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Get in the game, please
Monday, Sep 27, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller * Carol Marin is a friend and colleague, so I’m not trying to pick on her today, but I wanted to use something in her column to make a point. Her Sunday column is about how Rahm Emanuel may have trouble with black voters in a mayoral bid and how multiple black and Latino candidates could divide the field. Then there’s this…
A good part of the reason that the February mayoral primary has sucked all the oxygen from the Chicago-area political scene is the Chicago media’s continued obsession with the topic. Yes, there’s no doubt this is an extraordinarily unique occurrence and a big election with huge consequences. But the general election is just 36 days away. Every story, every column, every editorial about the micro-turns and twists of Rahm Emanuel, et al is space and time that cannot be used to inform voters of the very real and very critical choices they face on November 2nd. Illinois is ensnared in one of the worst crises in its history. We have two major party gubernatorial candidates who differ starkly on how to approach our future. We also have a wealthy candidate with a violent and murky past. The nation is mired in its worst economic period since the Great Depression and we have two US Senate candidates and several congressional candidates who need to be more closely examined. The General Assembly is broken and there are several candidates who claim they know how to fix it. * Meanwhile, we get stories about how Emanuel is really drawn to the idea of running for Chicago mayor, or how Dick Durbin isn’t endorsing Rahm yet, or how Terry Peterson really isn’t Rahm’s campaign chair, or how David Hoffman isn’t running, or how Jesse Jackson, Jr.’s former girlfriend isn’t talking to reporters, or columns about Ald. Sandi Jackson’s side of the story. * In the past, a frontrunning gubernatorial candidate who received the endorsement of the NRA would be big news in the city. This year? Almost total silence. But just about every angle on Sandi and Jesse’s marital turmoil is in full view. * Illinois Issues reports that the state is facing a $250 million interest payment on loans to keep its unemployment insurance fund afloat. You won’t see much about that in Chicago, but there were at least ten different stories about Hoffman not running for mayor. * When they do publish or broadcast stories about state issues, they’re too often fluff pieces. Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s striking magazine cover commands precious ink. The fact that if Bill Brady is elected he will rescind the capital punishment moratorium is all but ignored. * Yes, they’ll jump on juicy stories like the AFSCME negotiation allegations, but apart from that, we don’t see much else. In its place, we get endless thumb-sucking pieces about Rahmbo and Jesse and Meeks and what it all “means.” The Chicago News Cooperative believes there’s enough interest in those tiny twists and turns to start its own paid newsletter. I wish them nothing but success, but I hope they use some of that newfound cash to help fund some stories about stuff that’s actually important right now. There is plenty of time to write about Rahm Emanuel’s every burp. But time is fast running out to write about the campaign in front of our very noses…
They haven’t listened yet, and I doubt they ever will. But you can bet a hundred dollars that after this campaign is over they will publish stories and columns about how they regret not covering this race better. Wouldn’t it be preferable if they just started doing their jobs now instead of constantly playing with their shiny new toy?
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- bdogg - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:05 am:
Amen y amen.
- Dirt Digger - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:08 am:
“The space and time” has already been shown during the primary to be a poor tool for informing voters of anything.
If the coverage of the Chicago press is going to be vacuous it may as well be celebrity-style entertainment.
- shore - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:10 am:
Between the blago trial and the mayoral election the chicago media has virtually ignored every other political story for the last 9 months. sam adam junior has been on chicago tonight more than the 6 candidates in heated congressional races COMBINED which is stunning when you consider he’s a buffoon attorney and they are the potential deciding votes on a number of key decisions in the next congress.
we saw this during the olympics when they bought the mayor’s spin hook line and sinker, and it reflects very poorly on them. every day with them its a new story about whether one of the 3,200 different candidates potentially running for mayor had eggs or bagels for breakfast and the problem is that the last time they ignored serious coverage of politics we got scott lee cohen.
