Subject: Re: [NEXTEL-1] Nextel Supports Gambling In Maryland With a $15,000.00 Donati...

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2003 18:24:04 EST

In a message dated 1/9/2003 5:29:30 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
[email-masked] writes:

> "About 30 sponsors contributed various amounts, Kane said. The 
> racetrack interests were among eight major sponsors that contributed 
> between $10,000 and $25,000, he said. Others included Verizon 
> Communications at $25,000 and Nextel Communications at $15,000, he 
> said." 

Sorry, but I have to agree with Mr. Flood.  The document/article/whatever it 
was says that racetrack interests were AMONG eight major sponsors.  It did 
not say that the eight major sponsors at a Republican fund raiser EACH 
support gambling (which would then include Verizon as a supporter).  Nor did 
the article say that the fund-raiser was to raise money to push for gambling 
in our fair state (which would then also mean that all eight major sponsors 
support gambling).

I don't personally care whether N or V supports gambling in Maryland (perhaps 
the question could have been posed first), but where this could get out of 
hand is if one of the 30 sponsors was a company that supported stem cell 
research (as a controversial example).  The same implication would then be 
drawn by your headline, which would read "Nextel Supports Stem Cell Research 
With A $15,000.00 Donation."  In other words, just because some of the 
sponsors support certain things, it doesn't mean that by being a co-sponsor 
any of the others are adopting that company's agenda.

Now, from Nextel's standpoint (as well as Verizon and anyone else that 
sponsors these kinds of things), they always have to be careful that their 
"co-sponsors" do not have agendas that they might not want to be associated 
with.  On the other hand, why didn't your headline say "Verizon Supports 
Gambling In Maryland With a $25,000.00  Donation, And Nextel Kicks In 
$15,000.00"????  It would seem you excluded the most major sponsor in favor 
of a headline that made a smaller-dollar sponsor as the lead.

Alan T.