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S.E. Wood
"A Conservative Viewpoint"
The power of suggestion
Remember back last fall when the Republicans
ran a TV ad that included a word - like congratulate, for instance
-- that when broken down into video frames included the word
"rat"? The Gore folks raised a big stink, accusing
Republicans of televising a subliminal suggestion that Al Gore
is a rat!
Of course the whole thing didn't make much
sense. In order to see the three-letter word "rat,"
the video clip had to be run in slow motion - a technical feat
not possible to the average TV owner. In addition, the whole
idea of subliminal suggestions has been debunked years ago.
But if we want to see a more obvious political
suggestion in action, look at the current media coverage of the
illicit love affair of California Congressman Gary Condit with
the missing Bureau of Prisons intern, Chandra Levy.
It is customary for the print media to identify
elected members of Congress by party label and state. Such as
"Sen. Fred Thompson, R-TN," or "Congressman Zell
Miller, D-GA." But not so with Congressman Gary Condit,
D-CA. In their coverage of this discredited legislator, the media
always references "Rep. Gary Condit." That's all!
Here are some examples in today's news.
First, from CNN:
Police: Condit Admits Affair with Levy
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Police sources told CNN Saturday that Rep.
Gary Condit has admitted he had a romantic relationship with
former intern Chandra Levy, something the congressman had denied
for two months through his aides. Levy has been missing since
April 30.
- Posted July 8, 2001 10:23 AM EDT (1423 GMT)
And from the Washington Post:
Condit Confirms Affair to Police, Sources
Say
By Allan Lengel and Petula Dvorak
Washington Post staff writers
Rep. Gary A. Condit acknowledged in an interview with District
police that he had an affair with Chandra Levy, dramatically
reversing a position his aides had adamantly maintained since
the case of the missing intern broke in early May, two sources
familiar with the meeting said yesterday.
- Sunday, July 8, 2001; Page A01
But on this, the very same day, all other political articles
in these same two news organizations identified other members
of Congress by the usual party and state designations.
First, CNN:
Bush Urges Action on Education; Democrats
Defend Health Care Bill
By Kelly Wallace
CNN White House correspondent
"KENNEBUNKPORT, ME - President Bush tried to step up the
pressure on Congress Saturday, calling on lawmakers to 'finish
the job' and pass an education bill before students return to
classes in the fall. In the Democratic radio response, Rep. John
Dingell (D-MI), co-sponsor of a bipartisan bill the House will
consider following the July 4th recess, accused the president
of engaging in a 'gross and deliberate misrepresentation' of
the facts. Dingell said the bill favored by Democrats and his
Republican co-sponsors, Reps. Charles Norwood (R-GA) and Greg
Ganske (R-IA) would not be a boon to trial lawyers ..."
- July 7, 2001 Posted: 7:17 PM EDT (2317 GMT)
... and in the Washington Post:
Tougher Battles Looming for Bush
By Juliet Eilperin
Washington Post staffwriter
Senior House Republicans said the president and his top deputies
need to increase their engagement with lawmakers, asserting that
Bush officials failed to lobby rank-and-file members last month
when the House cast several votes undercutting the administration's
energy policy. "The White House has some work to do, that's
clear," said John Feehery, spokesman for House Speaker J.
Dennis Hastert (R-IL). 'You're seeing a maturing of the relationship,'
said Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY). 'We have to see some evidence
that they're not only hearing our message, they're heeding it.'"
- Sunday, July 8, 2001; Page A01
Similar examples are found in today's New York Times. So I ask
you, why does the media not want to identify Congressman Condit
by political party label? And while you are mulling that one
over, can you think of a political party label that might be
abbreviated with the word "Rep.," as in "Rep.
Gary Condit?"
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