- Dirt Digger - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:10 am:
I mean who cannot appreciate the humor on that Netsch quote:
“Stop writing about the mayor’s race!” says person at mayoral fundraiser.
I for one approve.
- wordslinger - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:11 am:
Every hired gun news consultant, print and broadcast, worships at the altar of Personalities. The more attractive or scandalous the personality the better.
No number stories, please. Also: Every issue must be two-sided as if dictated by a law of nature. There are no grey areas on color tv.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:12 am:
DD, she was speaking at a long-scheduled fundraiser for Dart’s reelection campaign.
- John - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:14 am:
The saddest part is that in the Nov general election the majority of incumbent legislators who totally abdicated their duties of balancing the budget will be re-elected.
- Adam Smith - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:16 am:
Every cycle we hear complaints about how the media is not giving robust and in-depth coverage of the real issues and only provides broad generalizations that don’t help voters get a real feel for the candidates and the issues at hand.
It also seems that these complaints are loudest from those who fear they are losing. Dems want the media to dig deeper into these issues because the voters don’t see how great they really are. Usually it is the Republicans whining that the media won’t cover the issue because they are in league with Dems.
What is becoming clear is that many engaged voters find their own news sources that they choose and that they trust (rightly or wrongly). They may use the Internet, Fox or MSNBC, but regardless, anyone who can lift a finger can get so much info on candidates and campaigns that they could never hope to process it.
If a majority want to be disinterested and detached voters, getting weak to non-existent coverage from major papers and network affiliate news, then we will get a government whose quality reflects that.
Oh, wait…
- Dirt Digger - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:19 am:
Technically sure, but I think my point stands.
- hisgirlfriday - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:27 am:
Rich,
Sure, it’s sloppy journalism. But at the same time, do you really think that what they would write about the state race would make much of a difference? I mean these papers tried for years to get the public to realize the truth about Blago, didn’t they? And the public still re-elected him and Springfield only took action against him after the Feds stepped in to arrest him. So what is the point really?
Plus, even if they could make a difference with what they write in this election, does it really matter? I guess I’m just too cynical at this point to feel like it makes a whit of difference who wins the governor’s race as no matter who’s in charge this state will continue to be a mess, and our state government leaders will continue to be dysfunctional without coming up with any solution to our problems because there’s no political courage or desire or ability to actually fix things among our political class.
Might as well let Sandi have 10 inches to share her woman scorned exclusive to coincide with this week’s second season premiere of “The Good Wife.”
- Rich Miller - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:29 am:
===do you really think that what they would write about the state race would make much of a difference?===
Whether or not it makes a difference, it’s still their job.
- Linus - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:29 am:
I could not possibly agree more: Illinois’ November general election will have far-reaching implications for the direction(s) the state takes in approaching incredibly weighty matters, starting with our multibillion-dollar budget crisis. News coverage should reflect that, rather than ignore it for either he said/she said titillation and/or Chicago-mayoral hysteria.
- Amalia - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:33 am:
it’s so much easier penning an opinion on what is or is not
happening, should or should not be happening, than actually
doing the work to tell the public facts about what is happening.
The media coverage of the Blagojevich trial was terrible and telling about how the media is doing it’s job here. Not
only was it excessive, but it was not even good. As the verdict
neared, reporters covering the trial seemed confused about
counts and acts and gave virtually no smart answers about
why something might be happening. see that would require
homework, reading the jury instructions and indictment.
For the November election it would require actually studying
positions on the issues, the State’s fiscal position, and
asking issue groups the whys of support for candidates. All
that is actually easy to do, though time consuming, but not sexy, dirty laundry, tv and trying to survive print media approach. and the public will suffer because of that.
despite his weird campaign, and strange approach to governing,
Quinn who represents reasonable positions on issues about
which people care passionately should be a slam dunk over
never met a gun he didn’t love, insurance company defending,
supported by those who hate the Pill and Invitro fertilization,
thick headed Brady.
