John McCain’s campaign took another odd twist today when they announced that the star of the official election night watch party may only appear briefly in front of his supporters at the Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona. Instead, McCain plans on delivering his post-election remarks to a small group of reporters and invited guests on the hotel lawn.

McCain’s remarks will be piped electronically into the party and media filing center, aides said. Only a small press “pool” — mostly those who have traveled regularly with the candidate on his campaign plane, plus a few local Arizona reporters and others — will be physically present when he speaks.

Obama, by contrast, plans to address a giant outdoor celebration election night in Chicago’s Grant Park. The event is free and open to the public, but the campaign was charging media organizations a hefty fee for close-in spots on the camera risers and platforms and for cable and wireless Internet at those spots.

That “hefty fee” by the way is commonplace for news organizations at election night viewing parties and rings up to a whopping $935 per press agent. McCain is charging a “hefty fee” of $695 per press agent.

But as Obama spokesman Bill Burton pointed out, “Anyone credentialed for our filing center will also be able to watch the event live and in person, unlike the McCain event.”