Iowa caucuses reveal media lapses - By MARTIN SCHRAM Scripps Howard News Service

COMMENTARY

Iowa caucuses reveal media lapses

By MARTIN SCHRAM Scripps Howard News Service

http://www.newschief.com/article/20120109/NEWS/201095015/1013/opinion?Title=Iowa-caucuses-reveal-media-lapses&tc=ar

Monday, January 9, 2012

Iowa's 2012 Republican caucuses gave us either two winners or no winners at all, as in Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum virtually tied and Ron Paul finished just a whisker behind them.

And in the only total that really matters, but was little mentioned, all three received seven of Iowa's Republican convention delegates.

But America's inexplicably traditional first voting told us something important, not really about those running for president but about those of us who cover them: When we don't really report, you can't really decide.

First, recall the wall-to-wall news coverage of Iowa's meaningless (except for political party money-making) Republican straw poll last August.

As all the pols and their handlers learned decades ago, you can win it by spending more money to bus in and feed more of your own people who will vote for you. Last August, Michele Bachmann won.

Tuesday night, she finished last among Iowa's real caucus combatants.

Second, we turn to what Americans most need from the news media: our journalistic skill and determination to go far beyond what the candidates are emphasizing to make the sale with voters.

At least by examining their past deeds as deeply as we covered that meaningless straw poll.

Here, there were huge gaps in the news media's performance… http://www.newschief.com/article/20120109/NEWS/201095015/1013/opinion?Title=Iowa-caucuses-reveal-media-lapses&tc=ar

[20120109 Scripts Schram Iowa caucuses reveal media lapses]

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