On Board With Obama

I was struck by something I read today in an article posted on Politico.com.  Its headline is about CBS scoring the first "coveted" interview with Barack Obama during his overseas trip.  I'm not certain why its coveted, given that every news outfit will get one...but that's beside the point.

New Yorker Magazine Cover That Upset Obama

About three quarters of the way down the page I read this:

Forty journalists, including such leading correspondents as Dan Balz of The Washington Post, will be aboard his plane for next week’s swing through Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and England.

The campaign received 200 requests for press seats on the plane.

Among those for whom there was no room was Ryan Lizza, Washington correspondent of The New Yorker. The campaign, which was furious about the magazine’s satirical cover this week, cited space constraints in turning him away.

It's interesting because of the experience I had in setting up our travels with the Obama campaign earlier this summer.

It was not as simple as calling up Chicago and asking for a spot...

About three to four days ahead of a trip, the campaign sent out an email to a list of reporters asking if they were interested in traveling on the dates noted in the email.  Obama's "trips" usually last three to five days, but they don't contain much detail.

Here's the email sent out for the trip we attended:

**OBAMA FOR AMERICA TRAVELING PRESS NOTIFICATION**

**SUNDAY, JUNE 15 TO THURSDAY, JUNE 19 REGISTRATION**

From Sunday, June 15 to Thursday, June 19, the Obama campaign will provide press with air and ground transportation, meals, and limited Internet access.  The trip begins on June 9th in Chicago and ends on June 14th in TBA.  Please note that registration for an earlier segment does not constitute registration on this segment.  Registration for this segment is required.

REGISTRATION FOR June 15 – June 19 CLOSES, Friday, June 13, 2008, at 12:00 MIDNIGHT CDT

Space is limited.   

SCHEDULE INFORMATION, for planning purposes only as available at this point, subject to change, all times local

Sunday June 15

Chicago TBA

RON Chicago

Monday June 16

Flight Chicago to Michigan

Michigan Events TBA

RON TBA

Tuesday June 17

Events TBA

Flight TBA to TBA

RON Washington, DC

Wednesday June 18

Events TBA

RON Washington, DC

Thursday June 19

Events TBA

RON TBA

By 12:00 NOON CST on Saturday, June 14, you will receive a confirmation email stating that you are “CONFIRMED” if the campaign is able to accommodate you on this date. If you do not have a written confirmation from me then you will not be registered for that portion of the trip and therefore your credit card will not be charged.

Schedule information is not confirmed at this time, and we will update you via the national advisory and direct emails as soon as details become available.  We will send at least one additional update before the trip begins.

Beyond that, please be in touch if we can answer any further questions.

(RON:  remain overnight)

The campaign has since stopped sending the emails and now uses a password enabled website for trip sign up.

Nonetheless, one signs up for the trip and then waits until the last minute to find out if the campaign allows them on the trip.

In our case, we didn't learn until very late Saturday night than we were accepted for the trip leaving Sunday afternoon.   

Because of my anchoring schedule, we chose to meet the campaign in Detroit.  And so late Saturday night we were buying airline tickets to Detroit for first thing Monday morning.

We could not book our return flight because, as you can read, Thursday was TBA.  We had no idea where we'd be.  As it turned out, we skipped a campaign flight to Chicago and left for Houston from D.C.

In the weeks it took to plan which trip we would take (we turned down the trip during which Obama left the press plane to meet with Hillary Clinton privately in DC), I had several conversations with a variety of press people.  They were always very candid and helpful. 

And as we contacted them about the possibility of getting aboard the trip we ultimately took, we were initially told there might not be room for us.

I asked how that decision was made.  Was it first come first serve?  Was it networks and national papers first...then everyone else?

I was told that a travel committee determines which organizations get on each trip. 

So it's very subjective.  And it's not at all surprising that the New Yorker was excluded.  I am gonna guess space had nothing to do with it.

Just thought you'd find the background information of interest as you watch Obama and the throng of reporters traipsing with him through Europe.

Thanks for reading.  TA

Comments

[cheapcarsauctions]

Hello to all ! Great site. I am new here greetings to all from Poland.

[Lenora]

I agree that Obama is a fraud. so every one that voted for Hilary and those that don't want either one for President then they should write in Hilarys name for Persident. If we all got together and voted for Hilary we would have a good Presidentnot a fraud or even maybe as repeaaaaaaat of a Hitler.

