What, you did not really expect the news media in this town to really folllow up on this story now did you? They would much rather follow up on the real stories in the local news, like Garnett apologizing for his remarks that "may have offended" people involved with the war in Iraq etc. Dean Johnson and his crew were too busy playing victim to the bad old GOP machine that we all know really runs the state to notice that a few of his own people were in the sack with a bunch of lobbyists. (Well ok... they were in the bag, but you get my point.)

The Star Tribune published an article on the DFL booze scandel on page 2B under the fold. It is an classic how-to case study of how to hide embarrassing news for your side.

1) Hide the story inside another story. The headline reads "Pawlenty Signs 0.08 Limit Into Law"
(http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/4799707.html), which has nothing to do with having booze parties in DFL chambers.

2) Quote comments that make it sound like a general problem and ignore the fact it was the DFL that got busted. "Tim Pawlenty said Thursday that it's time to tighten up on drinking in the State Capitol. He called for prohibiting alcohol use in the Captiol complex during legislative sessions." No mention of the DFL frat party that was caught on tape (yet). And no mention that drinking by state employees including DFL aides while on duty is already illegal.

3) Blame the messenger. "All the concern from top officials stemmed from a KMSP-TV report Wednesday night of drinking in Capitol offices by lobbyists, aides and at least one state representative..." If it wasn't for that darn KMSP-TV. And uhm it was DFL offices.. hello?

4) Hey everybody does it. "Drinking in the Capitol 'was common years ago, even on the House floor,' Pawlenty said." (With so many quotes from the governor if you didn't read carefully you'd get he impression the kegger was in the gov's offices) DFLers don't seem to want to be quoted.

5) Finally reveal the bad news in paragraph 9 but mention it only in passing while making the primary point that it's partisan attack. "KMSP, however, looked only into Senate DFL offices in the Capitol building; all House members and Senate Republicans have quarters in the State Office Building across the street. Still, state Republican chairman Ron Eibensteiner took the opportunity to flay his partisan rivals over the report."

To summarize: use a misleading headline, use obfuscatory quotes, blame the story on someone else, then claim it is a partisan attack.

Gideon,

Beautiful.