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January 25, 2009

The Media Issue

According to Alex Blaze at the Bilerico Project, we have to think about this "scandal" as a media issue.

He cites Just Out's puzzling call for resignation. And he talks of former Senator Gordon Smith:

Gordon Smith, the former Republican Senator from the state of Oregon, lied in a series of campaign ads this past summer saying that his opponent, Jeff Merkley, voted against a bill to increase the statute of limitations for rape. One commercial shows a woman talking about her own rape and pretty much accuses Merkley of being responsible for it, even though it occurred before the bill in question was passed, even though Merkley voted for the increase. The ads were "manipulative lies intended to deceive every citizen of" Oregon, which includes Portland, and it was clearly due to his desire to be re-elected Senator. As a side note, I would say that this lie is much more manipulative, meant to pull on people's heart strings as this woman discusses being raped.

In the same campaign season, Gordon Smith said, "Mr. Merkley is challenging me to go to all of Oregon's counties once a year. Well, I do that." When pressed by the Oregon Democratic Party for proof, a campaign spokesperson claimed it was a mistake, that he doesn't even come close to doing that. That was another lie, and Smith didn't even apologize or acknowledge his lie. And, it was clearly to manipulate voters into thinking that he was a salt-of-the-earth Real American who knows rural Oregon better than his opponent, caused by his "desire to be elected."

In that same campaign season, the NRSC, on behalf of Gordon Smith's campaign, ran an ad that accused Merkley of voting to take away a $1 billion tax refund from the state of Oregon. The claim was false, and the NRSC was forced to pull the ad after the media started discussing its lies. Smith never rebuked the ad, and the NRSC kept it on YouTube. Another lie, intended to manipulate voters (with the real third-rail of politics: increased taxes), in order to try to win an election.

Gordon Smith did lie. A lot. Follow me after the jump for more.

Smith lied about Jeff Merkley's position on supporting rape victims. He lied about his in-state travel, via his claim that he already visited every county, every year. And he did it again and again:

I worked in communications and new media for Jeff Merkley. I sat next to our campaign telelvisions. I saw this ad hundreds and hundreds of times for several weeks. Millions of dollars; harsh, horrible lies.

And yet the Oregonian and many, many other papers chose to endorse Smith, calling him principled and other far-too-kind words while conveniently ignoring his consistent, proven lying.

And now they're using "lies" as cover for wanting Sam Adams to resign, while it was criteria for endorsing Smith.

Posted by Ben at January 25, 2009 09:08 AM