The Associated Press, aka the Administration's Press, appears determined that there not be any more reported embarrassments of Democrats who refuse to directly acknowledge that they support President Barack Obama.
One such embarrassing moment occurred in tonight's debate in New Hampshire between Republican Scott Brown and incumbent Democrat Jean Shaheen, who has reportedly voted as Obama would prefer 99 percent of the time. In her coverage, AP reporter Holly Ramer acted as if the following exchange between a debate moderater and Shaheen — and the audience laughter which accompanied it — never happened:
Transcript:
MODERATOR: Imagine you're at home wearing your New Hampshire citizen hat and you get a call from a pollster asking the following question: Do you approve of the job President Obama is doing? There will be a chance to follow up but this is a yes or no answer. Do you approve, yes or no?
SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN (D-NH): In some ways I approve, and some things I don't approve (significant portion of audience laughs). Like most questions that we deal with as policymakers there aren't simple answers. Yes or no.
There is no doubt that this exchange was one of the highlights of the debate. There is little if any doubt that Holly Ramer's choice not to report it is deliberate.
The headline and opening paragraph at the AP report took Shaheen's side. Given Shaheen's voting record and her failure to own up to the fact that she has approved of virtually everything Barack Obama has sought for almost four years, Brown's shot at her was far more valid and effective than hers at him:
Grandstanding, outsourcing raised in Senate debate
Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen accused Republican challenger Scott Brown of grandstanding and fear mongering while he accused her of "outsourcing" her independence as they met for their second debate two weeks before Election Day.
... As Shaheen did in a previous debate, she cast Brown as an outsider who doesn't understand New Hampshire. He repeatedly called her a rubber stamp for President Barack Obama's administration, reminding voters she has voted with Obama 99 percent of the time.
It's not a matter of whether Scott Brown called Shaheen an Obama rubber stamp, Holly. It is clearly the case that Shaheen has actually been an Obama rubber stamp, and doesn't have the integrity to admit it.
Unfortunately for Shaheen, Ramer, and the AP, New Hampshire is a pretty small state. Despite their attempted blackout of the Senator's Alison Grimes moment, I daresay enough Granite State voters to matter will be well aware of the fact that Jean Shaheen failed to own up to who she is when put to the test.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
