WASHINGTON—Rep. Dennis Kucinich, in a reversal of his previous vote on health-care legislation, said Wednesday that he plans to vote in favor of a version of the bill set to come before the House.
Mr. Kucinich (D., Ohio), who has advocated for a single-payer health-care system in which the government would supplant private insurers, was one of 39 House Democrats to vote against the bill last November and was easily the most liberal lawmaker among those Democrats. At a news conference Wednesday, he said that “after careful discussions with President Obama; Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi; my wife, Elizabeth; and close friends, I’ve decided to vote in favor of this legislation.”
OK, so that explains it — if you looked like Dennis Kucinich, and had a wife who looked like Elizabeth, and she told you to vote for something, what would you do? If she told him to vote for a war resolution against France, he’d probably go for it. (And you never know; she might do that — she’s a Brit, you know.)
Seriously, I was hoping for some substance as to why he decided to vote for this watered-down mess. Maybe, if the reasons were good, I’d be for it, too.
All I got from this story was the fact that Dennis recently got a ride on Air Force One as part of the White House campaign to win him over. I worry about what else he might have been promised, because truly, I don’t agree with this guy about anything other than single-payer and his taste in dames.
Has anyone seen a good summary of what is about to be voted on? I haven’t recently, and I’d like to find one. Suggestions, anyone?
Here ya go, folks: Your news roundup to greet you when you get home from work for the day…
Fed to End Mortgage-Purchase Program — This is an understated, one-column sort of lead. It’s important because the Fed is doing this in the interest of “allowing a nascent economic recovery to stand with less government support.” Meanwhile, Reuters reports that “Stocks rose to a fresh 17-month high on Tuesday after the Federal Reserve held benchmark rates near zero and maintained its pledge to keep them low for an extended period.” So more good news.
Hillary Clinton affirms US support for Israel after row — This follows on the report that the Israeli ambassador to the US was saying our relationship was in crisis. That’s the lede at the BBC, which may have slightly overhyped the “crisis” angle yesterday. Meanwhile the NYT is trying to catch up by itself declaring a crisis, in this story: “Israel Rejects U.S. Demands on Building in East Jerusalem.” (I ALMOST made this the lede, but it fell just a bit short, I thought.)
Google Partners in China Issue Plea to Web Giant — This may be a mere turn of the screw in this developing story, but I’m putting it on the front because this contest between corporation and nation-state is historic, and bears watching at each stage of its development.
Tiger Woods Says He Will Return for Masters — I include this not because I find the Tiger Woods story interesting — I don’t — but because other people do, and the Masters is sort of a local story for SC. Watch — some SC papers will lead with it, which should cause them to blush with embarrassment, but it won’t.
SC museum rejects monument marking secession — Well, here’s a little promising news out of SC — an SC body votes, just barely by the hairs of its chinny-chin-chin, NOT to celebrate secession with yet another monument. Next, we’ll hear that Citadel students will be taught not to take pride in Big Red, their relic of the world’s most extreme, most violent college prank — the one that launched the Recent Unpleasantness.
On a previous post I mentioned in passing the local effort to get Google Fiber — which is not to be confused with the kind of fiber that you get in bran flakes, but which would supposedly allows us to surf the Web 100 times as fast as we do now — here in Columbia.
Well, NEVER MIND. And I feel every bit as sheepish as Emily Litella having to say that.
My longtime friend Cheryl Levenbrown of The New York Times gently broke the news to me via Facebook comment last night: Just go to hbo.com, and click on “Series” and then “The Pacific,” then register, and you can watch the first episode in its entirety.
And it’s pretty high-quality. I don’t know if that was technically hi-def, but the def was certainly good enough for my standards. About the only problem I had was that motion tended to be a bit shaky and leave tracer patterns, like when you wave your hand in front of a strobe or something. Since I have a pretty good video card, I attributed that to the speed of my broadband connection. Maybe if we can get that Google Fiber thingy, the video will be perfect. (If you want to get involved in helping make that happen, check out the Facebook page. I’m a fan; you should be, too.)