- AlphaBettor - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:33 am:
One reason is the ridiculously long general election season. After nearly 8 months, is there anything new to say about any of these candidates? They’re certainly not saying anything new. The mayor’s race is a welcome distraction from the tedium of watching these Senate and governor candidates that no one is excited about voting for.
- Pat collins - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:35 am:
Whether or not it makes a difference, it’s still their job.
But at some point, it is OUR job too. Our as in the voters. We ARE responsible for the government we get, and the information is there, if you want to look for it.
Ask friends, visit libraries, etc. Or just use your head and call a candidates office directly.
- Anonymous - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:35 am:
Rich,
This is why you’re the best political reporter in the state.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:36 am:
Thanks, but I’m not. I have many, many faults. lol
- South Side Mike - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:38 am:
Rich,
I think you may have your column for next week, if the S-T will run something that is as critical of its own coverage as it is of the Mother Tribune. And while I disagree with you politically on a number of issues, you do an awesome job of listing some of the real issues that have been ignored in a very even-handed way.
The November election is possibly one of the most critical elections Illinois has faced. The state is in such precarious financial shape that there is no more kicking the can down the road. The governor’s race matters. The Senate race matters. But so do the IL House and Senate races. The people who will be deciding the future of Illinois, the General Assembly, are largely being given a pass by whatever little coverage the media is giving November. Sure 98% of the time, the GA does whatever the appropriate member of the 4 tops tells them to do. However, with the cliff that Illinois is hurtling toward (if it’s not over the edge already), I can see, or dream about, enough GA members saying “To heck with my party’s leadership; I’m voting like this for the sake of the State.”
- VanillaMan - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:47 am:
We are at a point in this particular election when neither incumbent nor challenger is making new news.
Incumbents don’t want to make news because they all have targets on their backs, and challengers are at a point in this election where the trend is moving in their favor with a month to go.
So no news. Instead we have a ton of negative ads trying to change the races. These are safer than trying to break out or explain issues with voters.
Besides there hasn’t been a Mayoral race like this in a generation. All understandable and apt to change this month as future losers get desperate.
Right now future losers are still pretending.
- cassandra - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:48 am:
I think Pat Collins is right. I agree the media havew a responsibility to report important news thoroughly and objectively but what about us. We may be busy working multiple jobs and trying to stay afloat in the Great Recession but we all have five minutes and the outcome could have a big effect on our family’s net worth.
How about a five minutes a day plan. First day, find out which major races you’ll be voting on and who the candidates are. Not just governor and US Sen. Check out your state rep and senator. Who are they? Are they running for re-election? If not, who are opponents? Skim political headlines. Or arrange some feed service to serve it up direct to your e-mail.
Next day-pick an issue that is important to you. Find out what various candidates’ positions are.
Call their office. Read their websites. And so on.
Next day, pick another issue.
By election day you will have spent over 150 minutes directly researching your candidates. That’ll be way more than most folks.
- Dirt Digger - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 11:53 am:
That is if anything an inefficient way to inform voters. Consider: going on the 2006 results you’re suggesting 8.7 million person-hours be spent looking candidates up.
Now on the other hand if more campaigns invested in quality opposition research the process of informing voters could be financed out of their own donors’ pockets via mail and TV and everyone would be better off.
- truthteller - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 12:01 pm:
Whether or not it makes a difference, it’s still their job.
If true this would be a good criticism. But its not their job. Their job is to sell newspapers and get ratings, not to educate the public. It should be their job but you can bet if they did a big policy wonk article it would be buried in favor of the picture of the blond JJJ flew in.
- LincolnLounger - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 12:03 pm:
Rant about Mother Tribune all you want. At least she didn’t endorse Blago for a second term like the genuises at the Sun-Times.
- Irish - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 12:08 pm:
There is enough blame here to go around for a lot of folks.
