With Less Than a Month to Go, Media/Campaign Clashes Heat Up

By SteveK 

• During Hannity & Colmes coverage after Tuesday’s debate, things got heated between Obama communication director Robert Gibbs and Sean Hannity. Bringing up Hannity’s recent special and its use of an interview with Andy Martin, Gibbs said, “Why am I not to believe that everybody who works for the network is anti-Semitic because Sean Hannity gives a platform to somebody who thinks Jews are “slimy.'” Hannity called the statements attributed to Martin (who denies making them) “despicable,” and said, “On Fox, we actually interview people of all points of view, whether we agree or disagree.”

• Campbell Brown delivered a commentary during the “Cutting Through the Bull” segment on her CNN program last night, calling on the McCain campaign to “strongly” denounce McCain surrogates who refer to the Democratic nominee as “Barack Hussein Obama” during campaign rallies. “What it is, is race-baiting. And that is what is dangerous,” she said. Brown also took on Obama supporters “up in arms” over McCain using the term “that one” during Tuesday’s debate. “Maybe McCain did mean to be disrespectful,” she said. “But racist? I don’t think so.”

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• This morning on Fox & Friends, Obama spokesperson Bill Burton had a lively interview with the hosts, but mostly Gretchen Carlson. In the interview, Barack and Michelle Obama’s relationship with William Ayers and Ayers’ wife came up. Burton placed the blame on the McCain campaign: “They are pretty effectively getting to talking about it and getting me to talk about it on Fox News this morning.” When Carlson responded, “viewers want to know about it as well,” Burton said, “I’m sure you have McCain supporters watching Fox News, that’s not news to anybody.”

Click continued to see the Hannity/Gibbs clip and the Brown commentary (still looking for the Carlson/Burton clip)…




Embedded video from CNN Video

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