Let's ask MAPA why their choice doesn’t rate a news story?
Posted on 08/21/2002 11:48:56 AM PDT by ElkGroveDan
If a Republican wins the endorsement of a large Latino organization, doesn't that qualify as news? Not in California. As of Monday, no major California paper had reported that Bill Simon won the endorsement of 22 of the 32 chapters of the Mexican American Political Association.
Also newsworthy but ignored was that aides to Gray Davis tried to scuttle these chapters' endorsement of Simon by tweaking MAPA's convention rules. But that didn't work, so they unsuccessfully attempted to cancel its convention.
"This is just typical of the ethical and moral standards Gray Davis has brought with him to the governor's office," Simon said. "This type of change-the-rules-to-meet-your-needs tactic, and strong-arm actions to cover-up unwanted criticism is the same kind of arrogant and disappointing record we have seen Gray Davis demonstrate in one pay to play scandal after another. It is no wonder the Latino community is tired of Gray Davis."
The California media hammer Simon for his poor campaigning. But once he displays some effective campaigning, their coverage dries up. To the extent that they have reported on Simon's Hispanic outreach, they have assumed a cynical, you-can't-fool-us air.
The rare times they do deign to report good news about the Simon campaign it is invariably filtered through the prism that Simon still can't win. Watch this week as they turn George Bush's campaigning for Simon into a story about the perils of the president appearing in the company of a flagging, tainted candidate.
The last time Bush campaigned for Simon the Los Angeles Times didn't even bother to report the fact. Last week the Times thought it newsworthy to report on the front page that Simon is appearing with great frequency on conservative talk radio. What curious behavior. Could the explanation be that he has zero chance of getting his message out through the dominant media?
Poll numbers don't seem to register with the media until they show Davis ahead. From March to August, Simon consistently led Davis in polls. But only a few outlets reported this fact. The media blackout on the poll numbers dampened Simon's fundraising efforts and protected the media-created perception that Simon couldn't win. The New York Times did several stories on the race during this period based on the premise that Simon was running a losing campaign. The stories omitted any mention that he was leading the race. In fact, it wasn't until this month, when Davis's poll numbers passed Simon's, that the New York Times acknowledged the earlier polls showing Simon competitive. (While the Times writes stories that read like Gray Davis press releases, the Washington Post is at least acknowledging that Simon "could bounce back, particularly in a race where more than half the electorate tell pollsters they do not really like his opponent, Gov. Gray Davis.")
The California media, particularly the Los Angeles Times, considers it "balance" to run one negative story about Simon for every negative story about Davis, even if Simon's "scandals" pale in comparison to Davis's. Hence the media have spent as much time, probably more, on Simon's "tax returns" and contested fraud suit as Davis's growing list of quid pro quos. According to the media's silly calculus, Simon's poor investments are equal in gravity to Davis's $24 billion deficit and habitual use of state government as a fundraising tool.
The media would clearly prefer to run races than report on them. That a traditional Republican can't win in California is not a fact, but a media prejudice they endeavor to establish as fact through coverage that leads to the traditional Republican's defeat.
Moderate Republicans, who pride themselves on knowing "how to win," seem enthusiastic in helping the media defeat Simon. Is it good politics to supply reporters with negative blind quotes for anti-Simon stories? These Republican experts on good politics seem to think so.
Simon can't even catch a break from the San Francisco Chronicle's idea of a "conservative" columnist, Debra Saunders. She declared that he should just "give up," that he is a "venal Republican," and that if Davis is "Greedy," he is "Greedy/Stupid."
At the time of Saunders's column, Simon was leading in polls. But with friends like her, those numbers were bound to evaporate.
George Neumayr is a frequent contributor to The American Prowler and to the California Political Review.
Funny how 'moderate republicans' who criticise conservatives for dragging the party down because of their dogged adherence to their principles seem willing to sabotage a fellow republican in order to be proven right.
And can you imagine the outright propaganda that will prevail if campaign finance report ever becomes the law of the land.
It'll be a crime to so much as mention the name of a Republican candidate in public.
Let's ask MAPA why their choice doesn’t rate a news story?
You got that right.
It's just par for the course.Tell your friends and all your relatives.I had several register to vote and this was just over the phone.Action Is! If "Red" Davis wins, I may just go completely bonkers.I don't think people realize just how much worse it will get if this happens.The Media is for "Red", now the Big Money Donors are giving $$$ to "Red". Traitors, all of them! Go get him Bill Simon!
As these people become property owners, they have no choice but to reject socialism.
How much more proof is needed; Fascism and Socialism are one and the same. - Red Davis and monopolistic business are members of the same oligarchy.
Dear Mr. ******,
Thanks for apprising me of his very interesting development.
Wondering what was up here, I consulted my database, looking for some impartial source, and I found this Associated Press release from Jan. 14, 2002:
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Secretary of State Bill Jones announced Monday he has received the endorsement of the Mexican American Political Association in his campaign for the Republican nomination for governor.
"We simply saw Bill Jones as an honest, hardworking person who has a track record of community responsiveness," MAPA President Ben Benavidez said in a statement released by the Jones campaign.
But MAPA, a Fresno-based group dedicated to promoting political representation for Hispanics, also has a policy of only endorsing candidates who show up at their conventions.
Jones was the only candidate on hand when the group met Jan. 5 in Los Angeles.
Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan planned to attend via satellite - but the satellite feed malfunctioned and he was disqualified, campaign officials said.
The third major GOP candidate, Bill Simon, missed the event, as did Democratic incumbent Gray Davis.
I am not ending my investigation here, but I did think that, for now anyway, a MAPA endorsement is not what it appeared to be.
Thanks again.
Very truly yours,
Readers Representative, Los Angeles Times
Do you have any info regarding MAPA & their endorsement policies? Of course this still doesn't fully explain why the LAT did not report this endorsement.
2002 - $25,000,000,000 DEBT
What changed in Sacramento? The 'Governor'!!!
When the 'economy' lessened the state revenues, did the head of state reduce expenses? Why not?
Did you notice that the LATimes didn't even bother to mention that Simon was also on the John & Ken show on KFI-640 here in Los Angeles? They are big supporters of Simon's and are by no means a part of "conservative talk radio."
If anything, John & Ken are outspoken rabble rousers for ordinary folks and their politics are neither liberal nor conservative. Rather they tend toward libertarian and have probably the highest rated talk show in their time slot in Los Angeles on the 50,000 watt blowtorch KFI radio station.
The News Media ought to be seeking answers to that question!
calgov2002:
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Bump!!!!
I am not ending my investigation here, but I did think that, for now anyway, a MAPA endorsement is not what it appeared to be...Perhaps the MAPA endorsement meant more when they endorsed Gov. Doofus in 1994 as Lt. Gov...Thanks again.
Very truly yours,
Readers Representative, Los Angeles Times
See http://www.calvoter.org/archive/94general/cand/lt/davi/endorse.html
ORGANIZATIONAL ENDORSEMENTS (Partial listing)
Gray Davis for Lieutenant Governor
-- snip --
Ethnic Communities
Armenian National Committee of America/Western Region
Black Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles County
Black Political Council (Fresno)
Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans
Mexican-American Political Association (MAPA)
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