by Mike Memoli
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- When reporters first assembled to cover Sen. Joe Biden at the start of the Democratic convention in Denver, the size of the press gaggle surprised even the Obama campaign. Everyone, it seemed, wanted to hear what the talkative Delaware senator would have to say. One reporter revealed that his news organization had not expected to cover the vice presidential candidates full time, but their plans changed when Barack Obama tapped Biden as his running mate.
But then along came Sarah.
It remains to be seen whether the media focus on Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin might overshadow John McCain, but at least for last week, it certainly pushed Biden offstage. As he kicked off another week of campaigning on Sunday in Montana, the only media accompanying him were representatives from the five TV and cable networks and one print reporter from the Politico. No wire services, no New York Times, no Washington Post.
The coverage may not be the same, but the Palin pick has presented a new opportunity for the Obama campaign: let Biden be Biden. His verbose nature, once an area of concern, is now being spun as an asset, especially since Palin has yet to campaign on her own or take serious questions from the media.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/njonline/no_20080908_3243.php"Sometime Sarah Palin's going to have to do what I'm doing right now: She's actually going to have to talk to you," Biden told reporters yesterday on his campaign plane. "She's actually going to have to tell you what she thinks. She's actually going to have to defend her record. I mean, not through a press release. Straight up."