In a New York Times article
assessing post-Foley GOP House election prospects today, reporter
Adam Nagourney makes this assertion:
Republicans and their allies, including
conservative talk radio hosts, have responded by rallying around
Mr. Hastert and blaming Democrats and the news media for the
frenzy.
Talk radio hosts, working off a list of talking
points distributed by Republican Party officials, recounted how two
decades ago, House Democrats stood behind Representative Gerry E.
Studds, Democrat of Massachusetts, after he engaged in sex with a
male page.
Talk radio hosts working from GOP talking points -- as though
they were taking marching orders? I didn't detect in the story that
Nagourney had interviewed any talk show hosts to ask them if they
were reading from a Republican game plan. Nor did he even quote any
on-air remarks.
On the other hand I have seen and heard the Studds reference
made in countless news articles, opinion pieces, and in broadcast
media. It's a widespread no-brainer comparison point. But not to
Nagourney, who thinks talk radio hosts have been pushing it because
Republicans told them to.