Sen. Marsha Blackburn
I am growing increasingly concerned with the lack of communication from our elected officials in Washington, D.C. We deserve to hear from the people we elected to represent us in Congress, and none is in more of a position of responsibility than our senior U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn. She represents the entire state of Tennessee, yet she does not communicate with her constituents in the way we deserve.
It doesn’t take intensive research and analysis to see that Blackburn likes to play the darling to national news outlets, particularly those whose ideology most closely aligns with her own. She’s even hosted cooking segments on Fox News, for instance. Posing for Fox’s cameras in her kitchen and chatting about repurposing Thanksgiving leftovers, but not sitting for regular interviews with local newspapers? How is that in the best interest of Tennesseans?
We can hardly turn on the national news — particularly conservative national news — without seeing Marsha Blackburn as a talking head. Her willingness to sit for interviews with those outlets has been clear for years. What is most disconcerting is that a thorough review of articles in our state’s daily newspapers over the past year shows that there is a major discrepancy between the material Blackburn feeds to us here locally and what she puts on national television.
Her opinions remain the same throughout all of her media appearances, but what strikes me most is the stark difference between the amount of local news coverage and national news coverage. As of this writing, if you search the phrase “Marsha Blackburn” on Fox News’ website, you’ll find roughly 2,000 results — including cooking segments and even a video interview with U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty in our very own Pancake Pantry.
It’s rather clear that Blackburn is more interested in getting attention from national conservative press than Tennessee press. Her focus is apparent, as she offers ardent opinions on national issues that don’t necessarily pertain to Tennessee. I was most struck by the following contrast. We reviewed 88 articles about Blackburn in daily newspapers across the state over the past calendar year. Of these 88, we pulled the 28 most relevant. Fifteen of these 28 — more than half — were opinion pieces. One was even an opinion piece by Blackburn herself. That means the majority of the news coverage we receive about Blackburn on a local basis isn’t directly from a journalist at all. The coverage features opinions and questions from local residents and from leaders in various pertinent industries. Where are the facts from our elected officials that we need to know, so we can form a perspective on the work they should be doing on our behalf?
But beyond the fact that our senior U.S. senator appears to be more willing to sit for national news than local papers, Blackburn has not held an in-person town hall meeting open to the general public since she was elected to the U.S. Senate. Not one! How are we supposed to hear her report on her work and her voting record, how are we supposed to ask questions of this elected official, if she does not make herself available to the general public? Her last town hall meeting, according to multiple reports, was in 2017! We have weathered many news cycles and challenging statewide issues during these past six years, but we have not been given an opportunity to address them with Blackburn in a town hall meeting. Not once!
That is arguably the most shocking detail of all. Blackburn can make time in her schedule to shoot Fox News video segments showing how to make toffee and repurpose Thanksgiving leftovers, but she can’t make time to sit for regular Q&As with daily newspapers across the state or host in-person town hall meetings for all her constituents. That’s just not right. Tennessee deserves better. Tennessee can do better.
Bill Freeman
Bill Freeman is the owner of FW Publishing, the publishing company that produces the Nashville Scene, Nfocus, the Nashville Post and The News.
