Boastful Florida-Based Reporters Missed the Best Campaign Ever

Associated Press
Elspeth Reeve 2,542 Views Jan 26, 2012

Dozens -- though it feels like thousands -- of political reporters are gleefully tweeting about their ridiculous luck that the Republican presidential primary is not only still going on, but going on in Florida. Yes, the very place on the east coast where there's no dreary gray rain all day long.

"Romney rallying hundreds at sunset in Ormond Beach," the cruel Philip Rucker tweeted January 22. "High on the pleasantness scale: That moment the Florida sun retreats behind a cloud," raging jerk Dave Weigel tweeted the following day. "Newt an hour late to Cocoa Beach, pushing sched back - good times" tweeted Benjy Sarlin, cluelessly spoiled like the rest of the 1 percent (of reporters). 

"I'll be on @msnbc with @alexwitt talking all things Romney from sunny Florida. #notsorry," sadistic monster Garrett Haake tweeted Sunday. Well guess what guys: you might have hit the jackpot this time, but you missed out on the greatest campaign of all time, suckers. You didn't cover Bill Bradley.

Bradley, the failed challenger to Al Gore for the Democratic nomination in 2000, ran one the best campaigns ever when he was a senator from New Jersey. From Wikipedia: "While he was a senator, Bradley walked the beaches from Cape May to Sandy Hook, a four-day, 127-mile trip each Labor Day weekend, to assess beach and ocean conditions and talk with constituents." "Assess beach and ocean conditions"?! Did he also "monitor the elasticity of swimwear textiles"? How about "inquire whether the scent of the latest suntan oil products was too coconutty or was cut with a pleasant pineappley acidity"? This is what Bradley's "assessments" looked like:

Above, Bradley puddle hopping in 1996, via the Associated Press and several other lucky bastards.

"Campaigning" (vacationing) with "voters" (vacationers) in 1995.

Note the cameraman, hard at "work" in 1999.

There's still some time for this reporter to get on a flight to Florida...

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at ereeve at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.

Related Articles   More by Elspeth Reeve

Hooray for the Great 2012 Debates!

The Best Totally Wrong Predictions of the Republican Primary

GOP's Love-Hate Relationship with the Press More Lovey and Hatey than Ever

 

If There's a War on Men, Who's Winning Exactly?

What We're Talking About When We Talk About Politico

Elsewhere on the Web

User Comments

Please type your comment and click Post. If you’re not already logged in you will be prompted to log in or register

  • The Atlantic Wire on Twitter
  • The Atlantic Wire RSS Feed
  • The Atlantic Wire iPhone App