New York Times political reporters Jeff Zeleny (pictured) and Jim Rutenberg teamed up on Tuesday for a preview of the possible presidential head-to-head matchup Obama vs. Mitt Romney: “As the Primary Campaign Grinds On, Romney’s Team Prepares for Obama.” But they felt the need to put a metaphorical finger on the scale with a negative description of the GOP.
The easy treatment of Mr. Romney has also allowed him to avoid getting mired in promises to the far right wing of his party that could turn off independent voters in the general election. “There’s a little eye-rolling when we think a candidate missed an opportunity,” said Brad Woodhouse, the Democratic National Committee spokesman.
According to Nexis, this marks the fourth time in the last five years that the paper has used the phrase “far right wing” to describe a U.S. political figure or party (there are several references to “far right wing” parties overseas). In contrast, during that same time frame the phrase “far left wing” has not been used a single time by a reporter to describe a political figure or party.
