The major media and communications companies are the largestt beneficiaries of political campaign spending, through spending on political advertising. The same companies are among DC's biggest campaign contributors - explaining why it is so difficult to get big money out of American politics.
Politicking
CNN plans ‘View from the Right’ election special, but no ‘View from the Left'
Submitted by jonathan on Thu, 2008-10-30 22:00Today, CNN announced that it will be hosting a one-hour special this weekend called “Election Countdown: View from the Right,” featuring prominent right-wing pundits. However, it doesn’t appear that there will be a corresponding special featuring progressive voices. From the CNN press release:
On Saturday, Nov. 1, at 5 p.m. (ET), CNN political contributor and Christian Broadcasting Network senior correspondent David Brody will host the one-hour special Election Countdown: View from the Right. This roundtable discussion will examine the strength of the McCain-Palin ticket, the priorities for conservatives after the election and top issues on voters’ minds, including national security and the economy. Brody will be joined by Amanda Carpenter, national political reporter for Townhall.com; Brian DeBose, editorial writer for The Washington Times; Stephen Hayes, senior writer for The Weekly Standard; and Kevin Madden, Republican strategist and former press secretary for Gov. Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.
McCain aide a no-show for technology policy debate
Submitted by jonathan on Thu, 2008-10-30 15:05The debate that wasn't
"This is faintly ridiculous, isn't it?" asked former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt, a top technology adviser to Barack Obama. After all, he was there before a packed house at the New America Foundation for "a debate with the other guy," the economist and McCain adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin. But Holtz-Eakin had bowed out shortly before Thursday's event due to a "scheduling conflict," leaving Hundt alone with a moderator.
"I'm sure Doug had something better to do than answer my questions about the Blackberry," quipped Hundt, referencing Holtz-Eakin's much-derided claim that McCain had "helped create" the wireless device. The "something better" appears to have been an appearance on MSNBC. Whether it was the siren song of cable or a desire to preserve McCain's Blackberry trade secrets, the debate had to be jettisoned in favor of a plain-old discussion with NAF fellow and Wired writer Nicholas Thompson.