Because whatever the GOP says is news
June 26, 2009 1:44 pm ET by Eric Boehlert
I've been giving the press, and especially Politico, a hard time recently for treating the Republicans as all-important news makers during the Obama era, even though Republicans are essentially powerless. I think it's quite odd how whenever Republicans inside the Beltway say boo, the press corps snaps to attention and types it up as news. It's odd because, particularly during Bush's firs term, I don't remember the same press corps caring much what Democrats had to say. The press certainly did not treat Tom Daschle's every utterance--his every WH critique--as being noteworthy.
Recently though, in the wake of admission by South Carolina's Republican governor Mark Sanford that he'd had an affair, ABC's The Note took this double standard to a whole new level.
The Note published just three stand-alone items. The first was the entirely predictable, and appropriate, "Sanford Admits Affair."
The second was headlined, "Sanford in April: No 'Grand Plan' Because 'Anything in Life Can Happen." In that one, ABC noted the irony of Sanford's springtime quote given the revelations of this week.
The third Sanford item was this: "Huckabee: ‘Remains to Be Seen’ Whether Sanford Can Stay in Office; ‘Broken Trust’ With People." In that one, ABC extensively (exclusively, actually) quoted a Republican at length about the ramifications of the Republican controversy.
Do you see the double standard? Since Obama the Democrat has taken office, the press has decided that whatever his political opponents in the GOP say must be treated as deeply important news; that the opposition party's musings and strategies are of paramount importance.
Yet when news broke of a Republican scandal, it was a Republican that ABC News turned to for insight. In fact, in its three items on Sanford, The Note never once quoted a Democrat. Suddenly, the opposition party wasn't so important or newsworthy.
I pointed it out a couple of weeks ago about the coverage on Sunday Morning talk shows - under Bush, they used to say it made sense to have more Republicans on because it was a Republican administration. What's their excuse now?
I saw it from some on the right who complained that Obama's Health Care initiative was getting covered by ABC, and the RNC complained that they were not allowed to select the dissenting voices that ABC would have speak in opposition to Obama's plan. I explained then that Obama was getting the deference and respect that the American President should get on his initiative. Only a blind, biased partisan would be unable to see that Obama is America's President. He was the Democratic nominee, but now he's not just Democrats' president, he's everyone's president.
There are times to go to a Democrat. The news media doesn't seem to understand this concept very well.
And the Republicans keep pushing the liberal media false talking point to keep that misconception alive.
If there is any issue of importance, be sure to note the three to one airing of whatever the republicans say - even if every one says the exact same talking points.
And be sure to note how the media also repeats these same talking points like they are written in stone while treating whatever democrats say with skeptism