Why the Release of McCain's Medical Records Has a Major Newspaper Steaming

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Have a Look

Presumptive GOP nominee John McCain opened his medical records to a group of reporters Friday morning. But, The Politico is reporting The New York Times is anything but happy about not being included in the morning session where only two newspapers were present.

Times political editor Richard Stevenson says, "When we learned of the arrangements for the release this week, we made a number of very specific requests to be included and they turned us down."

But, a McCain campaign official tells FOX News, "It is unfortunate that The New York Times has decided to throw what is the equivalent of a temper tantrum over the fact that they were not part of the print pool."

A Case of Race?

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa says the United States is too racist to elect Illinois Senator Barack Obama as president in the fall.

Correa, who studied in the U.S. in the 1990s, told local news media Thursday night that he "knows American society" and that Hillary Clinton is more likely to defeat Republican John McCain in the fall.

"They're still quite racist there," the leftist leader said.

Correa praised the New York senator calling her a "very brilliant, beautiful and charismatic woman," but said Obama's positions are closer to his own.

A Democratic president is far from certain, Correa says, admitting McCain's campaign is strong. "He's a Vietnam War hero who doesn't have the wear and tear from powerful rivals in the primaries."

Booming Business

An unusual marketing promotion is turning into quite a moneymaker for a Missouri car dealer.

Max Motors' sales have soared since announcing with every vehicle purchase, buyers receive a free handgun or a $250 gas card. Owner Mark Muller reports he's sold 30 cars and trucks — quadrupling his sales — in the last three days.

Muller says every buyer so far "except one guy from Canada and one old guy" has chosen to take the $250 credit at a gun shop.

Muller says his promotion was inspired by presidential candidate Barack Obama's comments back in April about small town voters clinging to guns and religion. Muller found Obama's comments, "quite offensive. We all go to church on Sunday and we all carry guns. I've got a gun in my pocket right now. I have a truck. We all have to shoot the coyotes out here, they're attacking our cows, our chickens. We're not clinging to nothing."

Funky Freebie

A visit to Saint Paul, Minnesota, for Sunday's Saints baseball game will get you an unusual souvenir. To coincide with National Tap Dance Day, the Saints have produced a bobble "foot" doll that might bring to mind a certain Idaho senator.

The doll is a bathroom stall with a tapping foot. A press release says, "It doesn't matter if your tapping style is done with a 'wide stance' or is used as some sort of code, the Saints are asking all fans to tap to their heart's content on May 25."

Senator Larry Craig pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after his June 2007 arrest following an incident in a Minneapolis Saint Paul airport bathroom. Calls to the Senator's office for comment were not returned.

— FOX News Channel's Martin Hill contributed to this report.