David Broder might be called the "dean of the Washington (DC) press corps", but his column today on Christine Gregoire - "Gregoire channels Bush" - doesn't show much deansmanship. It's not only a partisan puff piece, but also lazy, factually sloppy reporting. Let's give this one a thorough fisking, shall we?
Broder gets one part right:
It is hard to imagine someone coming to office with a shakier mandate than the one Bush claimed from the 2000 election, but Gregoire, the former state attorney general, is in that position.But from then on, many of the facts are wrong, and the spin is either that of a professional Democrat P.R. person, or someone who just doesn't know what's going on here in WA state.
her election remains under challenge. Republicans filed a lawsuit charging that felons and other ineligible voters had cast ballots.Broder omits any mention of the perhaps the most serious part of the Republican case -- that King County elections officials counted more ballots than voters and violated a number of state laws on ballot security, accounting and canvassing
when I saw her last week, she was basking in bipartisan accolades for her success. "This session passed more bills than any other in history," she said, including notable measures in health care, education and the environment.Bi-partisan accolades? Actually, what Republicans have been saying is along these lines:
Republicans said the big-spending Democrats had dealt a severe blow to taxpayers and the business climate.And a recent public opinion poll shows that only 7% of Republicans approve of Gregoire's performance"Today, the taxpayers lost and the special interests of Washington won," Rep. Doug Ericksen, R-Bellingham, said during Sunday's budget debate.
A package of election reforms endorsed by the governor won approval — except for a measure she favored to move up the primary date from September to allow more time for intraparty wounds to heal.The "election reforms" package passed the Senate on party lines. It had Republican support in the House, but Republican House leaders don't think very highly of it, saying it fell short of what was needed and failed to address the core issues that needed to be reformed.
The biggest victory — and the one for which Gregoire was given the greatest personal credit — was the last-minute rescue of a massive transportation-improvement program to be financed by a 9.5-cent increase in gasoline taxesBroder doesn't mention that this was a violation of her campaign promise not to raise the gas tax.
The Republican minority leader of the state Senate, who opposed the [gas tax] measure, nonetheless saluted Gregoire's skill in negotiating the dealThe Senate Republican leader, whose name, by the way, is Bill Finkbeiner, actually voted for the gas tax bill, but he was one of only 7 of his 23 member caucus who voted for it.
an initiative to repeal the transportation package and the gasoline tax will be placed on the ballot by opponents. A signature drive is under way, promoted by John Carlson, a Seattle talk-show host and one-time candidate for governor, and by Tim Eyman, a personable young man who has made a cottage industry of organizing tax-limitation initiatives.As far as I can tell, Tim Eyman is not involved in the No New Gas Tax Initiative, although has told supporters he would launch a separate initiative to repeal Gregoire's new automobile "weight fees". [I have an inquiry into Eyman to confirm this]
Gregoire told me, "I am confident in the end I will prevail," and pointed to polls suggesting that a majority of voters now want her to serve out her term.A Strategic Visions poll taken in March showed that a majority were opposed to a revote for governor. However, the same poll also showed a majority believed that Dino Rossi had actually won the November election and a majority would vote for Rossi if a new election were held. This week's Survey USA poll shows that Gregoire has the 3rd highest disapproval rating of any governor in the county. Somhow, none of this bad news found its way into Broder's column. Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at May 12, 2005 10:38 AM | Email This
Still it is interesting that he would focus on Gregoire. Without having read his piece on her, I would take it as an indicator that David is hearing a pre-trial buzz in beltway circles about Rossi vs. Gregoire. So likely his piece represents his 'findings' to his compadres in Washington D.C. Of course he will set inform all the liberals back there of what is really going on Washington State.
Posted by: Michael on May 12, 2005 11:00 AMDoes anybody believe that he was not 'dispatched' to do this piece by the National Democratic Committee?
My guess is that we will be seeing much more of this brand of Horse sh*t 'push journalism' between now and the time the trial starts.
So, now we will be seeing all sorts of stuff coming.
My prediction: Rossi will win the lawsuit; not by mathematical counts (which will be in his favor), but by the preponderance of evidence of fraud and incompetence by King. From there, the Ds will have a tougher battle at the Supremes. In fact, they may not hear it, but again, they are politicians and want the limelight, too.
Posted by: swatter on May 12, 2005 11:21 AMIts credibility could be restored somewhat by running reprints of Sound Politics from time to time...
