Good for Nagourney! We have too much of this "Unidentified Spokesman" crap.
washingtonpost.com
Kerry Staffer's Attack 'On Background' Backfires
By Howard Kurtz
Wednesday, December 17, 2003; Page A04
Sen. John F. Kerry's campaign spokeswoman is deeply unhappy with the New York Times' chief political correspondent for quoting her criticism of Howard Dean.
The reason? The Massachusetts Democrat's team made the attack in an e-mail to reporters that contained a note asking that it be treated on "background," attributed only to a Democratic campaign. Adam Nagourney refused to go along.
After the capture of Saddam Hussein, Kerry campaign press secretary Stephanie Cutter listed past Dean statements in arguing that his opposition to the war in Iraq was "politically driven." Nagourney, ignoring the not-for-attribution request, wrote that this reflected campaign aides' concern that they not be viewed as politically exploiting a foreign policy victory.
Nagourney, who previously outed "background" e-mails from aides to Sens. Joseph I. Lieberman (Conn.), John Edwards (N.C.) and Bob Graham (Fla.), said: "If someone wants to go off the record, call me up, and I'll be glad to negotiate. But you cannot do it preemptively. I will not let someone attack someone else anonymously, which is what the Kerry campaign is trying to do."
Cutter, who sent Nagourney angry e-mail messages, says her staff is trying to provide a "truth squad" about Dean. "This campaign has no problem going on the record about the facts in this race," Cutter said. "We've never had a problem with ground rules before." Meanwhile, the Kerry camp has sent another "background" e-mail titled "An Illustrated Guide to Howard Dean's Foreign Policy." Nagourney didn't get one.
Accentuate the Positive?
President Bush has taken a battering on television newscasts since landing on that aircraft carrier with the "Mission Accomplished" banner.
While Bush was drawing 49 percent positive coverage during the Iraq war on the ABC, CBS and NBC nightly news shows, that figure plummeted to 26 percent positive from May 1 through Oct. 31, says a study of 1,876 broadcast stories by the Center for Media and Public Affairs.
The figures include comments by critics, such as former Army secretary Thomas White, who told ABC in September that the administration's postwar efforts were "totally inadequate." They also include what anchors and correspondents said.
The Iraq coverage was most negative toward Bush on CBS (77 percent) and least negative on NBC (62 percent), the study says. Taking numerous hits were the CIA (77 percent negative), the Pentagon (74 percent negative) and the Homeland Security Department (68 percent negative).
But such numbers could change dramatically with the arrest of Saddam Hussein. "Without a doubt," said Matthew T. Felling of the media center, "the capture of Hussein will turn coverage around" if there are no major setbacks in Iraq.
Thune Won't Run for House
John Thune, one of South Dakota's most prominent Republicans, said yesterday he will not run for the House seat being vacated by Rep. William J. Janklow (R-S.D.). But Thune -- who previously had held the seat -- did not say whether he will challenge Senate Minority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.). Thune narrowly lost a 2002 bid to oust Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), and Republicans have urged him to try for House or Senate again next year.
Democrat Stephanie Herseth, a lawyer who lost to Janklow last year, is running in the June 1 special election to replace the congressman. Janklow agreed to leave Congress after he was convicted of a felony in a traffic accident that killed a motorcyclist.
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