Lynch: Press Was Fairer to Dinkins

Ferrer aides have argued lately that he's getting unfair treatment from the media. Luis Miranda put it most clearly the other day, telling Newsday: "We have learned to live with the fact that unfairness has characterized the coverage of this campaign," Miranda said. "The double standard is there." I talked to Bill Lynch about this the other day, thinking that David Dinkins' old campaign manager would have a long view of the subject. He emphatically seconded Luis: "I don't think it's been balanced," he said. "You would think Freddy was the frontrunner the way they've gone after Freddy and not gone after Bloomberg." "In '89 I thought it was a lot more balanced. I think Dinkins even got better coverage in '93 than freddy is now," he continued. "I don't understand it - I really don't. I'm not saying give Freddy a free ride, I'm saying, why hasn't there been scrutiny of Bloomberg." Lynch was particularly upset that Voice stories on Mike having unsavory friends on Staten Island and in the Bronx hadn't been followed, and that the increase in test scores was generally taken at face value. He also said he was shocked that this remark from John McCain the other night wasn't a story: "This is truly a distinguished audience. You have the haves and have mores, and the have mores than that, and finally my good friend Mike Bloomberg. But Mike, I think we're all relieved that the organizers decided not to hold this dinner at the Apollo Theater." So are we being unfair to Freddy? More to come.