I think, just like in other parts of the country, the media is finding itself having a hard time doing its job in this political cycle because, whenever we ask questions, there are certain candidates out there who decry ‘lamestream media’ or whatever. Mr. Miller has had plenty of time to answer questions. He has been given plenty of opportunities. He somehow believes he shouldn’t be questioned about his background and yet he wants a job in six years, to a post where there are only 100 in the entire country, and we are not supposed to ask questions about anything of his past. There is a little bit of shoot the messenger. It is happening up here, and other parts of the country. There are certain candidates who just want to turn this around and act like it’s the media causing the problem. That has always been there, that element. It is just more ramped up this political cycle.

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Tony Hopfinger, a reporter for the Alaska Dispatch, on the difficulty of covering “certain candidates” during the midterm elections. Hopfinger was handcuffed by private security guards working for Alaska senate candidate and Tea Party darling Joe Miller while trying to ask Miller a question during a campaign rally at a public school.

It must be some crazy coincidence that these “certain candidates” who refuse to answer basic questions, detain journalists or outright lie are all right-wing nuts.