What is that Aroma ? ? ? ?

Two separate incidents - one in the US and one in Canada - occurred yesterday that got me thinking about politics and the media. Mind you, these were not isolated incidents by any means.

Check out incident #1, via The Politico:

Palin press may boycott UN conference
By: Kenneth P. Vogel
September 23, 2008 01:30 PM EST

NEW YORK – Journalists, displeased with Sarah Palin’s efforts to restrict their access to her, are threatening not to cover her events surrounding the United Nations conference here unless they're allowed more access.

The unfolding boycott is the latest development in a rocky relationship between Palin’s handlers and the press, in which the campaign has sought to tightly control her interactions with the media.

The campaign had originally indicated that the print reporters following her campaign would be among the small group of journalists allowed to attend the so-called “pool sprays” before Palin’s meetings with dignitaries on the sidelines of the U.N. meetings.

The sprays are basically glorified photo opportunities during which journalists can snap photos and film footage and – if they’re lucky – shout a question or two at Palin and her company before she adjourns for private meetings. On Tuesday, those meetings were to include Afghan President Karzai and former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

But the imbroglio began developing Tuesday morning when Palin’s handlers informed the small print press contingent covering her campaign that the print reporter designated to cover the events, Elizabeth Holmes of the Wall Street Journal, would not be allowed to cover the sprays.

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The campaign also at first moved to bar CNN, the television network designated for pool duty, from sending its editorial producer – basically a hybrid print/video journalist – though the campaign budged when the network threatened to withhold its cameras as well.

Incident #2 occurred right here in Metro Vancouver last evening. Via the Vancouver Sun:

Tories keep candidate Cadman away from media

Andrew Mayeda - Canwest News Service
Wednesday, September 24, 2008

The Conservatives refused a request by the media to interview the woman at the centre of the so-called Cadman affair at a campaign stop in Surrey Tuesday.

Media travelling with Prime Minister Stephen Harper requested an interview with Dona Cadman, the Conservative candidate for Surrey North and widow of late MP Chuck Cadman, after Harper addressed a rally here.

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However, the Conservatives ushered her and the other candidates out the back door of the conference hall before the media could speak with her.

Dona Cadman has alleged that Tory operatives offered to buy her husband a $1-million life-insurance policy so he would vote with the Conservatives to topple the government in the summer of 2005. Cadman died of cancer weeks after the confidence vote, which the Liberal government survived.

"Local candidates' priority is campaigning in their local ridings, and not talking to the national media," said Harper's chief spokesman, Kory Teneycke.

Teneycke suggested Cadman did not want to speak with the media, but would not confirm if the party actually relayed the interview request to her.

Sound like quite similar incidents, don't you think?

One may be tempted to jump to the conclusion that the muzzling of the press may very well be orchestrated by someone?

Perhaps a political "guru" or expert at controlling the message.

Excuse me for a moment, I've got to go close the windows. It seems there is one of Stanley Park's famed furry black and white creatures in the 'hood spreading his or her perfume around.





(walk, walk. peer out windows. scratch head in confusion. walk, walk.)




Well, I'll be damned.

That wasn't what it was at all.





Apparently, the infamous karl rove was in the area and the stench of his "craft" has just now made it's way to The West End from downtown Calgary.





Sorry for the confusion . . . .


(It's not bad enough the life-form has a beach house in the same county that we live in Florida, he's got to follow us here, too?!?!)

(Cross-posted from Moved to Vancouver)