As Scott Whitlock noted last week, the Washington Post editorial page thumped away at conservative Republican Ken Cuccinelli, who’s currently ahead in the race for Virginia’s Attorney General: "Given his sometimes bizarre and incendiary ideas, we worry that Mr. Cuccinelli would drive qualified and nonpartisan lawyers away, transform the attorney general's office into a staging ground for his pet peeves and causes, and make it an object of ridicule in a state where it has enjoyed a long run of respect."
But what about when Cuccinelli’s Democrat opponent, Steve Shannon, becomes an object of ridicule? The Post ignores it.
At National Review Online’s Campaign Spot, Jim Geraghty suggested it could be the "Worst Debate Answer Ever?" When they allowed the candidates to ask a question to each other, Cuccinelli calmly asked Shannon to name each division of the attorney general’s office and explain what each does.
You would think that political reporters would like an informational question like this. Shannon refused to answer it, so Northern Virginia blogger Greg Letiecq made a funny video. It's a sensation among conservatives. The Washington Post never acknowledged that Shannon refused to answer this question – even when asked by a reporter in the post-debate spin time. They used debates in this way:
"I'm a pro-business, law-and-order centrist," Shannon said at a recent debate. "Last week I got the endorsement of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce. I am not an ideologue."
Meanwhile, in the same October 19 story, reporter Amy Gardner suggested Cuccinelli was a strange ultraconservative who home-schools his too-numerous children (gasp!):
Cuccinelli is a hero to supporters of a range of conservative causes, and he does not shy away from his views on gun rights, gay marriage, abortion, home-schooling (he has seven children, and wife Teiro home-schools four of them).
PS: Letiecq (whose blog is called Black Velvet Bruce Li) has been dissed on the front page of the Washington Post with the suggestion that he's a "mouse-pushing crackpot."
—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center.
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The horror!!!!
October 26, 2009 - 12:10 ET by BlondeSeven children? Wow.
Not so big a family, actually. My mom just mentioned that one of her very best friends was one of twenty-four (!!!) children.
Not surprising that they give the democrat a pass, while painting a picture of a large family and home-schooling as some sort of fringe lunacy.
I hope he fails, too.
Unless you're gay, you
October 26, 2009 - 13:00 ET by mattmUnless you're gay, you should only have 1.2 children and you should put them in public indoctrination institutions immediately after your FMLA leave runs out.
Amy Gardner
October 26, 2009 - 12:19 ET by KC MulvilleShe's been a busy little distortionist, hasn't she?
The video is hilarious. I especially love the post-debate question. And what is it with these low-rate "media handlers" who feel they have to shield the candidate by being, well, idiots? Shooting them with a flash camera is kind of Freudian, if you ask me, hiding a repressed desire to shoot the questioner. (I'm trying to rationalize the stupidity of the tactic, LOL!)
Seriously, is Anita Dunn the model for the dutiful media aide?
" transform the attorney
October 26, 2009 - 12:27 ET by Chris Norman" transform the attorney general's office into a staging ground for his pet peeves and causes, and make it an object of ridicule in a state where it has enjoyed a long run of respect."
Tim, I'm always in awe of their ability to make a brazen political hit piece sound so high-minded and pompous - and all without breaking into laughter.
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
oops
October 26, 2009 - 12:40 ET by Prester JohnDelete
Sometimes it's better to
October 26, 2009 - 15:17 ET by deerjerkydaveSometimes it's better to admit that you don't know the answer than to dodge the question. In this instance it was the worst dodge ever causing people to realize the dishonesty of the candidate.
It is no surprise that
October 26, 2009 - 15:52 ET by kgIt is no surprise that Google has stated "Adding comments has been disabled for this video."
"DumbAssity of Dope"
How sad. Bonehead is
October 26, 2009 - 18:26 ET by HockeyKidHow sad. Bonehead is trying to convince people that he's the man because he's an experienced prosecutor, yet he doesn't even know how the AG's office works.
As for the handler in the video who tries to obscure the shot with close flashes, it's hilarious that she doesn't even realize her speedlite is aimed UP. She thinks she's so clever--look at the smirking smile on her face. I guess boneheads hire boneheads.
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
Losing Battle
October 26, 2009 - 19:58 ET by TomsPlaceAs a conservative here in NoVa (yes there are some of us still here), the attacks on Cuccinelli, Bolling and McDonnell prove to me that the media elite here know they are in serious danger of seeing the top three spots go to three men who can restore some sanity to this state.
Amusing....
October 26, 2009 - 20:09 ET by bpjam...that WaPo thinks that somehow it is the hometown newspaper FOR THE ENTIRE STATE OF VIRGINIA!!!!!
Hey, WaPo.... F U! You represent the Beltway, not Virginia. Maybe you represent the views of a bunch of Jim Moran (Moron) district in Congress with all those Federal union employees, but that is one tiny part of the state.
The entire state does not turn every four years on traffic on the f'ing Beltway which seems to consume your attention. Move to Maryland and pay the extra taxes if you dislike Virginians so much.
(douchebags..)