The Sunshine Empire

The operative mode of the McCain campaign this week has been to mock the press as lovesick schoolgirls due to their lavish coverage of Senator Obama’s trip to the middle east and Europe.  One thing that should be said is that they invited it on themselves.  For weeks after his last trip to the middle east McCain mocked him for having gone so long since visiting Iraq.  When he dared him to go he made the offer to go with him.  Many at the time felt it was condescending that the Arizona Senator would be offering to show his younger counterpart from Illinois the ropes when it came to foreign policy.  I think he knew there was a chance that the rock star senator would garner this attention abroad.

Now it is a simple overseas trip and nothing out of the ordinary for a Senator to do, but the coverage is understandable if for no other reason than it’s the middle of summer and there is nothing better for the political press to cover.  Republicans chafe when the fairness doctrine is brought up in regards to right-wing talk radio, but seem to sing a different tune when it comes to this particular race.  Suddenly equal time is of the up most of importance.