Arktimes Wrong On Issue, Right About Griffin and Dem-Gaz

The Arktimes made mention today of something that I have noticed for a while now. The Democrat-Gazette, the state's most establishment newspaper, gives Lt. Governor Tim Griffin more coverage, favorable coverage, than his position or opinions would seem to merit. In this case, they chose him to give a quote that could have come from any number of people on the subject of the school desegregation case down in Union County.

Let me be clear here, the Arktimes is wrong (as they so often are) to grouse about the quote. I agree with the quote. Most sane Arkansans (a group which may not include Mr. Brantley) would agree with the quote. The right question though, is why did the Dem-Gaz turn to Tim Griffin for that quote? What made them think "here is a story on school desegregation in El Dorado, let's get the Lt. Governor to address the issue"?

I have noticed the same trend coming from Americans For Prosperity. In the recent battle in the legislature over Medicaid Expansion some legislators were being savaged for bucking the Governor's pro-obamacare plan. Griffin made some vague quote about how Obamacare was a bad idea and some of them floated a meme of it like the quote came from Bhudda. They thanked him for a "courageous stand" that he never made. Nowhere in the quote did it even say that he opposed "Arkansas Works", which was the point at issue at the time.

My conclusion is that there are forces in this state, and maybe beyond since Griffin is an acolyte of Karl Rove, that are determined to pump up Tim Griffin's public image. You can bet there is a reason for it.