Red State Journalism

note: this isn't about Alito; see other diaries if you're looking for more Alito coverage

As previously announced, Sen. Harry Reid began his tour of western "red states" yesterday which included a stop in Phoenix to speak at a fund raising event for the Arizona Democratic Party US Senate candidate Jim Pederson. The focus of the tour is based on Republican corruption in Washington D.C.

I was curious to see how Reid's visit to Arizona would be covered by the local traditional media, which, imho, is decidedly right of center.

more below

The Arizona Republic ran this article in their second section with the headline Pederson attacks Kyl reform record. While not happy with the second section placement, I was still encouraged.

Appearing at a campaign event with Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., Pederson singled out several Kyl Senate votes since 1995 against lobbying-reform amendments as evidence that Kyl is too close to special interests. The charge came amid growing efforts by Democrats to blame congressional Republicans for the unfolding scandal involving disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Sounds pretty good, right? Maybe we're making some progress? Or maybe not

Angered by the charge, Kyl fired back by calling Pederson "disingenuous" and citing occasions in which he had focused efforts on congressional ethics. Kyl noted his fight while on the House Ethics Committee in 1992 to disclose the names of lawmakers involved in the House banking scandal and also his efforts to help Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., gain passage of a "very contentious" ban on lobbyist gifts in 1995.

"The guy (Pederson) starts his campaign off with a lie, which I resent," Kyl said.

And what about Harry Reid? What did the newspaper have to say about him?

Reid's message is one being touted by Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and other top Democrats: that Republicans in Washington are responsible for the lobbying scandal and government-corruption investigations that are taking a toll on public confidence.

But Reid immediately was peppered with questions from reporters about his own campaign and leadership committee accepting funds from some of Abramoff's clients. The Center for Responsible Politics, a Washington watchdog group that tracks campaign finances, calculated that Reid and his Searchlight Leadership Fund received $30,500 from three Indian tribes represented by Abramoff.

The article noted that Reid responded by saying that, unlike Republicans, he has taken no money from Abramoff. However the GOP's talking point was planted, thereby obfuscating the Democrats' message.

Think I'm being overly partisan and sensitive? Consider that the Op-Ed section of the Arizona Republic features daily excerpts from Jon Kyl's "diary" on the Alito hearings; no Democrats' opinions are offered as a counter point of view. I also checked the online edition of the other daily newspaper in town, the East Valley Tribune. Here's their take

Republicans in Congress created a culture of corruption when they took huge sums of money from Jack Abramoff and his clients, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday in Phoenix.

But Reid, D-Nev., who received $30,500 from Abramoff's clients since 1999, said he and other Democrats did not do anything improper by taking the money. Abramoff, once one of the most powerful lobbyists in Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty last week to federal fraud charges.[snip]

Since 1999, Abramoff, his associates and clients have donated $4.4 million to members of Congress or political parties, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. About $2.9 million of that went to Republicans and $1.5 million went to Democrats.

It's very interesting that one of tonight's stories on the East Valley Tribune's online site is Hayworth named as target in Abramoff probe. Of course, they also say Reid is a target as well. The GOP talking points take two: misery loves company.

With the traditional media being manipulated under the hypnotic trance perpretrated by GOP it will be difficult for the Democrats to receive any positive press in states like Arizona.