Obama Forces Media to Pay for the Privilege of Covering Him

The best-funded political campaign in American history says news organizations will have to pay-in some cases almost $2,000 each-if they want to cover Barack Obama’s election-night celebration in Chicago. A memo sent to news organizations on Tuesday by the Obama campaign says credentials will cost $715 to $1,815, depending on whether electrical and phone lines are needed and whether an indoor or outdoor seat is requested for the event, which is expected to be held outside the evening of Nov. 4 in Grant Park. The only free admissions are for what’s known as the “general media” area. But, as the memo stresses, “Please note that the General Media area is outdoors, unassigned and may have obstructed views . . . standing room only.” The General Media area also does not include any access to top Obama campaign officials, whose statements likely are to be in hot demand on Election Night. They apparently will be available only in the “press file” tent, to which an additional admission fee of $935 per person is being imposed.