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11.24.2010 0

Report on Rep. Boehner’s Flight out of Reagan National the Byproduct of Sour Grapes

By Kevin Mooney –

With the controversy over the Transportation Safety Agency’s (TSA) new security policies heating up, the New York Times has seized upon Rep. John Boehner’s recent flight out of Reagan National in an effort to needle the incoming Republican House Speaker for receiving an escort through security. This is a nothing story replete with snide comments and editorial observations that do not belong on the news page.

Boehner is a hypocrite because he criticized Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for using military instead of commercial aircraft, but now sees fit to invoke privileges that are not available to average citizens, the Times tells its readers.

“The Republican leader, who will become the second person in line to assume the presidency after the new Congress convenes in January, took great pride after the midterm elections in declaring his man-of-the-people plans to travel home as other Americans do,” the Times says. “In a time of economic difficulty, it was a not-so-subtle dig at Ms. Pelosi, who has access to a military jet large enough to avoid refueling for her flights home to San Francisco. But he is not giving up all the perquisites of power.”

This is what you call sour grapes. The liberal editors at the Gray Lady had envisioned a long reign for the Democrats in the House that ended abruptly after just a few years. On the surface, this report from Jeff Zeleny may appear small, trite and inconsequential. In reality, it should be properly viewed as a dry run for more expansive hit pieces that will be rolled out in short order.

The double standard is now in effect for the incoming House Speaker who will be scrutinized and scorned at every turn. This is not about logic or fairness; it is about agenda-based reporting. The Times is obviously looking for any conceivable angle that could be parlayed into news reports that distract from the Republican Party’s policy agenda.

“There was no waiting for Mr. Boehner, who was escorted around the identification-checking agents, the metal detectors and the body scanners, and whisked directed to the gate,” the Times sneers in the second paragraph..

There is no substantive criticism to be made here as there is “no waiting” for public officials in any number of venues. It’s just a lame, empty attempt to sabotage the GOP leader. Moreover, Boehner’s rebuke of Pelosi was rooted in a genuine to desire reform extravagant practices that further burden already beleaguered taxpayers, a story the Times continues to miss.

Kevin Mooney is a contributing editor to Americans for Limited Government (ALG) News Bureau and the Executive Editor of TimesCheck.com.

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