# IOKIADDI (It's OK If A Democrat Does It)?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [August 19, 2013, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622 "2013-08-19T08:47:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/61 "2013-08-20T00:02:23Z")

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> [@yorick73](#):
>
> How can you call it anything but deliberate inaction.

I already explained why. I’m sorry, but he does not say what you want him to have said. (I’m not actually sorry.)

> [@](#):
>
> The mainstream media, after rehabbing Weiner’s image in People and NYT Mag, _again_ missed the story that he continued sexting.

The latest sexting story was broken by the New York Daily News. I think you need to decide what the mainstream media is, because the Daily News is one of the biggest papers in the country. (I think they got the story because his sexting partner went right to them.)

> [@](#):
>
> They guy who wrote the NYT Mag story said [it never occured to him to actually ask Weiner if he’d stopped sexting](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2013/07/29/new-york-times-magazine-writer-assumed-weiners-naughtiness-had-stopped/)

That’s stupid. Of course Weiner would have lied anyway, but that’s one of the reasons I don’t like the forgiveness industry.

> [@](#):
>
> As for Spitzer there was a federal investigation into the prostitution ring.

That’s exactly what happened with Vitter.

> [@](#):
>
> It’s not like the NYT found out about his activities on their own.

Yes, they did. [They broke the story that he was one of the people on the federal wiretaps (as Client 9).](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/10/nyregion/10cnd-spitzer.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0) The sources were people involved with the investigation.

> [@](#):
>
> In fact, the story ran after Spitzer broke the news to his staff.

And he told his staff because a newspaper was about to run a report saying he was using prostitutes. It looks to me like you’re again looking to change the terms of the discussion here.

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/62 "2013-08-20T00:23:26Z")

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> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#):
>
> Really?
> 
> You think the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, CNN, and MSNBC are “strongly pro-Republican”?

Well, they ain’t pro-Dem, except for MSNBC.

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**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/63 "2013-08-20T00:40:48Z")

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> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> Well, they ain’t pro-Dem, except for MSNBC.

I didn’t say they were. However, I’m not sure if any of the newspapers I’ve listed have even once since Eisenhower endorsed the Republican candidate for President.

When Der Trihs claimed “the media is strongly pro-Republican” he was aggressively on denial of reality.

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/64 "2013-08-20T01:14:33Z")

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> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#):
>
> I didn’t say they were. However, I’m not sure if any of the newspapers I’ve listed have even once since Eisenhower endorsed the Republican candidate for President.

Well, the _Chicago Tribune_ has a very conservative history, and according to [this](http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/10/chicago_tribune_endorses_obama.html), the first Democrat it ever endorsed for POTUS – since the paper was founded in 1847 – was Obama in 2008.

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**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/65 "2013-08-20T01:48:02Z")

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> [@Marley23](#):
>
> I already explained why. I’m sorry, but he does not say what you want him to have said. (I’m not actually sorry.)

He is saying exactly what I said. There’s no other way to read it. Even when the first women were coming forward the press showed little curiosity. How many of those women came forward before the press took notice?

> [@Marley23](#):
>
> The latest sexting story was broken by the New York Daily News. I think you need to decide what the mainstream media is, because the Daily News is one of the biggest papers in the country. (I think they got the story because his sexting partner went right to them.)

Actually The Dirty broke the story. I think you need to decide who the mainstream media is.

> [@Marley23](#):
>
> That’s stupid. Of course Weiner would have lied anyway, but that’s one of the reasons I don’t like the forgiveness industry.

Yes, very stupid to expect a reporter to actually ask an obvious question.

> [@Marley23](#):
>
> That’s exactly what happened with Vitter.

What’s your point?

> [@Marley23](#):
>
> Yes, they did. [They broke the story that he was one of the people on the federal wiretaps (as Client 9).](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/10/nyregion/10cnd-spitzer.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0) The sources were people involved with the investigation.

I thought you would understand what breaking a story entails. Were they first? Yes. Did they break the story? No, they received information about a federal investigation. They knew the story was coming so they want to be first. That’s quite different than investigating and uncovering the truth.

> [@Marley23](#):
>
> And he told his staff because a newspaper was about to run a report saying he was using prostitutes. It looks to me like you’re again looking to change the terms of the discussion here.

I’m not changing the terms at all. I was under the impression that the story broke after Spitzer got word from the Feds and alerted his staff. If that’s incorrect then I stand corrected. Doesn’t change any terms though.

