Articles in the Mankato Free Press are ordinarily published over staff writers' bylines, but the current puff piece for the Republican Senate Majority Caucus's radio show, Inside the Senate, goes without. I'm not sure I can blame the editors.
Show frontman Senator Mike Parry comes up with a good one for why the "we" on the show likely will be Republicans:
The “we” is likely to be predominately fellow Republicans as Parry said the focus of the show will be explaining legislation that’s reached the Senate floor — a criterion that will weed out Democratic proposals that don’t have GOP support in committees.
At least that beats having tapeworms.
But there's more:
Parry said, however, that he’s open to including Democrats on the show as the major disagreements over budget decisions and other topics come to a head later in the legislative session.
“I could see both pros and cons of a budget, sitting down at a microphone and having a debate like that.”
Bluestem is filled with great joy and rapture to know that Parry wants to do on his show (taped and produced at whose expense?) that very thing that he refused to do while the Minnesota State Senate was in session a few weeks back.
And since his minders at the Republican Senate Majority Caucus are so very graciously taking questions via email, there probably isn't any reason for DFL Senator Dick Cohen or any other DFL member of the legislature to show up to a taping session.
Citizens can send questions for the show to Parry the GOP Senate Caucus comm shop via [email protected].
Here are some questions you might ask:
Presumably, the show is produced by the communications department, so this is a chance for Minnesotans to go directly to caucus Communications Director and Executive Assistant to Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch Michael Brodkorb(also Republican Party of Minnesota Deputy Chair) for answers.
Maintaing the spin about the taped content, Parry told the Free Press:
“I think that’s very important to give the citizens the opportunity to hear it straight from the lawmaker.”
And what better way than a taped radio show, with emailed questions? It's surprising the founders of the state didn't think of that one, instead opting for that messy process of office visits, committee hearings, and floor sessions.
And the show might eventually go live, Parry says:
“Inside the Senate” is being put together in two 25-minute segments, which will give stations the opportunity to devote either a half-hour or an hour of air time, Parry said. The show may eventually go to a live format, the tradition established by Independence Party Gov. Jesse Ventura and Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty — something that allows for comments and questions from listeners via telephone or e-mail.
I suppose: if you have Michael Brodkorb "in the can," one best let him out.
Update: The first show starts out with Parry and Koch talking about how the strategy with which the Republicans took control of the Senate(via Morning Take). And Parry opens the segment by calling it, "the official news." Is this "official news"--which discusses partisan campaign strategy-- produced at the expense of the Republican caucus or by the State of Minnesota? Part 2.
Related content: Spinside the Senate: Senate Republican Majority Caucus produces Radio Free Mike Parry
Photo: State Senator Mike Parry.
Gee, wonder why the Doug-Tice-run Strib wouldn't want to probe too closely into just who's paying for all of this, eh? Especially when this could potentially dwarf the big Jungbauer Scandal of 2004 and 2005. It wouldn't have anything to do with Tice's being a longtime Republican partisan, would it?
Posted by: Phoenix Woman | Mar 01, 2011 at 09:14 AM