Posted by
Josiah623 on Sunday, February 04, 2007 2:48:37 AM
Karen Tumulty
Time Magazine
letters@time.com
Equal Time for Conservative Candidates
Dear Ms. Tumulty:
I was disappointed to see that a number of prominent
Republican candidates were excluded from your graphic “Your Guide to a Crowded
Field:Time’s Election Index” in a recent Time magazine article about the 2008
presidential race. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, for instance, had
indicated his likely entry into the race for the GOP nomination. In 1999, Ron Paul made Congressional
Quarterly’s CQ50, the publication’s list of 50 most effective members of
Congress. In his 1996 race, Paul was
ranked 3rd among Republican House members in donations from
individual contributors. Rep. Tom
Tancredo has also announced. This
Colorado Congressman is a national leader on the issue of securing America’s
borders and stopping illegal immigration and has made headlines for bold
statements in defense of American culture.
Thirdly, presidential candidate Rep. Duncan Hunter of California
is apparently in favor already with some big gun Republican financiers
including South Carolina
textile magnate Roger Milliken. Don’t
these facts at least entitle Paul, Tancredo, and Hunter to a picture on your
site?
If the ultimate likelihood of the candidate’s success is the
criterion for inclusion in Time’s Election Index, why were Gov. Pataki and
Senator Hagel included? Recent rumblings
indicate pro-choice former NY governor Pataki is so unconfident of his
potential he’s unlikely to even run.
Staunchly antiwar Republican Senator Chuck Hagel hovers between an
asterisk and 2% in recent polls, frequently behind some of the other less well
known candidates listed above.
I hope that Time will promptly add Paul, Tancredo, Hunter,
and even others like Sen. Sam Brownback to its Election Tracking Index. Otherwise I’ll have no choice but to conclude
that Time’s reporting on P2008 is yet another attempt by the major media to
show partiality towards liberals and marginalize conservatives.