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**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/66 "2013-08-20T02:06:58Z")

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> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> Well, the _Chicago Tribune_ has a very conservative history, and according to [this](http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/10/chicago_tribune_endorses_obama.html), the first Democrat it ever endorsed for POTUS – since the paper was founded in 1847 – was Obama in 2008.

Sam Zell is lots of things, but a Republican he isn’t.

Also, if they’re endorsing Obama that’s hardly evidence of them being “strongly pro-Republican” to use Der Trih’s word.

Beyond that, the New York Times and the Washington Post are far more influential and they have long been known for endorsing Democratic candidates for President.

Anyway, perhaps Der Trihs would be willing to come forward and present the evidence to back up his ridiculous claim that the media is “strongly pro-Republican.”

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**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/67 "2013-08-20T02:23:06Z")

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The media has to pretend the Republican party is a lot less stupid than it actually is in order to appear non partisan. A non biased media would have to spend about 90% of it’s time pointing out how idiotic they are.

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**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/68 "2013-08-20T02:35:11Z")

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> [@ElvisL1ves](#):
>
> Cite the “lying about his Vietnam record” too, if you please.

He gave testimony before Congress with no basis in fact. He did not witness anything he spoke about.

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**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/69 "2013-08-20T02:37:12Z")

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> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> No, that was the Swiftvets, [who lied about Kerry’s Vietnam experience](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiftboat_Veterans_for_Truth#Controversy), **as you know.**
> 
> [See also SourceWatch.](http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Swift_Boat_Veterans_for_Truth)

Thank you, **BrainGlutton**. Based on voter interviews, it is very clear Kerry would have won the 2004 election were it not for the (fabricated) “questions” about his military background.

What a shame that even a Doper still has a “faded bumper sticker on his pickup” to maintain the lies. ☹

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**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/70 "2013-08-20T02:40:41Z")

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> [@Magiver](#):
>
> He gave testimony before Congress with no basis in fact. He did not witness anything he spoke about.

That’s so old and dried up it isn’t even mud any more-it’s dust.

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**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/71 "2013-08-20T04:16:09Z")

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> [@yorick73](#):
>
> He is saying exactly what I said. There’s no other way to read it. Even when the first women were coming forward the press showed little curiosity. How many of those women came forward before the press took notice

But the most significant aspect of the Weiner scandal was that it was very very funny. Editors would have to have been thinking, “There’s a story brewing about a politician most Americans have never heard of but which, if true, will be very very funny and even ties in with his funny name”.

Once the story was confirmed as true and the sexting-dick pic-Weiner connection was made did the story explode and there was no holding back the nation’s inner 10-year-old. So it’s only in retrospect, you think the story should have been broken sooner.

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**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/72 "2013-08-20T04:34:54Z")

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> [@yorick73](#):
>
> Even when the first women were coming forward the press showed little curiosity.

Bull. When three women accused the mayor of a large city of sexual harassment _at a press conference_, it was big news.

> [@](#):
>
> Actually The Dirty broke the story.

Ok, you’re right there.

> [@](#):
>
> Yes, very stupid to expect a reporter to actually ask an obvious question.

I was saying it was stupid that the reporter didn’t ask. That said, he would have been lied to and there’s no reason to think anyone would have found out otherwise. (Weiner was using a private site this time, not Twitter, and he was caught because his ‘friend’ was unhappy and went public.)

> [@](#):
>
> What’s your point?

What’s _my_ point? Why did you mention this in the first place? You said Spitzer was caught up in a federal prosecution. I presume you mentioned this because it has something to do with the way the story broke, and I was pointing out that Vitter got caught the exact same way. The outcome was completely different.

> [@](#):
>
> I thought you would understand what breaking a story entails.

I do. The issue here is that you want it to mean something else.

> [@](#):
>
> Were they first? Yes.

Then they broke the story.

> [@](#):
>
> they received information about a federal investigation. They knew the story was coming so they want to be first. That’s quite different than investigating and uncovering the truth.

And away go the goalposts! The Times learned from sources that Spitzer was one of the men who patronized the prostitution ring. He was not a target of the investigation and his name did not appear in the report, but they learned that he was one of the clients. They were the first to report that information, therefore they broke the story. The end. Would someone else have eventually gotten the information if they didn’t? Probably, but that’s true of almost any story. They broke that news.

> [@](#):
>
> I’m not changing the terms at all.

