Blog Buzz: Joe Biden's Gaffes; Sarah Palin vs. CNN; Barack Obama and Bill Ayers

Our daily look at stories and topics that are lighting up the Internets:

"Gaffemaster" Joe Biden Strikes Again

Conservative bloggers are chuckling at "Gaffemaster" Joe Biden (and his "Gaffe Twin" Barack Obama) for a series of blunders the vice presidential candidate made today and yesterday. His recent statements on clean coal and the AIG bailout contradicted Obama's stances on the issues, and he mixed up some Depression-era history. Biden tried to clarify (and the New York Times backed him up), but one blogger says even his clarifications are to McCain's benefit. Another blogger wonders why Obama isn't keeping his veep in the know but thanks Biden for giving McCain such good material.

Palin vs. Media: This Means War

The rocky relationship between the McCain-Palin camp and the media got even rockier today at Palin's scheduled meetings today with world leaders. Right before the meeting began, the McCain team decided to bar the print members of the press pool as well as CNN's editorial producer from the meetings (CNN having been tapped to provide television pool coverage), allowing only photographers and the TV crew (so Palin would not be asked any questions). CNN then pulled its TV crew to deny Palin coverage, and the McCain campaign finally relented and allowed the producer to be present. Liberal bloggers call the situation a "farce" and say that the McCain camp and the media are "at a breaking point" and that McCain has "played" reporters. Andrew Sullivan tells the media to "fight back, you hacks!" A conservative blogger calls it "a farce on all sides" and says the editorial access CNN wanted was "meaningless."

Conservatives Say "Told Ya So" on Obama-Ayers Connection

Conservative bloggers assert that Stanley Kurtz's latest column in the Wall Street Journal on Barack Obama's relationship with Bill Ayers is proof that Obama previously lied when he dismissed his relationship with Ayers. Kurtz writes that Obama and Ayers had a long working relationship—they were both affiliated with the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, a project that financed radical organizations and fed radical political thought to schoolchildren. Conservatives wonder what this says about Obama's idea of mainstream politics and whether the mainstream media will show any interest in the story. Liberal bloggers "feel sorry" for Kurtz for putting in so much effort and coming up with so little damning material.

—Gretchen Hannes