Yes, the main stream media has come to be nothing more than glorified National Enquirers. In the present economy and with print media facing extinction they are not printing the real news they are printing what sells. They rationalize tha they are giving the public what it wants. That’s fine but they shouldn’t look for any journalistic awards for the drivel they are spewing. The real downward spiral started a while ago, about the time Channel Five thought that Jerry Springer would make a good anchor. It isn’t just Illinois. All one has to do is watch one of the morning news shows to see where journalism is headed. They have about a two minute news report, and the rest of the time is for whatever sensational story is going on at the time. It is mind numbing.
The candidates are also at fault because they are not spelling out any firm platforms. They are instead focusing on the faults of their opponents and carry that to the very edge of slander with regularity. The state and national party commercials are the worst with no substance and all fluff or negativity.
The general public, while outraged at the lack of work and progress they are getting from their elected officials, doesn’t want to take the time to research the candidates, they want the media to do that for them and report to them who they should vote for. So they are not helping the situation at all
And the length of the campaigns is also mind numbing with the never ending barrage of negative ads. I wonder how many people actually watch the ads. It would be interesting to find out how much effect the ads really have. I personally will purposely record any show I want to watch and start it about a half hour late so I can fast forward through all the ads and commercials. I don’t know that I have watched one political ad all the way through except on this blog.
Until one of the above changes we will continue to get what we have.
All one has to do is look at who is running this election, and ask oneself how we could have some of these candidates in the race after the most unethical and corrupt adminstration in Illinois history to realize nothing has changed. Our only hope is sites like this one that cover the real issues and facts and reporters like Carol Marin who’s integrity rises above the politics and restraints of major news media.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 12:13 pm:
===Their job is to sell newspapers and get ratings===
Columnists and reporters have no such job.
- Dirt Digger - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 12:16 pm:
Irish you’re decrying people who don’t “take the time to research the candidates” while purposefully ignoring all this free research you get right on television via negative ads.
Physician heal thyself!
- wordslinger - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 12:17 pm:
===Their job is to sell newspapers and get ratings===
You wouldn’t know that by their profession’s and most publications mission statements and endless self-congratulatory awards.
With broadcast, they have a public purpose as part of their licensing.
- Bill - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 12:18 pm:
==Whether or not it makes a difference, it’s still their job.==
No it’s not. It’s their job to sell papers and get ratings. Besides, if what you mean by coverage is another few puff pieces by Kristen about that chump Kevin McCarthy, probably the worst legislator that district has ever had, I’d just as soon the “Chicago media” stick to the mayoral contest and the Rod trial.
Who is the next mayor is a lot more important than which bozo gets to pull the flush chain on Illinois on his way out the door of that collapsing dump on 4th Street.
- Thoughts... - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 12:24 pm:
I’m going to go a little against the grain here. I’m not sure it’s their job to cover anything because a small subset of people want to see it covered.
At the end of the day, mainstream media is a business. Their “purpose,” if you will, is to sell newspapers (or advertising or whatever). Their purpose is not defined by the Constitution, by statute, or by anything other than their business model.
If they determine that they will sell more with TMZ-style news coverage of the Chicago mayoral rather than with focused ‘10 election coverage, that’s their business decision. In my humble estimation, it’s probably the right one. But if it’s not, then their bottom line will suffer.
I have a lot of friends in journalism, one closer than the others. This person frequently laments the downgrade in the seriousness of journalism and the failure of media outlets to cover important topics like the election. Generally speaking, I agree with the point (of coruse, I’m a political creature), but I can’t argue with the bean counters. All major media is a for-profit venture and their purpose, by definition, is to turn a profit.
Some talk of the “glory years” of journalism. I’d challenge anyone to defend that belief. Talk to me about yellow journalism to push product, mob muscle to to solidify market share, and various times when journalists were in the pockets of police, politicians, mobsters, or all three. The ‘golden years’ are a fallacy.
If somebody wants to endow serious journalism with a higher purpose, one that’s stated in many of the comments above, I’m all for it. But even then, people would question the editorial content based on the benefactors.
