On the April 16 edition of MSNBC Live, NBC News chief foreign affairs correspondent and host Andrea Mitchell told Sen. John McCain, "[T]onight, there's a big Democratic debate," and asked McCain, “What question would you like to see asked” of Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. In response, McCain stated: “I'll leave that up to the media. And, frankly, I'm very pleased with the relationship that I've had with the media over many years. And of course we've had differences, and I haven't liked every story. But I think the media plays a key and vital role. And I'll let them ask those questions. We'll have plenty of time when one of them becomes the candidate of the Democrat Party -- Democratic Party.”

In an April 15 “Washington Sketch” column, Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank reported that at the Associated Press Annual Meeting and Luncheon, “McCain got a standing ovation -- an honor Obama did not receive when his turn came two hours later.” From Milbank's column:

McCain's moderators, the AP's Ron Fournier and Liz Sidoti, greeted McCain with a box of Dunkin' Donuts. “We spend quite a bit of time with you on the back of the Straight Talk Express asking you questions, and what we've decided to do today was invite everyone else along on the ride,” Sidoti explained. “We even brought you your favorite treat.”

McCain opened the offering. “Oh, yes, with sprinkles!” he said.

Sidoti passed him a cup. “A little coffee with a little cream and a little sugar,” she said.

[...]

McCain was indeed in high spirits as he entered the ballroom and invited the editors' “questions, comments or insults.” Reading from a teleprompter, McCain said he was among friends. “I made a decision to be as accessible to the press as the press would prefer me to be, and perhaps even more than they would prefer.”

As Media Matters for America noted, on the September 10, 2006, edition of The Chris Matthews Show, host Chris Matthews asserted: “The press loves McCain. We're his base.”

From the 1 p.m. ET hour of MSNBC Live on April 16:

MITCHELL: Senator, tonight, there's a big Democratic debate and I know, you know, you've had some differences with the way the press has covered things over the years. Put yourself in the role of questioner. What question would you like to see asked of Hillary Clinton? What question would you ask Barack Obama?

McCAIN: I'll leave that up to the media. And, frankly, I'm very pleased with the relationship that I've had with the media over many years. And of course we've had differences, and I haven't liked every story. But I think the media plays a key and vital role. And I'll let them ask those questions. We'll have plenty of time when one of them becomes the candidate of the Democrat Party -- Democratic Party.