Posted by: Insufficiently Sensitive on May 12, 2005 11:30 AMGregoire has the good fortune to be Governor with both houses of leg. being in Democrat control. She'll sign lots of bills. As a candidate she was unappealing and part of her current unpopularity stems from that she hasn't even been accepted by a lot of Democrats yet.
I think the longer the court case goes on and the more divisive and partisan it gets, I think she wins. In a state where Dems gained ground in '04, Rossi's charm was that he seemed reasonable and could get things done. The longer this goes the more partisan it gets, sense and reason gets thrown out the window. Dems will stick with Dems and Reps with Reps. In a state w/ Dems in the majority, it's a long term loser for Rep.
Posted by: stan on May 12, 2005 11:35 AM
In a split 6-3 vote, the supremes will find:
1. That the election was properly certified under state law as required by the county canvassing boards.
2. That Rossi has failed to prove that the outcome of the election would have been reversed had the thousands of illegal and unaccounted votes not been counted.
3. That it is an unrealistic standard that zero errors are made in the execution of an election. Such a standard could indefinitely delay the election of office holders (given the inherent incompetence and fraud in government).
The dissenters will make their arguments in direct opposition to the 3 points above.
My God!!! Don't you know where you live? This is Washington. Common sense, reason and logic, the LAW; none of it means anything! The end justifies the means. We've seen the "means" and we've seen the legislature's reaction to it, or should I say "non-reaction" to it. Does anyone really think (use your brains now, and not your imagination) that the supremes are any more interested in fairness, justice, or even the law?
Not me.
Posted by: Mike on May 12, 2005 11:43 AM
Judge John Bridges, who is hearing the Rossi suit, ruled that Republicans could use a statistical argument to buttress their case: that if Gregoire, for example, received 60 percent of the votes in a precinct where 10 illegal ballots were cast, six votes should be deducted from her total.
Cause this ain't gonna happen, cause this isn't wanted he ruled.
Posted by: danw on May 12, 2005 11:43 AM I would be inclined to agree with you
about the state supreme court except.
there should be some judges that recuse
themselves.
I know a couple donated to gregiore's
campaign.Some of you will say it was
there husbands or wives. But really
do you think there that stupid.
As in Howard?
Posted by: Dogbert on May 12, 2005 12:25 PMStan, I hate to break this to you, but Broder is generally regarded as liberal and Democrat in his political outlook. No one who's read him over the years can have any serious doubt about that. So take your own valium, O.K.?
Posted by: jsa on May 12, 2005 12:38 PMMr. Mike; make sure brain is in gear before mouth goes into motion.
Posted by: MB on May 12, 2005 01:07 PMYup, and as I have said they just don't get it. There is no longer a monopolization of the media. This BS just doesn't play when there is the opportunity to access information from both sides.
My guess is that it will take a decade or so before they figure that out though.
How about this for being off topic; how would you like to come home to headless lucy after a hard days work? Anyone? Anyone?
Sorry you're so lonely and angry headless.
Posted by: Jeffro on May 12, 2005 02:25 PMNo, I'm afraid this election scandal will be the greatest story never told.
Posted by: On the Far Right Side of the State on May 12, 2005 04:17 PM"Bob Taft is the least popular governor in America. Just 19 percent of Ohio respondents rated him favorably, while 74 percent disapproved of his performance in office.
"Other unpopular governors are Alaska's Frank Murkowski (27 percent favorable), Missouri's Matt Blunt (33 percent), Washington's Christine Gregoire (34 percent) and New York's George Pataki (36 percent), who tied with [Oregon Gov.] Kulongoski as the fifth most unpopular governor."
Posted by: Mac on May 12, 2005 06:44 PMThe Christians faith you appear to attack is what gives us the strength to pray for people like you instead of lashing back. I sincerely hope you see this through clear eyes one day.
Until then may God bless you!
Posted by: 4pawz on May 12, 2005 06:47 PMIdiot, usually.
Posted by: Elmo on May 12, 2005 11:11 PMI am honored by your response to my post and I believe your message speaks volumes for us all.
Posted by: 4pawz on May 12, 2005 11:32 PMBill Finkbeiner BIO:
The "Kristine" Award for embracing the mission of the KDK Guild with outstanding dedication & achievement, 2001.
Posted by: Splattter on May 13, 2005 02:33 AMThanks for nothing Broder.
Posted by: Brad on May 14, 2005 12:41 PM