From a media relations standpoint it is an interesting time to see how the news media operates regarding a pair of events.
A Kansas Congressman, Kevin Yoder, undresses at an official function in front of wives and family members and swims nude in the Sea of Galilee. A Missouri Senatorial candidate, Todd Akin, uses the term “legitimate rape” during an interview four days ago.
Yoder goes on a quick apology tour and the news media is ready to move on. Akin apologizes profusely over and over in interviews and on paid TV ads and the news media and talk shows continue to pile on endlessly.
The lead editiorial in the Kansas City Star (8/23) proclaims,” Akin’s Weak ‘Apologies’ Compound his Offenses.” It again eviserates the candidate and says he should now be removed from the House science committee. The cutline under his photo proclaims “Todd Akin’s explanations of his viewpoints still don’t make much sense.”
From a political standpoint there was no doubt that the Star was going to endorse Akins opponent former Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Claire McCaskill for re-election. The newspaper has endorsed her for every political office she has ever sought during her career. Many polls had shown her trailing in the race until Akin’s remarks.
However, the continuous piling on Akin while dismissing Yoder’s actions as simply “salacious” as one ethics professor declared on Steve Kraske’s KCUR show today seems a bit disengenuous. Even agenda-driven.
“What Yoder did was far, far worse than Akin’s ignorant remarks,” says another local ethics professor, who wishes to remain anonymous. ”If I was at a teachers meeting and stripped down and dived into the water I guarantee my job would be over.
“As a society we would not permit a teacher or policeman to do that, and a corporation would not permit a sales representative to behave in such a manner,” she adds. “Their jobs would definitely be in jeopardy.”
She noted a recent story of a high school teacher who posted on her personal Facebook page a picture of her drinking while while touring a brewery while on vacation in Ireland. She was fired because some parents felt she was encouraging alcohol use to her students.
“Why do we hold a teacher on a personal vacation to a higher standard that we would an elected official?” asks the professor. “Yoder was on official business as a Congressman representing the United States in a foreign country on a junket paid for by a foregin country.
“Ethically, would any company allow its representative to take several thousands of dollars as a personal gift and then feel comfortable that they would be able to make decisions fairly when their benefactor is involved? In other words, the question becomes Yoder has accepted a gift from Israel. Will this color his judgment when he votes on matters involving Israel?
“Maybe the news media should be asking itself why it took a full year before this story even came out. That is a question that is very troubling.”
Ironically, while Yoder admitted he had been drinking before shedding his clothes on the Israel junket, no media members have brought up his 2009 incident where he pled guilty to refusing to take a preliminary breath test after being pulled over by police at 2:31 a.m. for speeding.
AKIN IN WOODSHED
Agreed. Yoder appears to be getting off light, while Akin is hopelessly stuck out behind the woodshed. It’s the usual media feeding frenzy. When an outlet of some stature heads off in a certain direction, everyone else tends to follow. All sense of balance and objectivity eventually disappears. What we need right now is a big hurricane so everyone can start talking about that, especially one that’ll dislodge this high pressure system entrenched over the central plains.
POLICY STATEMENT VS. SOMETHING STUPID
It’s the difference between a policy statement and doing something stupid. Akin stated his position on abortion and his beliefs about rape. That’s political, and worthy of being discussed at election time. Akin’s apologies and apparent change of position reflect his reaction to this incident, and don’t change what he felt and said before it. Whether they are genuine is for the voters to decide.
Yoder did something incredibly stupid and tasteless, which shows his personal character, but is not political, although it too, deserves to be considered at election time.
Should a teacher be fired or drinking a beer on a brewery tour? No. That just shows the self-righteousness of her administrators, and the fact that she works at their mercy, and is not in an elected position. It also shows that everyone should be very wary of what they post on their Facebook pages.
Once again, Akin said something stupid while campaigning whereas Yoder went skinny-dipping in his capacity as a U.S. Congressman representing his country on an official visit to a foreign country. Yoder may have even broken the law in Israel by stripping. How is that NOT political?
YODER A DISGRACE
yoder is a DISGRACE !!!!! Likely a pedefile
drunk punk ! He needs to resign in Complete
and utter DISGRACE !!!!!!
YODER SIMPLY MISBEHAVED
Yes, Yoder’s actions show personal shortcomings, but Akin made a policy statement based on pure ignorance.
To think this man, a member of the House science committee, is making legislation based on his apparent total ignorance of human biology, his devotion to junk science and ideology and disregard for women is appalling.
He apologized for the use of the word “legitimate” as in “legitimate rape.” But the bigger issue is his belief that the female body has some mystical powers to deter any unwanted semen.
Yoder misbehaved, but isn’t legislating on a skinny-dipping platform.
So Yoder’s public nudity was not a statement? In a foreign country on official U.S. business?
CAN’T COMPARE THEM
I’m not condoning Yoder. I think part of the issue is the news cycle. Had Yoder’s shenanigans been disclosed at a different time, it may be a different story.
But to put it in the context of the ethics professor who said, “What Yoder did was far, far worse than Akin’s ignorant remarks,” says another local ethics professor, who wishes to remain anonymous. ”If I was at a teachers meeting and stripped down and dived into the water I guarantee my job would be over,” if a teacher told a class of students that women are magically able to repel semen under duress, as some doctors, namely the arch-conservative Dr. John C. Wilke, told him, that teacher would be looking for a new job after other teachers question his credentials, parents write letters of protest and children are poorly served by a person that has no business teaching.
You just can’t compare Akin and Yoder.
CAN’T COMPARE ISSUES
These two issues are hardly comparable.
Yoder took a dip in the sea without his clothes on. For anyone who is not aware, the Sea of Galilee is a RESORT area. Yes, the body of water has religious significance but I’m sure he wasn’t the first to do so.
Akin made a policy statement that shows his true beliefs and his ignorance about the subject on which he was opining.
Yoder is running unopposed. Akin is in the midst of a hotly contested campaign. That is the biggest factor.
One stripped as a U.S. Congressman on AN OFFICIAL VISIT as our country’s representative at an OFFICIAL FUNCTION on a trip PAID FOR by a foreign country. The other said something stupid during a campaign (see Biden). Don’t vote for Akin.
You’re right. There is no comparing the two.
NO PUNISHMENT?
As I understand Kansas law, ANYONE who REFUSES to take a breath test MUST give up his/her Driver’s License for ONE YEAR.
Didn’t happen with Yoder in 2009.
As I understand it, Yoder DID break the law in Israel with his “innocent” skinny-dipping escapade.
Again, NO punishment for Yoder. What gives, Kansas? If he is a Republican, he gets a pass on ANYTHING he does?