Am I Really Reading This?

I know that political types can be sheltered and unaware individuals, but this article is ridiculous:

Senator John McCain was not in a “cone of silence” on Saturday night while his rival, Senator Barack Obama, was being interviewed at the Saddleback Church in California.

You (media) all are asses. Really? Has the state of American political reporting become so guided, so stuffed with talking points and targeted media, so full of formal statements, that we have The Gray Lady parsing a pastor's 'Get Smart' references?

To anyone who saw the forum, it was clear that the good Reverend Rick Warren meant that McCain wasn't hearing Obama's responses, not that Saddleback has 1960's spy-show technology in the waiting room.

This article is such a childish maneuver from McCain's opponents. He had a good night, Obama was probably rusty from his vacation. No cheating, no anti-silence-cone technology, nothing.

The worst part? I had a sneaking suspicion while reading the Times piece that the reporter doesn't even know that the line refers to 'Get Smart'. Journalism schools these days *snorts, spits*, just ain't teachin' nuthin'.