Of Course: Mitt Romney Charges All Reporters For Access To His Boston ‘Victory’ Event

If Republicans thought the press were unfriendly to them before, fairly or not, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney may just have made that problem worse, or real. The Massachusetts Republican reports that the Romney campaign is charging reporters for even the most basic access to the candidate’s election night event at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. While it is customary for media outlets to cover expenses for more elaborate types of coverage, like television and radio broadcasting, charging reporters for a seat in the filing room is pretty much unheard-of.

From The Massachusetts Republican:

The campaign of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney appears to be setting a precedent this election year in charging journalists and news organizations for any access to a presidential campaign headquarters on the night of the election.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who is locked in a tight race with Democratic President Barack Obama, will be holding his election night gathering at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, where access costs anywhere from $75 for a chair in the ballroom to $1,020 for permission to use the media filing center. Broadcast news organizations will be paying up to $6,500 for workspace.

It’s unclear what a reporter would do with a seat in the ballroom, without access to the filing room, besides lots of tweeting.

To give you some idea of how out of the ordinary this is, I am currently in the media filing room at the DSCC/DCCC Election Night event, and not only didn’t it cost anything, I was about to lead a revolt against the cash bar they have set up outside the ballroom. Cash bar!!! I have never, ever heard of anyone, anywhere, charging for access to a political event. If Gov. Romney wins, will he be installing a box office in the White House briefing room? Is that how he intends to make up that $5 trillion?

Luckily, you get to see that $1,020-$6,500 view for free. Earlier tonight, Jackie Kucinich tweeted this photo of her view from the press riser:

There have also been these mood swings at Romney HQ, courtesy of The NY Times‘ Ashley Parker:

Dead silence in Romney ballroom when Fox News announces that he lost Michigan, his native state where his late father was governor.

Cheers in Romney ballroom as CNN says Florida is 50-50. This state is a MUST WIN for Romney.

Staff at Romney’s party has now switched from network/cable TV, with its slightly dispiriting results, to a live band.

On second thought, maybe it was worth the money.

(h/t Wonkette)

This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.

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