Montana Newspapers Delivered Wrapped in Conrad Burns Political Ads: Paid for by NRA

[DeepModem Mom]

Editor&Publisher: Montana Newspapers Delivered to Subscribers Wrapped in Political Ads
Published: October 31, 2006

HELENA, Mont.-- Some newspaper subscribers in Montana will find their Election Day papers wrapped in a political advertisement.

The National Rifle Association said Monday it is buying plastic bag "wrap" advertising in seven or eight Montana newspapers to show support for Republican Sen. Conrad Burns, who is in a tight race for re-election. Only some of those newspapers will be wrapped in the advertising on Election Day and others will be delivered earlier with the ad wrapping, said NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam.

The campaign of Democratic challenger Jon Tester said sending newspapers out in a bag emblazoned with pro-Burns language on Election Day could confuse readers.

"It runs the risk of an implied endorsement from the newspaper," said Tester spokesman Matt McKenna....

Arulanandam said the NRA expects to reach 120,000 to 150,000 households in Montana. He refused to say which papers will use the ad wrap on Election Day and which will use it earlier....

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003317339

[Bill McBlueState]

1. I wonder if the carriers have any role in this

When I had a paper route as a kid, I had to wrap the papers myself. I used either plastic bags or rubber bands, depending on the weather. I wouldn't necessarily have used a particular style of plastic bag just because the circulation director said to, especially if it was covered in ads for a Republican.

[w4rma]

14. Carriers do still wrap them before their routes, but the newspaper supplies the wraps. (nt)

[Ediacara]

2. This doesn't surprise me

No dailies have given any Senate endorsements yet, but I suspect they'll go as follows:

Tester
Billings Gazette
Helena Independent-Record
Montana Standard (Butte)
Missoulian

Burns
Great Falls Tribune
Bozeman Chronicle
Kalispell Daily Interlake

BUT, most of the dailies are owned by a right-leaning company that hires inaccurate right-leaning pollster Mason-Dixon to produce polls that show the GOP is a sunny light. The unnamed company is probably Lee newspapers that own the Gazette, the Montana Standard, the I-R, and several others in Wyoming and South Dakota. Strangely, all of these papers endorsed Kerry and Schweitzer last time 'tound despite the fact that Lee is a GOP leaning company.

[keithjx]

6. It won't be the Tribune....

They banned the practice of extra wrapping on papers a couple of years ago...
KJ

[Ediacara]

7. good

[Supersedeas]

3. If the people in Montana are stupid enough to vote for this criminal,

newpapers wrappers amounts to just deserts.

[Skink]

4. I guess condom's weren't big enough.

:shrug:

[krispos42]

5. It's good advertising for a bad candidate

They do that here in Minnesota. I got a free sample of organic Kashi instant oatmeal with my Pi Press last Sunday. Or they will print out a sticky pad and stick the little yellow sheets of paper to the front pages as memos.

[davidinalameda]

8. how was the oatmeal

curious

[krispos42]

9. Dunno. I don't get up until noon or so

I work nights. I usually just have lunch, dinner, and too much junk food. Mmmm... keibasa...

It's "Kashi Go Lean Creamy All-Natural Hot Cereal" in "Truly Vanilla" flavor. I'll try it on the weekend when I have my kid. I'll feed it to him and take a taste myself.

[davidinalameda]

10. you might want to taste it before you give it to your kid

I like vanilla though and it sounds good

[krispos42]

12. Well, I'll give it to him anyway

Worst case, he and the cat wind up wearing it. That's why I bathe him AFTER breakfast, not before... lmao

[davidinalameda]

15. or you'll end up wearing it

;)

[DebbieCDC]

11. Gag me, the Daily Interlake

I recently moved to Kalispell and had one of their salesmen show up on my door trying to sell me a subscription to that right wing rag. To his credit, when I declined to subscribe because of my disagreement with their positions, he apologized for bothering me and left. Maybe he doesn't like them either, but needs the job.

[Gin]

13. These plastic bags for newspapers make good poop holders

while walking your dog!