Courtis Fuller talks with reporters from national TV outlets Wednesday morning at 12th and Race streets, downtown. (Stephen M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        It makes for a good story: A Midwestern city, besieged by riots following the police shooting of an unarmed black man who was fleeing police, has a referendum on how the mayor handled the crisis through a primary election five months later.

        And, for good measure, there's a subplot: the mayor's chief adversary is, like himself, a former WLWT-TV anchor. That's the basic outline of the story that will be told from Cincinnati this week by the Cable News Network, NBC's Today Show, and the Fox News Channel.

        And it's a story that the challenger, Courtis Fuller, is particularly eager to tell.

        How the candidates have used the media in this historic election for Cincinnati's mayor may provide an insight into how each perceives the issues.

        When you're running for office, sometimes the medium is as important as the message.

        Mr. Luken, for example, has given some national media interviews, but hasn't been especially accommodating.

        A CNN reporter had to argue with Mr. Luken Tuesday to get him to make time to go on camera, and the Today show almost canceled its report after Mr. Luken said he couldn't make himself available.

Michael Riley, a candidate in next week's mayoral primary, speaks and Mayor Charlie Luken listens during their debate this week on WLW. (Mike Simons photo) | ZOOM |

        After becoming Time magazine's “Loser of the Week” following the April riots, he said, “I don't give a tinker's damn about what the national media says any more.”

        Mr. Luken has made himself accessible to the local media — including the debate Tuesday on WLW (700 AM) which Mr. Fuller did not attend. Instead, Mr. Luken was left to debate independent candidates Bill Brodberger and Michael Riley.

        “It's the ultimate in ducking,” Mr. Luken said Wednesday of Mr. Fuller. “He won't go on local radio because he said he wants to talk one-on-one with voters, but yet he's got plenty of time to ham it up with the national media in Over-the-Rhine,” Mr. Luken said.

        Mr. Fuller, who had previously said only that he was too busy running a grass-roots campaign to go on radio, addressed the debate question Wednesday in an interview with a Fox News Channel reporter.

        “I am not in this to turn it into a three-ring circus, and from what I saw of it, that's what it was,” he said. “Yesterday, we were one week away from what could be the biggest event in my life, winning an election, so we've got better things to do than sit in a radio studio for 90 minutes.”

Candidate Bill Brodberger listens during this week's radio debate.

        Mr. Luken said it's easier for Mr. Fuller to go on national television, because the national reporters won't ask him tough questions, such as how he intends to pay for his program to provide free college tuition to city residents.

        But is Mr. Fuller using the national media? William Eveland, an assistant professor of journalism at Ohio State University, said it may be the other way around.

        Mr. Fuller's main issue — race relations — is one that people everywhere can relate to. And it makes for a good story, he said.

        “That message plays well to a national audience,” Mr. Eveland said. “Whereas the incumbent candidate's perceived strengths — filling potholes and the unique and particular aspects of Cincinnati government — are not as interesting to a national audience.”

        Brooke Hill, an informal media adviser to Mr. Luken's campaign, said the incumbent mayor doesn't have the time to talk to national reporters when there are local issues that need to be addressed.

        “Charlie's not running for national office. He's not running for president; he's not even running for Congress. He's running for mayor of Cincinnati,” she said. “And 99 percent of the country can't vote for Courtis or Charlie anyway.”

        The national media may not reach many Cincinnati voters, but it may reach some of the people that count the most, said Terry Williams, a member of the African-American Political Caucus and a supporter of Mr. Fuller.

        He said the national media coverage may force the local media to return to what Mr. Fuller sees as the main issue — race relations.

        “They can create a story of David versus Goliath,” Mr. Williams said. “And everybody loves an underdog.”
       

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