Reporting on Tancredo's presidential aspirations, Post uncritically repeated spokesman's dubious comments

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

A Denver Post online article about Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo visiting Iowa to assess a possible presidential bid repeated his spokesman's claim that U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) “is not a very popular guy in Iowa.” But a December poll of Iowa Republicans ranked McCain highest among 11 potential GOP candidates.

In a January 12 online article about U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo's (R-CO) interest in a possible presidential run, The Denver Post uncritically reported Tancredo spokesman Carlos Espinosa's claim that U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) “is not a very popular guy in Iowa.” In fact, according to a December poll commissioned by Des Moines, Iowa, CBS television affiliate KCCI, Iowa voters rank McCain the most popular potential Republican presidential candidate among 11 contenders.

As the Post reported, “Rep. Tom Tancredo is in Iowa this weekend assessing whether he should formally announce a plan to run for president.” The Post further reported that Tancredo is “eyeing Iowa because, in his view, there are only two Republican front-runners who plan to compete in the caucus there: Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.” The article then quoted Espinosa as saying, “The reality is, McCain is not a very popular guy in Iowa ... that leaves a very big void in Iowa.”

But according to the results of December's Research 2000 Iowa Poll, McCain led a list of 11 potential Republican candidates in terms of their popularity among Iowa Republicans. As KCCI reported on December 21, “If the 2008 Republican Caucus were held today, Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain would be the top vote-getter, with 27 percent of Iowa Republicans polled saying they would pick him. Republican Rudy Giuliani was second with 26 percent, and Republican Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was third with only 9 percent of votes overall.” Another 22 percent of respondents said they were “undecided.” The list did not include Tancredo but did include such Republican figures as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

The Post online article, by Anne C. Mulkern, is the latest example of the Colorado media uncritically reporting statements made by Tancredo and his staff. As Colorado Media Matters noted, the November 28, 2006, broadcast of KMGH's 7News Now at 4 p.m. aired Tancredo's false claim that Miami is the “murder capital of the world.”

The Research 2000 Iowa Poll was conducted December 18 through December 20, 2006, and has a margin of error no more than plus or minus 4 percentage points.

From the January 12 online article, “Tancredo testing presidential run,” by Anne C. Mulkern:

Tancredo often talks about running for president to publicize the immigration issue. If he decides to announce, Espinosa said, it's because he cares so much about the cause, and not because he thinks he can win election.

“Any bid that Tom would put up, it would be fighting for third place,” Espinosa said. “Third place would be a huge victory for Tom Tancredo.”

He's eyeing Iowa because, in his view, there are only two Republican front-runners who plan to compete in the caucus there: Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Iowa is also the first of the Republican presidential caucus states.

“The reality is, McCain is not a very popular guy in Iowa,” Espinosa said. “That leaves a very big void in Iowa.”

Tancredo objects to McCain's position on immigration reform. McCain was one of the sponsors of the Senate bill on immigration that passed last year. It created a guest worker program and path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. Tancredo opposes giving any legal status to illegal immigrants.