MIAMI, Sept. 30 -- As a general rule, reporters for the Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung are not granted access to Karl Rove.
But here is Marcus Messner, a Miami-based correspondent for the German daily newspaper, standing just a few feet away from George W. Bush's political mastermind. And a few feet away from John Kerry campaign spokesman Joe Lockhart, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card and former secretary of state Madeleine Albright.
"This is a great opportunity for me," says Messner, who is standing on the edge of a throng around Bush campaign manager Ken Mehlman. He is cocking his head, straining to decipher words amid a blur of noise.
The foreign media love the spin rooms after a presidential debate. They love them for the same reason that many members of the national media despise them: They are free-for-alls.
"You can go anywhere in the spin room, talk to anyone," says Regis Le Sommier, who covered Thursday night's debate for Paris Match, a French news magazine. The hierarchies of media access are subverted for one precious hour. CNN's Jeff Greenfield could be off talking to Sen. John McCain and suddenly the two men could be surrounded by 30 microphones from 30 nations (representing zero electoral votes).
"I am here to eavesdrop," says Eva Busse, a London-based correspondent for Financial Times Deutschland. She is standing in the middle of the spin room at the University of Miami.
Eavesdropping is about as close as a foreign reporter can get to any campaign officials in a U.S. presidential race.
The rationale is obvious: International reporters don't reach American voters. "No votes in Liverpool," said Bob Dole in 1996, blowing off Jonathan Freedland, a reporter for the Guardian of London.
Yet the foreign media continue to cover presidential campaigns. This is especially true now, during a campaign that is focused heavily on international affairs. There has been a far greater demand for space and access from foreign journalists than in previous elections, say campaign officials and reporters who have covered previous campaigns.
Not that this translates into any greater regard for the foreign press. Their labors are marked by unreturned voice mails, laughed-at interview requests and indifference.
Gerald Baker, the U.S. editor for the Times of London, was recently told by the Kerry campaign that foreign reporters would not be allowed on his campaign plane. He told them he was from the American magazine Weekly Standard, for which he also writes, and was given a seat.
"I don't think the campaigns realize how important this election is to the rest of the world," says Le Sommier. "The campaigns should pay more attention to the international media."
How do you say "Don't hold your breath" in French?
One Democratic campaign official ranks the foreign press "about on a par with lice" on his list of concerns. The official would not allow his name to be used, for fear his comment would reflect poorly on him.
