In the past, Rep. Paul Ryan's hometown newspaper and one of his major local media enablers, the Janesville Gazette, would save their automatic attacks on Democratic candidates expecting to challenge Ryan until after the primary was over.
Not this time. To be fair, candidate Randy Bryce has made it easy for foes to disparage his willingness, along with his ability, to handle debates since he abruptly backed out of one with his challenger Cathy Myers in September of 2017 and refuses to reschedule them for all the wrong reasons. So, for a Ryan protector like the Janesville Gazette to take notice and work it was fully expected.
As you can see, the Gazette's short editorial had it all, from Democratic Party "bosses" to taking a shot at both candidates (Bryce and Myers) and then putting some salt on an old wound by injecting Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton into the mix.
It should become evident to anyone reading the Gazette's editorial that it was written not to help either candidate or their supporters, but to hurt them and the Democratic Party. All is fair in love and war I suppose.
But put it this way, the Gazette does not have a horse running in the Democratic Primary. You might think that that helps them present an unbiased view. It does, but only up to a point. They dislike them both equally. That's important to remember in any of their reviews on this primary race. Their only mission is to make sure their horse, Paul Ryan, wins the big derby.
Some other folks are saying there really isn't all that much to separate the two on issues and policy, so therefore no debate is needed. To the contrary, those of us who do have a horse in the derby, and it's not Paul Ryan, should demand to see Bryce and Myers side-by-side in at least three debates to show the differences so we can make the right choice in such an important high profile race. There should be no doubts or regrets when we choose the best of these two candidates. No stone should be left unturned in this effort.
Although Randy Bryce made it easy for the Janesville newspaper to take some free shots, keep in mind that their anointed candidate, Paul Ryan, refused to debate his primary opponent, Paul Nehlen, OR his last Democratic challenger, Ryan Solen, and that the Gazette blamed protesters as the reason for Ryan not holding town halls over the past two years, or that time just before his last re-election when the newspaper's editorial staff "interviewed" Ryan, it was published as a carefully staged campaign-styled video presentation. The only voice heard in the interview was Paul Ryan. Very protective if not bizarre for a small town newspaper.
The Gazette has successfully painted the Trump-supporting all-branches-of-government GOP party hustling Paul Ryan as a victim.
But none of that helps the situation for any of us with a horse in this democratic primary race. Randy Bryce should step up soon, very soon, and accept Cathy Myers challenge for debates. Every day that passes by without is another day proving the Janesville Gazette right and another step to the point of no return.
No comments:
Post a Comment