The Disappearing Local Press Corps

I've argued here and here that the diminished local press corps in Kentucky is one reason why Rand Paul made it all the way to the national stage before most people clued into the fact that he holds some very controversial views. But the point doesn't just apply to Rand Paul or Kentucky or aspiring politicians. As outgoing Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) noted in this New York Times profile today, not a single Connecticut reporter covers him in Washington:

[Dodd] points out that there have been no Connecticut-based reporters covering the daily doings of the state's delegation in Washington, compared with a few years ago, when there were several. They have been replaced by a "blizzard" of political bloggers, gossip columnists and cable news partisans. "It gets to a point where no one is really covering what you're doing," Mr. Dodd said.

Even leaving aside the self-pitying context in which Dodd presents this information--the folks back home just don't appreciate him--this is remarkable and sad.