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Last update - 11:46 04/09/2008
McCain feuds with CNN as Obama seeks to build bridges with Fox News
By Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz U.S. Correspondent, and Haaretz Service
Tags: John McCain, Barack Obama 

In the battle for American public opinion in the current election campaign, both Republican and Democratic presidential hopefuls John McCain and Barack Obama are taking great pains to carefully shape their images in the media.

Media veterans who have previously followed Republican Sen. McCain's campaigns say they no longer recognize the man who used to gather journalists in a room, sit on a couch and talk about every subject in the world, without consultants, without a timer and without notes.

McCain is apparently not taking any chances in his current campaign. McCain appears much more restrained in interviews, he strictly budgets his time and simply ignores uncomfortable questions. In one recent appearance, McCain responded - on two occasions - by suggesting the interviewer read his book.
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Another rift developed between the McCain camp and the media on Wednesday, after his aides announced that he would not appear on CNN's Larry King Live as scheduled. The reason for the cancellation: Campbell Brown, another of the network's anchors, "made life too difficult" for McCain strategist Tucker Bounds, when she pressed him on the subject of McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Brown pressed Bounds to describe Palin's foreign policy expertise and to explain whether she would be qualified to serve as president in case of emergency. McCain's camp accused Brown of crossing the line.

Democratic candidate Barak Obama, meanwhile, agreed to appear on Thursday's edition of The O'Reilly Factor - a program hosted by the right-wing pundit on the Fox News channel - in an effort to steal some thunder away from the Republican National Convention.

Obama's appearance on O'Reilly took months of behind-the-scenes work, which even included the involvement of network chief Rupert Murdoch. Democratic party fears that the conservative network would damage Obama's public opinion had apparently led his camp to boycott the network until now.

Fox News President Roger Ailes told the Washington Post that Obama had expressed concern about how he was being covered by the network, saying, according to Ailes, "I just wanted to know if I'm going to get a fair shake from Fox News Channel." It's not clear what tack Bill O'Reilly, who is notorious for treating his interviewees harshly, will take with Obama. But there is no doubt the Democrat's appearance on the show will draw some of the attention away from the Republican National Convention.