Now, as to the show itself: It was good, although it didn’t quite live up to the buildup I gave it. I expected so much, that it would have been a miracle if it had.
Where it failed, for me, was that it didn’t engage me. It was so anxious to get to actual combat, there was no opportunity to get to know the characters before BAM, they’re getting shot at. One minute a guy’s telling the girl across the street that he’s joined the Marines (and she responds vaguely, and you never get a sense of whether this girl means anything to this guy or what), and you get another brief scene indicating that this same guy has an emotionally distant father, and then the next minute he experiences his baptism under fire, and becomes hardened to killing in a surprisingly short time. And then the episode is over.
I could have used an episode or two of boot camp and basic combat training to see the process of these boys becoming Marines, a process during which you get to know them as individuals before they become gyrenes. I was hoping, as I said before, for something more like Leon Uris’ Battle Cry, which goes on for a couple of hundred pages before the Sixth Marines get to Guadalcanal. That way, when a character is killed, you really care because you KNOW the guy by that time.
“Band of Brothers” did it right. It opened with two hour-long episodes, which allowed the entire first episode to be about training and molding the individuals into a fighting unit, and then you see them jumping into Normandy in the second episode that same night, and by that time you KNOW these guys (and I don’t think that’s just because I had read the book). And just in case you might lose interest on that first episode, it begins with the guys suiting up for the D-Day invasion, then suddenly standing down for that nerve-wracking one-day delay because of the weather, and they all have time with their thoughts, which allows them to think of how they got to where they were, which leads to telling the whole training story in flashback. And of course, when the combat starts, it starts with a huge bang.
To give the makers of “The Pacific” (many of the same people, actually) credit, they did an interesting thing. They begin the “combat” part with the unit’s unopposed landing at Guadalcanal — a marked contrast with the D-Day landing on a beach with every square inch-presighted by the enemy. So there’s no enemy on the beachhead, and no enemy to be found for quite some time as the Marines move on into the quiet jungle. Of course, when the shooting starts it is suitably intense and disorienting.
But my problem remains — there simply wasn’t enough character development during those quiet parts. Maybe we’ll get it as we go forward. I’m very encouraged to read in Burl’s review that “dramatically these are the weakest segments,” referring to the first two episodes. I’ll certainly be watching to see it get better. Because however disappointed I may be, I’d rather see this than anything else likely to be on television.
Are you a Lindsey Graham Republican, or a Jim DeMint Republican?
Well, whether you remember it or not, I did, and I still think it’s a great question. Now if we could just come up with one like that for the Democrats…
Anyway, I got to thinking of that a few minutes ago, when I saw this Tweet from Karen Floyd:
Great to see 2 strong conservatives in DeMint and Rubio earlier today, now off to see a 3rd in Gov. Barbour.about 2 minutes agovia mobile web
That got me to thinking, so I dug back into Ms. Floyd’s Twitter history a ways — several pages back, all the way to Oct. 5 (I guess I could have gone further, but I got tired of clicking on the “more” link). And guess what I found?
Yup. There are 11 mentions of Jim DeMint, and one of Lindsey Graham. And the Graham mention does him no credit, no credit at all. In fact — and this is whipped cream atop this treat — it happened to be the very same Tweet from Karen that caused me to get on Lindsey’s case for poking his nose where it doesn’t belong:
That’s it. She could only bring herself to mention the guy when he did a bad thing.
Whatever you think of that, I think we’ve established one thing: Of the two kinds of S.C. Republican one can be, we know which kind Karen Floyd is.
Now, maybe you’ll say, But Brad, of course she mentions Jim all the time! He’s the one up for re-election this year! That’s why she’s got to laud him in Tweets such as these generic masterpieces:
To which I would reply, Yeah, but don’t you think the chairwoman of the party would withhold her enthusiasm until his is actually, technically, her party’s nominee?
