Political Payback: McCain Cancels Larry King Interview On CNN

We learn this afternoon that John McCain cancelled a planned appearance on CNN's Larry King show.  The reason, according to Wolf Blitzer?  “A senior McCain adviser tells CNN the interview has been pulled because of a segment CNN ran last night during Campbell Brown’s ‘Election Central’."

This just strikes me as bad politics.  I'm sure the campaign wants to punish CNN for what it considers Campbell Brown's tough interview of McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds.  But seriously folks, how tough was it really?  Bounds explained that Palin had experience as a commander in chief of the state's National Guard.  Brown asked for a single decision she'd made in that capacity.  And the rest was rope-a-dope by the McCain spokesman.

Does it really help McCain to be seen ducking an interview?   And I can't imagine that it's helpful to the GOP to give networks an excuse to watch Tucker Bounds' unimpressive defense of Palin's defense bona fides.  Could it be that the news around Sarah Palin is so bad that McCain would rather be called out for dodging Larry King than have the press focus on Alaska's governor?  One thing for sure: McCain can't afford to be seen as afraid of Larry King!

We're in one of those periods where the McCain team seems to have lost control.  That can't be good news for a candidate running as a manager you can trust.

Update: In a savvy retort, Obama has agreed to descend into the Lion's Den by joining Bill O'Reilly on FOX News Thursday night.  Quite a contrast!

Comments

[anon]

Keep writing it, maybe your guy will win. But maybe not, and it'll have nothing to do with what you think is 'savvy.'

[anon]

Maybe it had nothing to do with the interview being "tough." I saw it, and was disgusted by Campbell Brown's lack of professionalism. She was smirking and laughing as she asked several questions. She also clearly has no idea about what the National Guard is or what it does. CNN has been pretty trashy lately, but Campbell Brown takes it to a whole new low level.