November 24, 2015

Politico: "TV networks hold conference call to discuss Trump treatment."

I thought the networks were colluding on how they were going to treat Trump, but it turns out they've got a problem with how he's treating them:
"The effort in the Trump campaign is to limit any kind of interaction between our reporters and the people attending the Trump events. So we'd like to have some access to folks," [one unnamed] executive said.... In one instance, a CNN reporter was told to return to the media "pen" or have his credentials revoked when he tried to film protesters in the crowd at a Trump event last week. A reporter from NBC News was told to return to the media area on Friday as she tried to interview attendees at a Trump rally before the event began. Campaigns often keep reporters in designated media areas during campaign events. The areas often include risers for cameras and sometimes include desks and reserved chairs for reporters.... But Trump's overall approach to the media — including direct attacks on reporters and specific outlets — has been particularly harsh. His campaign has also denied credentials to outlets such as Univision, Fusion, BuzzFeed and the Des Moines Register, often in retaliation for another piece the outlet (or its editorial board) wrote or broadcast about Trump.
Trump seems to talk a lot about whether he's being treated "fairly." "Campaigns often keep reporters in designated media areas... But Trump's overall approach to the media — including direct attacks on reporters and specific outlets... has been particularly harsh." Well, the media's approach to Trump has been particularly harsh, or so I'm sure it seems to Trump. Another big Trump theme is "management." (It's his stock one-word answer to queries about how he'll do something he says he will do.) Trump is managing the press. Is his approach "particularly harsh" or is this that management we're hearing so much about?

And isn't there an element of truth to my misreading? The network folk are trying to figure out how to treat Trump — how to manage him. It will be hard, because whatever moves they make he will use against them, and attacking the press is one of his prime strategies. He's got things going so that he doesn't need them or they need him more than he needs them. They really did think, early on, that they could bring him down, and they tried again and again. Their game didn't work, and he has some never-before-seen game and they're very confused about how to play it. He, on the other hand, is having great fun. Another big Trump theme is "energy." And this game with the press cranks up the energy for him.

62 comments:

Todd said...

So, it is just fine when Hillary! keeps the press in roped off areas and when her campaign limits their access but not OK when Trump does the same?

If the left did not have double-standards, they would have no standards at all...

Laslo Spatula said...

"Their game didn't work, and he has some never-before-seen game and they're very confused about how to play it."

Indeed.

The Press cannot contain him onto the playing field of their choice.

And -- while they believe they have made the rules of The Game -- Trump is playing the Press in the Manner of Calvin & Hobbes' "Calvinball".

From Wiki:

Calvinball
Other kids' games are all such a bore!
They've gotta have rules and they gotta keep score!
Calvinball is better by far!
It's never the same! It's always bizarre!
You don't need a team or a referee!
You know that it's great, 'cause it's named after me!

— Excerpt from the Calvinball theme song

I am Laslo..
.

Mid-Life Lawyer said...

The GOP should be forever grateful to Trump for demonstrating how to push back hard on the media effectively. The same on how to stand up to political correctness. I still think he's a reality show character who is expanding his brand, but he has shown the way for those who might be so bold.

But maybe it has gotten good to him and he is going to stick around. Then what? I don't know but in the same light that I would vote for any GOP candidate over any Democrat, I would trust Trump over the media in a dispute over a grey area, any old day.

garage mahal said...

Trump says he saw people jumping out of the towers on 9/11 from four miles away. #TrumpFacts

Alexander said...

These are the same people who let them selves be literally corralled by Clinton, correct?

Kevin said...

Odd. The LameStream Media© didn't seem to have a problem with Hillary! and her Moving Press Pen™

http://www.people.com/article/hillary-clinton-campaign-lasso-rope-corral-reporters

I wonder whatever could the difference be...?

*SNORT*

Shouting Thomas said...

The press is Trump's enemy and he knows it. This in itself is a step forward for Republicans. Romney could never figure it out. He kept assuming goodwill.

I'm down for a dicks versus cunts presidential election. Old fashioned hard charging macho man and pussy hound (Trump) versus disgusting old feminist hag and closet lezzie (Clinton).

What could be more entertaining? And, it's time to decide, too. I'm for the dicks!

GO DICKS!

MathMom said...

