Former U.S. Rep. Richard Stallings — who is helping out Tom Sullivan, the Democrats' challenger to GOP Sen. Mike Crapo — is also campaigning against the Idaho Statesman.
In an appeal for campaign contributions, Stallings ripped the Statesman for not covering the last week's Crapo-Sullivan debate on Idaho Public Television.
As editorial page editor, I am not involved in news coverage decisions. I will note for the sake of accuracy that I live-blogged at the debate, and
my Wednesday post-debate analysis appeared in the paper as the lead item of my Saturday column. So I don't think it's accurate to say the Statesman "took a pass" on covering the debate.
Here's what Stallings sent out Tuesday (I didn't notice it until today, so his reference to the Crapo-Sullivan KTVB debate is dated). But here's the whole of it:
What happens when a Democratic challenger for U.S. Senate Tom Sullivan debates 12-year incumbent Republican Mike Crapo, and the Democrat comes out the clear winner? The largest daily newspaper in the state, “serving” the state’s biggest population center, does not cover it. That’s what happens, at least here in Idaho.
Online media, on the other hand, report that the October 12 debate on Idaho Public Television was “absolutely remarkable,” and “maybe the most powerful challenger’s debate by a Democratic major office candidate we’ve seen in years.” View the debate here, and see for yourself what other reporters and pundits are saying about Tom’s performance.
The Idaho Statesman took a pass on the news that Tom clearly dominated the debate against Mike Crapo. It’s not that debates haven’t been covered in this election year: all the other major debates — for Governor, First District Member of Congress, and State Superintendent of Schools — were covered on the front page of the Statesman the day after they happened. The only thing the Statesman released about the Sullivan-Crapo debate on Tuesday was a Wednesday evening blog post by Kevin Richert (the Statesman post-debate commentator on Tuesday night!) entitled “Idaho Politics: Crapo the Cranky.” Even in his tardy, hard-to-find coverage of the debate, Richert wrote that Tom “proved to be a spirited and quick-thinking debater,” and even that “all incumbents can use a challenge and a vigorous debate.”
There’s no such thing as unbiased press for a Democratic U.S. Senate candidate in Idaho’s largest daily newspaper, apparently, so it is truly up to us to send a Democrat from Idaho to the United States Senate by coming together and sending money for our media buy. I hope that you will be as dismayed as I am about the Statesman’s lack of coverage, and act now to help Tom win this election.
Mike Crapo is about to launch an aggressive ad campaign and we need to be able to respond. $157 will buy one 30-second TV spot. If 107 people contribute 157.00 each, we will make our goal. $28 buys one 60-second radio spot. The radio ads are ready to go — we just need to buy more time right now. Imagine waking up on November 3 to find that thousands of Idahoans banded together and defeated an incumbent Republican Senator with $3 million in Wall Street and other special interest money! We can win this race with your help.
Tom is an Idaho Democrat running for the U.S. Senate against Republican incumbent Mike Crapo because he wants to see the words “Made in America” again. Please go to this link, to find out more about why, after 20 years as a small business owner, Tom is running for the U.S. Senate.
Don’t forget to watch the second debate between Tom and Mike Crapo tonight, October 19, at 8:00 pm on KTVB Channel 7. Watch it live by clicking here or to see a replay schedule.
Please click here to contribute, and to help us get Tom’s message out, and please forward this email to your friends.
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