Dems' "Culcha of corruption" theme taking major hits

[DesertFox]

Brent Bozell
Media Research Center
9 May 06


You may want to look fast, but the Democratic National Committee’s website still has a “Republican Culture of Corruption” page, implying that by installing the Democrats back in the congressional majority, we’ll have a virtual monastery of ethical restraint in Washington – with leaders like Patrick Kennedy setting the example.

The Democratic “culture of corruption” charge is taking more of a beating than the traffic barricade that introduced itself to Congressman Kennedy’s car last week. ABC, CBS, and NBC all devoted some serious air time to the story, and the fact that Capitol Police supervisors waved off a sobriety test and protectively took the son of Ted Kennedy home.

More (http://www.mediaresearch.org/BozellColumns/newscolumn/2006/col20060509.asp)

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

Bye-bye, "culture of corruption" by Brent Bozell - May 10, 2006 (http://www.townhall.com/opinion/columns/brentbozell/2006/05/10/196840.html)

You may want to look fast, but the Democratic National Committee's website still has a "Republican Culture of Corruption" page, implying that by installing the Democrats back in the congressional majority, we'll have a virtual monastery of ethical restraint in Washington -- with leaders like Patrick Kennedy setting the example.

The Democratic "culture of corruption" charge is taking more of a beating than the traffic barricade that introduced itself to Rep. Kennedy's car last week. ABC, CBS, and NBC all devoted some serious airtime to the story, and the fact that Capitol Police supervisors waved off a sobriety test and protectively took the son of Ted Kennedy home.

It could be argued that by Friday, May 5, the network attention to young Mr. Kennedy was historic. Pundits and academics have spent the last 20 years lamenting that the networks can't seem to give presidential candidates more than about seven seconds a clip in soundbites. Now ABC gave Kennedy an amazing 60 seconds to read his statement announcing he was returning to the Mayo Clinic for rehabilitation. Even that wasn't enough for NBC. This network gave him a two-minute soundbite.

That's not to say that airing Kennedy's statement helped his case. It had an odd quality to it, as Kennedy announced he was disturbed by his own behavior -- as if he had multiple personalities. But it signaled that the networks were indulging his political play for sympathy.

Should we feel sympathy?

[UnkHiram]

Of course the networks also stressed that it was the sleeping pill that caused the accident not Kennedy's fault.