Media Winner of the Week: ‘The Decision’ drama that makes Washington dream

What wouldn’t any politician give for a primetime slam-dunk like the one scored by LeBron James last week?

The
buildup
to LeBron’s announcement of whether he would stay with the
Cleveland Cavaliers or, as a free agent, take his skills to another NBA
team culminated in an hourlong ESPN show dubbed “The Decision.”
Surrounded by kids at a Boys and Girls Club in a setup that resembled a
town hall meeting, LeBron, clad in the sort of Everyman button-down
shirt favored by politicians attending state fairs, diplomatically
tried to ease the
blow of leaving Cleveland by announcing mega-donations to the kids.

{mosads}This did not mollify Cavaliers majority owner Dan
Gilbert, whose response bore no resemblance to a politician’s gracious
concession speech. He accused “cowardly” LeBron of mounting “a several day,
narcissistic,
self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his
‘decision’ unlike anything ever ‘witnessed’ in the history of sports
and probably the history of entertainment.”

But the build-up to LeBron’s decision to switch parties — er, teams —  hinged partly on that
key voter concern, the economy. LeBron was
touted as being able to save a city from recession single-handedly.
He’s hope, change and increased beer revenue rolled up in one 6’8″
package.

Politicians would love to be in LeBron’s size-16 shoes. You don’t vote for him. You beg him to
select you. Even President Barack Obama suggested no less than seven
times (to no avail) that LeBron pick the Chicago Bulls.

As Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) tweeted during the buildup,
“Wow this Lebron annct is a mde for tv production beyond anything we’ve
ever attmpted! Lol”

While Missouri Senate candidate
Robin Carnahan (D) had to slash ticket prices to try to fill a
fundraiser headlined by Obama, LeBron netted the
most-watched program on Thursday night by simply announcing his next
career move. LeBron hauled in an estimated 8.4 million viewers on one cable
network; Obama’s primetime address last month about the oil
spill reeled in 32.1 million viewers over 11 channels.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist’s big switch from the GOP
to independent — built up over weeks of denials and hedging — was like a rerun on a UHF channel compared to the frenzy
whipped up by “King James.”

There was a strong taste of sour grapes left by LeBron’s move. Rep.
Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) responded: “When Lebron decides he wants to
play in a major-league city, he
can look us up. New York City has a combined 51 championship titles.
LeBron
has zero. No biggie.”

Still, LeBron has a media machine about which most politicians can
only dream — imagine how much forgiveness there would be if he decided
to make an endorsement in the
Florida Senate race.

Battleground Arizona

Recess week produced hardly a dip
in political news as the Department of Justice announced it would sue
Arizona over its immigration law, which Washington says trammels federal rights to control immigration policy. From
administration officials hitting news shows — senior adviser David
Axelrod, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, press secretary Robert Gibbs,
Attorney General Eric Holder — to lawmakers, governors, candidates and
sheriffs, the airwaves crackled with debate over the White House
move.

Talk centered on the wisdom of the lawsuit not just
leading into midterm elections, but as Obama has vowed to pass
comprehensive immigration reform that will require Republican wooing.

“If
they’ve got spine, if they’re courageous and say what they should, the
American public will reward them, whatever office they’re running for,”
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.) said Wednesday on MSNBC’s “Hardball.”

“The fact is, we have sanctuary cities all over this state that
tell law enforcement you cannot cooperate with the federal government,”
Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-Calif.) countered on the same program.

Just a tiny preview of the battle to intensify in coming months.

Reviving healthcare debate

To many outside the
Beltway, recess appointments just look sneaky. Capitol
Hill harbors suspicions of its own, as evidenced by the uproar after
Obama named Harvard pediatrician Donald Berwick to head the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services over the July Fourth recess, bypassing a
congressional confirmation process.

Such appointments are nothing new. President George W. Bush
made 171 during his two terms, including filibustered
nominees such as U.N. Ambassador John Bolton. Senate Majority Leader
Harry Reid (D-Nev.) deemed Bush’s recess appointments so excessive that
he put the upper chamber into pro forma sessions to keep them at bay.

Republicans lashed
out with questions about Berwick’s background and “romantic” appreciation
of Britain’s nationalized health service. But criticism was bipartisan. “Senate confirmation of presidential appointees
is an essential process prescribed by the Constitution that serves as a
check on executive power and protects Montanans and all Americans by
ensuring that crucial questions are asked of the nominee — and
answered,” Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) said
in a statement Wednesday.

Both parties see advantage in media coverage of the Berwick appointment.

The
Obama administration, while trying to press the benefits of the
healthcare law in the run-up to midterm elections, seized a chance to
keep its nominee away from hot-button questions at a congressional
hearing and not sully its healthcare P.R. agenda.

Republicans, while trying to seize on voter discontent or suspicion
about the long-term effects of the healthcare legislation, used the
recess appointment to jump on news shows and stoke the debate
over the hot-button law once again.

The Berwick appointment propelled healthcare back into the spotlight over recess, but for whose gain remains to be seen.