This Was NOT A Profile In Courage!

The Camden County Republican Committee has been trying to build a following.

It's no easy task in one of the bluest of blue counties in New Jersey. Indeed, Camden County has been under iron-fisted Democrat control for decades -- in the grips of a political machine that is certainly one of the most powerful in the state, if not the country. What's more,  the well-connected organization that controls the county has links to some of the highest people in government including Democrat congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer as well as likely Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden

And charges of corruption and nefarious dealings have haunted the county Democrat boss and his cronies for years. 

Most people can't even remember the last time there was an elected GOP county official in Camden County and the task of turning things around is so daunting that it's sometimes difficult for the county Republican organization to even find candidates to field for major offices let alone local slots and county committee posts. 

But there are Republicans in Camden County and they've been more organized and vocal lately than they have been in years. They're not devoid of pugnacity, that's for sure. In fact, a couple of hundred of them came out recently to protest an appearance by Nancy Pelosi for the local Democrat member of Congress and they raised quite a bit of hell, as we reported right here. Donald Trump (no fan of Turn-the-other-cheek country club Republicanism) has taught this feisty band of followers how to fight.

And the Camden County GOP has had much success with social media after launching a zippy and very active Facebook page.
So, you'd think the local media would take note and give this hearty band of frequently overwhelmed, regularly outspent and nearly always outmaneuvered stalwarts some credit, if only for trying. Because, after all, isn't providing an alternative voice and preserving a two-party system what democracy's all about? What's the point if there's only one choice, one party, right?
And isn't it healthy to make the powerful squirm a bit? And wouldn't a local media that's doing it's job admire that for of thing and lend it some support?

Well, you'd be right if it was the Republicans who held undisputed control while a malnourished Democrat Party was on the ropes. Then the media would rush to the Democrat's rescue. No doubt about that!
But with the roles reversed, not only are the media not interested in telling the real story of a growing GOP movement in ultra-blue Camden County but they've actually moved in to bash the newly energized Republican organization before it even gets the chance to put up a decent fight.

We're talking about a piece put out by a couple of reporters at the local PBS radio affiliate taking issue with some memes posted on the CC GOP Facebook page, calling them "Islamaphobic" and charging the group with "Muslim bashing." In truth, one of the memes criticized Congresswoman Ilhan Omar for characterizing the atrocities of September 11 simply as "some people did something." Another also took a swipe at Omar, criticizing her for hateful comments directed at President Trump and noting that "most terrorists" also hate the president. A couple of other memes appear to have been flagged by Facebook as being inaccurate but were in no way inflammatory.

This is the big discovery that these reporters made with their "exposé." Wow!

Actually, this stab at "journalism" comes across as basically just another hit piece directed squarely at Trump and the GOP, this time at his followers in South Jersey. 

Think about the sort of investigative reporting that could have been done if these reporters decided to do some real work and went out to uncover the allegedly corrupt dealings of those who control most of the towns in the county, the county itself, the region and the entire state of New Jersey -- all pretty much part of the same group. Think of what they might have accomplished if they had even begun to scratch the surface of those entrenched regimes.

Swiping at and aiming to totally discredit an all-too-vulnerable and all-too-easy target?

That's not responsible. That's not productive. That's not admirable. And that's certainly not journalism!

Shame on 'em!