We got to see some of their handiwork Tuesday as the Maryland Democratic Party released a video titled “Bashful Bob.” The Democrats released the spliced together video because O’Brien and Becker are not independent journalists, as the tape implies. They work for the Democratic Party as part of its opposition research, and the video has an authority line from the party in the last few seconds.
The tape gives the impression that Ehrlich wouldn’t talk to any reporters the day of Monday’s debate. The ex-gov did inexplicably scoot out the back door of WJZ and would not talk to a few reporters who had staked out his SUV. “No questions right now. Happy, very happy,” he says on the tape.
The bulk of the more than 30 reporters and videographers covering the event, including me, were out in front of the WJZ building waiting to be spinned by both campaigns. Gov. Martin O’Malley got to put his spin on the event, after other top Democrats had heaped praise on him.
It was left for Ehrlich communications director Andy Barth, who apparently lost the coin toss, to try to explain why Ehrlich wasn’t there, and that “he always takes questions from reporters.” But not today.
Ehrlich usually does take questions from reporters after most events – and O’Malley often doesn’t. But the party video, out of sequence, shows Becker pursuing Ehrlich as he enters the back door of the building. She asks him, “Are you uncomfortable with the O’Malley supporters?” as if he were some bad guy in a “60 Minutes” ambush interview. Ehrlich and his team laugh at the question.
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