----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Brandt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, November 04, 2001 2:12 PM Subject: [Mpls] Confused in Minneapolis
> The Star Tribune has taken its fair share of abuse in this election > season, some of which I've agreed with. But I'm hoping list members > can help me understand three things as we get to the end of the > campaign: > > 1) The Star Tribune has been said by some list members to have an > agenda of getting Sayles Belton reelected. Why then did it publish a > poll today showing Rybak ahead by 20 points? Although Steve would be in a better position to assess the thinking of his editors, I can think of two alternative possibilities: A) the editors of the paper decided that it was time to try to regain credibility. The Strib previously reported basically that SSB had the DFL convention sewed up, and has published other polls indicating an advantate to SSB or a dead heat. The latest editorial endorsing SSB seemed pretty much resigned to the reality that SSB is probably not going to be re-elected. The writing is so clearly on the wall that the Strib editors could have decided it is futile to try to prop up the Mayor and they might as well report reality. B) The editors decided to try a new strategy. All of the articles suggesting that SSB had the upper hand and criticizing RT seemed to have the opposite of the intended effect. RT and his supporters are stimulated from being an underdog. A negative angle from the Strib seems to have often become an advantage for a candidate with many constituent groups who are now consicous of the paper's underlying agenda. Perhaps the editors figured that publication of a poll favoring RT will make his supporters overconfident, and maybe even moe skeptical of RT. > > 2) It was said that the Star Tribune's corporate agenda dictated its > editorial page endorsements. Why then did it endorse two Green Party > candidates? The only Green Party candidate endorsements from the Strib were for Park Board. It is unlikely that Park Board actions will threaten the Strib's corporate agenda. Although the Strib is crazy about downtown development, is probably has at least enough vision to realize the obvious benefits of good parks to the commercial attractiveness and real estate values in the City. Whereas it is safe for the Strib to have Greens on the Park Board, it is terrified of having Greens on the city council where they can really challenge the Strib's agenda. The Strib endorsed NONE of the four Green candidates for city council. > > 3) The Star Tribune's polling methods were criticized by some > opponents of the mayor after the September mayoral poll. Why have > they not voiced the same criticisms now that a poll finds their > candidate ahead by 20 points? See response to question #1. > > Steve Brandt Jordan Kushner Ward 8 _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