[Socialable]

To Poe and Clay Potts: One of you is related to Edgar Allan ---, and we know what his mental state was, the other has feet made from the name posted, and how fragile they are. Both of you QUIT race baiting!

[dwe]

The New Yorker reporter was denied a "spot" on the Obama "World Tour". Shame, shame on you Barackie baby, there is no discrimination on your part, huh?
What a hypocrit, and there are people who have, and will vote for this character? May God forgive us for we don't know what we are doing!

[CACC'64]

Alright, all of you who commented...this is the LAST WORD! Take what I say as the ABSOLUTE TRUTH, yes, there are absolutes in the real world.
1.Barack Hussein Obama is not completely black, genetically he is only about 10% African (Kenyenian). He is mostly (90%) Arabian, so get this through your thick skulls.

2. He has zero (0) experience to be POTUS, and we cannot have him learning to be POTUS via on-the-job-training (OJT).

3. He espouses that he wants to unite the races, but has had the opposite effect by making the upcoming national election a racial decision, thus promoting racism.

4. Most of his history is hidden in obscure documents, certificates, and other unknown or untrue statements ("Not Exactly List"), and will not be exposed to the "light of day".

5. THIS IS THE BIGGEST OF ALL!!! WHO IS DONATING ALL THIS MONEY ($52 million in June alone.) TO HIS CAMPAIGN? He states he isn't taking public money, why? So he can continue to privately, through foriegn funds, (remember Bill Clinton and the Chinese connection), the TAKEOVER of the government, from Shieks, Arab Princes, leaders of terrorist organizations (HAMAS supports OBama, Palistinians support Obama, Hezbola supports Obama).

So, those of you who don't believe I have said the last word...prove me wrong!

[straight talk my a**]

Ummmm, Fae, apparently you missed the part about Larry Sinclair being a fugitive on outstanding warrants involving fraud & deceit -- and about him showing up at the National Press Club for his "big" press conference with a purported lawyer dressed in a kilt -- I am not making this up -- who said he couldn't wear pants because he was, er, "too big." Yeah ... this is a reallllly believable guy! I love when you right wingers have to stretch this far to find dirt on Sen. Obama. And you know what, I'd like an equal story on how McCain picks the buddies for his "straight talk express." Oh, and the bbq's (right, private affairs for the press corps that's supposed to objectively cover you. right). Hypocrisy, thy name is Republican!

[straight talk my a**]

Ummmm, Fae, apparently you missed the part about Larry Sinclair being a fugitive on outstanding warrants involving fraud & deceit -- and about him showing up at the National Press Club for his "big" press conference with a purported lawyer dressed in a kilt -- I am not making this up -- who said he couldn't wear pants because he was, er, "too big." Yeah ... this is a reallllly believable guy! I love when you right wingers have to stretch this far to find dirt on Sen. Obama. And you know what, I'd like an equal story on how McCain picks the buddies for his "straight talk express." Oh, and the bbq's (right, private affairs for the press corps that's supposed to objectively cover you. right). Hypocrisy, thy name is Republican!

[Foodforthought]

Cactusflower--paranoid much?

[Cactusflower]

To all the Obama haters that posted here-

Obama is the real deal. He is the best presidential candidate to come along in many decades. We as a country are extremely lucky to have him run for the highest position in the country. The media did not create Obama. People saw and heard him and they knew he was for real. If at all anything, the MSM are demonizing Obama, spreading lies about him, in an effort to get McCain elected. It will be a tragedy of mammoth proportions if that happens.

[Cactusflower]

P.S. for Sophie-

I forgot to add that if a person indicates his/her religious preference, that is the religion of that person. I would take it at face value and not try to make that person appear like a liar by talking about hidden intentions, which is what your post seems to do.

[Cactusflower]

Sophie,

Even though Obama joined the church because he liked the social involvement of the church, it is unfair to say that he is not a Christian. I am not one, but I have enough Christian friends to know plenty about that religion. I believe Obama is a devout Christian; it is not possible to fake one's faith. Just because his religion was not handed down to him by parents does not make him un-Christian. Besides, he PRACTICES the principles of that religion better than many so called Christians. The pracice means more than mere words.

[Foodforthought]

Dan--now you have sunk to the level of the obama supporter posting foul language pretending to be a McCain supporter. LIke any intelligent person would fall for that. Oh--but you just did....