Words mean whatever I want them to mean, said Humpty Dumpty.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/73 "2013-08-20T10:27:08Z")

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> [@Magiver](#):
>
> He gave testimony before Congress with no basis in fact. He did not witness anything he spoke about.

Wrong again. He testified as to what he said he was told by others \*they \*had witnessed and done. :rolleyes:

[Transcript here](https://facultystaff.richmond.edu/~ebolt/history398/johnkerrytestimony.html). Show us the lie, please.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/74 "2013-08-20T12:19:49Z")

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> [@yorick73](#):
>
> He is saying exactly what I said. There’s no other way to read it.

You underestimate the power of denial. ‘He didn’t say what he said’ and ‘That depends on what the meaning of the word is, is’ are foundational to the ability of liberals to deny what is in front of them.

The position can be summed up  
[ul][li]There is no liberal bias[/li][li]That isn’t liberal bias[/li][li]If there is any liberal bias, it is perfectly justified, and[/li][li]There is no liberal bias[/li][li]No it isn’t[/li][li]No it isn’t[/li][li]No it isn’t[/ul][/li]  
Regards,  
Shodan

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**Author:** ![Donald\_Rump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Donald\_Rump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donald_Rump)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/75 "2013-08-20T12:22:30Z")

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Thus far, we seem to be coming up empty in terms of identifying a clear-cut example of an IOKIADDI rule in political media. There seems to be no Democratic equivalent of Watergate, for example, that was just brushed under the rug because it happened to have been done by a Democrat. All we’ve come up with is a dog’s breakfast of minor stories like some rumor of a McCain affair, William Jefferson’s corruption scandal, Bob Filner, that really don’t make a strong case one way or the other.

Maybe this was an intractable topic all along, because it requires agreement on what constitutes a real scandal; and further, requires agreement on what constitutes real media scrutiny. Rep. Steve King of Iowa, for example, said that you’d have to add Iran Contra and Watergate together, and multiply that by ten, to even approach the magnitude of Benghazi. To the extent he actually believes that, presumably he’d say there’s IOKIADDI at work.

I think the bottom line is that there’s the blatantly partisan left-wing media, the blatantly partisan right-wing media, and then a bunch of outlets that are somewhere in between (call them “mainstream”). While I’m willing to grant that on the margin the mainstream media may lean left in certain contexts, the overriding force seems to be the desire to attract readers/viewers, which accounts for why there was no hesitation to pile on when it became clear that the Edwards story had legs.

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**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/76 "2013-08-20T12:52:29Z")

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> [@marshmallow](#):
>
> Who did they go soft on?

“Soft.” Heh. Really, the only person I can think of who got away with his six scandal recently is David Vitter.

> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> I didn’t bother to find the most current numbers, but according to the [List of most-listened-to radio programs](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most-listened-to_radio_programs), the conservative shows (top of the list, with Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity) have about 42.25 million listeners, and the liberal shows (on NPR stations) have about 37.6 million listeners.

What are they counting as “liberal” shows? The shows distributed by the mainstream public radio producers—NPR, PRI, APM, etc.—are not liberal shows. The liberal shows are the Pacifica Radio shows, and I don’t think that most liberals listen to them.

> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#):
>
> Sam Zell is lots of things, but a Republican he isn’t.
> 
> Also, if they’re endorsing Obama that’s hardly evidence of them being “strongly pro-Republican” to use Der Trih’s word.
> 
> Beyond that, the New York Times and the Washington Post are far more influential and they have long been known for endorsing Democratic candidates for President.
> 
> Anyway, perhaps Der Trihs would be willing to come forward and present the evidence to back up his ridiculous claim that the media is “strongly pro-Republican.”

Whether the editorial page of a newspaper endorses Republicans or Democrats is a separate issue of whether the news reporting reflects bias one way or another. _The Wall Street Journal_, for example, has a joke of an editorial page, which is so biased that it amounts to a daily propaganda rag, but has pretty respectable news pages.

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**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/77 "2013-08-20T12:58:35Z")

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> [@Donald\_Rump](#):
>
> While I’m willing to grant that on the margin the mainstream media may lean left in certain contexts, the overriding force seems to be the desire to attract readers/viewers, which accounts for why there was no hesitation to pile on when it became clear that the Edwards story had legs.

I think when presented with a blatant scandal, there’s no free pass for anyone.

But I think the phenomenon exists, and it appears in more subtle circumstances, and i think you illustrate it in that sentence.

