A Penny Drops

I was pleased and perplexed yesterday morning when I heard Senator Obama scolding the media over their intense interest in Bristol Palin. "Families are off limits. Children are especially off limits," and "You should stop covering this story."

My first thought was, That's the most sensible thing I've heard come out of his mouth. And it was, and it speaks highly of the man's instincts and character that he would say it. But as with everything in politics, there's usually more than one reason for a firm, clear, authoritative statement like that. The other reason, I think, is that Obama knows that the media firestorm over Palin is hurting him. First and foremost, it is doing for McCain what McCain would have had trouble doing for himself: uniting conservatives behind his ticket. It is hurting him with those God- and gun-clinging, small-town, white-working-class voters (my goodness, how many of them have had teen pregnancies in their families) that Joe Biden's nomination was supposedly going to help with. And, the controversy continues to drown out any other message when Obama has work to do persuading voters.

So, please, media hounds, keep baying. You're moving McCain closer to the White House every day.