At the end of the day, journalism is a business, just like any other. It just happens to be one that has Constitutional protection, that’s all.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 12:28 pm:
===At the end of the day, journalism is a business, just like any other. It just happens to be one that has Constitutional protection, that’s all. ===
That’s the sort of bone-headed Econ 101 thinking that got us into this mess.
- Rep. John Fritchey - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 12:29 pm:
You and I have discussed this in the past. Excellent and well-made points Rich.
- Ghost - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 12:31 pm:
Its a nice and needed excoriation Rich
- Chicago Dem - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 12:34 pm:
Very well said, and critical that it be said.
Each TV station in Chicago used to have a talented political correspondent, and politics was treated like football–a spectator sport. No more. You’re more likely to get a story about the American idol finalists than an in-depth look at an important governmental or political issue.
Now you have so-called journalists who don’t know anything about Chicago or Illinois history, and editors who only allow chopped up, short pieces on the assumption voters have no attention span anymore. Perhaps they don’t, but our democracy will not survive without an invigorated and investigative free press that pays attention to those who hold the purse strings and the power.
- Government Can Do Better - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 12:37 pm:
Can you really expect editors who put Sandy Jackson on the cover of the Sunday ST to recognize and cover the complex issues facing the State? I don’t think they are covering the story becuz they don’t understand the story themselves.
Face it–fact based journalism is rare and hard to find.
- wordslinger - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 12:44 pm:
Credit Sandi for making lemonade of what Trips gave her, though. That’s a Political Couple.
- Thoughts... - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 12:47 pm:
Nice refutation. For the record, I failed Econ 101.
If you want to argue the paradigm is broken, that it needs to be changed, that all media should be non-profit, whatever, have at it.
But you can’t argue the fact that most outlets are for-profit, and if they don’t make one, then cuts have to be made. Because they’re for-profit, business decisions are involved, whether we like it or not. I don’t see your cash going to prop up the Trib or the Sun-Times, and I’m certainly not inclined to give them mine.
The media paradigm, especially print, is broken. I don’t claim to know the solution. Heck, I’m not even sure there is a solution other than citizen journalism and blogs like yours.
I’d really like to see high-minded journalism in major media that covers all the topics I want covered, like state and local elections. But I don’t make those business decisions.
Certainly media have failed in doing that, especially going through the years when ad revenue was declining along with subscription rates while the CEOs and publishers fiddled. And they almost certainly blew it when they capitulated and put everything on the web for free. Lots of mistakes, lots of blame.
But we can’t just say, oh it’s wrong. What’s the solution? You think if media covers the Capitol or the 75th RD election, they’ll suddenly turn a profit and be able to keep their statehouse bureau chief?
- Ghost - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 12:49 pm:
Word I still think Sandi would be a great Mayor for chicago. Trip’s is a big albatross around her neck though.
- Quinn T. Sential - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 12:55 pm:
{“Stop writing about the mayor’s race!” says person at mayoral fundraiser.
I for one approve.}
{DD, she was speaking at a long-scheduled fundraiser for Dart’s reelection campaign.}
And the expected and actual turnout at the event was about the same; even after the announcement of the Mayoral vacancy?
I may have been born at night, but it wasn’t last night. How many people that had received that invitation were “holding off”, many not even intending to “mail it in”, due to the economic strain, and other office holders in far more competitive races in need?
Count the number of RSVP’s and money received prior to the Mayoral vacancy announcement, and those received afterwards, and therein lies your answer. DCN herself may have even been one of those late entries.
It will be interesting to see how quotes from people like that extolling the virtues of Tom Dart, without specifically referencing “Sherriff” in conjunction with them, will be used in the Mayoral campaign material, before they are even given the opportunity to consider, and then give a formal endorsement.
- OneMan - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 1:06 pm:
I guess the part of this I don’t really get (perhaps because I find politics interesting) is why reporters are not killing each other to do this reporting. The same would seem to be true for editors.
