I don’t know much about politics but it seems to me that if you want the media to give you more attention, the last thing you should do is make fun of reporters for covering the other guy. Obama is having a good trip, he is scoring 3 pointers in front of hundreds of troops and media, getting support from leaders in the middle east including the Prime Minister of Iraq, making lots of friends, listening, talking about foreign policy on the ground, and giving plenty of quotes and interviews. Meanwhile McCain is repeating the same point he’s made a month ago and the same point he’ll make a month from now: “the surge, the surge, oh and did I mention the surge?” Now if you are a reporter and want people to read your news, what would you cover? 

Now, I’ll admit, the cry to appeal to journalistic conscience has worked in the past for him but it was done in a respectful manner. This time, McCain’s people went overboard because nothing is more hurtful then ridicule and using up time and energy to make fun of the media instead of your opponent doesn’t seem very smart. Journalists are people too, believe it or not, and they do hold grudges like everyone else.