I just thought I’d share the new video that Joe Wilson put out. The embed code is sort of acting up, though, so if you have trouble with it, you can see it here.
Once you see it, I think you’ll agree that it’s pretty slick. But it oughta be, with the kind of money he’s got available to spend…
Here’s the release about the ad:
CONSTITUENTS TALK ABOUT JOE WILSON’S DEDICATION & FOCUS ON JOBS IN FIRST TV AD
Joe Wilson Announces Media Debut Set For Tuesday March 16.
(West Columbia, SC) – Constituents of South Carolina’s Second District talk in candid terms about Congressman Joe Wilson’s dedication and focus on creating jobs in South Carolina. Interviews with everyday people are the main component of Joe Wilson’s first TV ad, which will begin airing across South Carolina’s Second District Tuesday March 16.
“I always enjoy getting out and traveling the Second District, connecting with constituents,” Wilson said. “I am grateful to serve such wonderful people and will continue to focus on jobs in order to make their lives better.”
“He’s a man of integrity, he says what he means, and he does what he says,” one constituent says in the ad. “He understands what the people at home want and his voting record demonstrates that,” another constituent says.
The TV ad compliments a radio ad which will also premiere Tuesday on select stations throughout the district. One unique aspect of the TV ad, instead of a traditional 30-second ad with a candidate talking, Joe’s ad is a full one minute and features constituents talking.
Joe Wilson is running a jobs-focused campaign that will speak directly with constituents about the important economic issues facing the Second District.
Joe Means Jobs is Wilson’s push to cut taxes and bonus depreciation for companies to purchase equipment in an effort to create more jobs for the Second District. In addition, Joe is calling for continuing $15,000 tax credits for people who buy homes in foreclosure.
CLICK HERE to visit www.Joemeansjobs.com to view a high-resolution version of the entire 1:00 TV ad.
Another Monday, another slow news day — but you’ll find that if you wait until the working day begins and things start happening, you can find some things going on. I think afternoon newspapers were always preferable to morning ones, but that is especially true on Mondays.
Contractors Tied to U.S. Effort to Track and Kill Militants — Remember my post yesterday about the Mossad hit team? Well, this is an NYT story on U.S. efforts to target individuals in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Of course, we don’t send in double-naught spy hit teams; we fling missiles at ’em.
Ties between Israel and US ‘worst in 35 years’ — I sort of get the impression that BBC is overhyping this assessment by the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., but I pass it on for you to consider alongside the other reports I’ve put on the front in recent days, such as this one and this one. In particular, the BBC seems far more negative about the impact of new settlements on Palestinian willingness to negotiate than does, say, the NYT.
Filing begins Tuesday — I THINK this means for the June primaries, although the story in The State wasn’t specific on that point. So what I’m wondering is, if I want to run as an UnParty candidate, when would I have to file? This story doesn’t say, or at least it doesn’t say clearly.
Sarkozy takes a hit in regional elections — Betcha didn’t even know they had elections in France on Sunday. Well, they did, and this was the result, according to The Economist.
Chicago is buzzing over a memo that Tribune CEO Randy Michaels put out listing words he didn’t want to hear on WGN-AM (720), the news/talk radio station owned by the World’s Greatest Newspaper (which is what WGN stands for).
Blogger Robert Feder has given him grief about it. Noting that it’s all well and good to coach staffers about avoiding jargon and cliche, Mr. Feder said that Mr. Michaels went beyond that reasonable goal:
Meyerson takes it a step further, directing his staff to keep tabs on each other’s compliance: They’re to report any on-air infractions by their co-workers, making sure to note the precise time and date on “bingo cards” he provided that contain a random assortment of Michaels’ forbidden words. If you ask me, that’s just plain creepy.What’s even more disturbing is that the CEO of a major institution would engage in such petty and insulting micromanaging of subordinates….
