Radio Host and Political Pundit Larry Elder has let the Sacramento Bee know that it is no longer welcome to any of his future campaign or press events. At first blush, it was surmised the reason was because of the hour-long interview with the Opinion Editors of the McClatchy Group, who essentially run the Bee.

Pollster Rob Pyers alleged that it was Elder’s comments in the interview about the election which may have damaged his campaign.

It was an interview with the Sacramento Bee editorial board, during which Elder stated that Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election 'fair and square', that arguably did the most damage to his campaign among his most hardcore supporters.
He has since tried to walk that back. https://t.co/kQ2Dl9EnkD pic.twitter.com/hCfQHX8ojG

— Rob Pyers (@rpyers) August 17, 2021

Our Managing Editor wondered the same thing:

What? I strongly disagree with any candidate taking this position, though I can see how he thinks it will play well with his base.

Retribution for that video he claims was edited? https://t.co/oIwOoFyxns

— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) August 17, 2021

However, Elder’s Communications Director Ying Ma did a series of individual tweets clarifying the reasons behind the ban:

1) The @larryelder campaign is officially revoking the @sacbee_news's access to our campaign. This means every reporter, editorial writer, photographer–every part of the newspaper.

— Ying Ma (@GZtoGhetto) August 17, 2021

1) The @larryelder campaign is officially revoking the @sacbee_news‘s access to our campaign. This means every reporter, editorial writer, photographer–every part of the newspaper.

2) At @sacbee_news's invitation, @larryelder’s campaign had submitted answers to a voter guide. Sacramento Bee then proceeded to doctor our responses and publish without our permission. We have requested that the unauthorized answers be taken down, the Bee has refused.

— Ying Ma (@GZtoGhetto) August 17, 2021

2) At  @sacbee_news‘s invitation, @larryelder’s campaign had submitted answers to a voter guide. Sacramento Bee then proceeded to doctor our responses and publish without our permission. We have requested that the unauthorized answers be taken down, the Bee has refused.

3) How did @sacbee_news doctor @larryelder responses, you ask? They deleted all negative references to @GavinNewsom. The finest of media bias, incompetence, and self-delusion at work.

— Ying Ma (@GZtoGhetto) August 17, 2021

3) How did @sacbee_news doctor @larryelder responses, you ask? They deleted all negative references to @GavinNewsom. The finest of media bias, incompetence, and self-delusion at work.

4) @sacbee_news can restore @larryelder's original answers to the voter guide or take down the unauthorized version. Until then, the newspaper will not have access to our campaign.

— Ying Ma (@GZtoGhetto) August 17, 2021

4) @sacbee_newscan restore @larryelder‘s original answers to the voter guide or take down the unauthorized version. Until then, the newspaper will not have access to our campaign.

Elder also pissed off legacy media reporters, especially the Los Angeles Times, in an August 15 Zoom conference where he only took questions from local, Asian-centric publications.

If you enjoy seeing MSM stuffed shirts being upended, it was quite a hoot. A reporter from the LAT—I won’t name him out of a courtesy he didn’t seem to have himself—was throwing a tantrum in the Zoom chat room due to his receiving a lack of attention.

And if you sense a pro-Asian bias in all this, you are obviously correct and it was obviously deliberate on the part of the Elder campaign. These seemingly small Asian outlets—considering the size of California’s Asian community, they could be quite big in actuality—were given the only opportunities to ask questions.

POLITICO’s Carla Marinucci took to Twitter to voice her displeasure.

— Seriously? @LarryElder spokesperson Ying Ma says today's 1st press conference by candidate will give preference to reporters who "regularly cover" the topics he wants to discuss today: crime, anti-Asian violence & critical race theory pic.twitter.com/GjwGBlMCl0

— Carla Marinucci (@cmarinucci) August 13, 2021

Doing outreach to ethnic press is commendable and absolutely necessary — but respectually, perhaps the press conference should have been billed that way. Seems a misrepresentation to invite dozens of state reporters from all media, while never intending to allow them participate

— Carla Marinucci (@cmarinucci) August 14, 2021

Ma responded:

We made it clear multiple times before and during event that media covering those communities most affected by the issues to be discussed will be given preference in Q&A.

