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By CJP | September 22, 2008
 The McCain campaign held a conference call with reporters today, ostensibly to discuss a new ad the campaign is putting out. But lead strategist, Steve Schmidt, used it as an opportunity to scold the assembled reporters for what he said is a lack of scrutiny of Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
When asked about today's New York Times story about the campaign manager, Rick Davis', work for and $2 million in fees from a group that included Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Davis said that he hasn't lobbied for 18 months pointed out that Fannie and Freddie were members of the group and not directly his clients. It was then that Schmidt spoke up and cautioned reporters to consider the source, saying the Times is "a pro-Obama advocacy organization...completely, totally, 150% in the tank" for Barack Obama.
Schmidt later said he hoped to see "a level of symmetry" in the coverage of the two campaigns, and complained that the media had not vetted Joe Biden, nor his adult son's lobbying for the credit card industry, in nearly the same way as it had vetted Sarah Palin. Schmidt described "a fierce campaign of intimidation...designed to prevent any level of scrutiny of Sen. Obama's record," adding that Gov. Palin has been "the subject of smears" and is "under fierce attack," and wrapped up by asking, "Where's the outrage?"
Top reporters from CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, the AP and other outlets were on the call, so if you notice a slight shift in tone from the media later today and through the week, it could be a result of today's trip to the woodshed.
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