Hillary puts reporters in an actual rope pen, and herds them around. They accept it. Give me a break.

traditionalguy said...

The Art of the Deal now has an appendix called The Art of War With Dishonest Media . The aficionados of Rush Limbaugh are going to enjoy seeing how Trump raises the level higher than even ElRushbo.

The Godfather said...

I see Tromp so often on Good Morning America that I wonder if he's angling for Robin Roberts' job. If the other news outlets give him similar treatment, the other candidates ought to complain about "unfair" treatment.

Once written, twice... said...

The for-profit press loves Trump. He has been great for ratings, and in turn, profits. Now, he has been a huge embarrassment for the Republican Party. He has exposed that its years of making dog whistle appeals to bigots and racists has led it to becoming the favorite home of political hillbillies.

walter said...

"The network folk are trying to figure out how to treat Trump — how to manage him. "
Yep. They're used to managing entire elections. It's turf war.

Amichel said...

The press has sown the wind for years now. They will justly reap the whirlwind.

Fen said...

Fuck the media. The sure didn't mind Hillary's roving rope line. And they can't swallow Obama fast enough. They have this coming.

If Trump is elected, I hope he sicks the FCC on the media, redefines them as political orgs working for the DNC, with all applicable rules and fines applied.

Fuck the media.

Rick said...

"The effort in the Trump campaign is to limit any kind of interaction between our reporters and the people attending the Trump events...

Campaigns often keep reporters in designated media areas during campaign events. The areas often include risers for cameras and sometimes include desks and reserved chairs for reporters.... But Trump's overall approach to the media — including direct attacks on reporters and specific outlets — has been particularly harsh.


I note they don't include roping off a walking press corps among the actions "often" or "sometimes" taken by campaigns. Have Hillary and Obama not spent a decade attacking Fox by name? Why do these media believe Trump's actions are worse than Hillary's?

Because she's an ally.

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/roger-simon-hillary-clinton-press-119777

https://www.google.com/search?q=hillary+ropes+press&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=899&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj3tJ7zqqnJAhVKMj4KHVdzCgAQsAQIHA&dpr=1

Quinn Satterwaite said...

I think the Althouse take is a good one.

The obvious response is to compare to the press obsequiousness to HRC and Obama and their messaging techniques.

The press obviously wants to feed click bait articles with opinions they cant from Trump himself but they can get out of the mouths of commoners attending a political rally. Trump doesnt want that so he pens these guys in or they wont get credentials. Why isnt that an example of sound management? The press frying foul because he blocks their dirty tricks campaign?

This isnt a politician blocking the press from a story (like Lois Lehrners emails), this is a politician blocking access to a non-story.

damikesc said...

As has been pointed out, I didn't notice these articles about how Hillary's campaign treats them.

I guess that was OK.

The press wants a Republican to welcome them with open arms and seems to have no qualms with their fellow Democrats not doing so.

As Rush has said, the media are Dems with bylines. Republicans --- ALL Republicans --- should treat them as such. They went after their lickspittle lackey McCain with gusto.

Michael said...

When a commenter uses the term "hillbillies" you know he is a prog because if there is one thing progs hate it is uneducated, poor white people. Progs loathe them on the one hand but find them useful as traditional targets of their baddest words: racists and bigots.

It would be fun to see a hillbilly on crank let loose on a metro prog.

MacMacConnell said...

Hillary lassos the press, VP Biden locks reporter in the closet, crickets or media conference calls?

John henry said...

A law question for the law professor:

Is the press exempt, under 1A from the Sherman Anti-Trust Act?

Sherman prohibits companies from colluding and I would think this would be prohibited collusion if done by other than the press.

John Henry

Paul said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Paul said...

"I see Tromp so often on Good Morning America that I wonder if he's angling for Robin Roberts' job"

Um, I pretty sure he's angling for another, more prestigious job.

madAsHell said...

I can't believe that Trump keeps hitting home runs. He starts his campaign with a wall on the Rio Grande, and then we start seeing Syrians coming across the border.

Now, he ignores the press, but the press can't ignore him. He's a bombast, but he might also be a genius.

John henry said...

To echo several comments above, the media has been screwing us, the public, over for years. Good to see someone like Trump pushing back.

For a good analysis of what Trump is doing, see Scott Adams' blog. Very insightful on how he is tying people up in knots by not doing the expected.

