MediaBizBuzz on Democrats, Republicans, Gustav and Ike

Click for News, Photos and all the links to major press coverage of the Republican Convention and for the Democratic reaction.

This past week could have been a Christopher Buckley novel. Gov. Palin's Pastor Kroon -- as he readies for his "Love Won Out" conference designed to turn gays straight -- asked the congregation of his Wasilla Bible Church yesterday to "pray for the press." While the McCain campaign heavy-handedly pushed back against the media scrutiny of its VP nominee, it said nothing about the intimidation of journalists practiced during the RNC, arresting or detaining journalists from Democracy Now!, ABC, and the Associated Press. Somehow satirist/activists Lobbyists for McCain managed to avoid tear gas and had a shout-out on Friday's Daily Show.

McCain campaign spokesman Rick Davis told Fox News Sunday's Chris Wallace that Gov. Palin would take questions from the press, "when and if we decide." So much for Fox's slogan: "We Report. You Decide":

When pressed by Wallace to respond to charges that the McCain campaign was stocked with lobbyists, Davis gamely offered that all Dems could do was chase after "ghosts of the past." That's change you can believe in. Perhaps Davis realized the center would not hold -- at least regards stonewalling on Palin. Three hours later, ABC's Charlie Gibson announced a Palin get. Darn it -- right after I installed my Palin Watch widget. Just a New York Minute -- the ground rules for the interview signal more puffery than probing. Josh Marshall believes it will be unwatchable.

Not much more to say about the RNC Convention itself that hasn't already been remarked upon, except: Andrew Sullivan's noting that Pres. Bush, in describing Sen. McCain's five-and-a-half year imprisonment, never once used the word "torture." Likewise, none of the successive speakers, despite their retelling of McCain's internment in nearly second-by-second detail, referred to his having endured "torture." The Atlantic contributor is convinced that doing so would have incriminated the Bush administration as war criminals. So... er... Gov. Palin used the t-word on Wednesday night. Your move, Sullivan.

Whether or not the 9/11 Tribute during the RNC was exploitative, as some believe, this coming Thursday marks the seventh anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks. In a rare show of unity, Obama and McCain have agreed to appear together at Ground Zero and will lay down their rhetorical arms. Watch director Steve Rosenbaum's landmark documentary 7 Days In September between now and September 12th, and support the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

This nation could have done with a true show of post-partisanship during Hurricane Gustav. While city, state and federal governments have upped their game since Katrina, it's the local press - -- yes, the press -- that served as a beacon for residents-turned-evacuees. While the back-and-forth continues over the value of user-generated-content, here UGC was indispensable. Apart from up to the minute storm updates (did you know that evacuees are being tracked via RFID wristbands?) NOLA.com has uploads of videos and audio, but it's the personal stories that are the most moving. On Sunday Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal declared a State of Emergency on the heels of imminent Hurricane Ike. A native I know points out that neither Senators Obama nor McCain have yet to support an initiative that will offer Federal protection for Category Five hurricanes; all we've planned for is the "once-in-a-century storm." Guys?

Incendiary Michael Moore -- Joe Lieberman's favorite filmmaker -- will make history releasing his full-length feature Slacker Uprising for free on the Web for three weeks beginning September 26th. In recognition of his twenty years in film he intends it as a gift to his audience. The film documents the voter turnout drive for the 2004 election and Moore hopes it will inspire viewers to register. The film will be available on YouTube and Quicktime, but will be best enjoyed on blip.tv in higher resolution format. Look for upcoming coverage and interviews here.