MSNBC's Chuck Todd posted a blog post today on his First Read blog titled "George Allen, Liz Cheney to Spin for Thompson." So, any takers to wonder if Chuck Todd would have posted a blog post titled "Sandy Berger to Spin for Clinton," or "Oprah to Spin for Obama"? Does anyone think that Chuck Todd would have used such a negative word as "spin" to describe the assistance a high profile supporter would give a Democrat candidate? After that misleading headline, Todd cynically starts his post with the following:
One of the fun parts of being the host network of the debate is finding out first who the campaigns are lining up to spin for them post-debate.
I see. So no candidate's supporter could ever come on to offer post debate commentary without it being "spin"? No one could possibly be honestly supporting their candidate? Is that how Chuck Todd sees the situation? Now, politics fanatics would know that the post debate media pit is called the "spin room." But the headline doesn't explain that at all and certainly leaves the feel that Chuck Todd is saying "George Allen, Liz Cheney to Lie for Thompson." Leaving off the "room" to spin room materially changes the feel of the headline for most people who are not as plugged into the media and politics. There's little doubt this could have been an accident. No wonder the MSM can't report anything right! After all, they think everyone around them are liars, so they must imagine that they can put their "spin" on the news. After all, everyone else is doing it and all that. His other observations were more like real reporting, straight, to the point and lacking his own "spin."
The campaign with the most interesting spinners on their team for tomorrow's CNBC/MSNBC/WSJ debate: Fred Thompson. His campaign has requested Spin Room credentials for one-time presidential hopeful/former Virginia Sen. George Allen as well as Liz Cheney, daughter of VP Cheney. The other notable spinner for Thompson, since we're in Michigan, is former Sen. Spence Abraham. BTW, for those keeping score, two of the three candidates who finished in the top 3 at the 2006 Southern Republican Leadership Conf. straw poll (hosted in Memphis in March '06) are both now with Thompson. Bill Frist finished 1st and George Allen finished in a tie for third. Mitt Romney was the surprise of the straw vote for placing second.
So, why did he feel the need to start off with his own cynicism for politicians? Only a real "journalist" knows for sure!