“…When it became clear that the Edwards story had legs,” then, as you say, everyone did pile on. But what about _before_ it had legs? Do you make room for the possibility that if the subject is Edwards, once-time VP candidate and a strong Democratic presence in the Senate, there’s a bit more reluctance to report on – or investigate – a story about a mistress and a possible misuse of campaign funds to hush her up? That if the subject of that same rumor were a Republican, there would have been more eagerness to investigate and uncover the truth?

Now, it’s been suggested above that this disparity is natural, because Republicans are known to use words like “family values,” and Democrats don’t. If that’s an acceptable excuse, then we have indeed shown there’s a whole category of IOKIADDI. It’s OK to cheat on your wife and father a child with your mistress if you’re a Democrat, because Democrats don’t claim to be for family values?

I don’t agree with that distinction, but perhaps it’s compelling.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/78 "2013-08-20T13:06:10Z")

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> [@yorick73](#):
>
> The point is that the NYT decided to run with this story with no evidence at all. Of course there was nothing to the story but the Times printed it anyway.

Did you read the Times’ story? Or their “note” on the story? Having read both last night, I’m pretty sure you didn’t, because you are mischaracterizing the story, the “note” (that’s not a retraction or correction), and the settlement.

> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#):
>
> Can you cite this claim? . . .
> 
> I’m not asserting that your claim is incorrect, but I wonder if you have a cite for it, e.g. in the form of links to stories from these sources.

I can’t find the individual stories, but [this right-wing source](http://www.mrc.org/media-reality-check/media-whistle-past-menendez-prostitution-scandal) states: “From January 24 through the morning of February 11 there have been a total of just seven stories (CBS three, NBC four) aired on the Big Three network’s evening (ABC World News, CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News) and morning (ABC’s Good Morning America, CBS’s This Morning, NBC’s Today) shows.” It goes on to complain that other networks and newspapers aren’t running the story.

[Here](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2013/02/11/media-scolded-for-ignoring-menendez-prostitution-allegations/) is one WaPo story on it, [here](http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fbi-probing-allegations-sen-menendez-patronized-prostitutes-in-dominican/2013/02/15/49b64e7c-77c5-11e2-8f84-3e4b513b1a13_story.html) is another, and I know I saw one more last night that I can’t get to behind the Post’s paywall.

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**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/79 "2013-08-20T13:17:14Z")

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> [@Shodan](#):
>
> You underestimate the power of denial.

He seems pretty well familiar with the concept: in almost every post of this thread, **yorick73** has changed the meaning of a word to suit his own purposes.

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**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iokiaddi-its-ok-if-a-democrat-does-it/666622/80 "2013-08-20T13:46:30Z")

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> [@Ravenman](#):
>
> I can’t find the individual stories, but [this right-wing source](http://www.mrc.org/media-reality-check/media-whistle-past-menendez-prostitution-scandal) states: “From January 24 through the morning of February 11 there have been a total of just seven stories (CBS three, NBC four) aired on the Big Three network’s evening (ABC World News, CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News) and morning (ABC’s Good Morning America, CBS’s This Morning, NBC’s Today) shows.” It goes on to complain that other networks and newspapers aren’t running the story.

It’s not clear what “the story” is, as Menendez was facing two scandals at the same time, both related. One was that he took/did favors from/for a big campaign contributer. The other was that this same campaign contributer was somehow involved in his procuring underage prostitutes.

You’ll notice that the “right wing source” refers to a NYT editorial which they felt should have spurred the networks into a frenzy of stories, but that NYT editorial mentioned only the financial angle and steered clear of the prostitution angle, which indicates that this source was lumping the two together. So you need to establish that the “seven stories” mentioned were about the prostitution angle, and not about the influence peddling like the NYT.

> [@](#):
>
> [Here](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2013/02/11/media-scolded-for-ignoring-menendez-prostitution-allegations/) is one WaPo story on it, [here](http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fbi-probing-allegations-sen-menendez-patronized-prostitutes-in-dominican/2013/02/15/49b64e7c-77c5-11e2-8f84-3e4b513b1a13_story.html) is another, and I know I saw one more last night that I can’t get to behind the Post’s paywall.

“Story on it” is misleading.

I said in my earlier post that “I don’t recall seeing anything in the MSM until the story became “Menendez Smeared by Fake Story””, and these stories are exactly of this nature.

The first is a spirited defense of the media for not reporting the incident, based on the claim that the story has no basis. The second is the report of an FBI investigation which - as noted in the very first sentence of the article - “has found no evidence to support the claim”.

That’s not what we’re talking about here.

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