The Markup
Republicans = Chris Shays, Apparently
Media Blog
Stephen Spruiell Reporting - 06/22 12:14 PM
A headline in the New York Times today declares, “Lawmakers, Including Republicans, Criticize Pentagon on Disputed Billing by Halliburton.” Both the headline and the story use “Republicans,” plural, but the only Republican mentioned in the story is Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT).
Earth to 43rd Street: It is no longer news when Chris Shays agrees with Democrats. Why doesn’t he get the same treatment the Times gave Zell Miller when he became the first Democrat to endorse Bush’s tax cuts in 2003? At that time, the headline was “Democrat,” singular, and the story was full of things like:
Before today, Mr. Miller had remarked favorably on Mr. Bush's tax cut proposals and tax cuts in general, saying, "Like with my grandchildren, I love them all." Democrats had not counted on him in the first place.
and
Democrats scoffed at Mr. Miller's endorsement in the face of widespread opposition to the Bush plan, including a rebuttal last week from Alan Greenspan, the Federal Reserve chairman, on many of the arguments in favor of the cuts.
"The support of one Senate Democrat does not negate the criticism of Chairman Greenspan, the condemnation of 10 Nobel laureates, the unenthusiastic response of dozens of elected Republicans and the unfairness to the majority of Americans," Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota, the Democratic leader, said in a statement. "This plan is still the wrong plan for the country and it is still dead on arrival."
Reporters have a history of using Shays to argue that “Republicans” are starting to join Senate Democrats on one crusade or another. At what point are they going to start reporting that Republicans (plural) aren’t counting on him in the first place?
Press Patterns
Two More
06/22 09:39 AM
Maryland Democrats got two more press releases reprinted in the Washington Post today. In case you’re wondering why the Post’s coverage of Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich (R) bothers me so much, maybe the following story will help.
On Sunday, April 24, the Post ran this story all about how Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley (D) was riding a “wave of good polls and press.” On the same day, on the same page, the Post ran this story about how Gov. Ehrlich was planning a “P.R. blitz of workplaces” to do an “end run around reporters.” Can you imagine why? The story ended with the following exchange:
Back in the lobby, Ehrlich's press secretary tried to move him toward the door. The state's secretary of business and economic development gripped [TVI Corp. CEO] Priddy by the elbow. "You know, the secretary of the Army is a good friend of mine," Aris Melissaratos told Priddy.
"Oh, really?" Priddy replied, eyes growing wide. "Well, let me get you some information."
Melissaratos promised a follow-up call, and he and Priddy shook hands firmly.
In business, they'd call that closing a deal.
This exchange, presumably witnessed by the reporter, didn’t “close” anything. Also, TVI Corp. had just received a major contract from the Army back in September of 2004, so presumably they already had connections there. Nevertheless, according to the Post, this Maryland state official is going to hook them up with the Department of Defense.
I can’t stand reporting like this — all sneering speculation. To print it alongside a glowing endorsement of O’Malley, who has all but declared his candidacy as Ehrlich’s challenger for governor in 2006, is outrageous.
None of this even gets into the MD4Bush affair.
Soccer Dad in Maryland has also been following the Post’s disgraceful coverage. What will they write next?"
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