Electric City’s Travis Kavulla, writing in the National Review Online.
If the Missoulian had run the story and not allowed itself to be bullied, I think it safe to say the scandal, unmassaged by press flacks, would have been greater…
This conflict-of-interest story might have sent Baucus to new depths had not Team Baucus so thoroughly manipulated it. Other politicians should take note. I do hope the Baucus staff follows through and sends the Missoulian flowers or something for asking the question that led to Hanes’s withdrawing, but not publishing the story. The best of both worlds, it seems to me: Had Hanes been nominated, this scandal might have been a full-on PR nightmare.
Ouch.
on Dec 14th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Once again, one who views things through a party lens will probably not noticed that the phenomenon that he describes, while disgusting and vile, is common to both parties. That would make him a party hack.
on Dec 14th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
I don’t think the Missoulian showed the same reluctance when it came to reporting the Abramoff non-event.
on Dec 14th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
I don’t recall that much coverage of Abramoff. True to form, the Montana media did not initiate any stories, and they did no investigation on their own. Most of the coverage was national, and Burns’ name kept popping up, with Jack himself saying that if he wanted it, he got it from Mr. Burns.
Since it was a big story nationally, that pretty much forced some local coverage, but it was not penetrating coverage - just repetition of national stories, and they didn’t echo-chamber it or circle-jerk it the way you guys do. They just print it and forget it. Most people just forgot about it if they even knew about it, as it wasn’t drummed into them. I doubt it changed many votes.
Remember, Burns barely lost in ‘06, and barely won in ‘00. He doesn’t seem to have lost much ground in those six years. If anything, it might have been some young idealists who got some students to vote for Tester that carried the day.
But the larger point is that the Montana news media is submissive to all who are in power so long as those who are in power are submissive to the power structure in this state.
on Dec 15th, 2009 at 12:32 am
What I remember is a democrat blogger guarranteeing us a Burns indictment.
And republicans elected Tester. If the same people who voted for Rehberg, had voted for Burns, Burns would be senator.
on Dec 15th, 2009 at 8:36 am
Damn. What did I say to make that comment go away?