From: http://www.realcampaignreform.org/willis_test.html
In 1992, Libertarian Party candidate for president, Andre Marrou, defeated all of his Democratic and Republican rivals in the Dixville Notch voting that kicks off the New Hampshire primary Election Day.
This victory was the lead news item all across the nation the following morning, but when voters called into TV networks wanting to learn more about Andre Marrou and the Libertarian Party they were repeatedly told that it would be a waste of time to do any additional reporting about Marrou and the LP. The networks argued that the Dixville Notch vote was clearly a fluke. NBC even said this on the air in response to one voter who called in, asking for more coverage of Marrou. Our campaign staff pointed out to the networks that Dixville Notch, because of its small population, had represented a rare opportunity for Libertarians to have their views heard by voters to the same extent as the Democrats and Republicans. Therefore, the Dixville Notch result was indicative of how other voters might respond to LP candidates if the media were to inform the public of who the Libertarians are and what they believe. The established corporate news media rejected this reasonable argument out-of-hand and provided no additional coverage at all.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Dixville Notch's victor in 1992's Presidential Election
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More from: http://www.realcampaignreform.org/willis_test.html
A second example occurred in 2000. Pat Buchanan was running for president on the Reform Party ticket. He was a national figure who had previously enjoyed great success in Republican primaries. He accepted federal funding. He received extensive coverage from the established corporate news media, while his LP challenger in that year, Harry Browne, received almost none. But despite all of Buchanan's advantages, Buchanan and Browne were virtually tied in the polls throughout the 2000 campaign
(http://www.lp.org/press/archive.php?function=view&record=144). Our campaign argued to the media that Browne's equal showing, given his inferior public recognition, funding, and media coverage, would seem to indicate that Browne would find more favor with voters than Buchanan if Browne were to be provided with coverage equal to Buchanan's. This sensible argument was made in vain. The news media continued to give attention to the once and future Republican, Pat Buchanan, and to ignore Browne.
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