Absence of photo ops shouldn't have negated news value of Bush visit

11 Comments

by: Jason Salzman

(Excuses, excuses – Promoted by Colorado Pols)

George W. Bush.

Visits by former presidents usually make news in Denver, if nothing else, because these people are major celebrities, known by all. So you’d think an appearance in Denver by a former president, with his brother, a current presidential candidate, plus a cousin, would be high on the news radar.

Yet, I can’t find a Colorado news outlet that covered George W. Bush’s visit on Sunday evening to Denver, where he was apparently joined by brother Jeb Bush and cousin State Treasurer Walker Stapleton.

I asked Denver Post Politics Editor Chuck Plunkett why The Post ignored the event, which was a closed-door fundraiser at the Denver Art Museum.

Plunkett: We reported in advance that Bush would be here for a conference and a fundraiser. Had his appearance at the financial conference been open to press, we would have covered it. Same with the fundraiser.

As it turned out, a loud group of demonstrators were on hand for the event, as depicted by a liberal group, spotlighting the closed doors.

But, journalism-wise, it wouldn’t have mattered if no one was yelling outside. With the concentration of Bushes (and power) in one room, it’s crazy that the visit went completely unmarked by big media, not just The Post. At least a mention of the secrecy, and the possible explanations for it, would have been welcome.

It’s not an exact comparison, but recall the media conniptions when Mark Udall decided not to appear with Obama last year in Denver. Udall’s decision was a legitimate angle on the story, and so was Jeb’s decision, in this case, to hide with his brother.

In other words, the secrecy (and lack of photo ops) doesn’t negate the issues at play (e.g., Jeb Bush’s fear of his brother). In fact, you’d think a reporter would find the closed doors even more newsworthy.

11 thoughts on “Absence of photo ops shouldn’t have negated news value of Bush visit”

Moderatus says:

October 19, 2015 at 3:22 pm

Colorado Pols's goal is always to legitimize the protesters and embarrass Republicans exercising their legal rights. The media doesn't have to do your bidding.

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BlueCat says:

October 19, 2015 at 3:31 pm

So X Prez GW coming to Denver isn't news. Got it. And of course doing your team’s bidding by making a big deal out of Udall hiding is completely different. Check.

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1. Moderatus says:
  
  October 19, 2015 at 3:52 pm
  
  Bush is a private citizen. I hope private citizens are not harassed by protesters.
  
  Udall hid from the president of the United States. The difference is night and day.
  
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gertie97 says:

October 19, 2015 at 3:33 pm

And what, pray tell, would the Post have written? When Obama came, and Udall didn't, there was still an event to cover. Udall's absence was noted.

But just how is a reporter supposed to cover a closed event?

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1. BlueCat says:
  
  October 19, 2015 at 3:39 pm
  
  Yep. Absence of photo ops is a story in itself. The Post is now officially a Republican press release and campaign arm rag. Wonder what Dems they'll endorse in 2016. My guess, they'll pick a couple of tokens in races with foregone conclusions so they can pretend they're not an extension of the GOP.
  
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2. Moderatus says:
  
  October 19, 2015 at 3:53 pm
  
  Easy, you're supposed to smash the doors down like a good Occupy Wall Streeter, I mean Democrat, I mean reporter.
  
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gertie97 says:

October 19, 2015 at 3:53 pm

If the Post was an extension of the GOP, it would have had access.

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1. Davie says:
  
  October 19, 2015 at 4:27 pm
  
  Why, if the point was to suppress any publicity?
  
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  1. BlueCat says:
    
    October 20, 2015 at 9:25 am
    
    Exactly. The Post's action/ non-action was to help hide the event from embarassing public notice. In the Udall case their action was the opposite, to highlight the awkwardness of a Dem candidate running like hell from a Dem President. It's not difficult to perceive who's side the Denver Post is on from the plethora of similar compare and contrast examples so constantly provided and the history and content of their 21st century endorsements so far. Also from words straight out of Plunkett's own mouth.
    
    http://coloradopols.com/diary/62037/denver-post-political-editor-makes-clear-his-allegiance-to-right-wing#sthash.w1bON31h.dpbs
    
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gertie97 says:

October 19, 2015 at 3:58 pm

Moddy, you're an idiot. Udall was running for re-election and the president of his own party came. Udall didn't, which was noteworthy.

Bush (Dubya) is not a private citizen. He's a public figure and will be until the day he dies.

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yameniye says:

October 20, 2015 at 3:24 am

Sort of like the the opposite of the June Denver Pride event in size. Pride, 300,000+ people. Bush village people, 2. It used to be that Denver Pride never got more than a sentence in the Post (when it was the liberal one). And, now the Bush cabal gets the same treatment,probably because the ownership of the media outlets made the decision to save Bush, the vi, and the other Bush from the people who do not like them..

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