My letter to the Washington Posts ombudsman:
Here has got to be one of the worst examples of "journalistic" attempts at false equivalency:
Both national party committees spend big chunks on fancy meals, hotels, travel
By R. Jeffrey Smith
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The lead makes it sound like the two party committees engage in the same behavior:
Both the national Democratic and Republican party committees spend about two-thirds of the money they take in on the care and comfort of committee staffs and on efforts to raise more funds, with lavish spending on limousines, expensive hotels, meals and tips, an analysis of the latest financial disclosure data shows.
(details after the jump)
Smith (the so-called "journalist") does this by AVERAGING the expenditures of the two party financial reports:
administrative and fundraising expenses consumed about $60 million of Democratic revenue in this cycle through the end of February, or 59 percent of total revenue that exceeded $100 million. For Republicans, the amount exceeded $74 million, or 68 percent of $109 million in revenue.
Wow. So, 59% for the Democrats is the same as 68% for the Republicans, and both spend "about two-thirds" on fund-raising. And, come to think of it, that two-thirds is not even an average, it is just barely under the Republican spend rate. In fact, what the Republican and Democratic reports show is NO WAY equivalent.
Okay, I worked in a non-profit most of my professional life, and if we spent even 20% on administration, we were worried. In point of fact, even though I'm a life-long Democrat, I won't contribute to the DNC when it wastes money like this. I gave when Chairman Dean was creating the national strategy, investing in state level organizers, and I contribute to actual campaigns.
But, back to the article. Smith tries to make the case for equivalency throughout. Here he reports on a GOP retreat in Jackson Hole last August:
Spending reports at the Federal Election Commission offer vivid illustrations of luxurious tastes. When RNC Chairman Michael S. Steele and colleagues took several dozen party donors on a retreat last August to Jackson Hole, Wyo., for example, golf and tennis fees were paid, whitewater rafting and trout fishing guides were contracted, and limo drivers and photographers were hired. Flowers worth about $1,300 decorated tables filled with food from three caterers.
Including rooms at the Four Seasons Resort, which promotes itself as offering "pampered adventures," the event appears to have soaked up more than $170,000 from party coffers, the data show.
Okay, that is a lot of money to spend on one event. What did the Dems do?
The Democratic Party racked up a similar bill -- $176,000 -- to cover 14 months of catering at events at the Washington Hilton.
OMG: "similar"!! In fact, the Dems spent EVEN MORE at the Washington Hilton!!!! But, wait a second. That was over 14 months, and for an unspecified number of events. OK, well, never mind. Cummonnow Post, can't you do better than this?
Alright: here's a 'graph in which your crack journalistic team managed to find the two parties engaged in the same kind of wasteful spending over the same time period, and at the same location. Good on you:
Since January 2009, both the RNC and the DNC have spent donated funds at a local store called Tiny Jewel Box.
So what was the story?
The RNC said it paid $19,851 for "office supplies," while the DNC said it paid $666 for "rental" costs.
Excuse me ... the RNC spent 30 times what the Democrats did? I'm suprised the Smith didn't note that 666 is the mark of the beast.
What editor allowed this story to go through? Please.
Ben Richmond