Yeah, that Scott Adams. http://blog.dilbert.com/

Also, as to Trump just doing it for the celebrity, I just don't see it. He already has all the name recognition he needs. As I mentioned the other day, it is not a new idea for him either. According to Meacham's bio of GHW Bush, Trump approached him in 1988 about being VP.

John Henry

John henry said...


Blogger Michael said...

When a commenter uses the term "hillbillies" you know he is a prog because if there is one thing progs hate it is uneducated, poor white people. Progs loathe them on the one hand but find them useful as traditional targets of their baddest words: racists and bigots.


Black people too. Madison WI is exhibit 1. One of the most progressive cities in one of the most progressive states.

And perhaps the most racist city in the US by the numbers.

John Henry

MacMacConnell said...

Michael said...
"When a commenter uses the term "hillbillies" you know he is a prog because if there is one thing progs hate it is uneducated, poor white people."

That's because it reminds Progs of their failure it the institution they control, public education. But then that institution's goal isn't about the children is it?

Guildofcannonballs said...

"Trump seems to talk a lot about" whatever the media is showing you.

Neither good nor bad, it is just a fact Trump can talk for an hour about many things, like Guiliani, but like with Rudy if people here 9/11 then the narrative is "that's all Guiliani talks about" and Biden will joke and people will laugh it up.

Trump bashes the media certainly, but he talks about lots of other things during his appearances and those topics, many times banal ("I love it here, with the great people and the amazing food and wonderful geography!") but other times damaging to Leftists and hence covered-up, such as the attacks on Hillary nobody seems to have heard him mount.

So I congratulate Althouse for her precise, accurate writing demonstrating an openness to learning about Trump and America. Very heartening.

I would note also that Obamacare should have been completely unnecessary as politicians from across the board all told us digitizing medical records, like at Epic in Madison taxdraining extraordinarily successful if I am not mistaking, we would save so much and prevent so much redundant waste and oh boy oh boy oh boy they all sounded so smart and sophisticated and what a no-brainer this was and the pundits agreed, and it all ended up as easily-exploited feces digitized at taxpayer expense while the cronies party in Madison in double-arm casts from breaks deriving from patting themselves on the back so hard for saving lives by demanding healthcare! for all up to 21st century dynamic standards yada yada.

Trump, the only true moderate* of any modern political prominence, is being general and obscure because he understands as POTUS he will have to work with congress and doesn't want to alienate his potential allies.

Trump, the only candidate fighting for America's middle class, is so specific on immigration, gun rights, and tax policy the leading conservatives in the fields media-wise are saying "right on" and so forth.

Reconciling these two seemingly oppossing statements can be achieved by directly hearing the source material and tossing out the subject in the first few paragraphs of this comment, specifically the media edited by Leftists.

*Moderate as a label politically doesn't contain within itself goodness per se, and Jon Stewart's Moderatism leads him on the same path the Nazi's wore out, but in Trump's case it is near perfect, as shown by hacks like Vic Hanson claiming Trump's plan taxing hedge-fund paper pushing cronies at the same rate as his army of administrative assistants is job-killing liberal envy of the rich such as Obama proved is his ethoes with his answer he wanted fairness by taxing the rich even if it was to such an excess it reduced federal revenues hypothetically.

Sebastian said...

“The network folk are trying to figure out how to BEAT Trump”

FIFY.

garage mahal said...

Waiting for Trump to proclaim the Trump Tower was the target of the 9/11 attack. Then he and dopey followers will blame the media when asked for oroof. And his followers will eat it up at Trump's SS rallies.

Larry J said...

Trump knows what every Republican candidate at all levels should know - the Press hates his guts and will do anything they can to bring him down. Should they succeed, they'll move to the next candidate in line and lather-rinse-repeat. As the InstaPundit says, the reporters are nothing more than Democrat operatives with by-lines.

Anonymous said...

Media colluding to take down a non-Democrat candidate? What's new?

Scott said...

The broadcast, print, and internet outlets would have an easier time of it if they cultivated a nonpartisan public persona. But with ABC calling George stephanopoulos a "reporter;" or Jeffrey Zucker, who heads CNN, expressing open hate for anything associated with the Republican Party, and so on ad infinitum, the press no longer has a reputation to defend. Trump can do whatever the fuck he wants. The outrage card was played long ago. The half of the country that the New York Times doesn't give a damn about doesn't have to give a damn about the New York Times either.

