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Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen


8.06.2007

 

Making bacon

Here is the challenge, if you are a member of Congress (which very few of you are, I realize). You spend all that time in Washington and when you come home you need to show people what you've done. You want to see and be seen by the players in your district. You realize that you can reach all the more people if you do this seeing and been seen in front of the media.

This is all the more true if you are running for re-election every two years. It becomes less true the more six-year terms you pile on and the more times you are on national Sunday morning talk shows. Thus, for years, we saw Rep. Bernie Sanders hold a news conference many a Monday morning. He still holds a few now that he is Sen. Bernie Sanders, but once he realizes how long six years are, he'll scale back.

Sen. Patrick Leahy doesn't need to bother so much. He's getting enough Sundays TV air time.

Rep. Peter Welch, the first-termer, however, has to crank those news conferences like his political life depends on it.

So it was Monday that Welch convened a news conference at the Community Health Center in Burlington to highlight the work the House has done toward expanding federal health coverage of children and seniors.

I can't say that I blame Welch for doing what every member of Congress does, but I do blame us, the media, for lapping it up. For years, the Free Press irked Sanders by not showing up to his every news conference. We will likely irk Welch by not writing about every one of his too.

It just seemed that "Congressman praises own efforts" or even "Congressman amasses others to praise his efforts while media watch" was not a viable story. Can't blame him for trying - the system practically demands that members of Congress do this sort of thing to get attention.

The "system" is full of contradictory tugs like this. Take earmarks, for example. Welch was asked about legislation that requires members to make their earmarks public but that the New York Times showed had simply allowed members to more openly brag about their success in bringing home the bacon. Members are in a tough spot. If they don't bring bacon home, they don't win votes. If they all bring too much bacon home, the country gets fat and has high cholesterol. Who wants to be the first one to say no bacon for you?

- Terri Hallenbeck

Comments:
It's funny. 16 months before the next election --

When there is no opponent in sight for Jim Douglas, we get stories about how strong Douglas is and how there are no viable Democratic challengers in sight.

When there is no opponent for Peter Welch in sight, we get stories about how hard he has to work in order to hold onto his seat.

Terri, would you care to address this apparent contradiction??
 
Didn't Bush veto (or threaten to) the improved health care coverage for children bill? What is it about Republicans and vetoing any positive developments in health care coverage? And for freaking kids, no less.

And, yes, Terri, would you explain that contradiction? Why are there no viable Republicans in sight? Also, what's with Douglas not having to hard (because he doesn't) and Welch having to work hard.
 
Speaking of pork, what about Jim Douglas digging the first shovelful for another leg of the Bennington Bypass last week? Why is the state spending so much on bypassing Bennington (and planning to spend even more on the Circ) when there are bridges that need fixing up and down the state? Or what about the new gold-plated rest areas on the interstates in Brattleboro, Sharon, and Williston? Douglas and the Vermont Legislature (led by Vince Illuzzi, Jim Condos, and Dick Mazza) dish out the pork just as much as the U.S. Congress.
 
Why don't you show up and ask him some tough questions about Iraq?
 
Douglas got hammered in Bennington in the last election (really hammered), so I'm guessing that he made sure he'd make this ribbon cutting (not that he misses many) for the visibility. "I can cut a ribbon with the best of them," crowed Douglas. "I may do nothing else, but my scissors are sharp and I excelled in cutting and pasting in grade school."
 
Terri

If you think it's so bad to attend press conferences for the COngressional delegation. How about cutting back on the fluff for Gov Douglas.

Maybe you and Nancy could stay away from Douglas' for a few weeks instead of providing fluff for his re-election.
 
Hear, hear...

Well said!
 
Hallenbeck '08 !!
 
Anytime anyone says anything bad or even questions a Douglas Administration move, you folks act as if someone has committed a mortal sin.

No one is taken seriously unless it's Douglas and the Douglas Team or in support of the Douglas caretaker action plan.

Pretty soon, they'll start writing about how weak the FP coverage is and then Gannett will start writing to you -- about your weak performance.
 
Get rid of Symington
 
The people who claim that the press covers Douglas "too much" are just whiners. They wouldn't be saying it if we had a Democratic governor.
 
Symington for Governor!
 
Yeah, Governor of the state where she moved here from.
 
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