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August 20, 2007
The BDN ♥'s Tom Allen
This isn't a news story - it's a press release.
LAMOINE, Maine - U.S. Rep. Tom Allen told a crowd of more than 100 state party supporters Saturday that his campaign to dethrone incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins is a moment of great opportunity for the Democratic party.You really have to read the whole thing to appreciate just how thoroughly the Allen campaign rolled this reporter. Mr. Russell didn't bother to quote anyone who wasn't on board with the Portland Democrat in his little puff piece. My favorite part of the story was this:"There are only a handful of places where a Democrat has a chance to unseat a sitting senator and [Maine] is one of them," Allen told members of the Maine Democratic Party at the group’s annual Muskie Lobster Bake at Lamoine State Park.
While Allen spoke passionately about his campaign and the differences between him and Collins, perhaps Saturday’s most inspired comments came from one of the few people at the event not from Maine.
Saturday’s event was more of a casual gathering than a fundraiser, according to Maine Democratic Party Spokeswoman Carol Andrews.When I worked for the student newspaper in college, I was invited to a "casual gathering" by a state representative. The event turned out to be a fundraiser that included our future governor as one of the speakers. When I realized what was going on, I left the event and didn't bother filing a story. I didn't appreciate being deceived or used by a campaign, and told the state representative that when she called to complain that no story had been written about her fundraiser.
My editor backed my decision.
It's too bad the higher-ups at the Bangor Daily News don't have the same level of discernment.
Posted by slublog at August 20, 2007 10:17 PM
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Comments
The reporter was there and interviewed people who were there. No, there was no one critical of Tom Allen at a gathering of Democratic party faithful. I doubt there are many who would talk poorly about Susan Collins at a gathering of Republican party supporters.
Posted by: Anonymous at August 21, 2007 07:36 AM
You missed my point. A fundraiser is not news.
Given that you believe otherwise, I eagerly await your praise of the BDN when it writes a similar story about Collins.
Posted by: Slublog at August 21, 2007 08:17 AM
Ummm. I think the GOP fundraiser with Laura Bush got news, as did the Maine Heritage Policy Center fundraiser with Jeb Bush...
At least be consistent. You're partisanship is pretty obvious.
Posted by: dan at August 21, 2007 11:05 AM
Did I cover those stories, or speak positively of them? No. I completely ignored them, because I do not think fundraisers are news.
But you do have to admit there's a difference between national political figures visiting the state and Tom Allen talking to a small group of people at a lobster bake.
But still, I don't believe the two stories you cited should have gotten coverage. This story just struck me as funny because it mirrored a similar experience I had - politicians always try to pretend fundraisers are "informal gatherings."
Posted by: Slublog at August 21, 2007 11:34 AM