Republicans: Please, Sirs, May We Buy An Advertisement in Your Newspaper? Pretty Please?
This does not strike me as a particularly good idea.
A House Republican will circulate a letter among his colleagues on Wednesday asking the New York Times whether a third-party group can take out a full-page advertisement in the paper to run a previously rejected editorial by their presidential candidate, Arizona Sen. John McCain, according to people familiar with the decision.
The letter, drafted by California Rep. Kevin O. McCarthy with the blessing of his leadership, is an attempt to paint the venerable newspaper as a Democratically-aligned media company.
I understand the motivation here. The New York Times’ decision not to publish John McCain’s op-ed was irresponsible, but forcing the issue won’t help the situation. At this point the news is out and it’s being talked about. Anyone who wants to see what McCain wrote can do so pretty easily.
The letter isn’t a strong move for McCarthy or the Republican leadership. They shouldn’t go, hat in hand, to the Times to ask them if it’s okay to buy advertising space in their newspaper. If they’re that intent on running the ad, they need to just do it. If it works out, then fine (though I still don’t see the advantage of having the op-ed there at this point). If the Times blocks the ad, that’s fine, too. The folks who believe that the Times is the official house organ of the Democratic Party have even more reason to believe. The ad won’t make a bit of difference and it won’t get any more coverage than this letter will.
At some point, the Republican Party has to remember that it’s above the petty biases of the MSM. The New York Times and the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times and CNN and NBC and all the rest are going to do what they want no matter what the Republicans do. Writing a whinging letter basically begging to be allowed to conduct a business transaction with them won’t make them reconsider their biases.
Rep. McCarthy et. al. would be much better off putting out a press release noting their disappointment that such an austere institution would turn its back on its duties as an objective reporter of news in order to toady for such a vapid candidate. That puts the issue in front of America and it lets them keep their dignity.
Other Posts of Interest:
- So, Where Are All Those Republican 527′s that Scared Obama into Breaking His Promise?
- It’s Time for John McCain to Put Up or Shut Up on Earmarks
- Johnny Mac’s Lost Another Blogger. Can I Win Him for Hillary? (Or, Jimmie Plays Palpatine)
Category: General, Johnny Mac, Oh, THAT liberal media., The Republican Minority
How twentieth century of the Republicans to be so concerned about what the public thinks. Why all the fuss? All they need do is subvert the voting process as they did in 2000 (Florida) and 2004 (Ohio) and, voila! their party member will occupy the White House. They can then use smoke and mirrors by talking of the importance of spreading democracy and freedom throughout the world. The hard part is maintaining a straight face while they do so.
We're over here in the real world, Mark, anytime you want to join us, okay?
hi, andar here, i just read your post. i like very much. agree to you, sir.