Since it’s been nearly two weeks since Alabama’s special Senate election was rocked by allegations that Roy Moore sexually abused a 14-year old girl, I issued a set of progress reports yesterday on how some of Alabama’s most influential institutions were handling the crisis.

Interim grades were given to Moore’s campaign (C+), his surrogates (D) and the Republican establishments in Washington (F) and in Alabama (I).

Here is today’s slate:

Who: Washington Post
What: D
Why: They’re not telling us everything they know.
— Many suspect that the original source who linked the accusers to the Washington Post was a political operative, either from the Republican or Democratic establishments.
— That doesn’t change the legitimacy of the allegations – either they’re true or false, regardless of how the reporter came upon them – but who passed along the story does speak to motivations. (Personally, I think this originated as a hit job on our election more than an attack against Moore.)
— If this is the case, and it becomes known, it would be clear journalistic malpractice.

Who: Local Talk Radio
What: B+
Why: They know the candidate and the voters, and their coverage has been largely excellent.
— Unlike their national counterparts, many of the Alabama’s talk radio hosts have dealt with Moore before and know the issue very well.
— Their fingers are on the pulse of conservatives in Alabama, and they’re doing a relatively decent job considering the candidate won’t speak with them, our leaders are largely silent, and the issue of “what to do now” is very complicated.

Who: Alabama voters
What: A+
Why: After all we’ve been through, we still believe in democracy.
— One governor removed from office for illegally using campaign cash. Another governor sent to prison for corruption. Another governor run out of office because of a sleazy affair. Mayors and lawmakers locked up for bribery. We even had a county commissioner down in Mobile accused of murder. God help us.
— Still, the fact that Alabama voters haven’t thrown up their hands and turned over the government to the first 100 names in the Bayou La Batre telephone book proves that we’re a hopeful people.
— And there’s cause for hope.
— Remember, we’re having this special election because our former senator was so awesome that he was chosen to lead the Justice Department. But there are others like Jeff Sessions in Alabama. Plenty. Let’s just pray this fiasco draws them into politics rather than pushes them away.

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