Not a great week for John McCain or FoxNews and it all comes together in one fell swoop to sum it up in one paragraph:

I reported at the top of this hour that the campaign had told us at Fox News that the audience would be made up of Republicans, Democrats, and independents. We have now received a clarification from the campaign and I feel I should pass it along to you. The McCain campaign distributed tickets to supporters, Mayor Bloomberg, who of course is a registered Republican, and other independent groups.

Who else used to pull this trick at so called "Town Meetings"?

Oh yes, his buddy and inspiration, the man who served the first two terms of what McCain hopes will be a third term of the same policies

President Bush will be in Minnesota Friday for his first visit since last year’s campaign. Bush will hold what’s being billed as a "conversation on Medicare" at the Maple Grove Community Center. Only ticket-holding invited guests will be allowed in. The White House won’t tell Minnesota Public Radio whether the Minnesota event is off limits to people who disagree with the president.

Oh, yes, and does this sound familiar from what you have heard of various McCain enabling pundits?

Political analysts say Bush is using town hall forums so much because he comes across best in informal settings. Critics complain the forums offer no public policy debate and instead are crafted exclusively promote Bush proposals.

And what did the self-declared "Mr. Straight-Talk" think of such contrived gatherings before he was running for a third term?

McCAIN CHIDES SCHWARZENEGGER OVER STAGED RALLIES

(Reuters) Sen. John McCain joined Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday to promote the California governor’s November ballot initiatives, but afterward chided his carefully staged campaign events.

The Arizona Republican senator appeared with the governor before a crowd of about 150 invited women, who cheered wildly when Schwarzenegger arrived and frequently applauded as he touted the benefits of California initiatives on budget reform, teachers, and redistricting.

As at many of Schwarzenegger’s campaign events, outsiders were not allowed to attend what the governor’s office called a "town hall meeting" at a hotel near Oakland’s airport. Union protesters gathered outside the venue carrying signs.

At a subsequent news conference, McCain, a possible candidate for U.S. president in 2008, said he had always favored town hall meetings open to the public, adding that some especially noisy dissenters had occasionally been ejected.

"The benefit of an open town hall meeting is one that you get to hear a lot of different views, and two it has credibility," said McCain.

For most politicians the press would notice this HUGE flip-flop and take them to task.

But not their beloved "Grillmaster"; I’m sure they’ll explain what he meant…if they bother to explain at all.

In fact, look no further than today’s Washington Post where FoxNews’ clarification of how "staged" and strictly controlled this gathering was is not even considered worth mentioning by Michael D. Shear (McCain barbecue attendee) and Juliet Eilperin as they go on about how the "townhall" format is so good for their beloved Maverick.

Analysis recycled every four years.

Funny that.

SPECIAL BONUS UPDATE — HUZZAH!

Oh, hey — I’m sure I won’t be alone in putting this up, but Booman unearthed the clip all fans of the McCain/Bush manhug will want to send to friends around the country…

…REPEATEDLY!


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