Ethics and News

Abstract

In Pennsylvania's 1990 gubernatorial race, incumbent Robert Casey faced Auditor General Barbara Hafer. Casey is an ardent anti abortionist who supported and then signed what was at the time called the most restrictive abortion measure in the nation. Hafer, a former public health nurse, is strongly pro-choice. Although there were other issues during the primary campaign, other ways in which the candidates differed, the focus was on the abortion issue. Early in the campaign when Hafer was in Pittsburgh, a reporter covered her visit, not to get the candidate's views on any issue, but to see if the anti-abortionists would target her for a demonstration. A dozen or more people with signs, the reporter was told, would qualify as a story. In a subsequent discussion with the news director the reporter hazarded that there were other issues in the campaign that should be addressed. The response was Abortion is the only issue in this campaign. It's the only thing people want to hear about.