Most unwisely, Mr. Michaels then contributed to the image of him as an out-of-control martinet by holding a meeting with the station’s staff to chew them out over his memo having been leaked.
Somewhat more helpfully, Mr. Michaels then put out this explanation:
“ ‘The List’ was part of a collection of notes distributed by me to the attendees of the recent Broadcast News Directors meetings. There is neither corporate ‘banned’ list nor are there ‘forbidden’ words. The list was a collection of ‘News English’ words and phrases we’d be better off without. I was simply reminding News Directors that jargon, clichés, and misused words are not found in good writing. I was hoping that News Directors would add to the list of crutches. Thanks to all of the publicity, many great contributions have been received, but from outside the company. The ‘kerfuffle’ is a bit bewildering. Most news organizations have a style book, and the suggestions on that list are pretty basic. It is surprising that some believe that the CEO of a content company should not be concerned about content. As for where the list came from, it clearly came from WGN radio since it had Charlie [Meyerson]’s perhaps unfortunate introduction. It was compiled by a few people after the News Directors meeting. The same list went to all of the TV news directors without public reaction. Someone who works at WGN must think sending internal memos to an out of work blogger who doesn’t like us is OK. That part is the most disappointing.”
At the risk of sounding like a guy who hasn’t gotten over being management, even after being laid off, I want to take this opportunity to stick up for Mr. Michaels, just a bit: He actually was onto something in trying to weed out “at risk,” “two to one margin,” “Eye Rack” and a few others from news copy:
“Flee” meaning “run away”
“Good” or “bad” news
“Laud” meaning “praise”
“Seek” meaning “look for”
“Some” meaning “about”
“Two to one margin” . . . “Two to one” is a ratio, not a margin. A margin is measured in points. It’s not a ratio.
“Yesterday” in a lead sentence
“Youth” meaning “child”
5 a.m. in the morning
After the break
After these commercial messages
Aftermath
All of you
Allegations
Alleged
Area residents
As expected
At risk
At this point in time
Authorities
Auto accident
Bare naked
Behind bars
Behind closed doors
Behind the podium (you mean lecturn) [sic]
Best kept secret
Campaign trail
Clash with police
Close proximity
Complete surprise
Completely destroyed, completely abolished, completely finished or any other completely redundant use
Death toll
Definitely possible
Diva
Down in (location)
Down there
Dubbaya when you mean double you
Everybody (when referring to the audience)
Eye Rack or Eye Ran
False pretenses
Famed
Fatal death
Fled on foot
Folks
Giving 110%
Going forward
Gunman, especially lone gunman
Guys
Hunnert when you mean hundred
Icon
In a surprise move
In harm’s way
In other news
In the wake of (unless it’s a boating story)
Incarcerated
Informed sources say . . .
Killing spree
Legendary
Lend a helping hand
Literally
Lucky to be alive
Manhunt
Marred
Medical hospital
Mother of all (anything)
Motorist
Mute point. (It’s moot point, but don’t say that either)
Near miss
No brainer
Officials
Our top story tonight
Out in (location)
Out there
Over in
Pedestrian
Perfect storm
Perished
Perpetrator
Plagued
Really
Reeling
Reportedly
Seek
Senseless murder
Shots rang out
Shower activity
Sketchy details
Some (meaning about)
Some of you
Sources say . . .
Speaking out
Stay tuned
The fact of the matter
Those of you
Thus
Time for a break
To be fair
Torrential rain
Touch base
Under fire
Under siege
Underwent surgery
Undisclosed
Undocumented alien
Unrest
Untimely death
Up in (location)
Up there
Utilize (you mean use)
Vehicle
We’ll be right back
Welcome back
Welcome back everybody
We’ll be back
Went terribly wrong
We’re back
White stuff
World class
You folks
He managed to hit on some of the less forgivable words in the hack writer’s arsenal. So I give him props for that.
