PRESS PATTERNS
The WaPo vs. George Allen [Stephen Spruiell]
I have put together a blow-by-blow account of how the most important newspaper in Allen's region has systematically gone after him during this campaign:
At first, the race between Allen and Webb looked like the kind of race policy wonks dream about. As governor of Virginia during the 1990s, Allen pulled off a trifecta of conservative reforms — abolishing parole, overhauling welfare, and establishing testing and standards in education — all while bringing billions of dollars of high-tech investment to the state. Jim Webb, Allen’s Democratic challenger, is a decorated Vietnam veteran, former Reagan appointee and best-selling novelist. Each offered starkly different views of the war in Iraq, and the race initially held out the promise of lively debate on the most important issues facing the Senate.
Instead, it has degenerated into a disgraceful mud-slinging contest — a race to the bottom aided in no small part by the Washington Post.
By making Allen's un-PC statements the focus of its coverage, the Post set the tone for this race, and the results are plain to see.
10/24 10:01 AM
Share
