February 13, 2007 06:11 AM UTC

The Wadhams Effect

• 0 Comments
• by: Tyler Chafee

After two weeks of misinformation about HB-1072, the Colorado mainstream media is now reporting on the role that Dick Wadhams, the chair-apparent of the Colorado GOP, played in doctoring the spin under the dome.

In their post mortem of the veto, the MSM has so far failed to mention repeated flaws in their coverage (outlined by Colorado Media Matters here, here, here, here, here, here, aaaaand here.)

Could this be the “Wadhams Effect” on the statehouse?

Just to add insult to injury.  A Post columnist lauded “an arsenal of ammunition” that the Democratic agenda was “providing” the GOP while completely omitting the whacky agenda that the GOP is pushing.  Colorado Media Matters has the item.

“In a February 11 column, The Denver Post’s Jeri Clausing reported on the Colorado Republican Party’s strategy of portraying the Democratic majority’s legislative agenda as “out of the mainstream” and listed Democratic-backed bills that she described as ‘ammunition.’ However, Clausing did not mention controversial Republican-sponsored measures, including a ban on almost all abortions and a ‘religious bill of rights’ for public schools.”

Just to be clear, there’s only so much impact that one political operative can have on the 2007 legislative session.  HB 1072 could be more of a sucker punch than a real sea change in the message dynamic under the dome.  But it sure seems like the media is willing to give this GOP pit bull an incredibly long leash.