Cook: Tom Cotton Loves The Glitzy National Media

This week, a Democratic Super-PAC began running television ads against probable Senate candidate Congressman Tom Cotton and it’s raised some ire among Republicans.

It’s probably because the ad told a little too much truth for their taste.

The ad, titled “Glitz” is funded by a group called the Senate Majority PAC and the main focus of the ad is how much time Congressman Cotton has basked in the glow of the national media.

For a freshman, who’s been in Congress for about five minutes, Cotton has successfully sought out and received a ton of national exposure.

The new ad starts off with this line:

“Tom Cotton, just elected and already seeking the national spotlight.”

The ad shows video of Cotton appearing on various national news programs. The ad then goes on to go after Cotton on some of his positions on the issues of Medicare and Congressional pay raises.

On Twitter, Republic Party activists and even a GOP elected official, State Rep. John Burris (who is now Cotton’s political director, by title), tried to make the silly case that the ad attacked Cotton’s military service because the appearances in the ad shown, Cotton happened to be discussing his time in Iraq.

The ad never mentions Cotton’s military service, but the Republic Party was determined to pull an issue out of thin air.

To see just how much national exposure Cotton has received, I took the time today to investigate how many times Cotton has appeared on national media shows and what the topic of discussion was. I found the video links of Cotton’s national appearances on his Twitter feed and his YouTube Channel.

Below is what I found in no particular order.

Tom Cotton’s National TV Appearances:

1) Meet the Press on May 6
Topic: Foreign Policy

2) CNN: Wolf Blitzer’s Show on January 22
Topic: Opposed Chuck Hagel Nomination

3) CNN: State of the Union on March 17
Topic: Cotton’s Iraq War Service

4) FOX NEWS: Hannity on January 22
Topic: Gun Control

5) MSNBC – The Daily Rundown on March 19
Topic: Cotton’s Iraq War Service

6) FOX NEWS Sunday on February 11
Topic: Sequester

7) MSNBC – Daily Rundown on January 22
Topic: Debt Ceiling

8) FOX NEWS – January 20
Topic: Obama Inauguration Speech

9) ABC This Week with George Stephanopoulos on January 6
Topic: Opposed Chuck Hagel Nomination

10) FOX NEWS
Topic: Opposed Chuck Hagel nomination

These are just the links I could find. I am sure there are other television and radio appearances and the list doesn’t include interviews with national print publications.

From what I could find, Cotton discussed his admirable service in Iraq on two different shows. Nothing wrong with that and his on-the-ground experience is to be commended. As a fellow veteran, I can respect a man for his service, but still vote against him if I disagree with his stands on issues that are important to me.

However, for a freshman Congressman to go on national programs and pontificate on such topics as the debt ceiling and his thought’s on President Obama’s inauguration speech is highly unusual.

Cotton didn’t even have a vote on Chuck Hagel’s nomination, but he wanted to offer up his opinion on the matter. Ironically, many national Republicans who opposed Hagel’s nomination as Secretary of Defense now concede he’s doing a good job.

For the most part, regardless of party, folks in Congress and in D.C. in general, don’t care what Freshman members of Congress have to say. It’s only after you’ve been there a few terms that you begin to get some notice and a tiny bit of power.

Most members of Congress literally have to wait years until they have even one interview on national television.

In the case of Tom Cotton, however, appearing on national media outlets is a testament to his dogged pursuit of the national spotlight.

P.S. After reading a statement from Tom Cotton’s political director, Rep. John Burris, on his thoughts on the ad, I still have no clue what he’s talking about. It’s just a word salad, with buzzwords placed atop it like croutons. What does Mike Ross have to do with this ad?