Public Eye
August 9, 2006 2:20 PM

The Wacky, The Fiery, The Controversial Congresswoman

By
Hillary Profita
Topics
In The News
(AP)
After losing the Democratic nomination for her seat in the House to challenger Hank Johnson, Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.) unloaded on the media during her concession speech this morning, identifying the press as one of several reasons for her loss. "In a bizarre concession speech early Wednesday morning, McKinney criticized the news media, claimed electronic voting machines were a threat to democracy and refused to congratulate Johnson by name," wrote the Associated Press.

McKinney has seen a whole lot of unfavorable media attention -- especially lately, following her kerfuffle with a Capitol police officer and the unfortunate series of interviews that followed to her caught-on-the-microphone scolding of an aide after a television interview.

But you don't have to read too much of any of the articles today about McKinney's loss to get a sense of just how tightly those public gaffes tend to stick. You can just read the quick, go-to descriptions of McKinney: "The fiery congresswoman" AP called her, "known for her conspiracy theories about the Sept. 11 attacks and a scuffle with a Capitol police officer." The New York Times settled for "the controversial incumbent congresswoman." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was a bit more pronounced, with: "perennial firebrand Cynthia McKinney." Eric Umansky's prefix in Slate's daily round-up of newspaper coverage, while pithy, might have just been the most on target: "wacky Dem. Cynthia McKinney."

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