In a report earlier this week, NPR’s Peter Overby and Andrea Seabrook took a close look at some of the “ambiguous[ly]” named groups (some of which “live through the generosity of anonymous donors”) behind some of the political ads flooding TVs of late, and showed how one group of such “independent groups” depends quite a bit on each other.
By now, it’s been pretty well covered that a few Republican-backed groups operate out of the “same office suites” (American Crossroads, Crossroads GPS, and American Action Network in Washington, D.C., for example) but Overby and Seabrook, especially through the accompanying interactive online graphic, really bring home the extent of their inter-connectedness (with other groups and individuals, too).
This sort of “teamwork” is “not a new strategy,” report Overby and Seabrook, noting that “the cash flowed freely — and often in secret — two years ago…[e]xcept then it was mostly in support of Democrats.” In anticipation of, perhaps, of course NPR focuses on a “Web of GOP Influence” grumbling, Overby and Seabrook remind their audience that “back in 2008, NPR traced one network from its funders, including a union and liberal financier George Soros, to an anti-war coalition and an attack ad against Republican presidential candidate John McCain,” concluding that “what Democrats developed, Republicans have mastered” this year.
Also: are you “for apples?” Take the (yes, cheesy) accompanying “Understanding Ads” quiz (scroll down, on the left).
Good enough. But Liz doesn't note that 'secret funding of campaign ads' only became a widely-used political media talking point this year - when it became a talking point for the Democrats. It's not the first time that past Democratic tactics have only become shady-looking when employed by Republicans. Even in 2008, I don't remember Peter Overby making a big deal of Democratic funding as the election season really got underway, nor do I recall great and sinister emphasis being put on candidate Obama's broken promise to fund his campaign out of public funds (that little check-off on your 1040 form) rather than from private donors, some of whom, as NPR did note, were anonymous.
#1 Posted by Mark Richard, CJR on Tue 2 Nov 2010 at 12:25 PM