NYTimes Fails To Examine Mitt's Record

The following piece was produced by HuffPost's OffTheBus.

If a citizen chose to use the New York Times as its source for learning about whether or not to support Governor Romney, she would be disappointed.

A review of the eight major Romney stories featured on the New York Times candidate page, shows quickly that none include an examination of his tenure as Governor. Of two deep biographical sketches, one focuses on the Olympics, the other on his youth. Of the six other stories, two are about campaign financing and Romney's own giving, two about gay rights, and two about religion. Of the 90 stories tagged "Mitt Romney," in the last 6 months, the vast majority are about campaign strategy, fundraising, and image. Much of the reporting is excellent; it is simply excellent about things that citizens do not need to know.

A survey of New York Times coverage found no stories in the last 12 months that delve into what Romney actually achieved, and/or failed to achieve, as governor.

On the featured timeline of his career, there are only two mentions of actions Romney took in his years as Governor; on July 25, 2005, he vetoed a bill that would expand access to the morning after pill; on April 6, 2006, he signed a health care bill.

There are other references to Romney's record scattered throughout the New York Times, but a citizen seeking to use it as a resource for voting would not be well served.

For example, there is a mention of his record in an article comparing the candidates on energy, a mention of a law he passed regarding illegal immigrants in an article about immigration laws, and several mentions of the health care plan he signed into law in Massachusetts. While the health care plan is important, it can hardly be the only thing he did as Governor.

The New York Times, with a large, excellent, political reporting staff, has been unable to answer the question that most citizens considering him would like to know: "What did Mitt Romney do as governor?"

These are the articles the New York Times provides as highlights of its Romney coverage:

• Romney's Tone on Gay Rights Is Seen as Shift By MICHAEL LUO September 8, 2007
• Romney's Fortunes Tied to Business Riches By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK June 4, 2007
• Romney Works to Put Skeptics' Doubts to Rest By MICHAEL LUO May 11, 2007
• In Romney's Bid, His Wallet Opens to the Right By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK March 11, 2007
• Mormon Candidate Braces for Religion as Issue By ADAM NAGOURNEY and LAURIE GOODSTEIN February 8, 2007
• Romney's Mixed Views on Gay Rights and Marriage Rile Conservatives By ADAM NAGOURNEY and DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK December 6, 2006

One of the most basic responsibilities of newspaper reporting--especially political reporting--is providing citizens information they can use to make responsible decisions. If they cannot get this from one of the best newspapers in the world, what news outlet should they go to to find it? Wikipedia and unpaid media outlets can pull together disparate information, but we depend upon reporters to unearth it in the first place.

Romney was selected for examination because governors' actions are not as easy to report on as Senate votes; some in-depth interviews and reporting are required, and because Romney has been a featured and followed candidate for over a year, so there has been plenty of time to dig into his record.

Hopefully this has simply been an oversight on the part of the Times. This survey raises the possibility, however, that reporters believe citizens could never make decisions on sensible grounds (like someone's record), and so they have decided that they no longer carry this responsibility -- a move that hints at the possibility members of the fourth estate have given up on democracy.

Comments

[DapperDan]

Mitt's record as governor was awful. Even the majority of the people who voted for him would not vote for him again.

Probably the thing that people will remember most about his term was the collapse of the ceiling in one of the big dig tunnels, resulting in the death of one woman, the uncovering of huge levels of corruption, and major delays and costs. Romney didn't start the Big Dig, but this happened 3 years into his term. All he did about the Big Dig was to position himself so that he could evade any responsibility for it. So much for good management, which is supposedly his calling card.

As for his other calling card, hewing to the religious right party line, his position has been clear and consistent for a long time: he will say whatever it takes to get elected.

[kardwell]

Does anyone really want a president named "MITT ROMNEY"?

[RedBarberian]

Are you related or married to Terry Teachout? He's great on music, especially jazz and terrible on politics.

[bluesky49876]

The corporate media, both print and TV, are well known for crafting its of the candidates and the issues to prop-up right wing candidates. This includes the public television. Why do you think and man like Bush can can be elected to the national office. The media is nothing but a giant propaganda machine.

