Texas Republican Congressman Ron Paul seems to have had his latest clash with the media, saying Monday that he would not continue an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash.
Speaking with reporters earlier in the day, Mr. Paul’s campaign chairman Jesse Benton downplayed the situation, saying the campaign simply ended the interview early in order to appear at a later event.
“We have a very friendly relation with Ms. Bash and have a good history with her,” Mr. Benton told The Washington Post. “Staff simply ended an interview today after a few questions so we could begin our event on time.”
After spending fifteen minutes trying to push his way through the media hordes to greet Massachusetts residents who were not old enough to vote anyway, Mr. Paul gave up and fled back to his black Chevrolet Suburbans, accompanied by a phalanx of aides and security men.
“Dr. Paul and his family were forced to leave [an event] early after 120 members of the press created a mob-like atmosphere that was deemed to be unsafe for the candidate, Moe Joe’s customers, and reporters themselves,” Mr. Benton said in a statement later in the day. “Mrs. Paul herself, attempting to campaign alongside her husband, was shoved aside by one reporter and told to ‘get out of the way.’”
Mr. Paul’s campaign attributed the disorder to “an influx of foreign journalists.” Although “welcoming of media coverage,” Mr. Benton asked reporters in New Hampshire “to be respectful of both Dr. Paul and New Hampshire voters, who are entitled to examine their candidates in a safe and responsible atmosphere.”
The event comes just weeks after the Texas Republican abruptly ended an interview with CNN’s Gloria Bolger, who questioned Mr. Paul on a number of issues, including a series of racist newsletters sent out under his name.
