The Use and Misuse of Politicians

The Use & Misuse of Politicians

A politician lecturing newsmen usually behaves in one of two ways, Michigan's Democratic Senator Philip A.

Hart explained to journalism students at Wayne State University. "He can extol the virtues of his audience in the hope that the admiration might be somehow reciprocated, or he can dev astate them with criticism in revenge for all those neglected handouts." Taking no chances, Hart chose to try a little of both, sprinkling his speech with illustrations of how press and politicians use -- and misuse -- each other.

Reporters, said Hart, inevitably slant the news -- often by not covering it. He cited the case of his own truth-in-packaging bill, passed by Congress last month, which laid down new standards for labeling of packaged foods (meaningless designations like "giant half-quart" are forbidden; air space be tween the contents and the top of the box is regulated). The bill was generally reported in the daily press but ignored in many publications, particularly the women's magazines. They were "sensitive," said Hart, "because the food industry was opposed to it, and the food industry spends a lot of money for advertising." The president of the Grocery Manufacturers Association even sent a "task force" to "invite" several magazines to run articles praising the food industry.

Some magazines, said Hart, accepted the invitation. Look, for example, ran a piece entitled "Let's Keep Politics Out of the Pantry," which was written by then General Foods Chairman Charles G. Mortimer. "Our request for space to present the other side of the story," Hart continued, "was met by the editor's reply that he didn't think the public was particularly interested in packaging as an issue."

Hart conceded that there is nothing wrong with slanting so long as "everyone is free to take a different slant." An adroit politician is "constantly working up ploys to make himself look a little better than he really is. Most of these ploys, incidentally, are successful." Hart gave an example from personal experience in the Senate: "A Michigan reporter in Washington wrote a piece that carried the headline HART EMERGING AS A LEADER IN THE SENATE, which,

believe me, is some very heavy slanting. I felt I should call it to the attention of the reporter immediately. So I grabbed a pen and paper and my note began: 'Congratulations on a remarkably perceptive story.' "

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