What the actual heck is going on?

Washington Post reporter Jose A. Delreal tried to attend an event featuring GOP running mate Mike Pence. Washington Post reporters have been denied credentials by the Trump campaign due to what the campaign says is unfair coverage. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel takes it from there:

DelReal then tried to go through the general-admission line, as reporters who were banned from Trump's events last month have generally been able to do in the past, the Post reported. Again, he was stopped there by a private security guard who told him he couldn't enter the building with his laptop and cellphone.

When DelReal asked whether others attending the rally could enter with their cellphones, he said the official replied, "Not if they work for The Washington Post."

DelReal placed his computer and phone in his car, returned to the line and was detained again by security personnel, the Post reported. This time the the security personnel summoned two county sheriff's deputies who patted down DelReal's legs and torso, seeking his phone, the reporter said.

They searched him for his phone?

Delreal was not allowed to attend the event either as a member of the media or in the general admission line.

I do understand that the Trump campaign has blackballed Washington Post reporters, which on the surface and beneath the surface and without any surface at all seems like the stupidest idea on the planet.

And if anything untoward were to happen at a Pence event, like maybe Mike Pence goes all "oh no in Donald Trump's America straight white men get aaaaaall the pizza and wedding cake," it's not like there aren't a few other people in the hall, at least, with cell phones emailing it to Info Wars. Wasn't Info Wars there anyway?

These are police state tactics. They're reprehensible and un-American.

"Pence's campaign expressed embarrassment and regret about the episode..."

But betcha Trump's campaign didn't. At some point maybe Pence will jump ship, because this campaign is sinking fast.