Sen. Joe Biden once again demonstrated his quick wit (and quicker temper) last Thursday on Philadelphia’s CBS3.   Seems Joe was expecting a few softball questions about the Phillies and was “ambushed” by CBS3’s Angela Russell and Chris May.  They had the temerity to ask what the messiah had in mind when he explain his wealth redistribution scheme to Joe the Plumber. 

Imagine!  A news outlet in a major metropolitan market asking a candidate for Vice-President of the United States questions about his running mate’s economic policies!   When will the harassment end?

Biden went ballistic and threatened to ban CBS3 from further contact with Team Obama.  Joe, I sense a pattern here…. (CBS3 has apparently been sufficiently chastened that Team Obama will grant them another royal audience in the future.)

I sure wish CBS3 had given the Obama team the single digit salute the way WFTV in Orlando did!

But then, journalism like politics, has fallen from its heights….

Ah for the days of Murrow and Truman.  When men believed service to a cause trumped personal ambition.

To WFTV Orlando, “Good night and good luck”

In a fit of pique worthy of a spoiled three year old, the Obama campaign decided to “punish” Orlando Florida television station WFTV-Channel 9 by cancelling all further appearances by any member of Team Obama.

“This cancellation is non-negotiable, and further opportunities for your station to interview with this campaign are unlikely, at best for the duration of the remaining days until the election,” wrote Laura K. McGinnis, Central Florida communications director for the Obama campaign.  My Laura, aren’t we impressed with our-self !  But isn’t a “communications director” banning media interviews a bit ironic?

One would hope WFTV-Channel 9 obliges Ms. McGinnis by not carrying any coverage of any Team Obama event from now until the election.  I might also suggest WFTV-Channel 9 contact its affiliates and parent to suggest a total blackout of all Obama coverage until such time as Ms. McGinnis learns that candidates have an obligation to answer questions from the people’s representatives in the media.  The childish “we aren’t going to play with you anymore” would be funny ( a bit pathetic but funny) were it not for the fact it portends an adversarial relationship with the media.  During an election, candidates and their organizations usually attempt to curry favor with the media.  That team Obama would choose to distance itself from a major metropolitan news organization is either extremely foolish or indicates an unprecedented degree of hubris from a not-yet-elected candidate.

I viewed the segment in question and can only surmise Sen. Biden took umbrage at the insinuation he didn’t understand that Sen. Obama’s remarks on wealth redistribution were akin to Marxist thought.  He bristled at the suggestion the remarks were socialist in nature, asking of Ms. West  “Are you joking?”.  “No,” West said in reply.  (Note to Sen. Biden: As Ms. West indicated over 80% of Americans want solutions to the economic problems that do not involve government confiscation of their wages. Sen. Obama’s redistribution plans do exactly that.)

The issue here is much larger and more significant than whether the questioning was appropriate or respectful.  The Obama camp’s response demonstrates a contempt for the American people. By refusing to provide a local news organization with the opportunity to question the candidates in what may be the most significant election in modern US history, the Obama camp thumbs its collective nose at the voters of Florida.

Come Nov 4, I can only hope we voters return the favor!