveat, asking them to stand with him because it's not going to be apparant initially that he's right. Are you forewarning Americans that nothing will be done and that America's days as the world's leading power are over?"
It's a legitimate question to a rather cryptic statement. My money's on that they're looking for an opportunity to reinstate the draft, with an out that would involve a "public service" option if you don't want to join the military.
But, whether you think the line of questioning is valid or not, the real story here is the response to being posed questions they're uncomfortable with. Are they planning on treating the White House press corps the same way?
Joe Biden should change his name to Joe Stalin; then he and Hussin Obama can start a peoples party and trash the Democratic Party as just not socialist enough. A vote for these commies is a vote for the phonies they are.
Remember that Stalin chocked the free press first and then the killing started.
I don't know about all that. I think Obama might realize (or maybe already does) that once he's in he really doesn't need pander to the extremes anymore. He seems more an opportunist than an idealogue to me. Very similar to Bill Clinton. Remember, his party took a beating while his own popularity soared.
As far as press relations though, this was a blunder of biblical proportions.
The moment she "set the stage" with the quotation from Marx, it stopped being a legitimate question. Would you have reacted the same way if she prefaced a question to Palin with an equivalent quotation from Hitler?
Yes, if the McCain campaign put out a statement that they would not do any more interviews with the station because they were offended by a question I would have reacted the same way.
It appears that the Obama campaign is not willing to elaborate on their generalizations about "sharing the wealth" and "international confrontations" The media in general had better be aware that this is warning: If you aren't neutral or a supporter, you will be blacklisted.
I don't know about all that. I think Obama might realize (or maybe already does) that once he's in he really doesn't need pander to the extremes anymore. He seems more an opportunist than an idealogue to me. Very similar to Bill Clinton. Remember, his party took a beating while his own popularity soared.
As far as press relations though, this was a blunder of biblical proportions.
Sorry Ed, but this commentary is a joke.
West didn't ask "tough questions", unless you count "when did you stop beating your wife" a tough question. West's questions were insulting smears - a re-hash of wild-eyed half-crazed GOP talking points that are desperately being circulated in the media.
Proposing a tax structure similar to the '90s, with unprecedented economic growth and prosperity, isn't "Marxist" or "Socialist". If it is, I suspect many Americans would say - bring it on!
Further, anyone with a smidgen of an awareness of economics would laugh at the idea that a 4% difference in taxes for the highest bracket - the difference between McCain's and Obama's plans - is all it takes to transform an honest-to-goodness Capitalist into a Marxist.
You suggest that WFTV's well-deserved ostracization "won't be tolerated by bloggers, left or right"? Better check your sources, because just about everyone one to the left of Sean Hannity would love to see WFTV's license yanked for its blatant political pandering. Not that this will happen, or is even remotely possible - but the only one facing some richly-deserved opprobrium is West herself.
Um, the commentary wasn't about criticism of the interview or even the merits of the questions.
Put down the Kool Aid and try reading it again.
I think we got a preview of what's in store from a potential Obama administration....as well as a preview of how his supports will react during his term.
"Whether the media favors right or left, one thing they adore more than their chosen candidate is themselves."
Good advice to someone who chastises a reader to "Put down the Kool Aid and try reading it again."
You say "the commentary wasn't about criticism of the interview or even the merits of the questions."
But in the commentary, you say "The questions were not outlandish. They were addressing real concerns that real people have. They were not accusations. They were just questions."
Huh?
Clearly, *YOU* think the questions have merit. But to anyone not drinking Republican KoolAid, they sound like recycled GOP talking points (which isn't surprising, since West's husband is a Republican strategist).
"How is Sen. Obama not being a Marxist if he's intending to spread the wealth around?" isn't an example of a "tough" question. West was intentionally twisting the meaning of Obama's words in a partisan way, a tactic to shift the focus from "real concerns that real people have" to partisan talking points created by GOP focus groups.
If a "journalist" is simply a mouthpiece for the GOP or the White House, then there is absolutely no reason for Obama and Biden to engage them -- their audience has already made up their mind who they're voting for, because they're utterly propagandized.
"When you start suggesting that tough questions are out of bounds or start ostracizing media outlets because you don't like their interviews, even the most sympathetic media outlets are not going to tolerate it; not on TV, not on radio, not the newspapers and definitely not the bloggers, right or left."
You live in a fantasy world. The rightwing media/bloggers love West because they buy into her partisan talking points. Everyone else (the sane ones) see right through the ruse and are condemning her and hailing Biden's responses as a slam dunk.
"It's probably too late in the game to have an effect on the election, but if the Obama/Biden administration thinks their going to spend four years in the White House fielding softballs from the press, they've got another think (sic) coming."
More fantasy. Where were you in the first six years of the Bush Administration. Maybe we can get you a job working with Jeff Gannon at Talon news. LOL
Well, you're probably right on one point. I think I gave the bloggers too much credit.
The point of the piece, if you could get past the possible hint of a criticism of the Chosen One, was that Biden could have simply answered the question, which he did, and left it at that.
Did you see the McCain interview on the View. It was such a hack job it was comical. But, nobody put the View or ABC off limits.
Yes, real people wonder if Obama has Marxist tendencies. All Biden had to say was, pretty much what he said. Or, journalist could submit possible questions to the ministry of information for approval.
...and today we learn that the Obama campaign has booted the Washington Times, The Dallas Star and The New York Post from his plane. Supposedly they needed the room for others they've asked to come aboard for the last days of the campaign. I'm sure it's just coincidence that all three of the papers that got the boot had endorsed McCain.
The left leaning media may snicker and enjoy this for now, but when all the "not in the tank" media has been weeded out, they'll progress to the "not in the tank enough" media.
i am independant and i want answers to those questions. to me they are all valid. theyre are much worse questions i would ask, like for more explanation on the ayers connection. they have been in contact since long after obama was a little kid as he incinuated. i also want some acorn explanations. obamas campagn will not talk to anyone who has done their homework. they have blacklisted reporters and stations that ask questions they dont like? how can we get the true story if that is true? ALSO the dem party is harrasing an everyday citizen like joe the plumber for asking a random question because they did not like it? they are doing this, i have seen several interviews on the fox show hannity and colms, a rep vs dem show with people from BOTH sides debating an issue...... all these questions are important issues that need to be answered directly, not him hawed around. obama is very charismatic and smooth. as smooth as a snake. and as sneaky as one too. now is the time for due diligence. everyone is going blindly into the polling places just because they like what they hear from that guy! and the biased media only presents that everything he touches turn to gold! i see these interviews filled with great sounding promises but nothing on the plan he has to accomplish these things. and it is important to me that mccain has been in the military and obama was barely born here. with issues regarding his birth certificate and his own aunts legal residence status issues, plus his own muslim family ties and his terrorist friends these are just a few of the reasons i dont think we can trust this guy. when it comes to iraq i will take my chance with the guy who has been in war himself and comes from a long line of military and has active duty children in this war right now! and so does the vp! he has served this country his whole life and obama has served himself. even when he served his community it was only to serve himself, to get to where he is now. and he is not qualifies, he is not ready, and he does not have OUR own interest at heart, only his own
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!