Running as a Have-Not, Fong Is Snubbed by TV

In this military-heavy city, state Treasurer Matt Fong figured he had an issue that would lure the television cameras to his race for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate: inadequate housing for military personnel.

For that all-important visual component, Fong was ready to pose with two magnificent aircraft carriers, the Kitty Hawk and the Constellation, in the background. And he was prepared to talk angrily about America shirking its duty to men and women in uniform.

But none of San Diego’s four television channels sent a reporter or a camera, despite early notice about the 1 p.m. news conference. The candidate took one look at the lensless scene and suggested brightly, “Let’s go eat.”

Soon the Fong camp and two newspaper reporters were enjoying fish burgers, ice tea and pleasant conversation.

If modern campaigns are won and lost on television, the contest between Fong and businessman Darrell Issa is not so much a mismatch as a non-match. While Issa spends lavishly on television advertising, Fong roams the state, trying desperately to play catch-up by getting on TV news.

Roy Behr, a longtime consultant to Democratic candidates, says that television coverage of campaigns, while never extensive, has declined sharply this year. One factor, he said, is that during May “sweeps,” stations vie for ratings, and thus advertising dollars, by displaying stories full of flash and sex appeal.

“The May sweeps have made the governor’s race and the Senate race all but invisible on television,” said Behr, who is serving as an advisor to Democratic U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer and to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rep. Jane Harman.

Being snubbed by television is a common occurrence for Fong. Although he has garnered some attention from TV news--in Los Angeles, for example, when he blasted President Clinton for not telling all about Monica Lewinsky and other controversies--the Fong campaign has basically been “missing in action” when it comes to the airwaves.

By one estimate, Issa has spent $7 million of his fortune on television advertising, a record in a U.S. Senate primary campaign. Fong has spent nothing on television, although his campaign says that he now has enough money to start advertising soon.

To compensate, Fong has been staging events tailored to television in hopes of grabbing what political consultants call “free media.” The results have been mixed.

In Monterey, television stations were not interested in Fong’s views on offshore oil drilling. In Fresno, TV cameras were sent to chase a shooting rather than cover a Fong news conference. Fong canceled the event and invited newspaper reporters traveling with him to enjoy some chili at an airport restaurant.

“The same television management that makes millions of dollars on political advertising won’t spend a penny to provide 30 seconds about what a candidate thinks of the issues,” said Fong’s press coordinator, Steve Schmidt.

Issa, meanwhile--like other self-funded candidates--says that spending his own money keeps him from becoming beholden to “special interests.” He adds that he is only playing by the rules of a game stacked against outsiders like him.

(He is also listing his personal spending as loans to his campaign, which would allow him to recoup his money through postelection fund-raising from political action committees and individuals if he is elected.)

“It takes something to go from candidate to the Senate,” Issa said. “You have a choice: war hero, movie star, personal wealth or come up through the ranks like a career politician. I am not a career politician.”

Issa’s fortune persuaded San Diego Mayor Susan Golding and Rep. Frank Riggs (R-Windsor) to drop out of the race. Neither could raise enough money to combat the barrage of Issa’s advertising on television.

Boxer, faced with the possibility of opposing Issa and his fortune in the November general election, has decided not to spend any of her war chest on TV ads in the primary.

Fong insists that he can beat Issa despite the uneven spending and has a series of comeback lines he uses when reporters ask about money. One is: “If money was all it took, [former Lt. Gov.] Mike Curb would have beaten George Deukmejian for governor.”

Still, studies have shown that in nine of 10 cases in California, the candidate who spends the most money wins. A variety of opinion polls have shown Issa leading Fong.

“To win a political race in California you need two things: name identification and the right message,” said UC Irvine economics professor Peter Navarro, a four-time loser in politics. The only way to get that recognition and get the message to voters is paid advertising, he said.

The disinterest of television news in the day-to-day grind of politics is nothing new. For one thing, politics doesn’t usually provide good pictures; politics is the dullest of stories, a “he said/she said” story, a “talking heads” story.

For another, most television news operations have relatively few reporters, with far fewer, if any, of the backbenchers found in most newspapers who can be drafted to help with coverage.

In a competitive market like San Diego, each television reporter is supposed to deliver one or more “grabby” stories a day.

“We don’t routinely cover all campaign stops,” said Irv Kass, vice president for news at KNSD-TV, the NBC affiliate in San Diego. “I can’t afford to have a reporter spend two hours for a story that is low-impact, low-merit.”

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Kass noted--accurately--that neither of the newspaper reporters who attended Fong’s would-be speech on military housing wrote a story about it. In each case, the reporter was following Fong for several days in preparation for writing one or more feature stories.

“We don’t have the luxury of having somebody cover the race like that,” Kass said. Instead, the station is planning wrap-up stories about the race to air shortly before the June 2 election.

Meanwhile, Fong travels the state. For weeks, his schedule has been packed, and reporters have been invited to tag along. Fong is so eager for news coverage that he has allowed reporters traveling with him to hear him asking would-be contributors for money to wage a television campaign.

“Can you get 10 or 12 couples together at your home and get them to max out?” Fong asked a caller as he rolled through the Central Valley in his state-issued Ford Crown Victoria. “I only have a few days left, so if you can get them to come through and help, I need it.”

Issa’s schedule has been less busy as he continues to rely on ads to reach voters, and his campaign’s willingness to accommodate reporters has been spotty. A request to talk to Issa can take days; Fong is on the telephone within minutes.

Issa’s campaign strategists say that his speaking schedule will get busier in the final weeks and that reporters will be notified in more timely fashion. There are even plans for a 96-hour marathon in the final week, they say.