The McCain-Palin camp appears to be taking censorship to a new level. Politics aside, cutting a candidate off from reporters is problematic for two reasons: 1) it gives off a perception that the campaign is hiding something and 2) when Palin DOES eventually speak, her words will be even more scrutinized. Granted expectations are low for Palin in next weeks VP debates, but sequestering her from the press only seeks to build up anticipation as folks wait with baited breath for what she'll say next.
As a former reporter who has covered McCain, this switch in campaign philosophy is startling. McCain's often referred to the press as his "third base," not the best compliment for us, but suggestive of a larger point--he has historically been an "all access" kind of guy. What changed? The stakes. The McCain of 2000 lost, and his advisors are making sure it doesn't happen again.
It's unclear what specific role Palin will lend to the campaign over the next 41 days as a silent figurehead limited to staged appearances and scripted speeches. For a campaign that has prided itself on "Country First," however, it should reevaluate its opinion of the 300 million Americans that make up this nation--they aren't stupid and will demand substance sooner rather than later.
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