In Coakley Hullabaloo, Assaulted Reporter’s Question Are Still Unanswered

By now anyone following the Massachusetts Senate election knows of the latest twist, involving Michael Meehan, and Weekly Standard reporter John McCormack. McCormack, after asking a tough question was shoved by Meehan and fell into a metal fence. For his part, Meehan has apologized, and McCormack appeared to be unhurt. The unfortunate part of the story is that the two questions asked by McCormack deserve an answer, and have been ignored.

For her part in the whole affair, Coakley should at least answer the questions that led to Meehan’s actions. Coakley commented that she did not see what happened in the altercation. But it is hard to deny that she heard the questions asked of her. Both were fair questions, considering the timing, location, and nature of the questions.

McCormack asked for a clarification as to what the Attorney General meant when at a debate the previous evening she made comments to the effect that there are no terrorists in Afghanistan. On the heels of a suicide bombing that claimed the lives of seven CIA officials, this is a fair question.

McCormack asked, “Attorney General Coakley, you said last night that there are no terrorists in Afghanistan–that they’re all in Yemen and Pakistan. Do you stand by that remark?”

The second question that McCormack asked dealt with the fundraising function that she had just attended. The function was heavily supported by pharmaceutical and insurance company lobbyists (click here for a list of lobbyists supporting Coakley).

Following a second altercation with Meehan, McCormack caught up with Coakley and asked why “health care industry lobbyists were supporting her at the fundraiser”. As it seems that comments made by the Administration, Congress, and Coakley indicate that Big Insurance and Big Pharmaceutical companies are the targets of healthcare reform and not the beneficiaries, it is hard to understand the level of support Coakley has received from these groups.

The drama of Michael Meehan’s push and the results make for great headlines, particularly since he is also an Obama appointee. Mr. Meehan will fit right into this Administration. However, what are lost in the distraction are the answers to two good questions. The least Coakly could do is answer the questions that started the whole thing, but do any other reporters have the guts to ask them again?