The advantages of incumbents are definite, but they pale in significance when compared to advantages the national media can grant a candidate. The press has an agenda and demonizes conservatives and the politically incorrect, especially when they are perceived as a threat to the liberal establishment. The recent candidacies of Pat Buchannan, Senator Jessie Helms, Vice President Quayle, Judge Thomas, and David Duke are the most obvious of glaring examples; in the cases of Helms and Duke the media became a free campaign component for their opponents.
Duke is often considered the most odious of these individuals, and it is difficult to condemn the press for attacking him, but he is also the prime example of the abuse and one-sidedness of the press. David Duke appeared on many talk shows, and was the target of many national stories during his campaign for governor of Louisiana. None of those newscasts dealt strictly with what David Duke was saying or advocating. Every single news piece opened with something like: “Former Imperial wizard”, or, “Former Nazi”. These facts should be covered on segments about those subjects, but that is not what Duke faced. If the subject was welfare reform or environmental issues, the piece began: “David Duke, former Nazi, addressed a crowd…”. Such coverage would be fair if the press treated all the contenders in this manner. Had they done so during the 1992 presidential race, the leads would have read:
“Gov. Clinton, known for extra-marital oral sex, addressed a rally…”
“Former draft dodger Clinton was in Boston today…”
“The adulterous Bill Clinton addressed a high school crowd…”
or
“Pres. Bush, father of two sons tainted by the S&L scandal…”
“‘Read my lips’ Bush said…”
“Private spy master Perot said…”
If these men faced such a constant onslaught they too could not get a message across. It may be time for the Dukes, Quayles and Buchanans to bring lawsuits against the major networks based on the free campaigning their opponents receive. A lawsuit that resulted in journalists with increased integrity and responsibility would benefit all America — but for shame that the media has slipped so far that it might take an ex-Nazi to restore its honor!
