Dave Kranz has a column in today's Argus Leader entitled "Politicos see no danger of Daschle losing clout." The problem, as Sibby notes, is that Stuart Rothenberg, one of the experts that Kranz quotes, recently said just the opposite: "Tom Daschle (D-South Dakota) who has a terrific opponent in John Thune ... has lost the "clout" issue that saved his SD Democratic colleague, Tim Johnson, in 2002." Kranz didn't quote Rothenberg when he said something that hurt Daschle. An article in The Hill also noted that Daschle's caucus was rebelling against him and mentioned that Senator Dodd said more aggressive leadership is needed. Kranz didn't quote The Hill when its story would hurt Daschle. Other liberals have been very vocal about their desire for Daschle to step down as minority leader. Kranz didn't report their objections. Even former Daschle staffers think Daschle should step down as leader. Kranz didn't report this major development. SDP has noted the following on Daschle's possible loss of leadership:
There have been rumblings about Tom Daschle's leadership in various publications for some time now. Articles in Roll Call, the National Journal, The New Republic, The American Prospect, The Nation, and the liberal website Buzzflash all have addressed this. Typically, the only publication that has NOT addressed this is the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, South Dakota's newspaper of record.
None of these articles were reported in the Argus Leader by Dave Kranz. Is it any wonder that people are concerned about the long-standing Daschle-Kranz relationship?
The good news is that Randell Beck, the executive editor at the Argus Leader, has a great column today about the issue of the media and campaigns. He notes, for example:
Thomas E. Patterson, a South Dakota State University graduate and now a professor at Harvard University, ties an increasingly jaded and disengaged electorate to what he terms the post-Watergate cynicism of a press too often focused on stirring the pot.
Kranz started as a journalist during the Nixon era and probably fits this mold. One can't blame him too much--Nixon and Vietnam did tremendous damage to the republic and its institutions, including journalism. But even Nixon can't excuse Kranz, 30 years later, for continuing to inject himself and his agenda into news reporting. It's unfair. It degrades the democratic process. And it drives away voters who have become complete cynics when it comes to the Fourth Estate. I like Kranz personally, but he needs to be fair.
UPDATE: Here's another call from within Democratic ranks for Daschle to resign.
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