(Former) Gov. Roland resigns and you can hear a pin drop

[Emboldened Chimp]

Compare that to the media circus surrounding Gray Davis when he was recalled after doing NOTHING ILLEGAL. I really don't know what to say to this. To blame "that damned librul media" is to flirt with being cliched. I'm just flabbergasted that this story barely registered a blip on the national media radar screen.

[joeybee12]

1. It's Rowland, but your point is well taken....

...didn't see anything on the front sections of the Washington Post. I guess the fact that a Repuke is a crook just ain't news!

[liberalpragmatist]

2. Eh, I can understand it

Seriously, I don't think there's a conspiracy here. It's not that unusual for a governor to have to resign over corruption charges and the like. They're pretty much not covered much in the national media b/c nobody cares. Arizona's governor had to resign some time back, so did Bill Clinton's successor as Arkansas Governor.

The Recall WAS a big event, even sans-Arnold. Recalls are NEVER used, so this was historic, AND it was in California, which was a trendsetter. Plus, there's nothing very exciting about a gubernatorial resignation. But the recall, you have to admit, was a pretty fantastic political story, what with the hundreds of candidates, the flirtations by senior Dems and Repubs, and THEN Arnold. However, it was big even before Arnold entered the race.

To be totally honest, I wouldn't give the media shit over this. My guess is they would have treated it as a big story if it had been a Republican who was recalled in California, too. Much has to do with the fact that it's California, and the Big States tend to have the most attention to them paid among political junkies. New York is the same way. And the recall itself is a big deal. If Davis had just resigned, and there hadn't been a recall, it wouldn't have been nearly as big a deal. They'd have covered it in the evening news, for sure, but that'd be the end of it.

[mark11727]

3. Local Connecticut radio station has been following this

for some time (I'm on Long Island), but never mentioned Roland's party.

It wasn't until the story broke nationally that I realized he was Republican.

Shock and surprise.

[fob]

4. You were expecting something like this?

FORMER bush* CAMPAIGN CHAIR RESIGNS IN SCANDAL!!