What's the Difference Between Politico & Fox News?

Posted by The Green Miles

Answer: People still take Politico seriously as an objective source for some reason.

Politico reporter Martin Kady II appeared on WTOP radio last night (MP3). You knew it was going to be a doozy of a segment when a host introduced Kady with, "It's not impossible that Republicans could take over the Senate after the November elections!" The other host responded, and I am not making this up, "WOW!"

Kady excitedly says Republicans "putting up fairly moderate candidates who have a shot!" (As opposed to Democrats, who we're left to presume are putting up ardent socialists with no chance at winning.)

Kady then focuses on Illinois GOP Senate nominee Mark Kirk and says, "He's already up 12 in the polls!" Only one problem: It was an internal poll. That means it was paid for by Mark Kirk's campaign, conducted by a Republican-leaning firm (Magellan Data).

Why would a Politico "journalist" report an internal GOP poll like it was a piece of objective data? Good question.

Kady then cites Blanche Lincoln and Arlen Specter as two Democrats who were thought to have "safe" seats but are now facing shockingly tough re-election battles. Blanche Lincoln, who's never gotten more than 56% in a Senate race? And Arlen Specter, who actually admitted he became a Democrat in large part because he felt he'd lose his GOP primary? On what planet were those ever considered "safe" seats?

As a wise man once said ... my god, what a stupid premise.

This Would Be Unethical in Blogging...But It's OK in "Journalism?"

Wow, this is pathetic, so much for "journalistic ethics" being any more than a screeching oxymoron?

I am a big fan of Politico and of the work of their reporter, Jonathan Martin. But I do question the decision of Politico’s editors to require (or continue to allow) Martin to write about the Virginia Governor’s race. Politico should disclose to its readers Martin’s history in Republican politics and in Virginia and Connecticut politics.

Since they won’t, I will.

Martin served on the campaign staff of Mark Earley, the Republican nominee for Governor of Virginia in 2001. After Mark Warner was elected Governor over Earley with 52 percent of the vote, Martin relocated to Connecticut to work on the successful 2002 Congressional campaign of Connecticut Republican Rob Simmons. After Simmons assumed office, Martin joined his Congressional staff as a legislative assistant in 2003. In the fall of 2004, Martin took a leave of absence from Simmons’s Congressional staff to work on the Congressman’s re-election campaign in 2004. After Simmons was reelected, Martin returned to Simmons’s Congressional payroll and remained there until August 2005.

Why wouldn't Politico disclose this information, especially if Martin is going to be reporting on the Virginia governor's race as a supposedly unbiased "journalist?" I don't know, but it's a great question by an astute - and ethical - blogger!

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