Isn’t it issues that impact everyone that stir the blood, not that some cast member from the Jersey Shore was in town to promote the opening of a new nightclub?
- Cook County Commoner - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 1:13 pm:
Most dailys now are merely mass media poster boards for advertising. Don’t think of them as beacons. They are mirrors of what our society has become. They reflect the lack of seriousness, intelligence and public interest, which is now the hallmark of American citizenry. A democratic republic cannot function when the percentage of self-indulgent drones crosses a certain point. I suspect we crossed that point some time ago, and the state of Illinois government and the national economy are only the leading edge of something worse. Maybe another trip down the drain, like in the 1930s, is what is needed to remind people that their actions or lack thereof do in fact have consequences.
- Responsa - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 1:19 pm:
In 1962 Daniel Boorstin’s prescient book “The Image: A Guide to Pseudo Events in America” was first published. Unfortunately, nearly every day we can see proof that his prophetic vision of an America that has trouble distinguishing between cultural deception and enduring truth has come true–and we are living his worst nightmare.
- Irish - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 1:22 pm:
DD 12:16 - I disagree, if you think true research on candidates can be supplied by canned talking points by the opposition or themselves then you are getting very biased information which is worse than no informtation at all.
- Dirt Digger - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 1:27 pm:
All the more reason for “canned talking points” to be rebutted and countered by the other side.
The answer is more, not less.
- D.P. Gumby - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 1:39 pm:
“What I see out there, we’ll have low voter turnout because issues are so complex . . . and nobody is talking about a real change,” lamented 2nd Ward committeeman and Ald. Bob Fioretti.
Could this also be the reason we don’t get more from the State’s News organizations? Charlie Wheeler spoke of Whitney’s detailed budget balancing proposal on State House WUIS program Friday and discussed how specifically detailed it was compared to Quinn/Brady, but no one was reporting it.
- Wensicia - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 2:15 pm:
If you look at the top ten stories on the Trib’s webpage, you won’t see the Op-Ed piece on the Quinn/Brady upcoming debates and where to find them. It’s one thing to publish information about the election, it’s another thing to get voters to actually read it.
- The CARDINAL - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:14 pm:
This States news papers are a joke now a days They are losing huge share to internet and blogs so they have to go with sensational reports that sell papers. They print stories written by b grade at best writers. Very few folks understand the issues because very few of the reporters take time to learn the issues and formulate opinions via op-ed
- Siriusly - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:44 pm:
The mayors race and the “media” are convenient excuses. But the bottom line is that there isn’t a single candidate on the ballot for Democrats to be excited about. Sure, David Miller is awesome, but his race is far enough down and he doesn’t have enough money to get himself out there.
I’m not just talking about minority voters, I mean all Democrats. They just don’t care about Pat Quinn or Alexi one bit. No excitement here at all. That’s why both campaigns are so negative, they can only move their opponents numbers down - probably not much they can do to move their own up.
- Siriusly - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 3:45 pm:
PS - I love how Fioretti has become an expert on elections. I
- anonymouse - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 6:39 pm:
The media’s failure to investigate and report is what created scott Lee Cohen. The public lumps both sides together as corrupt and has no faith in any of them. Both sides are portrayed as powerless to the governor and Mike Madigan. The major papers scour blogs to pick up reports. It is amazing how much chicago police stories are ripped from the chicago police blog and I’m sure their political stories are probably stolen from you.
- justsickofit - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 7:45 pm:
applause, Rich!
- hisgirlfriday - Monday, Sep 27, 10 @ 8:57 pm:
Well don’t expect the Chicago media to focus on anything but the mayor’s race after this week…
http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=11740794
“Although no final decision has been made because of family considerations, ABC News has learned that White House officials are preparing for Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel to announce on Friday — as Congress adjourns for recess — that he is leaving his post to explore a run for mayor of Chicago.”
Yeah, right… no final decision. ::eyeroll::