This has gone too far.

Meanwhile, amidst this bizarre circus hopeful signs abound. Even Republican apologist David Brooks, a "thinking person's conservative," has publicly stated that Palin is not qualified. And Palin's positive ratings have been steadily dropping as real Americans see through her facade.

In a few weeks, the arrogant & clueless (never a good combination) Caribou Barbie will hopefully be headed back to her outpost in Alaska, where she can keep an eye on Putin rearing his head, and where she can face the bipartisan commission investigating her abuses of power.

This type of blind sheep behavior seems to be more typical these days. Glen Greenwald at Salon.com has written extensively on this general topic of press corps impotence (my word, not his) and suggests that it's the very real threat of being blacklisted that keeps the captives from challenging their captors.

With that in mind, I second the notion that Dan should assign this story! It would make a great narrative and a nice followup to the wonderful piece written from the RNC.

And, frankly, given the treatment she's been getting by the media, I don't see why she should hold any press conferences. I know liberals/progressives here and in Europe who are no friends of Mrs Palin, but are astonished at the relentlessly negative coverage she's getting. Her approval rating in Alaska exceeds that of the Democrat Congress by an order of magnitude, but you wouldn't know that from the networks. She resigned from a $122K-a-year job of the Alaska Oil & Gas Conservation Commission because a Republican Governor told her to keep quiet about another Republican Commissioner who was doing party work on State time; and she's still the only politician I can ever recall, as Wasilla mayor, to voluntarily take a pay cut--a REAL cut, meaning fewer dollars this year than last year. But you wouldn't know that from the networks, either. They're playing the same card they've played for years; they're as obsessed with race as George Wallace ever was. Say anything at all against a person of colour, and you're automatically a racist. Unless, of course, that person is Clarence Thomas, Condi Rice, Michael Steele, or anyone else from the "other" party.

Seconding John @13.

Wouldn't this make a great segment for you on Real Time With Bill Maher (where your work has been superbly entertaining and insightful)?

So, you, with your newspaper and stuff. . . do it! Go, or send somebody! "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." :D

One point, from personal campaign experience (albeit some years ago). All presidential campaigns have staff aides and advance people who are wired, and have lapel pins, that look a lot like the Secret Service.

These people herd the press from place to place, telling them where they can go and where not. It's far more likely that it's these people, not the Secret Service, who are keeping reporters from asking questions of people at Palin rallies. (Although it's conceivable that if a reporter tries to leave the designated press area and move into the crowd, the Secret Service might say no.)

Secret Service agents have an enormously stressful job. They obviously have to protect candidates of all political stripes and, over the years, they've developed methods of working with campaigns without becoming part of the campaigns. To do the latter would be destructive. Word would travel fast.

None of the above should prevent the press from figuring out creative ways to question the candidates and their supporters. The idea that a candidate for VP/USA is three weeks from election without holding a bona fide press conference is outrageous, to say the least.

"Order of magnitude," the last time I checked, meant 'times ten.' With Mrs Palin's approval ratings as governor in Alaska around 80%, and the Democrat-led Congress' approval ratings at around 8%, that's pretty near enough. Not that you will hear those specific figures in the media either.

I'll go on record as agreeing with inweary's last two sentences.

Wandering into the press area of her campaign's plane does not equal a press conference. You are a typical Republican liar.