Carnifex said...

Garbage Dump said--"Trump says he saw people jumping out of the towers on 9/11 from four miles away. #TrumpFacts"

Not at all like Obongo promising to cool the earth and lower the seas. #ObongoLies

You can always count on Garbage to ignore the log in his own eye.

Thorley Winston said...

The press obviously wants to feed click bait articles with opinions they cant from Trump himself but they can get out of the mouths of commoners attending a political rally. Trump doesnt want that so he pens these guys in or they wont get credentials. Why isnt that an example of sound management? The press frying foul because he blocks their dirty tricks campaign?

This isnt a politician blocking the press from a story (like Lois Lehrners emails), this is a politician blocking access to a non-story.


That is an excellent and valid point. Reporters covering political campaigns should be asking tough and substantive questions of the candidate. They should not be trolling the even looking for some random person who attended to say something off-color to impugn the candidate with.

n.n said...

The press have been guilty of JournoListic efforts to direct favorable and suppress unfavorable news about their special interests. Contrary to their conspiratorial beliefs, they were the authors of their own story.

Big Mike said...

Four years ago a reporter was locked in a closet while covering a Joe Biden fundraiser and the press raised nary a peep. Hillary Clinton not only keeps reporters inside a pen at her events, but is perfectly willing to use ropes to herd them in public. But it's only a problem when Trump tries to do that.

Oka-a-a-ay.

eric said...

I think since Trump has recently agreed with Althouse (but she was days early!) That Althouse is starting to warm up to Trump.

It won't last.

RonF said...

The MSM are collectively and individually unpaid operatives for the Democratic Party. They do not come to Trump events in order to report on Trump's policies or positions in an objective fashion. They are there to find and seize on controversies in an attempt to discredit him. They are in opposition to his campaign. So he's treating them in that fashion.

Understand - I'm not a Trump supporter. There are other candidates in the GOP field that I think would make much better Presidents. But that's immaterial to this issue. The fact that I do not favor him does not mean that I approve of all tactics or people in opposition to him.

tim in vermont said...

Waiting for Trump to proclaim the Trump Tower was the target of the 9/11 attack. - garage

Yeah, it would be a pattern for him, like claiming he came under sniper fire leaving his airplane... Oh wait, that fabulist would be Hillary.

cubanbob said...

Trump is a unique apparition that has emerged in these strange days. A hustler, an opportunist, a blow-hard and buffoon and in some ways brilliant man who at first everyone though was running a uber-rich man's vanity project and not to be taken seriously has emerged as the one true populist candidate for president. He scares the Democrats because he can and does attract working class Democrats and independents. The Democrats can't win without them.
The Republican elites also have a problem with Trump: he knows their bullshit and they know the Republican base will vote for him and that he will to some degree upset the cozy little deal they have with the Democrats- they are no friend to the small businessman and the self-employed. The media hates him because he constantly treats them like the whores for the Democrats they are. Trump isn't afraid of the media and that must drive them crazy especially since the public is now seeing them for what they are. Whether or not Trump started this venture with a real and sincere belief he could be elected president instead of some giant PR deal and vanity project I don't know. But right now he has become a real candidate to millions of people and maybe he has grasped that and that now has to decide to really go for it or find a way out soon. If the election were to be held next week who really thinks that Hillary would win never mind win big? I wonder what odds the bookies are giving.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

Haven't read the article--was this a public conference call (if not real-time, with a published transcript, say) or is it all off the record? If the latter this couldn't play into the Trump campaign's hands more perfectly!

Hey, these losers have to work together to figure out how to bring me down, you know, I'm so huge and popular and they're used to pushing Republicans around whenever they feel like it, but the American people love my message so much the Media is scared and these weak jerks have to try to gang up on me. But my poll numbers aren't dropping, the Media can't beat me, I'm going to beat them like I'll beat unemployment and our nation's enemies--vote for me and stick it to those MSM a-holes who call you guys stupid and racist all the time!

The double-secret conspiracy, then, has to be that the Media actually want Trump to do well, to get the nomination if possible, since he's one of the few Republicans who they think might actually lose to a terrible candidate like Hillary Clinton.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

But what about Trump's gaaaaafes?!

