rssMcCain Handlers to Press: Get Out, Lest Someone Say Something Nice
Thursday, October 23, 2008 at 2:59 pm
- 2 Comments
A nugget contained in a pool report from one of Sen. John McCain’s campaign stops at a periodontal clinic in Altamonte Springs, Fla., illustrates just how silly and counterproductive the campaign’s hyper-control of its traveling press can be:
[Periodontist Gary W.] Coatoam went on to say that he’d heard McCain was a maverick, but it didn’t do him justice. “You’re the closest candidate I’ve ever seen that is non-partisan,” he said. “There are so many of us, Democrats and Republicans, dismayed by the way this country has been run.”
Seeing as he was in the midst of saying nice things about McCain, your pool was ushered out of the room to the parking lot. We were readmitted at 11:28 a.m., where we found McCain, [Flordian Gov. Charlie] Crist and [Sen. Mel] Martinez all huddled with Dr. Coatoam and his staff, as if for a group picture.
Reporters were then treated to comments by McCain and Coatoam that sounded scripted.
It’s impossible to get inside the heads of McCain’s staff, who often herd the press in and out of events. But a reasonable explanation is that the campaign is so concerned that somebody who doesn’t officially work for the campaign may say something unhelpful that it doesn’t even allow reporters to be present when a regular person — a doctor, no less — gushes over its candidate.
Reporters love quotes — particularly unscripted ones from people who aren’t paid to talk up the candidate.
And who knows? Maybe reporters would include such favorable quotes in their stories – if they were allowed to hear them.
2 Comments
Comment posted October 24, 2008 @ 8:28 am
I did gush over Senator McCain to some degree. However, he came to my office to hear my concerns, and I did rip into both the Republican and Democratic parties for putting party dogma before the the best interests of our country. My entire staff and I were left with the impression that Senator McCain was not simply paying us a visit to give us lip service. I believe that he would make the best next President of our struggling country. I am leaving my name with this listing, but I am not putting my real email address in the box because I do not wish to be inundated with reponses, either pro or con. Anybody who truly needs to get ahold of me knows how to do so, and if The Washington Independent wishes to confirm the validity of this posting, they may contact me accordingly.
Dr. Gary Coatoam
Comment posted October 24, 2008 @ 3:28 pm
I did gush over Senator McCain to some degree. However, he came to my office to hear my concerns, and I did rip into both the Republican and Democratic parties for putting party dogma before the the best interests of our country. My entire staff and I were left with the impression that Senator McCain was not simply paying us a visit to give us lip service. I believe that he would make the best next President of our struggling country. I am leaving my name with this listing, but I am not putting my real email address in the box because I do not wish to be inundated with reponses, either pro or con. Anybody who truly needs to get ahold of me knows how to do so, and if The Washington Independent wishes to confirm the validity of this posting, they may contact me accordingly.
Dr. Gary Coatoam
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