While other journalists were inside the event watching Gov. Rendell get the crowd pumped, I chose to wait outside for Mr. Casey's arrival. As he entered, I tried to ask a couple of questions about the now-infamous John Kerry comments. Casey rebuffed me, saying he would address this issue later. Because Casey is a politician, I was skeptical. So I decided to ask a Casey aide about the matter. He said that the only person authorized to speak on the record was the Casey campaign's Communications Director, Larry Smar.

Larry Smar is a man that I have left phone calls and e-mails for in the past. He has never returned my messages. Nor has he returned the repeated voice mails and e-mails of other Daily Pennsylvanian staff members. Since the beginning of this campaign, the Casey strategy has been to shy away from the media, as they are up significantly in the polls and have little to gain from speaking with us.

Once again, Smar refused to answer my questions. Even as a member of the media, I never had a problem dealing with communications directors until yesterday.

I decided to leave the media pack and go off on my own. I was met with nothing less than Larry Smar obnoxiously covering my camera with a folder, accusing me of working with Virginia Davis (Rick Santorum's press secretary) and an off-camera elbow to the stomach. Thanks Larry!

Very few people know that Bob Casey describes himself as a "pro-life" candidate. This may come as a big surprise to Democratic voters who dislike some of Rick Santorum's stances on social issues. Well, if you didn't know it before, Mr. Casey himself says it on our video.

But why aren't reporters digging deeper these days? The rest of the press (including everyone from our own UTV 13 to John King of CNN) was crowded around Casey like a pack of dogs finding water after a draught. No one else was willing to break-away to interact with the candidate in an unscripted setting.

Maybe the problem lies with corporate ownership of news services. For example, when companies like GE own NBC, reporters run the risk of interfering with the interests of parent companies, who often donate to politicians. Perhaps I can only have such behind-the-scenes insults thrown at me because I still work for an independent publication.