McCain protests NBC coverage

[240 is Back]

McCain protests NBC coverage
By MIKE ALLEN | 8/17/08 11:32 PM EST  Text Size:     
 
 
 
Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) campaign manager Rick Davis asked Sunday for a meeting with Steve Capus, the president of NBC News, to protest what the campaign called signs that the network is "abandoning non-partisan coverage of the presidential race."

Davis made the request Sunday in a letter that is part of an aggressive effort by McCain to counter news coverage he considers critical.

In this case, the campaign is objecting to a statement by NBC's Andrea Mitchell on "Meet the Press" questioning whether McCain might have gotten a heads-up on some of the questions that were asked of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who was the first candidate to be interviewed Saturday night by Pastor Rick Warren at a presidential forum on faith.

Warren told the audience that McCain was being held in "a cone of silence" so he wouldn't hear the questions, which were similar for both candidates.

Warren referred again to "the cone of silence" when McCain came onstage, and the senator joked: "I was trying to hear through the wall."

Mitchell reported that some "Obama people" were suggesting "that McCain may not have been in the cone of silence and may have had some ability to overhear what the questions were to Obama. He seemed so well prepared."

A McCain aide said that is not the case: "Senator McCain was in a motorcade led by the United States Secret Service and held in a green room with no broadcast feed."

Mitchell made the comment in the context of saying McCain did better, and that the Obama camp was defensive. In response to the campaign's letter, she pointed out that journalists get criticism from both sides.

"I wasn't expressing an opinion," Mitchell said. "I was reporting what they were saying."

 

[240 is Back]

Here is the text of the letter:

August 17, 2008
Mr. Steve Capus
President, NBC News
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112

Steve:

We are extremely disappointed to see that the level of objectivity at NBC News has fallen so low that reporters are now giving voice to unsubstantiated, partisan claims in order to undercut John McCain.

Nowhere was this more evident than with NBC chief correspondent Andrea Mitchell's comments on "Meet the Press" this morning. In analyzing last night's presidential forum at Saddleback Church, Mitchell expressed the Obama campaign spin that John McCain could only have done so well last night because he "may not have been in the cone of silence and may have had some ability to overhear what the questions were to Obama." Here are Andrea Mitchell's comments in full:

Mitchell: "The Obama people must feel that he didn't do quite as well as they might have wanted to in that context, because what they are putting out privately is that McCain may not have been in the cone of silence and may have had some ability to overhear what the questions were to Obama. He seemed so well-prepared." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 8/17/08)

Make no mistake: This is a serious charge. Andrea Mitchell is repeating, uncritically, a completely unsubstantiated Obama campaign claim that John McCain somehow cheated in last night's forum at Saddleback Church. Instead of trying to substantiate this blatant falsehood in any way, Andrea Mitchell felt that she needed to repeat it on air to millions of "Meet the Press" viewers with no indication that 1.) There's not one shred of evidence that it's true; 2.) In his official correspondence to both campaigns, Pastor Rick Warren provided both candidates with information regarding the topic areas to be covered, which Barack Obama acknowledged during the forum when asked about Pastor Warren's idea of an emergency plan for orphans and Obama said, "I cheated a little bit. I actually looked at this idea ahead of time, and I think it is a great idea;" 3.) John McCain actually requested that he and Barack Obama do the forum together on stage at the same time, making these kinds of after-the-fact complaints moot.

Indeed, instead of taking a critical journalistic approach to this spin, Andrea Mitchell did what has become a pattern for her of simply repeating Obama campaign talking points.

This is irresponsible journalism and sadly, indicative of the level of objectivity we have witnessed at NBC News this election cycle. Instead of examining the Obama campaign's spin for truth before reporting it to more than 3 million NBC News viewers, Andrea Mitchell simply passed along Obama campaign conspiracy theories. The fact is that during Senator Obama's segment at Saddleback last night, Senator McCain was in a motorcade to the event and then held in a green room with no broadcast feed. In the forum, John McCain clearly demonstrated to the American people that he is prepared to be our next President.....

 

We are concerned that your News Division is following MSNBC's lead in abandoning non-partisan coverage of the Presidential race. We would like to request a meeting with you as soon as possible to discuss our deep concerns about the news standards and level of objectivity at NBC.

Sincerely,

Rick Davis
Campaign Manager
John McCain 2008

[youandme]

Disgusting, NBC etc. are not questioning McCain but they are questioning Rick Warren's ethics and morals.

Wow, they are losing big time with this accusation. Alot of people with real Christian values are going to turn the television tube to another station after this one.

Another level of Obama helper's...maybe he does not have faith afterall.

[240 is Back]

Please list the exact statement where NBC used any opinion whatsoever.

They reported what accusations Camp Obama made, and they reported the response by Camp Mccain.


is this just Mccain's way to create just cause for pulling out of the national debates on NBC where he'll look like old man winter next to a grinning michael jordan in a suit?

[youandme]

They reported what accusations Camp Obama made, and when the reporter Mitchell sided that McCain did great the Obama camp got mad, it's going to hurt both of them Obama alot more.

The context of just how hard this is going to effect people like like Rick Warren was Mitchell's urgency in saying this: "I wasn't expressing an opinion," Mitchell said. "I was reporting what they were saying."

She already knew in her mind to distance herself from the "Obama people"

Agree or disagree? Do you disagree that this is bad for Obama? Because it does not take a 4th grader to figure out that, if McCain has access to the questions that means Warren was in on it as well.

