Balanced Campaign Coverage? Times Batting 0-for-'04 - January 9, 2004
January 9,
2004
Balanced Campaign Coverage?
Times Batting 0-for-'04
Democratic candidates:
"Clark and Kerry Offering Plans to Help Middle Class....Gearing proposals to
appeal to everyday Americans."
Republican candidate:
"Bush Pushes Education as Election Year Opens....Defending Programs that
Democrats say he underfinanced."
- Contrasting page A19 headlines and teasers, January 6.
Extraordinary Kindness Toward a Taliban Stooge
"About halfway through her set [rocker Patti Smith] said, 'Happy New Year to John Walker Lindh, who is
hopefully doing great studies and great meditations in government prison.' Coming from another
performer this message might have sounded tendentious or even self-serving, but Ms. Smith made it seem
nothing more or less than an act of extraordinary kindness."
- Kelefa Sanneh, January 3.
Jesus Christ, Big-Government Liberal
"It seems hypocritical of Mr. Bush to claim (as he did in the last campaign) that Jesus is his
favorite philosopher and then to finance tax breaks for the rich by cutting services for the poor. If
Dr. Dean should read up on Job, Mr. Bush should take a look at the Sermon on the Mount."
- Columnist Nicholas Kristof, January 7.
"Thoughtful" Liberals
"[Bill] Bradley, who now works at an investment bank in New York, brings a lucrative donor network and
a reputation for thoughtful integrity."
- Jodi Wilgoren, January 6.
The Conservative Medicare Drug Bill
"The law was written mainly by conservatives and centrists."
- Robert Pear, January 6.
States Suffering from Aversion to Taxes
"[Nicholas] Johnson of the [unlabeled liberal group] Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said New
Jersey's predicament was largely attributable to the state's aversion to taxes."
- Laura Mansnerus, January 5.
Still Defending "The Reagans"
"It is hard to get too indignant about CBS's lapse after a year that includedthe cancellation of the
mini-series 'The Reagans,' after a lobbying effort by right-wing groups who never saw the film."
- Alessandra Stanley on CBS' airing of a Michael Jackson special, January 4.
