Media Update

It's been a busy day in Pundit Land. 

I'll be discussing the Renzi indictment with Debbie Elliot  on National Public Radio's All Things Considered this afternoon at 5:30 Eastern. 

I'll be on Sunday Square Off this Sunday at 8:00, right after Meet the Press.  Topics include the State Budget Meltdown, Toll Roads, Guns in Schools and the New York Times Hit Piece on McCain.

Sunday Square Off ends with each guest giving a 30 second "Final Thought."

Here's what I'm going to say. 

"When I was in kindergarten, my mom told me to always tuck in my shirt and comb my hair.  I give the same advice to my kids, but they tell me that NOBODY under 30 tucks in their shirt or combs their hair.  Unfortunately, other advice that my mother gave me has gone by the wayside as well.  Political campaigns have become increasingly rancorous.  Political debates have become increasingly bitter and political coverage has become increasingly cruel and salacious.  The New York Times Story on Senator McCain is based on ten year old rumors and unsubstantiated gossip and is, unfortunately, just another example of the type of coverage that candidates must endure. 

I'm hoping that the other advice that my mother gave me will come back in style.  "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.""

Comments

[Ann]

I am sure you will also follow your mother's advice about not using certain words in public. Oh wait, that was last week!

[todd]

Rumors and gossip? You mean the on-the-record quotes from a former campaign insider or the anonymous quotes by people who are aides in McCain's current campaign?

[Ann]

Todd...you mean the unsubstantiated quotes? Let's hope we never get to the point where just because someone says it, it is true regardless of the evidence to either support or deny those words.

[todd]

Ann,
What is unsubstantiated? Do you deny his campaign aides were concerned about their relationship and actively worked to keep them apart. That seems to be substantiated by a number of sources and I find it disturbing that people close to him feel they need to police his behavior. McCain certainly did use his influence to help Iseman's clients. That too is well substantiated. Whether or not there was a romantic relationship as some of his aides feared, and is the least interesting part of the story, does seem unsubstantiated.

[SonoranSam]

Meanwhile, the silence of Republicans about l'affaire Renzi is deafening.

In part I understand, but I must say I'm just a little disappointed.

[Rex]

Sam-

To be fair, House GOP Leader John Boehner of Ohio slammed Renzi pretty good on this and has called on him to resign. See link below:

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2008/02/22/boehner_urges_indicted_renzi_to_resign/5481/

I would expect that you'll start to hear the same from Arizona Republicans fairly soon.

[todd]

Sam - According to some highly placed GOP leaders, Renzi has lead in Arizona with "tenacity, honesty and integrity beyond reproach." (John McCain 2006). Ooops.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/23/politics/politico/thecrypt/main3868409.shtml

[The Klute]

Rex,

Still, if this were Grivalja or Mitchell, they're be a swarm of posts in AzConBlog Sphere.

Of the two I read regularly, there's be nary a peep. Sonoran Alliance put up a thread and then immediately buried it under 3 or 4 mountainous posts, and Greg hasn't even dedicated a post to it yet, in what is easily the biggest Arizona political story of the year (so far, anyway).

This is why the MSM will never go away - a scandal is a scandal, and scandals are always the lede in the papers or on TV.

Bloggers on both sides just hope the scandals that affect them go away quietly.

[NICK]

I have not supported Mc Cain.
The Times hit piece opened my cheque book!

[David L Williams]

Greg,

We watched with interest your appearance on Sunday Squareoff on Channel 12 this week. The issue of toll roads came up and you seemed to be for them. All you need do is look to Orange County California for the effectiveness of toll roads. They are under utilized and now there is concern that the bonds used to build them cannot be paid. Motorist are already faced with higher gas prices and adding tolls would further the burden. Only those with businesses could write off the additional expense. Changing the HOV lanes on SR51 to toll lanes would only cause congestion and would defeat the idea that carpooling can save time compared to one person per car. A toll road around the congestion in Tucson would only serve transient vehicles that do not really add that much to the local congestion by resident vehicles. Why is no one in AZ looking at the toll road situation in CA before suggesting we do it here.

Dave and Irma Williams

[David L Williams]

Greg,
While I'm on the soap box I would like to tell you why we are not voting for John McCain. I have been a Republican since 1964 when I worked for and voted for Barry Goldwater. This time I will either vote Democrat or sit this one out. McCain betrayed us here in AZ with his vote for the immigration bill that would have given amnesty to illegal immigrants. My wife's family legally immigrated to this counry and it is a slap in the face to those who jumped through all the legal hoops to get here. They worked hard, learned English, took citizenship classes and became citizens. We have many immigrant friends from many different places, including Latin America and without exception they are insulted by the idea that someone can just walk into ths country an eventually become a citizen. The Republicans seem to want the illegals for the jobs and the Dems for the votes. So much for statesmanship. About 80% of the voters want action on illegal immigration. That includes a border fence and more border and ICE agents. Does anyone in government really care?

[jamcool]

Meanwhile, the silence of Republicans about l'affaire Renzi is deafening.

As is the silence of the Donks about l'affaire Jefferson, Dirty Harry Reid,Hatty Mitchell's Abramoff funds, Obama's terrorist affiliations, and Hillary's Chinese financiers.

Expect all charges against Renzi to be dropped after he leaves office as were all charges against Hayworth.