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      1.   McCain embarks on a long, public, meltdown 10:09  |  Natallie Durson 04/09/08
      2.   Obama - McCain 5-0 10:14  |  Swiss (Dino) 04/09/08
      3.   OBAMA WILL WIN THIS PUBLIC OPINION WAR 10:22  |  indrajaya 04/09/08
      4.   Palin Roooooocks , Where Did Mc Cain Find Her ? 07:56  |  Joseph.E 04/09/08
      5.   BULLY IS STILL THE WEAPON OF THE REPUBLICANS 11:33  |  indrajaya 04/09/08
      6.   Part 1.Sarah Palin mesmerizes Israeli filmmaker 11:37  |  e.m Jordan is Palse 04/09/08
      7.   Part 2.Sarah Palin mesmerizes Israeli filmmaker 11:39  |  e.m Jordan is Palse 04/09/08
      8.   Palin`s Pastor allowed anti-semite to speak at church 12:07  |  mordechai 04/09/08
      9.   mccain loved the media. what changed now?! 12:14  |  bashar 04/09/08
      10.   The woodening of McCain 12:36  |  Clickfool 04/09/08
      11.   To Swiss (Dino) 13:16  |  VietKong 04/09/08
      12.   Natashe went to journalism school 13:54  |  FOX 04/09/08
      13.   O`Reilly may be a lech, but he`s not stupid 13:56  |  Aphemia 04/09/08
      14.   No earpiece for BillO the Clown 14:17  |  W 04/09/08
      15.   # 11 VietKong 14:48  |  Swiss (Dino) 04/09/08
      16.   Aphemia, listen to O`Reilly 14:54  |  FOX 04/09/08
      17.   O`Reilly is a sleaze... and a shock Jock 15:26  |  Roo 04/09/08
      18.   35 Indy....when the MEDIA has clearly 15:44  |  Lynn 04/09/08
      19.   Palin for Vice President? No, make that Palin for President! 15:44  |  common sense 04/09/08
      20.   Joseph.E `Where Did Mc Cain Find Her ` 15:50  |  Robbo 04/09/08
      21.   #2 Swiss...Campbell Brown was just stupid 15:51  |  Lynn 04/09/08
      22.   Obama vs. O`Reilly 15:55  |  utagawa 04/09/08
      23.   McCain-Obama 16:15  |  Canadian Guy 04/09/08
      24.   CNN has been one sided in its coverage of McCain 16:16  |  Dish It out 04/09/08
      25.   Jewish woman is republican governor of Hawaii 16:35  |  Anonymous 04/09/08
      26.   For Common Sense # 19 16:41  |  Clickfool 04/09/08
      27.   # 24, DISH IT OUT 16:41  |  indrajaya 04/09/08
      28.   McCain`s meltdown 16:48  |  Stanley Shotwell 04/09/08
      29.   #8 Allowing a anit-semite ti speak 16:55  |  John Allen 04/09/08
      30.   natalie # 1 16:57  |  ernie 04/09/08
      31.   #24 about CNN. Good blog however... 17:01  |  John Allen 04/09/08
      32.   Fox, CNN Jews controlled 17:21  |  Dav 04/09/08
      33.   lieberman is a betrayer and no mensch 17:59  |  ross 04/09/08
      34.   # 21 Lynn 18:04  |  Swiss (Dino) 04/09/08
      35.   # 26 Clicky.....Palin was impressive 18:07  |  Lynn 04/09/08
      36.   Of the four running, only Palin has the balls to be Presisident? 18:15  |  She is dynamite! 04/09/08
      37.   Lieberman is independent 18:22  |  anonymous 04/09/08
      38.   Barack Obama 18:28  |  Leonard Hoffman 04/09/08
      39.   Is McCain Really for the country 18:40  |  Democratic Supporter 04/09/08
      40.   # 34 Swiss....the real problem isn`t the blogs 19:01  |  Lynn 04/09/08
      41.   For Lynn # 35 19:19  |  Clickfool 04/09/08
      42.   McCain: 90% George Bush; 10% "I`ll Get Back to You On That" 19:37  |  JP 04/09/08
      43.   Swiss (Dino) Palin is conning the simple American folks 19:42  |  Roo 04/09/08
      44.   OBAMA - Baby MURDERER 19:51  |  Tom 04/09/08
      45.   For She Is Dynamite # 36 20:03  |  Clickfool 04/09/08
      46.   American success story 20:16  |  anonymous 04/09/08
      47.   I do not think the media is biased, Lynn 20:17  |  mark B. 04/09/08
      48.   #41 Clicky....for heaven`s sake 20:48  |  Lynn 04/09/08
      49.   Swiss (Dino) Palin is conning the simple American folks 20:56  |  Roo 04/09/08
      50.   Barack Obama 21:25  |  David 04/09/08
      51.   Swiss (Dino) Palin is conning the simple American folks 21:32  |  Roo 04/09/08
      52.   #41 Clicky......and Obama doesn`t have those things as well? 21:33  |  Lynn 04/09/08
      53.   # 39 Dem Supporter....so, if Obama raises taxes on big business 21:35  |  Lynn 04/09/08
      54.   McCain 22:38  |  rm 04/09/08
      55.   Lynn `simple economics` !? #44 23:02  |  John Syracuse 04/09/08
      56.   #25 anon (Jewish) Gov. Linda Lingle`s great Palin speech 23:31  |  JM 04/09/08
      57.   Campbell Brown 23:34  |  Miransky 04/09/08
      58.   # 40 Lynn 23:38  |  Swiss (Dino) 04/09/08
      59.   Obama goes on Fox is to spoil McCain`s party 23:38  |  JM 04/09/08
      60.   # 42 Roo 23:54  |  Swiss (Dino) 04/09/08
      61.   Do the Republicans have confidence in their man, McCain? 23:58  |  Maureen Ann 04/09/08
      62.   How long for Mccain 00:48  |  Big 05/09/08
      63.   #43 Lynn 01:56  |  Mark B. 05/09/08
      64.   CNN and Fox 02:02  |  American 05/09/08
      65.   Lynn`s Simple economics!? #44 02:40  |  John Syracuse 05/09/08
      66.   #1 Ms. Natalie 05:00  |  John Allen 05/09/08
      67.   Re : 32 06:37  |  shlomog 05/09/08
      68.   Not to worry J.A.(#45), Natalie can`t vote with just a green card 07:24  |  Voice of Reason 05/09/08
      69.   Clickie right about Palin (#41) 07:30  |  Morris Valentine 05/09/08
      70.   For my chum Morris Valentine # 51 09:05  |  Clickfool 05/09/08
      71.