The Corner

Why Rolling Stone?

In response to my article on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent attack on the Bush Administration’s environmental record, a reader wonders why Kennedy chose Rolling Stone, over more prominent media outlets, for his article. I suspect Kennedy was motivated by two factors. First, readers of more high profile publications, such as the NYT Magazine, are likely to have read attacks on the Bush environmental record in the NYT, whereas Rolling Stone may reach more people who have not heard these attacks before. Second, younger voters tend to care more about the environment and, interestingly enough, are quite pro-Bush. Thus, if one seeks to defeat President Bush in 2004, it would make strategic sense to attack Bush’s environmental credentials in a publication primarily read by younger Americans.

Jonathan H. Adler is the Johan Verheij Memorial Professor of Law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. His books include Business and the Roberts Court and Marijuana Federalism: Uncle Sam and Mary Jane.
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