— Ying Ma (@GZtoGhetto) August 14, 2021

The strategy to ensure smaller outlets get equal opportunity is commendable, and a new approach to managing the press. But will it make a difference? Should Elder become governor, and could use the legacy media for national exposure on a critical policy initiative, will they be there to cover it, or will he get the cold shoulder?

Elder is either unveiling a radical new strategy that will be replicated by other cutting-edge campaigns, or he is setting himself up for failure.

The response to these developments was a mix of his detractors and supporters:

1st reason seen to vote for someone else for Gov: If trying to control questions now will do so in office; For that could keep Newsom.

— TrollColors (@TrollColors) August 13, 2021

That is a smart assessment. The moves that each candidate chooses to make now are a reflection of the moves they will make should they win office. In this political climate, any dodging and crafting the situations where you choose to engage press does smack of having something to hide.

Can't help but wonder what Elder is afraid of…. Not speaking to the media isn't a badge of honor when you want to be the CEO of the 5th largest economy.

— Lori Jackson (@votergirlca) August 17, 2021

Let the buyer beware.

good for him this is what we actually care about

— Lo Pan Wong (@sumshing_wong88) August 13, 2021

But, a move like this can also strengthen or gain more of his constituent base. There is nothing like feeling as though you are heard to engender that personal touch, and maintain loyalty.

Then there are others who see it as a naive, and perhaps risky campaign move.

Wow, way to throttle your own candidate's campaign message opportunities. You go girl!

— martelvonc (@martelvonc) August 17, 2021

Fine. He doesn’t have a chance in hell anyway. Cutting off press a month before the election is the height of stupidity. Good job.

— I miss Hitchens 🤬 (@iamldass) August 17, 2021

Along with constituent criticism and commentary, I am curious to see how Elder handles brewing rumors, and the new attacks from his fellow candidates.

At Tuesday’s Recall Governors Candidate debate in Sacramento, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer blasted Elder’s “indefensible” opposition to a minimum wage.

According to POLITICO, Faulconer also brought up a 2000 Capitalism Magazine essay where Elder wrote,

But there’s a problem. Women know less than men about political issues, economics, and current events. Good news for Democrats, bad news for Republicans. For the less one knows, the easier the manipulation.

A study at the Annenberg School at the University of Pennsylvania confirmed women’s lack of knowledge of the issues. Researchers asked 25 questions about candidates and specific issues during the recent primary season.

Will Elder address this shot across the bow from Faulconer? As the “Joe Biden won the election fairly and squarely” comment harmed him with certain factions of the Trump base (and he has tried to walk those comments back), will these 11-year old writings also damage his credibility among women?

His walkback:https://t.co/fl6bJdOSoS pic.twitter.com/iEn3sY5Jri

— Rob Pyers (@rpyers) August 17, 2021

And speaking of women, his longtime former producer and girlfriend, Alexandra Datig has been making her presence known. While Datig is restricted by a non-disclosure agreement, she is finding ways to play devil’s advocate and poke holes in the balloon of what seems like an Elder rise.

⁦@Kevin_Faulconer⁩ has no idea how right he is…yet! Elder should release me out of my NDA! The people have a right to know the truth! There are not secrets in politics!- Faulconer slams CA recall rival Larry Elder over women remarks | The Fresno Bee https://t.co/DUMJaIzNRb

— Alexandra Datig | Front Page Index (@alexdatig) August 18, 2021

While Elder continues to refuse to debate among his fellow candidates (as does Caitlyn Jenner), and crafts the press opportunities to his choosing, all it takes is the drip, drip, drip of a few intrepid journalists and fact checkers to erode any fronts that reject proper scrutiny; especially because of the manner in which he chooses to engage with them.

As the saying goes, you can Run…