As Usual, Katherine Harris Gets It BassAckwards

When then-presidential candidate George W. Bush wanted to avoid embarassing questions from a national campaign media out for blood, he would schedule a collection of interviews with local TV stations -- talking over the heads of the national media directly to voters through local anchors who often didn't know enough to ask the right, pointed questions.

Leave it to Katherine Harris to turn that strategy on its head.

Avoiding a state press corps which has savaged her off-balance Senate campaign, Harris ran to Republicans' favorite TV refuge -- Fox News Channel -- to announce she was funneling $10-million of her inheritance money into her ill-advised run for office.

In the same way vice president Dick Cheney ran to Fox News when catcalls about his shooting accident grew too loud, Harris chose to try righting her floundering effort on the conservative-friendly program Hannity and Colmes (curiously, it was an August 2005 appearance on that show, in which she shamelessly flirted with the very married Sean Hannity, that first sparked talk among big name Republican donors that she might be out of her depth).

Nevermind that a poll released hours before her appearance showed her 20 points behind incumbent Bill Nelson. Or that her campaign lost three important staffers this week: finance director Mike Miller, pollster Ed Goeas and fund-raising consultant Anne Dunsmore. Or that she's not yet fully explained away illegal donations she received from defense contractor Mitchell Wade.

Expect a lot more of this tactic, as Harris plays to her strengths -- blind loyalty from the Republican faithful and a vague attactiveness -- by courting GOP-friendly national media and buying lots of commercials. Here's hoping the good folks in Nelson's Senate district realize that if a bubble-head like this gets elected, everybody loses.

Trapped in a Media Feeding Frenzy

For Stacey Kelley, the last straw was the reporter who wanted to follow her to her doctor's appointment.

Kelley has been the subject of intense media interest since news broke last week of her fight with a neighborhood association to keep her Support Our Troops sign in her front yard -- despite rules in the development which prohibit it. She's appeared on CNN, Good Morning America and a host of media outlts from Tampa to Iceland to plead her case, which involves a demand that the association allow her sign in tribute to her husband, an Army private serving in Iraq.

But she had to tell the reporter tailing her to the physician's office to knock it off; she'd speak with him later. Now, she says neighbors are upset because a host of local and national media outlets are staking out her home, and the confusion even sparked a brief feud with a local radio station.

Kelley says she agreed to appear on WQYK-FM's Cledus T. Party show, as the jocks there were raising money for her legal bills. But when a producer showed up claiming to be from "the radio station" she went long, not realizing it was someone from rival Skip Mahaffey's US103.5 FM morning show until it was too late.

For a time, she wasn't sure if the folks at WQYK would even release the funds they'd collected on her behalf; she now says that's been resolved. But Kelley stands in the middle of a self-created media storm that has lasted more than a week now -- the price she's paying for using international media attention to put pressure on her local neighborhood association.

"They're all very nice, but you can't just pop out of nowhere and scare me (with questions)," she said, noting that her husband has grown upset that the flood of emails Kelley receives makes their online communication more difficult.

She's also unable to work her job -- Kelley won't say where -- because her media-unsavvy boss doesn't understand all the attention she's been getting.

"He didn't really believe this was all over a sign this small," Kelley said.

I know how he feels.

Pundit Alert!

I gave National Public Radio's audience a piece of my mind Tuesday, filling in at the last minute on Ed Gordon's News and Notes roundtable with Mary Frances Berry, former head of the U.S. commission on Civil Rights and Roland Martin, executive editor of The Chicago Defender. The topics this time: the verdict in the federal trial of Atlanta's former Mayor Bill Campbell, and reaction to the bouncer suspect in the highly publicized murder of a graduate student in New York City.

Pundit Alert, Take 2!

I also showed up on Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting's radio show Counterspin on Monday, talking about my story on the mainstream media's inability to kick off a national dialogue on the larger issues raised by Hurricane Katrina. It's always gratifying to have your work recognized by a national media outlet -- especially the discerning folks at the lefty advocacy group FAIR.

Comments

[alan s]

Gee, it seems that your bassackwards, because your a liberal wannabe who carries the water for democrats. Go back to asking Bruce Springsteen the tough questions because reporting about news and politics isn't your strong point. You seem more comfortable with asking liberal performers questions then bashing republicans.

