The Associated Press has a somewhat meandering article on-line which cites “deep skepticism” of media coverage at the same time they try to stir up discontent about “Republicans” on either side of the Trump divide.
In reading the article, when they’re interviewing “Republican figures,” they take a jaunt through the distant past.
- “Longtime South Dakota Republican voter Jim Thompson is ready to leave the GOP, hoping that an exodus of Donald Trump supporters like him will punish the state’s preeminent politician, Sen. John Thune, for defying Trump….”
- “A private Facebook group called “Primary John Thune in 2022” has attracted over 3,000 members. One of them, Bruce W. Whalen, said Thune’s refusal to support Trump’s claims of fraud has fueled interest….”
…”Whalen, who in 2006 had enough GOP support to represent the party in a statewide race for Congress…” - “In the meantime, some longtime state Republican figures are frustrated with their senator’s hesitation to convict Trump.
“He deserves to be convicted,” said David Volk, a former state treasurer.”
You know, I like and enjoy former State Rep. Jim Thompson just fine.. but didn’t he leave the party once when he was in the State House back in April 1995 (and started an independent caucus with a couple of the liberal democrats)? Not in office since 1997.
Bruce Whalen was talked into running for Congress in 2006. There was no primary. The reporter characterizing his “enough GOP support to represent the party” was actually “party officials assisting with getting sufficient signatures” so the race had an opponent. Nevermind that Bruce Whalen hasn’t been a Republican official – even at the county level – for a while.
And again, while I’ve always found Dave Volk to be friendly and personable.. he hasn’t held office as a Republican in over 30 years, and he seems to jump the fence and endorse Democrats as much as ‘Republican’ Larry Pressler; (Volk endorsed Billie Sutton in the last Gubernatorial election).
This is not a group of people I’d argue are recognized as “Republican figures” in 2021.
And really, while the article mentioned people wanting to punish Thune, did they actually talk to Thune, or any Thune staff members? Did they chat with any current SDGOP executive board members, or at least any party officials, as opposed to those who last ran 15-30 years ago?
I was informed they spoke with at least one current legislator who gave the reporter a quote for the story (as related to me by the legislator). But, did it make it to print? No. Not at all. Instead, it seems they took time machine into the distant past and otherwise cherry picked out what would fit in their notion of an article.
It’s not unlike what happened in the Governor’s press conference this last Friday:
.@stephengroves good job doing what @ChrisVondracek tried to do LIVE during the press conference.@govkristinoem herself said it best “What you should report is what I actually said.” pic.twitter.com/0yDZq2ZGzi
— Ian Fury (@IanTFury) January 28, 2021
It just seems that it doesn’t fit the narrative the reporters want to portray, or the specific story they want to write, it doesn’t make it to print, or as Governor Noem found, they’ll just write what they want, and ignore what the person they’re writing about actually said.
And some reporters wonder why they find those with a “deep skepticism about the mainstream media coverage?”
Yes, young Master Powers. Keep telling people they’re not “Republican enough” for the GOP. Nobody has tried that before.
You don’t think that when they write about a “Republican figure,” it should be someone who has actually been involved in the last 20 years?
They envy us.
No. No, they don’t.
In case you missed the result, the Democrats are back in charge of the show in D.C.
“Us” is not in very envious position (unless of course your position of power is that to be envied).
After begging voters to bring to the Repub party control of the House, Senate and White House, “us”, including Senators Thune and Rounds squandered the opportunity. Did virtually nothing.
The accountability for that is not yet complete.
Did virtually nothing? Have you been living in a cave?
Ok big shooter.
What accomplishment(s) would you attribute to Republican legislators the time during which there was Republican control of the both legislative chambers, as well as the White House?
Recall, Dems regained the House the result of the 2018 General election and Paul Ryan skulked away from D.C. following completion of the 115th U.S. Congress.
I’ll get you started – the $1.1 trillion dollar Consolidated Appropriation Act of 2017.
Please leave me out of this.
Jim, Bruce and Dave should leave the GOP immediately. The oxymoron of calling oneself by a certain political brand all the while trying to expunge oneself from ever adhering to said brand has become relevant only in the Drive-By-Media.
I don’t agree with that. My point is that the media is going far, far off the beaten path to interview people they claim are active in the GOP.
I think everyone has a right to be a member of whatever party they want for whatever reason they find compelling for them. I also think everyone has a right to vote for or support their party nominees at whatever percentage they find compelling for them.
However, “Republican officials” or “figures” are people who are serving or have served in some capacity (volunteer or elected) in recent memory.
I think the characterization of Jim Thompson as “Republican voter” needs some clarification from the reporter so we know what it means. Is he a registered Republican who regularly votes or is he a voter who regularly votes Republican? The answer to that would put his statement in proper context which would actually then have meaning.
The “qualification” or “context” given to Bruce Whelan is misleading to us and effectively an insult to Bruce. Bruce has experience with election shenanigans which rightly would cause him to be more skeptical of election integrity and would color his reaction.
And, Dave? Well, he not only is a NeverTrumper, he’s been a NeverRepublican for statewide national office for years. And, his bias has expanded to become a NeverAnyone who supports such statewide Republican, unless you were close to Janklow.
The media might want to be careful fanning the flames of a Thune primary, I mean who are they going to end up with that is deemed better? A Thune challenger would have to be stupid, unstable or both.