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Tuesday, March 3, 2009
UPDATED: Memo to journalistic colleagues, including self

Investigate this moron.

UPDATE: You would be shocked, shocked to learn that the Rocky Mountain News --whose death is being celebrated here by Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Polis -- endorsed Polis' opponent in last year's Democratic primary, and said some harsh things about the eventual winner Polis. They wrote:

Just in case the viewer failed to get the point, words flashed on the screen: "Jared Polis, Standing up to Big Oil."

It always gives us vertigo when a powerful man mimics Huey Long, so we checked Polis' Web site to see if he provided a more sophisticated analysis of Big Oil's sins. No such luck. The "TV ad fact sheet" there was just as simplistic.

As it happens, federal marshals could confiscate every penny of Big Oil's assets and not moderate prices at the pump, but never mind. When a populist is talking trash, nothing can slow him down.

We actually had hope for Polis' campaign given his obvious intelligence, attractive record as a entrepreneur and avid support for educational choice. But we should have foreseen trouble when he pretended last year that he had never backed the state's pilot school voucher program, though he clearly had. When he went to Iraq and started issuing feverish blog posts suggesting that contractors might "have me killed as an 'accident' if I published anything they didn't like," we knew he'd veered into a ditch.

Ironically, this whole exercise proves why we need more watchdogs -- both newfangled bloggers and also those old-school conventional journalists whose job loss and personal misery (disclosure: a friend and former Daily News colleague was one of the many who lost her job there last week) is of no concern to Jared Polis. Because there needs to be someone to point out that maybe his glee over the rise of new media is really just old-time, ugly and kind of pathetic personal schadenfreude over the death of a paper that didn't endorse him.

Unfortunately, the Denver Post, the only remaining daily paper in town, didn't mention Polis' personal history with the RMN, even though it took literally 30 seconds to find out on "The Google." Ironically, one of Polis' pet issues is ethics in government, but he's quite content to have one less set of eyeballs following up on that commitment, and on him. That's unethical.

Just by way of background, Polis' remarks do expose a schism that I've sensed evolving in liberal-land. Some progressives, especially since the mostly horrendous coverage of the run-up to the 2003 Iraq invasion, are so angry at the mainstream media that they are happy to see news orgs fail. Other liberals -- and bloggers like Philly's own Atrios have written frequently on this -- don't want the traditional media to fail, only for us to do our job better. Celebrating the death of the mainstream media is traditionally what conservatives do. Progressives should think long and hard before jumping on that bandwagon.

By the way, regulars here know I have a strict rule of not endorsing candidates. I might break that rule if this Will Shafroth guy runs again.