[Eric Deggans]

No, I'm pretty comfortable bashing any candidate whose ineptitude and inability to run a coherent campaign serves as a frightening preview to what her Senate term will be like if she is somehow, inexplicably elected.Don't be like the conservatives who blindly supported Bush, only to realize they had been sold a load of hooey. Don't let blind partisanship distrct you from the fact that this woman is not qualified to be a Senator, no matter what party she represents.The Katherine Harrises of the world have counted on blind loyalty to paper over their considerable shortcomings. Don't put a hack in office just because she's a hack wearing GOP colors...

[Anonymous]

Right you are, Eric, the Katherine Harrises of this world have relied on "blind loyalty" and family money! Who loses when they succeed? Everyone.

[Anonymous]

Better we elect chimichunga waller. At least he understands that self determination is impossible in this country. We're under the thumb of the man, opressed by those jewish diamond masters. Uuugghhh... Was that snoop dog who came over to blame American success for sierra leones problems? Does that goofy kid have pubes yet? Couldn't he get a decent frigging outfit?

[Anonymous]

It's rather amusing how you take jabs at Fox. If I remember correctly, Fox was about the only news outlet that accurately reported the content of the katrina tape. The rest of the media were falling all over themselves trying to spin it. Oh yeah, the SPT was one of those outlets. While I appreciate the retraction the SPT had to make, I'd rather go to a source that gets it right the first time.

[Anonymous]

i still say katherine harris looks like a transvesite.

[formerly mr anonymous]

so, katherine harris seeks out biased fox when she wants to preach to the choir.you go on equally biased leftwing media panels to do likewise.in order to make any converts, you both need to get out of your comfort zones.meanwhile, all the blogs keep posting that busty pic of harris. i think you secretly like her!

[Eric Deggans]

Just for the record, both my pundit appearances came from those outlets calling me and asking for an interview. Quite different than Cruella DeHarris, who went outlet-shopping for a place to drop the news about her $10-million loan to herself. Most of the time, schedule permitting, I say yes when asked. Given my viewpoints, I'm not surprised Fox News or Rush Limbaugh isn't calling me. I have offered to appear on Bill O'Reilly's show, if he also agrees to an interview for my newspapr column.So far, haven't gotten a reply.

[Khan of the Wastelands]

meanwhile, all the blogs keep posting that busty pic of harris.Actually now that I've seen that pic, I have a newfound respect for Ms. Harris.She's only a 1 bagger in my book. (Meaning it only takes one bag to cover her ugly mug).I have offered to appear on Bill O'Reilly's show, if he also agrees to an interview for my newspapr column.So far, haven't gotten a reply.All you need for a prep is to have one of your staffers tell you to "Shut up" everytime you try and make a cogent counterargument.That should prep you for O'Reilly.Prepping for Limbaugh would just require you standing behind a Hummer and letting the driver rev the engine. Just let the hot air waft over you it'll be just like listening to great El Rushbo AKA Captain Oxycontin.

[Anonymous]

Really Eric, when you get on here blabbering about Fox News and calling a candidate cruella deharris, it only reinforces the idea that the SPT is a left wing comic book.

[Eric Deggans]

Well, a blog is supposed to reflect the author's opinions. And given that I'm a media columnist who also has written a fair amount about politics, my opinions about both will be reflected here.You may criticize the Times'coverage or its columnists' political viewpoints. But if you dismiss this newspaper as a left wing comic book, then it's you who are not being fair to the quality work done by a building full of great journalists every day.The fact is, many Republicans have problems with the way Harris has run her campaign and have done everything but ask Alan Keyes to run to stop her candidacy.So trying to blunt my obvious criticisms with pointless partisanship only a) mkes my point for me and b) plays into the hands of a mediocre candidate not worth your support.Aren't you tired of her taking you for a ride?

[Khan of the Wastelands]

And to be fair to Eric, the woman looks an awful lot like Cruella DeVille, albeit apparently with a nicer rack.

[Anonymous]

This post has been removed by a blog administrator.

[Anonymous]

Ah yes....Johnnie Cochran is at it again. Hating all conservatives. God help you.

[Khan of the Wastelands]

I thought he was "Bashing" them.Now he hates them too?Oh my.