I Am Disturbed Not by Cat Stories in the Times Union but Rather by the Lack of Them. A

31 August 2006

Dear Rex,

I enjoyed reading the “touching tale of a disabled cat” Prince last week. In your Saturday column (26 Aug “Candidates meet news realities”) you seemed to be having second thoughts about putting Prince’s tale (or tail) on page one, but I say, “Hell yeah-- above the fold!”

I am disturbed not by cat stories in the Times Union but rather by the lack of them. A half century has passed since the TU published another touching tale “Langford, prominent cat dies.”* We need more cat stories—case closed.

My bother Sean, who serves as my principal advisor, has a cat—Tinker. I told Tinker’s master in July that if we ran a flawless, issue-focused, asymmetrical campaign we could win the September 12th democratic primary. But alas, we made a mistake, one from which it may be too late to recover; we neglected to mention to the press corps that the first guy in a decade to challenge Mr. McNulty in a primary, and only the second person to challenge a sitting incumbent in a primary in this district since the days when Langford (R.I.P.) hung out at Jack’s Lunch on Broadway, has a cat.

The cat’s name? J.D. Like most cats, J.D. is a rather astute creature. I often find myself using him as a sounding board. (Cats are good listeners.)

Recently, as he was resting (cats are good resters too) I shared with J.D. some thoughts about the role of the press in a democracy. I suggested to him that the absence of a free, independent and responsible press puts democracy at risk. The Times Union not long ago wrote an editorial lamenting President Vladimir Putin’s troubling rollback of press freedoms in Russia.

Fortunately, here in the Capital Region an editor need not fear that the tax police will come and shut down his paper were he to call a mayor or a senator or a president a boob. The problem we appear to have press-wise is not related to its freedom or its independence but rather its being responsible. There was in the beginning, is now, and perhaps forever shall be inadequate reporting on the congressional primary race in the 21st district. For some reason, an issue-focused primary, in a district that sees a democratic primary challenge about as often it sees Halley’s Comet, just isn’t newsy enough.

This points to a troubling philosophical inconsistency on the part of local media elites.

I explained to J.D. that local political commentators and editorial writers often complain that a fundamental flaw with our political system is the “reality” that it is decidedly skewed in favor of incumbents. Yet it appears that these same commentators and editors are oblivious to another “reality” -- newspapers that do not report on political races engage in defacto bias in favor of incumbents. Moreover, certain papers (the Times Union included) do not publish a “voter’s guide” before primaries. This too is problematic because in districts such as NY’s 21st, the primary is the election (no slight intended to the Republican candidate Mr. Wredlich, who might have cat, but has yet to go the record on this). Press policies and behavior, therefore, only seem to add to or reinforce existing systemic and institutional factors that favor incumbents.

J.D. listens as I drone on.

There are other problems too, ones related to the quality and sophistication of reporting. Issue One in this race is the complex, protracted, and very bloody war in Iraq that has left over 2500 Americans killed and over 20,000 wounded. Reporters often ask me to sum up my views on the war in one sentence. I realize they do this for good reason; to help me transmit a “message” that will resound with the readers-- the voters. Though perhaps necessary in theses days of the soundbite, this unfortunately, I suggest to J.D., is how we get to a level of discourse on matters of war and peace, national power, intelligence, diplomacy, compromise and overtures, alliances, generational struggle, regime change, post-911 security environment, covert operations, insurgents, militias, Al-Qaeda, counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation, foreign and defense policy, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran that can only rise to “Stay the Course/Cut and Run” and “Bring the troops home”/”Bush rubber stamp.” In short, the readers - and voters - get slogans, not statesmanship.

J.D. rolled over. (That’s cat body language for “Tell me more Master.”)

Cats find analogies useful to help understand certain things, so I explained it to J.D. this way: My dear (but rather strict) Irish mother often offers me parenting advice. (She doesn’t have a cat, I confided to J.D., however, she occasionally baby sits Tinker. And that counts, cat-wise.) “Tommy,” says she, “the more you do for children, the less they appreciate it.”

J.D. perked up upon hearing that. And by the look in his eye I knew he was saying to me:

“So you’re saying that the American press, the freest on the planet, often behaves like a spoiled, irresponsible, adolescent, who doesn’t appreciate the freedoms they have, and how tenuous they might be.” (Cats don’t sugar coat stuff.)

But then again, perhaps J.D. was saying, “Tom, lighten up and scratch my belly.”

Does McNulty have a cat? If yes, why is hiding him? (I think this race is about to heat up!)

“Meow.”

J.D. thinks it might be a good idea to remind democratic voters that for only the second time in half a century they have a choice—and to vote on Tuesday 12 September.

Thomas J. Raleigh

Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Democratic Candidate, United States House of Representatives
21st Congressional District, State of New York

*1954 The author, future Pulitzer Prize winner William Kennedy. You may find it in his collection of nonfiction Riding the Yellow Trolley Car.