Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, May 20, 2013. Credit: AP
Take Seung Min Kim on Politico, who attempted to give great coverage to those at the town halls that were questioning Grassley’s stance. She quotes three attendees, Randy Waagmeester, Glenda Schrick, and Dave Damstrom, who did not support Grassley’s stance.
On the other side, instead of quoting from three attendees, the author mostly goes to “groups” that support Grassley. She does quote from one supporter at the hearing, and the quote is revealing. She writes, “He’s doing his job and we appreciate it,” a male voice said, triggering "a loud round of applause from the three dozen people who attended the town hall…”
Wait a minute, “a loud round of applause?” Yes. And that’s telling. You see, even though the report gives 3-to-1 coverage to local opponents of Sen. Grassley, “a loud round of applause” suggests the majority of those in attendance supported the senator.
Indeed, the local newspaper, the Sioux City Journal, reported that, “The biggest applause of the day came after a woman thanked the senator for his ‘courageous’ stance.”
That should be the lead on this story, given the non-stop, “Grassley is under pressure,” stories from the media. The loudest applause, in Iowa, came when someone thanked the senator.
The loud applause was actually the only applause of the morning, and the thanks came from an Iowan. I know, because Iowan Janae Strake serves as Communications Coordinator for Concerned Women for America, and she was at all of Senator Grassley’s town halls. Janae reported the meetings went very well for the senator who was resolute in his stand on this issue.
Janae told me, “The majority of questions asked by locals were not regarding the Supreme Court.” Sure, the left had their plants and tried to disrupt as much as possible (Planned Parenthood had a representative coaching others on what to say, and Iowans for Progress had a representative there). But they mostly failed in their task. Iowans cheered for the senator.
That is a remarkable after the unbelievably slanted way the coverage of Scalia’s vacancy has been conducted. Most mainstream media outlets are walking in lock step with the Democrats’ strategy. And yet, Iowans at least, are seeing right through the bias.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 16: US President Barack Obama (L), nominates Judge Merrick B. Garland (R), to the US Supreme Court, in the Rose Garden at the White House, March 16, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
These reports mean the other side will only intensify its efforts, no doubt, but should Senator Grassley ever need a boost, a trip back home can always do the trick. There the thousands of members of CWA of Iowa will continue to stand strong for his efforts to give “We the People” a voice.
As CWA of Iowa State Director Tamara Scott recently wrote, “Bottom line is Senator Grassley is living up to that solemn oath to ‘support and defend the Constitution’ when he stands against President Obama’s haste to confirm a third Supreme Court Justice. He acts in our best interest when he lets the people decide on this as they go to the polls this next election.”
Mario Diaz, Esq. is Legal Counsel at Concerned Women for America, the nation's largest public policy women's organization. His book Be Spent: Winning the Fight for Freedom's Survival is available now at BEspent.com or Amazon. Follow him @legalblurbb
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