New York Times Hit Piece Swings and Misses at Biden
02 October 2008 8:47 am by Taylor Marsh
–updated–
They say timing is everything. This piece on Biden sure is: An Everyman on the Trail, With Perks at Home. We all know what the use of the word “perks” is supposed to imply. They wait until the day of the vice presidential debate to run a very thin hit piece on Joe Biden.
The truth is that Joe Biden was the least
wealthy senator in the last Senate according to Open Secrets, and is likely
close to that today. One reason is his priorities, which at least the Times
had the gumption to note:
Beyond landscaping costs, one of the Biden campaign’s
largest regular expenditures is for Amtrak tickets for the senator and his
aides or consultants. Going back to 2001, those expenses typically ranged
from $9,000 to $15,000 a year — far exceeding that of his colleagues
in Delaware’s Congressional delegation, whose campaigns spent between
$500 and $3,000, federal election records show. Like Mr. Biden, Delaware’s
other senator, Thomas R. Carper, and Representative Michael N. Castle commute
daily to Washington, their offices said.
Oh, but Joe Biden lives a “more comfortable than the
impression he may have given on the campaign trail.” I’ve seen him
on the campaign trail during the primaries many times, but he sure never sounded
like he lived in a box.
The Times goes on to say he’s not just “Amtrak Joe,”
but a senator who gets benefits because of “who he is: a United States
senator.” Wow, people in his home state respecting a long-term sitting senator who doesn’t live in Washington, but comes home every night to be with his family; something that’s not exactly the norm. Alert the media! Still… “There is nothing to suggest Mr. Biden
bent any rules in the sale, purchase and financing of his homes.”
They just can’t make up their minds. That is, until they get to
the end of the article, which relates Biden’s relationship with John R. Cochran
III, the vice chairman of MBNA, especially a
real estate deal, which worked out well for Biden. David Wade responded:
Mr. Wade said there was nothing improper in Mr. Biden’s
dealings with Mr. Cochran. He said the sale price was supported by an appraisal
for the same amount, and that Mr. Biden never did MBNA any favors in the Senate.
Many progressives have real issues with Biden’s relationship with
MBNA. That is worthy of discussion and continued re-evaluation, no doubt. But the
real estate side of this story yielded nothing of note.
This isn’t a very in depth piece. Gardening and AMTRAK expenses
from a guy who’s been proven to be the least wealthy in the Senate isn’t all
that impressive. Frankly, it’s a piece any reporter, including myself could
have put together in a couple of days. They’ve had weeks to release it.
Everyone knows the McCain team is ticked off at The New York Times.
I don’t believe in coincidences. It seems the Times paid them back
today with a timely little hit piece on Biden. Mind you, it is tiny,
mainly because there is no there there.
Stay classy, Times, stay classy. If they really wanted to go at Biden they should have run a “greatest gaffe hits” instead. No doubt that would have made the cable circuit, with wingnut radio jumping in too.
So, if you want to write or call the Times let them know they did a bad job on Biden. But the hit piece effort is noted.
TAKE ACTION
To reach Clark Hoyt, who represents the readers, e-mail public@nytimes.com or call (212) 556-7652.
To reach Bill Keller, managing editor, email managing-editor@nytimes.com
UPDATE: Reader boohall in the comments cites ABC… Estimates Show Palin Assets Top $1 Million: Palins look to land and sea to build wealth; estimates show assets likely top $1 million. Wonder if the NYT will report on this today?
