It’s amusing, but not amazing, to read how the media have covered the Anthony Weiner scandal compared to one in 2006 involving Rep. Mark Foley of Florida. Foley, of course, is a Republican and Weiner a Democrat from New York City.
While there has been much attention to the Weiner fiasco, the media have treated it less as something that could injure the Democrats in the 2012 election than they did Foley, who sent inappropriate messages to young male House pages.
The Media Research Center reports there were 152 network stories on Foley in 2006 and covers on TIME and Newsweek suggesting harm to the GOP and President Bush.
As of last week, TIME and Newsweek not only had no cover stories on Weiner, they had no stories inside those publications.
This is the way it is always played. When a Republican stumbles, it supposedly affects the party as a whole. When it happens to a Democrat, it’s an isolated incident. But then, what would you have expected?
Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.
