purejuice

In my shop, I think local factors determine coverage. My old chums in West Virginia handled their Tea Party story with a brief not exceeding 130 words, for example. We gave them a full-length story because we wanted to write about how they've become an arm of the state (and, in particular, the Wake County) GOP, despite constant claims of nonpartisanship. Of the dozen office-seekers who spoke, all were Republicans, and they were joined by apparatchiks from the Wake County party. It seemed like a good chance to point out how this movement supposedly formed in opposition to politics-as-usual is becoming, in North Carolina at least, a get-out-the-vote drive for one of the Big Two.

But in general, I think the press is attracted by the chance for pictures of people acting crazy and quotes from people saying stupid things.