In scenes reminiscent of the old Soviet Union, Team Obama has continued to purge the non-conformists covering The Candidate of Redistribution. 

First, the Obama campaign cut off all contact with WFTV-Channel 9 in Orlando when Sen. Biden was asked to explain how Obama’s comments to “Joe-the-Plumber” could be interpreted as anything other than Marxism.  

A few days later, Joe Biden went over the edge when Philadelphia’s CBS3 asked similar questions. In high  dudgeon,  Biden claimed he had been ambushed by CBS3’s Angela Russell and Chris May. The reporters had  the temerity to ask what the messiah meant by his wealth redistribution comments to Joe the Plumber.

Now, in a move that should scare anyone who cares about a free and open government, Team Obama has banned three major newpapers from the Obama campaign plane.  Reporters from The New York Post, the Dallas Morning News and the Washington Times had been ousted as of Sunday. (Update: 1 Nov 2008 Obama spokesman Bill Burton says the valuable seats taken from the ousted reporters have been filled by a film crew documenting the final days of the Obama campaign, and staff from Obama’s hometown papers, the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times, as well as Ebony and Jet magazines, also published in Chicago, Politico reports.  Seats were available; just not for the opposition.)

(Surprise: All three papers had endorsed John McCain.  What a coincidence!)

The Washington Times editorial page endorsed McCain on Tuesday and was notified Thursday night that there was no longer room for it on the Obama plane. (No room at the Inn?)

“This feels like the journalistic equivalent of redistributing the wealth,” Washington Times executive editor John Solomon said. 

“I hope the candidate that promises to unite America isn’t using a litmus test to determine who gets to cover his campaign,” he added.

Obama’s chief communications officer Anita Dunn said demand for seats on the plane during the final campaign weekend had far exceeded supply and forced the Democratic nominee’s aides to make hard and unpleasant decisions for all concerned.

Barack?    Joe?   You’re running out of media outlets as quickly as you’re running out of credibility.

At this rate, an Obama White House Press Corps will be an oxymoron.