Joe said...

The unspoken question is why does the press believe it is entitled to special treatment? The second point is that it highlights the incestuous relationship between politicians and the press--that the presidential plane and candidates' transportation have "press" sections is actually quite disturbing.

cubanbob said...

The double-secret conspiracy, then, has to be that the Media actually want Trump to do well, to get the nomination if possible, since he's one of the few Republicans who they think might actually lose to a terrible candidate like Hillary Clinton.

11/24/15, 11:57 AM"

If they actually believe that then they are more out of touch with reality than any other person who is living in the liberal bubble-zone. I'm for Cruz, then maybe Rubio followed by Trump but a reality check tells me if the election were held today Trump would beat Hillary and a Cruz or Rubio victory would be a lot dicier.

Drago said...

tim in Vermont to garage: "Yeah, it would be a pattern for him, like claiming he came under sniper fire leaving his airplane... Oh wait, that fabulist would be Hillary."

Garage actually believes that Hillary came under sniper fire in Bosnia.

Garage also believes that Obambi lowered the seas.

Garage believes these things because he has been told to believe these things. Let's face it, garage is not what you would call an independent "thinker".

Brando said...

We learned back in the Nixon days you can make the press your enemy and win over the people that way--and even today's Nixon (i.e., Hillary) got away with shutting out the press and all they could do was limply complain. So why should Trump (or any Republican) do any different? Make them play by your own rules.

Romney not calling out Candy Crowley in that second debate was a low point for meekness. Much as I hope the GOP picks someone else for their nominee besides Trump, I am hoping the eventual nominee learned a thing or two from him.

Anonymous said...

His approach to the media isn't at all unusual, for a megalomaniac and narcissist. His antagonism toward the press is based on how he perceives his 'treatment' by them. He takes it as a personal affront when he is fact checked and challenged, which IS the job of the media afterall. Media have been letting him slide far too long because they didn't take him seriously, but it appears that there are enough nutty conservatives that may propel him to a nomination. For someone with this man's personality traits to be the leader of the most powerful country on earth, should make rational people quake in their boots.

Drago said...

Here's the latest from that deep thinker obambi: Obama just said the UN Climate Conference will be a "powerful rebuke to terrorists."

UN Climate Conference.

Powerful Rebuke.

To Terrorists.

And that's really all you need to know about the lefties #smartpower.

TNTitan said...

Was it Obama or the Clintons who literally put a reporter in a closet?

Looked it up: it was Biden! Although Obama did sentence a reporter to a golf club's maintenance shed.

Larry J said...

Georgie said...
His approach to the media isn't at all unusual, for a megalomaniac and narcissist. His antagonism toward the press is based on how he perceives his 'treatment' by them. He takes it as a personal affront when he is fact checked and challenged, which IS the job of the media afterall.


I'd love to see some examples of the press actually fact-checking Obama or Hillary. The fact that they seldom do so shows that the media is actively biased. Why should any Republican cooperate with reporters who're actively trying to destroy them? If the reporters treated Republicans and Democrats equally, that would be different, but they don't, not even close.

eric said...

This is yet another reason why you should always vote Republican.

Because with a Republican Administration, the media will do its job, enthusiastically!

cubanbob said...

Georgie said...
His approach to the media isn't at all unusual, for a megalomaniac and narcissist. His antagonism toward the press is based on how he perceives his 'treatment' by them. He takes it as a personal affront when he is fact checked and challenged, which IS the job of the media afterall. Media have been letting him slide far too long because they didn't take him seriously, but it appears that there are enough nutty conservatives that may propel him to a nomination. For someone with this man's personality traits to be the leader of the most powerful country on earth, should make rational people quake in their boots.

11/24/15, 1:42 PM"

Well thanks for Georgie said...
His approach to the media isn't at all unusual, for a megalomaniac and narcissist. His antagonism toward the press is based on how he perceives his 'treatment' by them. He takes it as a personal affront when he is fact checked and challenged, which IS the job of the media afterall. Media have been letting him slide far too long because they didn't take him seriously, but it appears that there are enough nutty conservatives that may propel him to a nomination. For someone with this man's personality traits to be the leader of the most powerful country on earth, should make rational people quake in their boots.

