There is a good summary of the late night coverage (including Comedy Central and SNL) of DeLay in this morning’s Austin American-Statesman:
“Late-night TV comics have discovered the pugnacious ex-exterminator from Sugar Land and are helping to make DeLay into a household name — and not in a good way.”
Drip, drip, drip.
The downside for DeLay is tremendous:
“The potential for damage might be greater for DeLay because he remains relatively unknown outside of Texas and Washington. Forty-two percent of people polled April 1 and 2 had never heard of DeLay or knew so little about him they had no opinion of his performance, a CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll found.
A significant number of voters, particularly those 18 to 29, rely on late-night comedy routines for much of their political news, according to a 2004 poll by the Pew Center for the People and the Press.
In addition, a study by Dannagal Goldthwaite Young, a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication, found that late-night monologues and skits most influence viewers who aren’t particularly knowledgeable about politics.”
Young voters are crucial to us. They listen to Jon Stewart, and they are far less homophobic than their parents.
They may not understand the danger the deficit poses for them, but they do understand the danger of The Church Lady having more control of their lives. Chastity belts are not popular with this crowd. And they understand and loathe hypocrisy.
Talk to the youth. I have found that my 17 year old son and I can communicate around Jon Stewart and SNL very well.