[StBernard] Barack Obama cuts TV station's cord over Joe Biden grilling

[Westley Annis]

Now if Obie's campaign refused to run commercials on that station, it would
be one to watch!

JY


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	Barack Obama cuts TV station's cord over Joe Biden grilling
	
	ORLANDO, Fla. - Barack Obama's campaign has pulled the plug on a
Florida
	news station's access to the presidential candidate after an
anchorwoman
	angered Joe Biden with uncomfortable questions during a satellite
interview.
	
	WFTV-Channel 9 anchorwoman Barbara West quizzed Sen. Biden about
Obama's
	intention to "spread
	 the wealth," referring to the Democratic White
	House
	contender's comments to "Joe the Plumber."
	
	She compared Obama's comments to the socialist doctrine of Karl Marx
then
	asked Biden, "How is Sen. Obama not being a Marxist if he intends to
	'spread
	the wealth?' "
	
	Biden paused momentarily, grinned, then asked, "Are you joking? Is
this a
	joke? Is this a real question?"
	
	He defended Obama by saying he hoped to spread the wealth by giving
the
	middle class tax breaks. "It's a ridiculous question," Biden
	concluded.
	
	But West wasn't finished as she asked Biden about his comments that
Obama
	could be tested early on as president. She wondered if the Delaware
senator
	was saying America's days as the world's leading power were over.
	
	"I don't know who's writing your questions," Biden shot back.
	
	After Thursday's interview, the Obama campaign canceled a scheduled
	interview with Biden's wife, Jill,
	 according to the station's Web site.
	
	"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 Obama campaign.
	
	McGinnis said the Biden cancellation was "a result of her husband's
	experience yesterday during the satellite interview with Barbara
West."
	
	"Mr. Biden didn't like the questions," said WFTV news director
	Bob Jordan.
	"We choose not to ask softball questions."
	
	Article URL:
	
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/2008/view.bg?articleid=1128007