Good work, calling people losers. You're no better.

[Dan, TX]

Read these posts. What ignorance. What idiots. God help us. We have two very good candidates, perhaps the best candidates in a long time. Obama is fantastic, extraordinary, a remarkable leader, with a clear and exciting vision of where to take the country. McCain has been involved in politics for a very long time and has fought against lobbyists.

Do I respect the opinions of any of these posts more than I respect either Obama or McCain. NO WAY. You are all a bunch of losers.

[Foodforthought]

Kate Poe - I wouldn't fall for the racist post with the foul language.

That is certain to be an obama supporter pretending to be against him in such a vile way to make the real non-believers in the Messiah look bad.

Thay have been doing it for months on end, and are known to be part of the 400 paid obama bloggers.

[Kate Poe]

What is going on in America? Hate is definately on the rise and being verbalized. All of you Obama haters are shameful and jealous, which is so ugly. In my opinion all of you smart white people can go ahead an elect McCain the war psycho. You smart folks gave Bush eight years to destroy our country and you still haven't learn. A white man at any cost must run America which is precisely why America is going to hell in a hand basket. It wouldn't matter if Obama was perfect you would still want to elect the worst white man. Go right ahead and elect crazy McInsane so children and grandchildren can experience the worst A merica ever. Obama is to good for this racist country.

[Foodforthought]

It sounds like the media brought this on themselves with all the pandering and biased reporting they have done for obama. You are now being manipulated and used by the obama campaign, and apparently, someone is getting a huge power trip from deciding who gets to go or not.

Perhaps if you all kept quiet, and didn't clamor to get on board his Flip Flop Express bus or plane, you could take back control of your own stories, travel arrangements, and integrity.

[Fae]

Why is Larry Sinclairs site shut down again?
This is amazing to me. I am believing this man more and more everyday. The media and the internet is trying to shut this man up. IF it wasn't true wouldn't they just pick Mr. Sinclair up and put him in jail for Slander?
Do your job media. Look into this.

[don tufts]

clay i certainly think its far more consistant to mainstream christianity to support someone who has adopted multiple babies from around the world of differant racial backgrounds and to protect and nurture them than it is to sit in a racist antiamerican church for 20 years and to expose your young impressionable daughters to that drival.

[Libby]

I wish they covered real stories, like the three murders at his infamous church. Three gay black men were murdered, shot in the head execution-style. One was Donald Young, the Chior Leader.
Barack Obama was NOT at the funeral. They were killed in the space of two in one week and the third a month later.
Now we udnerstand the great need for "distractions".

[Clay Potts]

I didn't realize so many religious experts visited Tom's "unbiased" blog. Obama says he is a Christian. He has a lovely wife and two fine daughters and unlike John McCain, he has never been divorced. There are lots of Texans who do not take kindly to having their faith in Jesus questioned by religious Republicans with their multiple marriages and greedy hate filled hearts.

[Seth Albright]

The continued comparisons of Obama to Bush II invite some comment. Clearly they have different political philosophies: Obama is very liberal while Bush is mostly conservative (except for the important fact that he & congress have nearly spent us into oblivion). The similarities between the two are more related to their personalities: both seem very arrogant, dodge the tough questions, refuse to admit any mistakes, and are out of touch with hard-working middle class Americans.

[Jim aaron]

Reply to SophieL, I think Obama embraced Islam when living in Indonesia with his muslim step-father, in a interview with Nick Kristoff Obama sang the evening prayers for him, as was done in Indonesia. He knew clinging to this religion in America would be death for a political career so he joined up with the Radical christians of Rev Wright and Father Mike. I don't think he has any strong beliefs about religion though, all this church stuff was just done to promote himself.

[Nannie Turner]

I do not understand why reasonable people cannot see this charaltan for what he is.He is so much like Bush that it shouls scare people.There is such a "follow the herd" without stopping to think about the consecquences.I'mafraid that they will live to regret their idol worship of this creature.

[nancy]

Who the h--- he thinks he is? he is only a presunmptive nominee but acts as if he is already president. Obama is a total fraud.

if not Hillary maccain 08

[RJ]

The media helped create the persona now they have to deal with the consequences. God help us if Obama is elected POTUS.

WE WILL REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER

McCain '08 (no matter who the dem VP is)