[guajiro]

It's more like the Oligarchs are definitely NOT liking the trends of the new media; the internet. They plod along, putting out the same crap meant to misinform the public and guide the naive american yahoo into doing their bidding. Were it not for the internet media, we would have nothing to contrast this difference in reporting. I say screw all Oligarch media belonging to the Oligarchs. It is their own interests in the end, that they look after. When, pray tell, has there ever been an in-depth story about corporate personhood on ANY of the main media (heretofore called Oligarch media)? Never, that's when. The internet media, and Huffpo in particular, is doing better than the Oligarch media is. Although to be honest, lately quite a number of news postings by Huffpo don't seem to be vetted and thus some mis-reporting seems to be the result.

[pascaljim]

Oh!...I first thought the Headline, "Willards Records" on this post was a search for his Military Records, silly me.....

[KarenZipdrive]

Massachusetts is one of America's most liberal states. Romney lied and bullshitted his way to the governor's mansion, now he's using the same tactics to become president.
I don't need the NYT to tell me the guy's a con artist, do you?
The guy's a cult member who wears magic underwear and believes he'll inherit his own planet when he dies. Just read up on Mormonism to see what I mean.
Romney hasn't got a chance to win the nomination- we needn't get too worked up about his history of being a phony SOB.

[webmind]

In case you've been asleep for the past 8 years, "members of the 4th estate" aren't the only ones who have given up on democracy. So have members of the executive branch (the most despotic in the history of the US), the legislative branch (who refuse to hold the executive branch responsible for its crimes and violations of the constitution), and the judiciary (who were happy to decide the 2000 election on political grounds). Oh, and let's not forget the american people - those stupid ass, ignorant, complacent motherfuckers - who sit by and let it all happen while wondering what happened to their little american dream.

[Norm]

This is not the first time a presidential candidate from Massachusetts has run for president without any real examination of what he did while governing the state. Mike Dukakis was similarly unexamined. In the instances of Dukakis and Romney, I have been disturbed by what has *not* been reported - by any media - and have figured the same went for every candidate. We learn very little of relevant substance about most candidates, which explains a few front runners I'm familiarly unfamiliar with.

A lot of folks in-state laughed when Dukakis ran. But the same folks have seen no humor in Romney's run since he left the state while governor to campaign, "panning" Massachusetts all the while. Not a good idea to play them that brung ya' for fools. Sooner or later, those who now favor you may decide they will get the same treatment.

[kpod]

This would have been an interesting post, or even informative, if there had been some comparison of the NYT's coverage of Romney with its coverage of the other candidates. Is the post all about Romney bcz the NYT is covering the other candidates more thoroughly? Is it about the author wanting to make a point about Romney's governorship - and if so, what was that point?

[MissTerry]

The NYT also failed to report on Bush's war time desertion - despite the fact that its sister paper - the Boston Globe - published a bazillion-word story on it. --- I don't suppose the Times mentioned that under Romney's governorship, the state's job creation rate swelled to 49th place out of 50 states.

[navalvet]

Gleaned from all sources of news, I have learned that Romney
Organized the Winter Olmpics
Made a fortune in Wall Street
Beat the draft while on a Mormon mission in France
Supported gay and abortion rights in Massachusetts but no longer does so
and that his Massachusetts health plan was innovative but flawed.

I suppose that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts never paid for chauffering his girlfriend but then again newspapers generally do not report what does not occur.

Is it possible that this is his entire record? It is certainly possible and the NY Times covered it all.

[wrabbitt]

The press is caught between a rock and quicksand. if they expose his record they are 1 sided and against him. but, then if they don't people won't know. The candidates are going to start tripping on their past,or climbing the ladder of success. Those that have no past might have a future. but, those with baggage in their past will be shoved aside. Huckabee chose the religious right as a board in his candidacy lets see how that works,

[dsol]

thank you zephyr!
This is the first such post I've seen from you on this site -- hope it's the first of many. The Times, in its desperate effort to keep up with the times (no pun intended) as its readership shrinks, seems to have truly lost its way. That's too bad, because we need it as it used to be -- stern, straight, and rigorous. Reports like yours may serve to show it the way back.

[HollywoodBill]

The hallowed NYTimes has ceased being the paper of record except in the minds of elitists. It is dropping in circulation, is axing members of the editorial department and has just canned a great number of its production employees.

There is no reason why the Boston Globe, which has the same management, cannot fill the void better than the NYTimes. Local perspectives offer better understanding than directives from some academic elites with rapidly fading influence.