Astro-turf: Media drops the ball on Ayotte protest coverage

In case you missed it, Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H, faced an emboldened audience during a town hall event Tuesday, including stinging comments from the daughter of a victim of the Sandy Hook shooting. Erica Lafferty, the daughter of slain Sandy Hook Elementary School principal Dawn Hochsprung, went after Ayotte for voting against expanded background checks for firearms purchases.

Jason wrote more about the tense encounter here.

U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H.

But, as the New Hampshire Journal's Shawn Millerick points out, Ayotte's town hall meetings have been largely ignored by the mainstream media -- likely on purpose (emphases mine):

The media certainly covered what they wanted to see. The New York Times, the Washington Post and Politico all created the impression that Ayotte faced a firestorm of criticism at her town hall meetings. Only Politico, in its second story on the controversy, bothered to mention the following:

But there is also ample support for the senator, with supporters holding up signs that said, “N.H. Stands with Kelly.” Ayotte received standing ovations from the crowd in this timber-industry town, drowning out those who were booing her. The National Rifle Association has also aired radio ads expressing its support for Ayotte.

The truth is, Ayotte enjoys a great deal of support for her vote in this Live Free or Die State....

The media have also ignored the disgusting protest techniques being used by the liberal left in their anti-gun crusade, including the crude politicization of events like Sandy Hook and the Boston Marathon bombing attacks:

(Image: Screengrab/Fox News)

The New Hampshire Republican State Committee has already denounced the Obama organization for this over-the-top rhetoric. “It is outrageous that Democrats would use such appalling and disrespectful signs at an event that was officially organized and sanctioned by President Obama’s field operation. The President should be ashamed of the message that was approved and used by his organization at this protest because it is insensitive, unacceptable and has no place in our political discourse,” said executive director Matthew Slater.

In addition, NH Journal has obtained a series of photographs from the parking lots of Sen. Ayotte’s town hall meetings. The photos are of the protesters’ vehicles. As the reader can see, the mass of protesters appear to have commuted in from Vermont and Massachusetts. These protesters made for great props for the elite media. But they are not Sen. Ayotte’s constituents and they won’t have the privilege of voting in the 2016 election, when Ayotte is next up for re-election. Her supporters will. 

Author's note: This post originally misidentified Millerick as a writer for the National Journal instead of the New Hampshire Journal.  It's been updated to correct the error.