As any long-time reader of this blog knows, the role the press plays in politics is of sometimes consuming interest to me. The bias shown, more the last five-10 years likely in favor of the right than the other way around, has profound impact on many voters.
Today, The Washington Post plays an all too familiar press role – heightening the mean and nasty side of politics with no redeeming journalistic value. If one guy calls the other guy a bigot without any proof, the press shouldn’t publish the accusations. But as we saw during the Jim Moran campaign, the Post is very willing to trade in such unsubstantiated charges. See here and here.
Today’s story is not so blatant or favorable to either party. But the event is a non-story. There is no news except the pointed barbs between the two candidates for governor. It’s yesterday’s news that AG Jerry Kilgore is stepping down to free him up to raise money while Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine is shackled by state laws forbidding him to do so while the Assembly is in session. We learned all that in yesterday’s story. All today’s story does is trade is ridiculous and vapid accusations by both sides. That’s not to say that the charges won’t impact, or at least reinforce, how someone might vote. But the story hardly elevates the discourse. And if there is no real news, why bother? The fact that Kilgore resigned hasn’t “escalated” the rivalry between the two candidates. It already was heated and negative; the resignation, despite the hypocritical criticism by Kaine’s forces, hasn’t made it more so. In fact, it was long expected, according to most reports. The only news yesterday was the name of the law firm where Kilgore will park his W-2 while campaigning.
The press impacts campaigns as much by what it decides to report as by how it reports the news. This is a case of a trumped-up story. And we wonder why politicians go negative. It’s because some papers can’t resist reporting it.
By the way, I pick on The Post because it’s the 800-lb. gorilla (although the Richmond Times-Dispatch overall has much better state politics coverage.) But The Post was not alone yesterday. Many other papers also went with this “did not, did too” story.