McCain Backers Lash Out at Media for Obama ‘Advocacy’

By Bill Sammon John McCain’s campaign and a supporter at a McCain rally separately accused the press of favoring Barack Obama on Monday, with McCain’s top strategist calling The New York Times a “pro-Obama advocacy organization.” “Let’s be clear and be honest with each other about something fundamental to this race, which is this: Whatever the New York Times once was, it is today not — by any standard — a journalistic organization,” strategist Steve Schmidt told reporters on a conference call. “It is a pro-Obama advocacy organization that every day attacks the McCain campaign, attacks Senator McCain, attacks Governor [Sarah] Palin and excuses Senator Obama.” Schmidt accused the Times of giving Obama a pass on his “deceitful ads” and abdicating its journalistic responsibility to vet Obama’s “background and past statements.” It was an unusually harsh critique for a campaign that last year enjoyed largely favorable press coverage. “This ... (link)