11/24/15, 1:42 PM "

Well thanks for describing Obama and Clinton perfectly. As for Trump, the media hasn't let him slide, they just can't grab hold of him.

eric said...

For someone with this man's personality traits to be the leader of the most powerful country on earth, should make rational people quake in their boots.

Meh.

We survived eight years of Obama (or will soon enough). And Obama has the same, or worse, personality traits.

So quaking in my boots? Yeah, not so much. And Trump has the added benefit of being right on policy a lot more than Obamby ever did.

David said...

Trump seems to talk a lot about whether he's being treated "fairly."

This is battlefield preparation. He's telling the Republican establishment that if they rig the nomination process he might run as an independent. Presto, Hillary is President.

It's a pretty smart approach from a supposedly stupid guy.

Anonymous said...

Eric,
Policy? What policy? Ohhhhh this policy, "It's good management!". Ask Trump about his policies and that's the answer you'll get, lol. Don't you find it a bit odd that he can't articulate even one of his policies?

damikesc said...

His antagonism toward the press is based on how he perceives his 'treatment' by them. He takes it as a personal affront when he is fact checked and challenged, which IS the job of the media afterall.

Does he email the networks during shows and demand they correct things?

Cause Obama's people do that.

And MSNBC has done it. Repeatedly.

Media have been letting him slide far too long because they didn't take him seriously, but it appears that there are enough nutty conservatives that may propel him to a nomination. For someone with this man's personality traits to be the leader of the most powerful country on earth, should make rational people quake in their boots.

You're aware that the media is letting Hillary slide on far graver matters, right?

If you want fact-checking and holding candidates' feet to the fire --- it'd be great if you'd suggest your preference get hit first.

Just to show that you mean it.

I expect the media to treat the Republican the same as the Democrat. They don't, so the Republican is within his/her right to simply ignore and denigrate the media. You aren't obligated to help Democrats do their job.

Hagar said...

I love this one from James Taranto:

"Trump’s Jersey tale may be a lie, but it also challenges the official lie. That explains why some people see Trump as a truth-teller even when he isn’t telling the truth."

eric said...

Blogger Georgie said...
Eric,
Policy? What policy?


The three he has put online, for starters. Which are taxes, immigration and second amendment. I think he has since added to it, but I haven't read his other plans yet.

cubanbob said...

Georgie said...
Eric,
Policy? What policy? Ohhhhh this policy, "It's good management!". Ask Trump about his policies and that's the answer you'll get, lol. Don't you find it a bit odd that he can't articulate even one of his policies?

11/24/15, 2:17 PM"

Cash for clunkers? Stimulus and Son of Stimulus? The reset button? ObamaCare? Ask Obama if he can actually articulate any of these 'policies' among the veritable forest of crap policies he and the Democrats have inflicted on us. If Trump was elected and after taking the oath of office simply issued a presidential order banning every agency from promulgating another regulation for the rest of his term unless he personally first signed off on it and revoked every regulation issued by the Obama Administration as a waste of precious government resources he could then take a four year vacation and the economy would recover rather nicely.

Matt said...

Keeping the press inside ropes is bad [Hillary]. Telling them they will be blacklisted if they don't cover you is also bad [Trump]. Can we just accept BOTH of these candidates want to control the press and are for the most part winning? The free press? Journalistic integrity? Not so much.

Drago said...

Who can forget that soul-searing tale from little johnny kerry about having to listen to President Nixon lying on the radio at Christmastime, 1968?

What was that about vetting candidates comments again?

damikesc said...

Keeping the press inside ropes is bad [Hillary]. Telling them they will be blacklisted if they don't cover you is also bad [Trump]. Can we just accept BOTH of these candidates want to control the press and are for the most part winning? The free press? Journalistic integrity? Not so much.

There is no journalistic integrity and hasn't been in years. The chief anchor of ABC News is a close Clinton confidante and senior advisor and donor to her criminal enterprise.

There aren't any major news people who held high positions for conservatives. There just aren't.

The free press gave up and became lap dogs years ago. The demise of them is not a sad affair.

But the issue, Matt, is that the press only seems really concerned about Trump's treatment of them...not Hillary's. Why don't the papers/stations have their reporters fly on their OWN planes instead of on the campaign's dime?