McCain's Security Ousts Black Reporter Covering Florida Event
Filed by: Nadine Smith
August 4, 2008 2:00 PM
Media outlets in Florida are asking why John McCain's security detail ousted the only black reporter covering his visit to Panama City, Florida. Also troubling, a reporter who asked why her credentialed colleague was being hauled out of the event was removed as well.
Tallahassee Democrat senior writer Stephen Price showed his employee identification as well as his credentials for the Friday event. None of his fellow state reporter colleagues were asked for ID.
Here's a quote from the Tallahassee Democrat:
Tallahassee Democrat Executive Editor Bob Gabordi said the incident was unwarranted.
"We're deeply concerned and disturbed that our reporter -- of all of those in that area -- was asked to move," Gabordi said. "My understanding is that Stephen was the only reporter approached and asked to leave the area, and the only reporter in that area who is black. Another reporter who stood up for Stephen was then asked to leave."
Later McCain's staff tried to explain away the removal by claiming only national reporters were allowed to be in that area.
Of course by that logic, every single reporter standing near Mr. Price would have been removed as well. Only the one reporter who challenged his removal.
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4 Comments
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They must have confused "The Tallahassee Democrat" with "The Chicago Defender." Or maybe they just don't like the word Democrat(ic) or Constitution.
Robert Ganshorn | August 5, 2008 4:16 AM
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Perhaps he should have tossed out the white reporters instead.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2008/08/mccains-race-pr.html
Excerpt: In three important swing states — Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania — it is the division among the large bloc of white voters, not the lopsided support Obama gets among the much smaller group of black voters, that makes them too close to call, a recent Quinnipiac University Poll revealed.
In Florida, where the poll gave Obama a lead of 2 percentage points, the white vote split just 53% to 39% in favor of the senator from Arizona. McCain also trails by 2 points among voters in Ohio, where he leads his Democratic rival by only 49% to 42% among white voters. In Pennsylvania, Obama is ahead of McCain by 7 points, a margin made possible by the fact that nearly as many white voters (45%) support Obama as back McCain (46%).
Nadine | August 5, 2008 10:05 AM
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Could it - possibly - be because McCain has been running a racist campaign, is supported by plenty of racists, and generally (a la BushCo) only wants to surround himself with people who will fawn all over him? Maybe?
Bil Browning | August 5, 2008 4:47 PM
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The race baiting is about to intensify and we had better find a strategy for calling it out without sounding weak and whiny.
McCain has abandoned every shred of decency and is willing to throw the kitchen sink at Obama. We better have a better response than tsk tsk.
Justin | August 5, 2008 5:23 PM
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