The press uses its power in subtle and not-so-subtle ways

Former Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo has announced his candidacy for Governor of Colorado.

Today the Denver Post used a banner headline on their front page to say Tancredo thwarts GOP. That headline is designed purposely to capture the attention of the voter who is not a news junkie like us bloggers, but still votes Republican all or most of the time. That person is going to read that headline and immediately get upset at Tom Tancredo. My wife, who fits the non-news-junkie portrayal I just laid out above, read the headline and got upset at Tancredo and in a loud voice yelled out, "Why is he doing this?"

Presto! The Post accomplshed exactly what it wanted to accomplish with the banner headline: cause Republican voters to be angry at Tom Tancredo! But just to be sure, the Post went on to develop another story with this headline: Tancredo's new party way out in right field. The new party is the American Constitution Party. A spokesperson for the ACP said that all of his party's beliefs are founded in the Constitution, and "indeed, each plank is proceeded by excerpts from it or other documents drafted by the Founding Fathers."

The man the Post wants to be the next governor, Democrat John Hickenlooper, will now be directly challenged by the fearless Tancredo. Tancredo will expose Hickenlooper as providing illegal immigrants with a sanctuary city to come to. The media will do its best to protect Hickenlooper by slanting headlines and stories.