There's been a lot of buzz online today about the McCain campaign's approach to the press.

We've got some additional pool reports from the WSJ's Elizabeth Holmes, who is following Gov. Sarah Palin around...and they're dripping with misery.

Subject: PALIN POOL REPORT #2

PALIN POOL REPORT #2

Sept. 23, 2008

New York, NY

URIBE MEETING

No news (and much less drama surrounding this meeting).

See note on background briefing below. It is NOT pooled, rather open press.

Gov. Sarah Palin met with Colombia President Alvaro at the Colombian Mission Residence early Tuesday afternoon. We arrived and departed ahead of schedule.

Play-by-play: After the conclusion of the Karzai meeting, your pooler departed the InterContinental shortly after 12:35 p.m. EST in the motorcade headed for 14 E. 76th St. We arrived 12 minutes later, and your pool held briefly in an unlit, musty hallway. We then climbed a white, carpeted staircase and were escorted into an ornate room with a large glass chandelier where the meeting was held.

Your pool was for half a minute. Palin was already seated on a pink stuffed chair, to the right of Uribe, with her legs crossed and her body titled forward. They exchanged pleasantries that your pooler could not hear over the loud clicks of the cameras. On a couch to her right (a few feet back but perpendicular to her chair) sat Scheunemann and Biegun.

Palin exited the building with Uribe around 1:20 p.m. EST. They posed briefly for the cameras (assorted members of the non-pool press, possibly the foreign press, had gathered outside) and exchanged small talk. Your pooler could only hear Palin say to Uribe: "Thank you for your work."

Palin wore small, gold, dangly earrings in the shape of the state of Alaska. Her hair was tightly secured atop of her head and her shoes were black patent leather round toed heels.

The motorcade pulled out at 1:25 p.m., en route Kissinger Associates.

NOTE: there will be a background pen-and-pad-only briefing at 3:15p.m. at the Millennium hotel on the second floor, Metropolis room. It is NOT POOLED.

--endit--

By Elizabeth Holmes/WSJ

And:

Subject: PALIN POOL REPORT #3

PALIN POOL REPORT #3

Sept. 23, 2008

New York, NY

KISSINGER MEETING

Gov. Sarah Palin met with Henry Kissinger on Tuesday afternoon at his office for nearly 90 minutes.

The motorcade arrived at 350 Park Ave. at 1:37 p.m. EST. Your pool was taken to the 26th floor and held briefly before being escorted into Kissinger's office. Both sat on separate, perpendicular blue couches, with Palin to Kissinger's left. Framed maps hung above Palin's head. On the end table between the pair was a photo of Nixon and another of Reagan.

Again, your pool was in the room for half a minute. Peter Hamby and his outstanding sound tech, picked up this part of the conversation.

Kissinger: (something about a speech, not sure to whom he was referring) "And I'm going to give him a lot of credit for what he did in Georgia."

Palin: "Good, good. And you'll give me more insight on that, also, huh? Good."

Palin emerged from the building at 3 p.m., making this by far her longest meeting (others were roughly half an hour). She was accompanied by Kissinger and the two hugged and she gave him a peck on the cheek. CNN's Peter Hamby (the star of today) yelled, "Governor, how was your meeting?" and she mouthed "It was great."

Motorcade back was a mob scene. Tourists pulled out video cameras to get a shot of the governor, prompting several police vehicles to drive up on the sidewalk and protect the SUV she was in. We backed up traffic at 5th Ave. and 46th Street and caused quite a stir. We arrived back at the Millennium at 3:15 p.m.

Additional color: Crowds gathered behind the barricades and someone yelled "We love you Sarah!" There was also a lone protestor nestled in among the local photographers.

The office of Kissinger Associates looked like a typical Manhattan space, with a reception desk behind glass and a pile of newspapers that looked like they had been read (the WSJ, the WaPo, the Financial Times, the NYTimes, etc.).

As the reporters and photographers scrambled to get into the room, an old man in a bow tie asked, "Is this really worth it?"

--endit--

By Elizabeth Holmes/WSJ