[youandme]

Warren told the audience that McCain was being held in "a cone of silence" so he wouldn't hear the questions, which were similar for both candidates.

So Obama "people" are refuting this; they are refuting Warren's integrity and his Church!

[240 is Back]

If she hadn't reported what camp obama said, she woudl have been reporting half of the news.

She reported what camp obama said.  if warren was offended, it should have been at the obama camp for saying it.

Suddenly media has a reponsibility to self-censor accusations if they might make someone look bad?

Dude, man the fvck up.  If camp obama is WRONG, mccain should reveal video footage of him playing cards or doing makeup or whatever, and prove he wasn't listening.  Rub their noses it.  We're hearing his team cry because NBC reported what team obama said?


mccain is soft, guys.  Soft.  his crybaby team is bitching about the media instead of smiling that he punched obama in the mouth (figuratively) at this debate.

[240 is Back]

Warren told the audience that McCain was being held in "a cone of silence" so he wouldn't hear the questions, which were similar for both candidates.

So Obama "people" are refuting this; they are refuting Warren's integrity and his Church!

A cone of silence DOES NOT equal a green room, dude.

If team obama wants to shit on warren or his integrity, let them.  THEN let him reveal video proving obama was unable to hear a thing.

Shit, you weren't so vocal when Romney got busted getting an audio feed on the reagan tax Q in the debates

[OzmO]

HAHAHAHA

McCain.


Maybe you should look in the mirror and do something about the fact you are not newsworthy or interesting as the "other" presidential candidate instead of whining like a little bitch.

[youandme]

A cone of silence DOES NOT equal a green room, dude.

If team obama wants to shit on warren or his integrity, let them.  THEN let him reveal video proving obama was unable to hear a thing.

Shit, you weren't so vocal when Romney got busted getting an audio feed on the reagan tax Q in the debates

So know the Secret Service is lying?

So you think it's alright for Obama to shit on a preacher that invited him to score points with American Christians, since more that 12% still thought he was moslem?

Sounds pretty disrespectful.

Romney was not in attendance. 

[240 is Back]

So know the Secret Service is lying?
So you think it's alright for Obama to shit on a preacher that invited him to score points with American Christians, since more that 12% still thought he was moslem?
Sounds pretty disrespectful.
Romney was not in attendance. 

Shit yeah, it was disrespectful of obama to question the man's integrity.

BUT -

the man is a mccain supporter, and this was the first major debate-ish event, so there was motive for him to let a little cheating get thru..

Then, camp obama discovers mccain in a back room chatting away with his advisers.   WTF, mate?  Do you believe that none of them was on a cell, talking to someone watching live, prepping mccain on what to be ready for?  You can believe that if you want lol... but with so much at risk, only a fool would avoid using that info.


And it IS alright for NBC to report the allegations of cheating.

Just like when Obama cheats at a debate or event - and he will - and camp mccain complains.






sheesh... fucking complaining by the candidates.  Man the fvck up guys.  Will you "complain" when Russia takes another georgia or iran goes full nuclear?  Sheesh.

[youandme]

"alright for NBC to report the allegations of cheating."

They were allegations by the Obama camp, and Mitchell's wording shows that it was a diffucult subject to report on since it voices criticisms of the Church.

Funny thing is Obama had a week of vacation to prep for this, even after that his advisors blamed the poor performance on jet lag.

[240 is Back]

"alright for NBC to report the allegations of cheating."

They were allegations by the Obama camp, and Mitchell's wording shows that it was a diffucult subject to report on since it voices criticisms of the Church.

Are you mad that NBC reported on Camp Obama's opinion that McCain was not adequately sequestered?

[youandme]

Are you mad that NBC reported on Camp Obama's opinion that McCain was not adequately sequestered?

No, I think it's great.

It shows the battle between the network and the Obamers. All networks agreed McCain did great, and now NBC gets to play with the spoiled apples.

[headhuntersix]

Are you mad that NBC reported on Camp Obama's opinion that McCain was not adequately sequestered?

Ur out of ur depth on this. U have to have proof before running this, pure and simple. This letter was well written by people much smarter then u, on media matters. Forget the CT bullshit and look at what happened and what was said. If I said ur gay, and youandme blogs its and NBC runs with it, its the same thing. I started a rumor, blogged by another guy while being picked up by a major news outlet, without proof.

[240 is Back]

Ur out of ur depth on this. U have to have proof before running this, pure and simple. This letter was well written by people much smarter then u, on media matters. Forget the CT bullshit and look at what happened and what was said. If I said ur gay, and youandme blogs its and NBC runs with it, its the same thing. I started a rumor, blogged by another guy while being picked up by a major news outlet, without proof.

NBC reported the reaction of Camp Obama.

They didn't report it as fact.  They said "Obama's team said..."

If they didn't report it, then the left would accuse them of happily repeating what Team mccain said, but refusing to publish their thoughts.

They get to have their voice heard, whether it's correct or asinine.


And yes, in ANY debate where men get the same Qs, and one goes first... it's a load of shit that one man (the one you happen to support, as was the case here) gets to sit in a non-soundproofed room.  It's just a load of horsecrap.  Reminds me of the "town hall" that obama declined, and later turned out the "non-partisan" audience was issued tickets by local RNC to repubs only.