GOP Shuts Out Media
Wasn't it just this week that GOP flack Bill Hobbs was bitching over the piss-poor turnout for Carly Fiorina’s little press conference for John McCain? Now, Hobbs has closed Saturday's Statesmen's Dinner to reporters. Isn't that ironic? Apparently, the party fund-raisers feel they can provide a more entertaining time if the speaker, Karl Rove, is unfettered by fear of unflattering coverage. We shouldn't complain too much about the snub, though. The party might open the event to the media. Then we might actually have to go.
Update: Hobbs responds to what he calls complaints from the media. Actually, we're not complaining, Bill. Didn't we make that clear? All those happy Republicans, humming Perry Como tunes, filing into the convention hall ... a fabulous rubber chicken dinner ... a red-meat speech from Karl Rove ... it sounds like a lot of fun but we'll pass.
Comments
Or maybe they're afraid of backlash from local Republicans angry about Rove's $40,000 speaking fee.
Posted 07/24/2008 at 09:46:23 AMNot surprising, considering Rove's penchant for utterly embarassing comments at such events. Not embarassing to the party faithful, of course, for whom churlish and racially charged after dinner speak is gut-bustingly funny. But it doesn't play well national media. Hobbs is exercizing preemptive damage control.
Posted 07/24/2008 at 10:10:04 AMI love the line "they can provide a more entertaining time if the speaker, Karl Rove, is unfettered by fear of unflattering coverage". Replace Rove with Howard Dean and that line would have been "if the speaker can talk frankly to local party pols on how to help their community." Also, why charge big bucks for an exclusive fundraiser if you can just watch it on TV?
Thanks Nashville Scene, I was just starting to run a little low on my daily dose of media bias!
Posted 07/24/2008 at 10:20:21 AM"Thanks Nashville Scene, I was just starting to run a little low on my daily dose of media bias!"
Dude, this is a blog. It's supposed to be opinionated.
Posted 07/24/2008 at 10:52:27 AMMy guess is that Rove insisted on the media blackout. Was probably a condition of his appearance. And of course GOP organizations will do anything Rove asks sort of sucking his dick. (insert Larry Craig joke here)
Posted 07/24/2008 at 06:33:01 PMmaybe they're wife-swapping.
Posted 07/24/2008 at 09:06:02 PMDidn't Rove just skip out of the country instead of testifying before Congress? He's back now. Isn't that contempt? Shouldn't he be arrested?
-signed, 5th Grade Civics
Posted 07/25/2008 at 10:44:00 AMSeems like they'd at least let a roving reporter in the event. Geez.
Posted 07/25/2008 at 09:10:53 PM