TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A newspaper is asking John McCain’s campaign why a black reporter assigned to cover a rally was singled out by security and told to leave a backstage area.
Stephen Price, a reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat, was among four Florida capital press corps reporters behind the scenes at a Panama City rally Friday when a Secret Service agent approached and asked if he was part of the national media traveling with McCain. Price said no, and the agent told him he had to leave. Price said he then pointed out that there were other state reporters in the same area, but he was still told to leave. The other reporters were white.
A Panama City police officer quickly approached with his hand on his holster and asked what the problem was, Price said. At the same time, Palm Beach Post reporter Dara Kam came to Price’s defense and was told she also had to leave, Price said.
The two other reporters, Alex Leary of the St. Petersburg Times and Marc Caputo of The Miami Herald, weren’t removed.
Caputo, however, said that initially he also was told he had to leave the area. Leary said nobody questioned why he was in the area.
The McCain campaign said it asked the Secret Service to look into the events.
Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren said two other Florida reporters were removed along with Price. “Race played absolutely no role in any actions taken by our employees or anybody else in this case,” he said.
