Covering the Campaign

Gannon recalled the Iowa caucuses in introducing the panel discussion of campaign coverage. Bailey commented that candidates manipulate the press and cited the Bush-Rather incident. He also noted that personal character questions are appropriate. Political columnist Germond said that the press has not paid enough attention to the “mindless quality” of the primary campaigns. As an example he cited the “irrelevant” debate in the New York Democratic primary over creation of a Palestinian state. Hart commented on newspaper polls getting away from their purpose of finding “the voice of the people.” close