CNN Misidentifies Student as a College Republican
CNN apparently thought it had a hot story when they identified a USC student they interviewed as a demoralized college Repbublican when it turns out he has nothing to do with the group.
From ABC News.
CNN, the cable news channel, has apologized for mistakenly labeling a supposedly demoralized college Republican lamenting a lack of support on his campus for the Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
"While [Eric Perlmutter] attends USC and says that he is a registered Republican, he was inadvertently fonted as a member of the USC College Republicans organization. We regret that fonting error," a CNN spokesperson told ABC News Friday.
CNN interviewed Perlmutter Thursday in a taped report on CNN's "American Morning," who suggested the College Republicans at the University of Southern California are having trouble getting people to their meetings.
"We try to get people to our college Republican meetings and we can't seem to draw the same type of vocal support [as the Obama supporters get]," said Perlmutter, who was identified as a member of the "USC Young Republicans."
The trouble is, Perlmutter isn't a member of the group.
"I've never met him, heard of him, talked with him, nothing," USC College Republican president Ben Myers told ABCNews.com.
Myers said he's infuriated with CNN, and argued his group is attracting a lot of support on campus.
"We get a ton of people at our meetings, and a ton of really enthusiastic people," Myers said, "there is a lot of enthusiasm for McCain and for the conservative movement in general."
There is no doubt that labeling Perlmutter as a Young Republican or even a College Republican made for a much more interesting story than just a student who happens to be Republican and isn't crazy about McCain.
While CNN erred in this case, based on my own observations the story is not far from the truth. The Republicans are in public denial about the miserable outlook in the general election and there is a general malaise when it comes to McCain amongst conservatives which make up the largest group of College Republicans across the country.
I would be very surprised to see the same type of college student get out the vote efforts for McCain as Bush had. The enthusiasm just isn't there right now. And that doesn't bode well for November if you are a Republican.
