OntheWilderSide

Note: Cynthia McKinney will be on the ballot in New York on the Green Party line. She is next to the sunflower symbol on Row H.

Though, the big daily newspaper in Long Island published their Voter Guide today, Sunday, November 2, 2008. Kudos to Newsday for including a listing, photo, and nice size blurb about every candidate on the ballot in New York State, including third party/independent options: Bob Barr, Roger Calero, Cynthia McKinney and Ralph Nader. I am very happy that they made this nod to reality and to grassroots democracy. And, I am heartened that it will get some of the word out about Green Party Presidential Candidate Cynthia McKinney.

It is interesting that Newsday, a regular, status quo media source, was more fair than a local, independent weekly, The Long Island Press. The Long Island Press dissed third parties by entirely leaving any third party presidential candidates out of their sample ballot and election coverage. Long Island Press is sometimes interesting. Though, it has been so disrespectful of the Green Party lately (preferring fake green initiatives like local government green-washing tied to fast-tracking), that it is a wonder if we should do some kind of boycott. Or, just ignore them.

Back to the Newsday article, some commentary on the subtleties of their coverage for strategy purposes: It is great that the way they laid it out, it is clear that Cynthia McKinney is the Green Party candidate, and Nader is the candidate on “The Populist” line. That is good for us. Newsday chose a pretty good photo of Cynthia McKinney, which is nice. And, they gave Cynthia fair coverage, noting her credentials and her commitment to the environment and civil rights. Though, it was interesting to me that they listed even stronger environmental credentials for Nader, and gave him credit as being anti-nuclear, when, the Green Party and Cynthia McKinney of course take that stand, too. It just made me wonder about how the media perceives the candidates, and if the writers or editors at Newsday have a preference over McKinney or Nader getting votes. But, again, I am thrilled with Newsday’s coverage of third party candidates in their Voter’s Guide. – KW

Filed under: Ballot issues, campaign 2008, cynthia mckinney, election, Election 2008, elections, Environment, grassroots democracy, green, Green Party Websites, Green Presidential Campaign 2008, local, long island, Long Island Politics, media, News, Political Websites, president, presidential, presidential race, progressive politics, third party, US Politics Tagged: | cynthia mckinney, energy, Long Island Press, Newsday, newspaper, Nuclear