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Now that the midterm voting is over, the news media can focus on what’s really important: What do Tuesday’s results mean for Democrats and Republicans in the general election two years from now?
My husband laughs at political reporters who act like election night is the hardest night of the year because of the tight deadlines. As a designer and copy editor on the sports desk, election night is nothing compared to Green Bay Packer game days. That said, the Wisconsin races will be interesting, since more television ads aired between Russ Feingold and Ron Johnson in September than in any Senate or House race in the country.
Here in the nutty, right-wing, Bible Belt state of Oklahoma, we go to the polls Tuesday to cast our ballots and, hopefully, stop the incessant radio and TV commercials from those who are sneaking in our borders and accosting our way of life. I am talking, of course, about the politicians. Seriously, folks, I am willing to give my vote to the first candidate to shut up for a full five minutes.
Just after 7 a.m. today, I found myself driving a minivan full of middle-school students. This still-dark-outside carpool duty frustrated me for two reasons. First, I was up late last night watching my suddenly vintage Texas Rangers throw batting practice to the San Francisco Giants. Second, a school bus that my children could ride for free stops just down the street from my house.
Amid a barrage of recent headlines concerning religion and gay suicides, the Mormon church’s position on homosexuality has received its share of scrutiny, from Politics Daily to the Salt Lake Tribune.
Before I jump into the heart of this piece, let me clearly state that I know it is possible to write an accurate, powerful and even emotional story about the following issue while leaving religious and moral issues completely out of the mix. After all, the Washington Post just published exactly that kind of news report.
How’s this for a blast from the past? Nearly 20 years after Anita Hill’s sexual harassment claims against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas riveted the nation, the “he said, she said” drama has exploded back into the headlines.
When news broke on Monday about the death of a prominent pro-life activist, I expected to read about it in the conservative and pro-life press. But I wasn’t so sure what to expect in terms of the mainstream media.
As your GetReligionistas have noted many times, it’s pretty obvious that many people — including more than a few mainstream reporters — are confused about the meaning of the word “evangelical.” Heck, I’m not sure that I know what that word means anymore and I used to be one. The Rev. Billy Graham once told me that he wasn’t sure how to define “evangelical.” Honest.