Posted by Will Bunch @ 10:13 AM  Permalink | 38 comments
Comments   
Posted 10:39 AM, 03/04/2009
Hamlet
Daaa, tanks for providing the difi...defi...uuuh meaning of schadenfreude, Will. Or was that link provided for your Dittohead commenters? ;)
Posted 08:58 AM, 03/04/2009
IggleFan68
Phoenix, you MUST be kidding. When was the last time the lefties came out and really castigated one of their own? The right did it every time they thought Bush screwed up (spending too much, ports, judge nominations), they did it when Tom DeLay got himself in trouble, they did it when that dummy Senator got caught in the bathroom. The left, however, defended Clinton to it's last breath, defended the LA congressman caught taking bribes, defended the GA congresswoman who assaulted DC police. I think the only time I remember the left policing itself might be Blago... E Pleb -- Rush is an entertainer, just like Oprah. As is Hannity, and the rest of the Fox crowd. They just happen to be highly successful entertainers because their messages strike a chord with the right.
Posted 08:49 AM, 03/04/2009
CharlieDontSurf
"Can anyone pull up Will Bunch's classic prediction- that the market will do well when Obama takes office?" Is this it?... philly.com/philly/blogs/attytood/?month=&main=&cat=&year=&page=30
Posted 07:59 PM, 03/03/2009
Talking point sleuth
Ya' gotta hand it to Limbaugh, Palin, and Jindal. They really know how to win them some elections. --snip-- Just 26 percent view the Republican Party positively, which is an all-time low for the party. That's compared with 49 percent who have a favorable view of the Democratic Party.
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Posted 04:59 PM, 03/03/2009
montani semper liberi
"investigate someone because they want fewer watchdogs? that still is half-baked at best." . . . . What's half-baked is actually seeing the irony, as you apparently do, but still taking the comment seriously.
Posted 03:48 PM, 03/03/2009
montani semper liberi
"could you imagine the outrage if a "politician" said a "journalist" should be investigated because the "journalist" wrote something negative about the "politician"??????" . . . Birdie, I doubt polticians would make a public declaration like Will's, who is simply trying to be ironic. However, you do know who was at the top of Nixon's enemies list, right? In hindsight, being "investigated" was the least of Jack Anderson's worries.
Posted 03:01 PM, 03/03/2009
bird11
"By the way, regulars here know I have a strict rule of not endorsing candidates. I might break that rule if this Will Shafroth guy runs again." As a regular I know I have no idea who you voted for in November. LOL. I wonder if after Polis won the Democratic primary over Shafroth the Rocky Mountain News went so far as to endorse the Republican candidate in the General Election?
Posted 01:27 PM, 03/03/2009
camtheman
Gotta love those posting standards inky! Anyhow, isn't the point of this blog exactly like the one Funch Bunch posted yesterday? Running out of new material Bunch? I guess he had reach into the closet of liberal idealogy and search for a suitable standard lib point of view to write about today.
Posted 01:25 PM, 03/03/2009
bird11
could you imagine the outrage if a "politician" said a "journalist" should be investigated because the "journalist" wrote something negative about the "politician"??????
Posted 01:18 PM, 03/03/2009
Bud Fox
investigate someone because they want fewer watchdogs? that still is half-baked at best.
Posted 01:17 PM, 03/03/2009
camtheman
Phoenix Women, the left polices it's own!? What about the daily filth put out by the Daily Kos or Moveon. What about the perpetual crap spewed by TV and newspaper columnists about Sarah Palin? I didn't hear any outrage when Huffington post was glee-full over Bush's press secretary Tony Snow getting hospitalized for a heart condition. Stop drinking the kool-aid! Have you noticed how all these newspapers are going bankrupt around the country....should tell you something right there. Police their own my @$$
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Posted 12:51 PM, 03/03/2009
CleanupPhilly
When will the DN write about things that are relevant to Philly readers? I'm waiting for the article on why the city has not collected half a billion in overdue property taxes. It's ridiculous to take on face value that this property "has no value" or is not as valuable as the "lien debt against it." If that was true, it would be impossible to sell any property in Philadelphia, except in the heart of old CC. For the average taxpayer, this is an issue that is not going to go away, and the mayor is going to implement AVI at some point, so we will be faced with the gross injustice of paying more property taxes as other owners are allowed to ignore their obligation to good schools and services. Writing about what Denver said or did, and who is gloating, seems like the lowest priority for someone looking to stay in this town.
Posted 12:44 PM, 03/03/2009
CleanupPhilly
I don't mind journalists with a liberal point of view, I mind when they can't comprehend or give time to any other point of view but their own. The best liberal critics are those who can state the point of the opposition better than Newt, and debunk it line item by line item with material from the right itself. When the GOP does the same to the left, the left responds with silence. When the market place votes, the left cries that this is the inherent injustice of the market. What if it really is people voting with their pennies? I say consider that people in Philly are voting with their pennies also, and we're a tad tired of being expected to pay the bills of folks who are not doing their bit.
Posted 12:41 PM, 03/03/2009
CleanupPhilly
The DN and Ink pats itself too hard on the back for its outing of bad politicians and bad policies in Philly. And if you're not writing about Philly, what are you doing writing for a local paper? There is a lot that could be written every day for better government in Philly but a tornado of newspaper blogs simply swirls with snippets of national news that ignore the local picture altogether. The DN is part of the Ink now. Does it have time to worry that much about Denver? Really? The more the the DN tries to be national in focus and not local, the more the pressure to incorporate it as a page in the Ink. The more the DN tries to ignore local issues and focus on the swirl of national and world events, the more the business managers will say it is redundant, imitative of the Inquirer.
