Paper: Obama Campaign Payback At TV Station

By: Kevin Hechtkopf
Topics: Joe Biden

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that the Obama campaign has told station WFTV-Channel 9 not to expect any more interviews until after the election.

According to a blog on the paper's Web site, this stems from a satellite interview the Orlando station's Barbara West conducted with Joe Biden on Thursday.

West asked the Democratic vice presidential nominee to defend whether the ticket's policies were "Marxist" and whether Biden's comments about Obama being "tested" early in his presidency were saying "America's days as the world's leading power are over."

During the interview, Biden reacted with surprise to the questions.

"Are you joking?" he asked at one point. "No," the anchor responded. Later, Biden said: "I don't know who's writing your questions."

The paper reports that the campaign then cancelled a planned interview the station had scheduled with Jill Biden.

"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 campaign, according to the paper.

Read more from the newspaper here.>
Watch the interview with Biden.

Kevin Hechtkopf
Kevin Hechtkopf is CBSNews.com's politics editor.
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by sallievoter October 28, 2008 7:16 PM EDT: Listen to the interview before you comment. West was unprofessional and shallow. Her questions were those of a high school journalism class....or worse. She bagan with an erroneous or slanderous premise and then attached a question to the end of it. It was purely AX GRINDING ON HER PART. No matter what party anyone is.....see the tape....rude, arrogant confrontational and really stupid. it was embarrassing fro her and for her employer and she should be reprimanded for trying to make score points for HER party rather than for her employer. It was pure HACK and SHALLOW LAZY ego talk, NOT REPORTING AND NOT JOURNALISM. AND I dont'' care what party you are, see the tape and how she was seething and vicious to Biden. he did just fine, but SHE GOT HER EMPLOYER CUT OUT FROM FUTURE INTERVIEWS .....THAT IS PIZZPOOR WORK PERFORMANCE.

What an incompetent to BLOW AN INTERVIEW CHANCE LIKE SHE DID. EVEN BILL O''REILLY DID NOT TAKE THIS SNOTTY KNOW-IT-ALL APPROACH THAT WEST DID.; Reply to this comment


by jszawronski October 28, 2008 3:09 PM EDT: Bravo for your reporter on asking Biden the questions. His response and that of Obamas campaign should show us all what it will be like if he gets elected. If we question anything we will be silenced. Looks like he''s certainly trying to intimidate your station. Is it working?; Reply to this comment


by chainsawted October 28, 2008 12:39 PM EDT: This interview was the campaign in a microcosm. THe wise-guy interview thinks she''s putting it to Biden but is made to look like a fool because there is no foundation for her attack. Oh, and by the way, like President Bush, baldrad does not understand the difference between something that is tough and something that is stupid - as in Bush has a tough foreign policy. This was not a tough set of questions it was just stupid. Invading Iraq wasn''t ough it was just stupid. If you need more examples I will be glad to provide.; Reply to this comment


by proallpeople October 27, 2008 11:49 PM EDT: The interviewers husband is a Republican strategist, clearly a conflict of interest and explains why the interviewer could barely justify her questions. The questions weren''t hard...they were just ridiculous. It''s difficult explaining this to people that think Palin is really a qualified candidate, though. For some reason, even with Biden answering the silly questions, Republicans just cannot accept what they hear because they are so caught up in what they want to hear. It''s amazing the negative energy coming across in the Republican rallies, blogs, FOX news, etc...relax, lay down on the couch, or whatever it is you need to do, but....let it go, people.; Reply to this comment


by baldrad October 27, 2008 11:22 PM EDT: Brucie,
Who could deny Obama''s brilliance when you see him in action. Like on June 5, when he told a Jewish audience that Israel would have an undivided Jerusalem if HE''S President. Jerusalem and the Jerusalem question arguably is ground zero in the whole #$%& world, any leader of consequence would not let his mouth run like that. Even a Fifth-grader knows better. And you want to turn it all over to this car salesman.; Reply to this comment


by fran91416 October 27, 2008 4:36 PM EDT: The unfortunate outcome of this entire scenerio is that the truth is being overshadowed AGAIN by the media bias to PROTECT Obama/Biden from having to give the TRUTH of their plan/thought/principles to the American people. This is democrat policitcs as usual to NOT focus on the question, but on the questioner. Biden lied in his responses - ACORN etc. - and that will never be brought out. We have only to fear what is to come, control of the press is next - if it hasn''t happened already.; Reply to this comment


by sue_donym October 27, 2008 3:32 PM EDT: Barbara West neglected to mention the origin of Marx''s comments:

"And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need." (Acts 2:44-45)
...
"Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles'' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need". (Acts 4:34-35); Reply to this comment


by wallydawg6 October 27, 2008 1:44 PM EDT: The liberal non-media and the Democratic party along with some republican are afraid of Palin. They know their golden goose will be cooked. The Washington elite are scare the people will finally see who they are for. Themselves.; Reply to this comment