New York Post-September 15, 2000
MEDIA WATCH: THE TIMES' CRUSADERS BLINK
FOR a group of people that are so obsessed with the pervasive
influence of soft money on political campaigns, Howell Raines and
the folks over at the Times editorial page somehow seem to have
missed the most important part of Wednesday night's debate
between Rick Lazio and Hillary Clinton.
In its editorial evaluating the debate, the Times touched on the
candidates' exchanges on health care and education, over
Monicagate, carpetbagging, the environment and the upstate
economy.
But what about that dramatic exchange over campaign-finance
reform - a topic with which the Times editorial page has been
obsessed for many, many months now?
Sure, the Times scribes noticed the part when Lazio walked over
to Mrs. Clinton and "dared her to sign a pledge to swear off soft
money." But the Times editorial toed the Hillary line on this
encounter, labeling it "the evening's theatrical coup."
That it was. But why didn't the Times go on to mention the fact
that Mrs. Clinton refused to sign what Lazio called the "Freedom
>From Soft Money Pact," which would have called on outside groups
to stop running ads for either candidate?
That's quite surprising. Back on Jan. 5 - before most normal
people were paying any attention to the race - a Times editorial
noted "Mrs. Clinton's apparent determination to introduce the
soft-money abuses pioneered by [her husband's] 1996 re-election
campaign as a regular feature of New York politics."
Indeed, the paper complained, Hillary "seems intent on evading
federal limits on a candidate's fund-raising by channeling huge
chunks of unregulated soft money to a special �victory fund' set
up by the Democratic Party to help pay for a portion of her
television ads."
Concluded the Times nine months ago: "Mrs. Clinton should
forswear soft money."
Back then, the Times warned that Mrs. Clinton "has exacerbated
fears of a fall campaign run in large part outside the normal
federal limits by aggressively channeling big, unregulated
soft-money donations."
Swearing off soft money, as the Times demanded, is exactly the
challenge leveled by Lazio Wednesday evening - and promptly blown
off by Mrs. Clinton.
Her reluctance to take the pledge is cynical, but understandable:
Giving up soft money would cost her the practical benefits of her
public-employee-union endorsements, just for starters. But for
the Times to give her a pass is more than cynical.
In all fairness, as Election Day approaches, the Times' intricate
campaign-finance editorials need to carry a label - like on
cigarette packages. "WARNING: These conclusions and prescriptions
apply only to candidates we happen not to like."
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Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT
FROM THE DESK OF: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
*Mike Spitzer* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
~~~~~~~~ <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends
Shalom, A Salaam Aleikum, and to all, A Good Day.
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