Posted 12:38 PM, 03/03/2009
bird11
sorry should read "not dying"
Posted 12:37 PM, 03/03/2009
bird11
Sad to say but the DN is really dying because of its journalism or left leaning POV (although I am one less subscriber/buyer of both for the later) - it is dying because people don't read any more. The DN was the paper of the working class in the city for decades - you couldn't take the bus or subway without seeing a dozen people with the "people paper". Now those people read Metro cause it is free. The DN had one of the best sports sections I ever saw now it kinda stinks and everything in the section is covered on Comcast anyhow - the DN even has its own show on Comcast so people don't have to read the sports section. Will look out here comes a compliment - you are are good writer. I don't agree with your slant/opinions in your articles but they are generally well written and entertaining. Now here's the but. But how many people do you think actually buy the paper to read Will Bunch? I have to think you rank behind the people who buy the paper for 1) the sports page 2) the tattle section 3) the people interested only in the bimbo de jour on the cover 4) the horoscope/comics and 5) the classifieds if they still exist. And as to your "watchdog" role I would point out that the only investigative journalism that seems to be done is to attack the Philly PD. And the working class people of this city support the Philly PD. Again this is my personal POV about the left leaning nature of this paper but you can talk all you want about Fumo's comments about the Inky - the Inky and the DN both endorsed Fumo over and over again and gave him a glowing goodbye when he left office.
Posted 12:36 PM, 03/03/2009
E.Plebnista
"obuma and pelosi are taking this country to the toilet" - That's because we've got a bad case of diarrhea from the past eight years and the GOP solution seems to be to take laxatives. "and all you libs talk about is a radio personality." - actually, it was the playground conservatives in the marginalized minority that are marching in lock step behind the drug-addled windbag having just spent the last week lauding his Hate Americans First creed at their annual Lunatic Convention. Yep, a pill-popping sex tourist is the leader of the GOP these days. It's so priceless, you can't make it up...
Posted 12:15 PM, 03/03/2009
thelupe24
obuma and pelosi are taking this country to the toilet and all you libs talk about is a radio personality. strange
Posted 12:13 PM, 03/03/2009
montani semper liberi
"Journalists should be held accountable the same way." . . . . Yeah, but who's liable for the equivalent fees?
Posted 12:10 PM, 03/03/2009
montani semper liberi
"Its stale and old by the time it shows up. If it shows up" . . . . Good observation, mack. Isn't that the essence of their problem?
Posted 12:10 PM, 03/03/2009
Paul B
MR Bunch-something tells me this guy is going to have a party when the Fairness Doc ... I mean, "localism" ends conservative talk radi. Less opposition, after all, for fascists like this creep.
Posted 12:06 PM, 03/03/2009
E.Plebnista
"Sanctimoniuos drivel and clearly masked impartiality is not worth the paper it's printed on." - or the air it's broadcast through, eh? At least Rush is good for one thing - recycling oxygen as carbon dioxide to aid in plants' photosynthesis. Aside from that, not much.
Posted 11:59 AM, 03/03/2009
Phoenix Woman
The difference between lefties and righties is that lefties do try to police themselves and hence aren't as drawn to screamers like Michael (Savage) Weiner and Rush Limbaugh. Will isn't afraid to go after a fellow lefty who is well thought of by many other lefties, yet the few conservatives who touch the third rail that is Rush soon learn not to do so. Speaking of Limbaugh, he really is the untouchable god of the GOP, isn't he? Phil Gingrey tried dissing him -- and was forced to apologize. Michael Steele tried dissing him -- and was forced to apologize. I'm not normally a fan of Rahm Emanuel, but boy howdy did he call this one!
Posted 11:50 AM, 03/03/2009
ET
Why can't the new journalists be like ambulance chasers. Personal injury lawyers don't make a dime unless they come through for the plaintive. Journalists should be held accountable the same way. Unless they write something informative, accurate and unbiased why should they get paid? Sanctimoniuos drivel and clearly masked impartiality is not worth the paper it's printed on.
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Posted 11:36 AM, 03/03/2009
will
Because clearly he wants fewer watchdogs. Whenever someone wishes for that, then he deserves more watchdogs. Do you remember the "opinions" that Vince Fumo -- a fan favorite here at Attytood -- had about the Inquirer?
Posted 11:35 AM, 03/03/2009
E.Plebnista
"We are slowly setting the stage for a population of dullards." - Rush Limbaugh's dittoheads say "hello"
Posted 11:31 AM, 03/03/2009
jmc
Why would you investigate someone for giving his opinion?
Posted 11:20 AM, 03/03/2009
WriteWinger
What are the good people of Colorado to do when they need something to wrap their fish in or house train the dog? Does the Inky deliver that far Wilbur?
Posted 11:16 AM, 03/03/2009
Phoenix Woman
Hey, all it takes for somebody to be investigated by the GOP/Media Complex is for President Obama to appoint them to something. It even works if he picks a Republican. Just ask Judd Gregg -- his family's done all sorts of hinky deals in NH for decades and nobody's done much about it. But let a Democratic president show him favor in some way, and presto! Investigations out the wazoo!
Posted 11:14 AM, 03/03/2009
citizenkane
It is extremely sad that people do not realize that good reporting and good writing are skills that require years of training and experience in order to excel. To me, the demise of newspapers are a confirmation of this misconception taking root. We are slowly setting the stage for a population of dullards.
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Posted 10:45 AM, 03/03/2009
bird11
Dang!!! Gotta hurt when even the Democrats don't want you folks around.
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About Will Bunch
Will's book: Learn about it here and purchase it here.

Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.

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