But when you read the whole thing, it gets more than a little weird. If he’d cut it down to maybe a dozen words, it would have seemed a bit less anal and dictatorial. Along about word 80, I start thinking of the power-mad new presidente in “Bananas”:
From this day on, the official language of San Marcos will be Swedish. Silence! In addition to that, all citizens will be required to change their underwear every half-hour. Underwear will be worn on the outside so we can check. Furthermore, all children under 16 years old are now… 16 years old!
And his overreaction to the leakage is even stranger. I’m glad I don’t work for this guy.
But I do enjoy a good debate over words. And ultimately, being out of the trade, I find it both reassuring and amusing that somewhere, these kinds of “kerfuffles” are still going on…
China Warns Google — This ongoing battle of wills between this American megacorp and the world’s most populous country has the feel to me of being a hinge of history — a move away from the age of nation-states, to a time when corporations conduct their own foreign policy on a high level. Yeah, I know that’s a trend that’s been going on for some time, but this case takes it to a new level, on that bears upon not only the global economy but even national security issues.
Widening Abuse Scandal in Germany Enmeshes Pope — A senior church official acknowledges that “serious mistakes” were made in the handling of a sexual abuse case in a German archdiocese — when the current Pope was its archbishop.
Cromartie faction scrambles to retain power — An “emergency meeting” of Cromartie’s supporters held a meeting last night from which a reporter (the intrepid Adam Beam) was barred. Mayoral candidate Steve Benjamin was a named guest at the meeting. Also, a judge was appointed in his case.
Legal Experts Say Lehman Criminal Case Would Be Difficult— This is a followup to a story in this morning’s WSJ about a scathing report on the Lehman collapse by a bankruptcy court examiner, a report that “paints the most complete picture yet of the free-wheeling culture inside the 158 year-old firm, whose chief executive Richard S. Fuld Jr. prided himself on his ability to manage market risk.”
James Brown’s body — In a London tabloid, a daughter claims that the body of the late South Carolinian, the Godfather of Soul, is missing. The Augusta Chronicle reports that there’s nothing to it, according to a funeral director.
Or at least, I did when I heard about it, until I saw it. The new Christina Hendricks doll is a disappointment, as it lacks the real-woman curves of the original, to say nothing of the doll’s vapid expression. But nice thought, there. You almost had a great idea, Mattel.
Christina, as you should know, plays the indomitable Joan Holloway on “Mad Men,” and she’s the single best reason to watch the show.
She was also wonderful in two episodes of “Firefly,” so it was great to see that she got some steady work after the network execs demonstrated their utter lack of taste by canceling that classic.
Beyond her looks, Christina is one awesome actress; her characters unforgettable.
As you may have gathered along the way, I am a huge fan of “Band of Brothers.” I think it is THE best thing ever made for television, and not just because it was my idea.
I’m not claiming a cause-and-effect relationship here, but here’s what happened: Back in the 90s, sometime near the 50th anniversary of the Normandy invasion, I picked up a copy of Stephen Ambrose’s D-Day for a song at a discount book sale in a former supermarket space in Surfside. I really, really got into it, from the wonderful personal stories — every one of the half a million men involved in that landing had a slightly different, and fascinating, perspective on that remarkable day — to the statistics that painted a vivid picture of what the world was like then. Such as this portrait of the average American soldier:
The U.S. Army’s infantry divisions were not elite, by definition, but they had some outstanding characteristics. Although they were made up, primarily, of conscripted troops, there was a vast difference between American draftees and their German counterparts (not to mention the Ost battalions). The American Selective Service System was just that, selective. One-third of the men called to service were rejected after physical examinations, making the average draftee brighter, healthier, and better educated than the average American. He was twenty-six years old, five feet eight inches tall, weighed 144 pounds, had a thirty-three-and-a-half-inch chest, and a thirty-one-inch waist. After thirteen weeks of basic training, he’d gained seven pounds (and converted many of his original pounds from fat to muscle) and added at least an inch to his chest. Nearly half the draftees were high-school graduates; one in ten had some college. As Geoffrey Perret puts it in his history of the U.S. Army in World War II, “These were the best-educated enlisted men of any army in history.”
