Is It Editorializing Or Fact?
Hutchison makes bid for third term official (AP)
No prominent candidates have announced plans to challenge Hutchison.
Hutchison says fear not a factor (Gromer Jeffers Jr., Dallas Morning News)
She is widely expected to cruise to a third term; Houston lawyer Barbara Ann Radnofsky is seeking the Democratic nominationHouston lawyer Barbara Ann Radnofsky is seeking the Democratic nomination.
Some of our friends on the Left are upset with the AP's characterization, criticizing it as editorializing.
But is it editorializing if it is factual?
Surely a "prominent" political candidate for a statewide office ought to possess some of the following characteristics: 1) enjoys statewide name recognition or at least strong recognition in some part of the state, 2) holds or has held significant political office(s), 3) can raise significant political funds or can fund a significant part of a campaign.
Looking at Radnofsky's website, I don't see ANY of those characteristics. Rather, I see her highest political office has been Democratic precinct chair, I see that she's "delivered" over 140 publications/speeches, I see that she appears to be a successful attorney (currently partner of a prestigious firm), and I see that she won a National Merit Scholarship to college. I don't see anything that suggests that the AP writer was off base in not recognizing her as a "prominent" candidate for U.S. Senate.
That said, I would have phrased it like the Dallas Morning News writer did for one simple reason -- it's more informative. Barbara Radnofsky is not a prominent candidate, but she is an announced candidate. As the DMN writer included, Sen. Hutchison is widely expected to win, and win easily against the announced candidate. That's more informative reporting.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/28/05 18:13 | Media Matters | Technorati
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<i>Surely a "prominent" political candidate for a statewide office ought to possess some of the following characteristics: 1) enjoys statewide name recognition or at least strong recognition in some part of the state, 2) holds or has held significant political office(s), 3) can raise significant political funds or can fund a significant part of a campaign.</i>
That's one possible definition, yes. If the AP printed their definition of "prominent", then at least we'd know what they meant by it.
By the way, if I told you that Radnofsky has raised a half-million dollars for this quarter, would you accept that as "significant" funds? Just curious.
Posted by Charles Kuffner @ 21:47 on 06/29/05
Surely the reality-based community does not need a definition of prominent to be added to the AP Style Guide to figure out that a precinct chair with no statewide ID and no real track record of raising political funds is not a prominent candidate for US Senate. :)
She could become one, of course. Nobody thought Victor Morales was a prominent candidate for US Senate in 1996, but he didn't embarrass himself. Radnofsky is more plugged in politically than he was at the start.
I don't have a dollar figure in mind for "significant" but I think given the fact that Radnofsky has no statewide name ID, is running against a highly popular incumbent who has plenty of cash, and is running as a Democrat in a Republican state, she needs to raise much more. After she's shaken down the local attorneys, can she keep it rolling in and make it significant? Time will tell. I can't see the national party giving her much help.
Posted by Kevin @ 22:50 on 06/29/05
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