Wow.
So, Senator McCain goes on national television and lies to a pastor, pretending that he was in a "cone of silence" holding room during the Saddleback Forum where he couldn't hear the questions that he would be asked that were also being posed to Senator Obama, gets called on it, and then lodges an official complaint with NBC News because Andrea Mitchell was one of the many reporters to report on it?
To quote Grandpa Simpson, the Senator's alter ego, "Oh, Bitch Bitch Bitch..."
First off, let me tackle this insane notion that Andrea Mitchell is someone in the bag for Senator Obama, because she dared to report on what was happening. Anyone who watches MSNBC knows that Mitchell has a virtual bat-phone to Carly Fiorina, the Senior McCain advisor, and has her or other McCain surrogates on many more times a day than Obama people. Secondly, it wasn't even a month ago that Mitchell was under heavy criticism from the left for making the contention that Senator Obama was asked "fake questions" while in the Middle East. I don't say any of this to complain about Mitchell, just to point out that she's managed to make both sides angry, which, to me, says that she's been playing it down the middle.
Secondly, let's note here that the McCain campaign OPENLY ADMITS that he wasn't in any "cone of silence" at the forum, but does not say whether the candidate was passed on any info, on his way to the event. (Oh, and by the way, if you dare ask, the campaign will say you're questioning a former POW, which is relevant... how?)
Finally, let's get back to the real issue here -- John McCain lied to and embarrassed a pastor on national television. Pastor Warren made clear in his opening, and reiterated to CNN's Rick Sanchez, that he was under the belief that Senator McCain had abided by the agreed upon rules, and was in his so-called "cone of silence" when the show started. McCain let Warren believe that, until afterwords. That Warren is trying to salvage the legitimacy of the forum by giving McCain a pass is irrelevant.
The fact still is that Senator McCain and his campaign lied to a pastor, by agreeing to rules and breaking them, and not telling him until after the fact.
Sorry, but that's news and deserves at least a mention, so those who viewed the event know all the facts surrounding it.
Senator Complain's whining not withstanding, of course.