<p>
</p>
<p>The press has finally had enough of the McCain campaign’s decision to cloister Sarah Palin away from interviews and press conferences. Reporters cried foul yesterday in a <a title=”widely publicized blowup” href=”http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/media-rebellion-over-palin-photo-ops/?hp” target=”_blank”>widely publicized blowup</a> over who would be allowed to witness Palin’s meetings with world leaders in New York City. As <a title=”Ta-Nehisi Coates predicted” href=”http://ta-nehisicoates.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/09/flailing.php” target=”_blank”>Ta-Nehisi Coates predicted</a> on the <i>Atlantic</i> blogs, “even the meekest, most bespectacled, nerdiest kid has a breaking point.” </p>
<p>The McCain campaign has been garnering headlines lately by <a title=”attacking the press” href=”/2008-09-22/media/mccain-vs-the-media-round-two.aspx?blogid=34″ target=”_blank”>attacking the press</a>, pointing out how reporters are “in the tank” for Obama and criticizing them for being too hard on Palin. The problem is, <a title=”Jeffery Goldberg writes for the <I>Atlantic</I> blogs” href=”http://jeffreygoldberg.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/09/what_is_the_mccain_camp_hiding.php” target=”_blank”>Jeffery Goldberg writes for the <i>Atlantic</i> blogs</a>, “If Sarah Palin becomes vice president, she will presumably have meetings with people who are scarier than Michael Cooper, the <i>Times</i> reporter who seems to have the misfortune of covering her today.”</p>
<p>Even conservatives have begun to wonder about the McCain-Palin game of hide-the-candidate. Rod Dreher, <a title=”who blogs as Crunchy Con” href=”http://blog.beliefnet.com/crunchycon/2008/09/wheres-sarah.html” target=”_blank”>who blogs as Crunchy Con</a>, writes, “If she can’t answer questions like any normal politician, what business does she have on the ticket?” Daniel Larison writes on <a title=”American Conservative” href=”http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2008/09/23/secluding-palin/” target=”_blank”>the <i>American Conservative</i>
</a> that the strategy “confirms not only that Palin is not ready for the VP spot but that the presidential nominee himself regards his running mate as little more than window dressing.”</p>
<p>McCain may view her as “window dressing.” He may also view her as “a delicate flower that will wilt at any moment,” which is how Campbell<i>
</i>Brown <a title=”described Palin’s treatment on CNN” href=”http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/24/campbell.brown.palin/index.html#cnnSTCText” target=”_blank”>described Palin’s treatment on CNN</a> (video below). Brown eloquently attacked the McCain campaign from a feminist perspective, calling on them to “free Sarah Palin,” and allow her to talk to reporters. “You claim she is ready to be one heart beat away from the presidency,” Brown declared. “If that is the case, then end this chauvinistic treatment of her now.”</p>
<p>
</p>
<object width=”425″ height=”344″>
<param name=”movie” value=”http://www.youtube.com/v/tLlXxMY2LHI&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1″>
<embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/tLlXxMY2LHI&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1″ type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” allowfullscreen=”true” width=”425″ height=”344″>
</object>