Puny little guys, weren’t they? Chests of 33.5 inches? Yet they were the fittest recruits ever molded into an Army.
I got so into that book that I started reading all his other books connected to that one, such as Pegasus Bridge and Citizen Soldiers(sort of the sequel to D-Day). But my favorite of them all was Band of Brothers. In its narrative form, it was like my favorite novel from my mid-teens, Leon Uris’ Battle Cry: It took a group of young men from disparate backgrounds and followed them through some of the most significant battles of the war (in the novel, Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan; with the history, Normandy, Holland, Bastogne, Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest), and all their experiences between battles (in New Zealand and England) ,giving a deep sense of the kind of bonds that such experiences form.
Battle Cry had had a huge impact on me. I had come to care deeply about all of the characters, following them through several intense years of their lives, and when a huge number of them were killed in a matter of minutes in the final beach landing, it was hard to take. (The experience was so impressive that the new album I was listening to at the time that I first read it — “Abbey Road,” which lets you know I was reading it in the fall of 1969 — became oddly linked with it from then on. Improbable, but true.)
Unfortunately, a movie was made from Battle Cry, a really bad movie, that did it a great disservice. Over the years, I had thought how much better it could have been if remade as a high-quality series — 10 or 12 hours in length. That could have done it justice.
When I read Band of Brothers, I thought the same thing. In particular, I thought in terms of an HBO-quality series in the mold of “From the Earth to the Moon.” That series, a Tom Hanks production, had followed upon the wonderful “Apollo 13,” a film that had captured the same kind of camaraderie and can-do and “we’re all in this together” spirit that was an aspect of Uris’ novel, the spirit that characterized the early 1940s in this country, and which I’ve always felt deprived for having missed.
About that time, I saw “Saving Private Ryan,” and saw that it was possible to make the kind of WWII flick that no one had ever made before, and which I had always longed to see. So I decided that Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg were just the team to produce a serialized version of Band of Brothers and do it justice. And I determined that the only venue for that series, the only outlet that had demonstrated a willingness to present the kind of series I had in mind, was HBO.
So for some months, I had this recurring urge to write to Messrs. Hanks, Spielberg and Ambrose with my proposal. I even fantasized about being able to help with the project, perhaps with some of the screenwriting. I had it all thought out. But I never wrote to them, for a number of reasons. One was that it smelled like a fan letter, and I had never written one of those in my life (or a letter to the editor, either). It would have embarrassed me to write something that would come across as “Gee willikers, I sure think your pictures are swell, and I’d love to help you make one.” Also, I didn’t see any way it would do any good; who would pay attention?
Then, several months after I’d given up on the idea altogether, I read that those guys were producing a series based on Band of Brothers for HBO. I was pretty stunned. I was also kicking myself. I had cause to reflect that while I was too embarrassed to write a “fan letter,” Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg didn’t worry about such things, but unabashedly produced wonderful films showing what fans they were of the guys who fought that war. People who worry about being cool don’t get things done, unfortunately.
But even though I’d had nothing to do with making it, the series was everything I had envisioned. It was fantastic. I got to watch it more or less in real time because my Dad got HBO just for the purpose of seeing it, and he taped it for me. Then, when the DVD set came out, that was the only thing I wanted for Christmas, and that was what I got. I’ve watched it quite a few times (favorite episode: Episode 7 in the Ardennes), and am always pleased and impressed.
So imagine how cool I think it is that the same team is about to unveil “The Pacific.” A “Band of Brothers” in the same theater as Battle Cry. Wow.
I was getting all pumped about it, when it hit me — I don’t have HBO, and neither does my Dad, nor anyone else in the family.
Major bummer. Not that everyone cares. I mentioned it to my wife last night, with a tinge of anguish in my voice, and she said, “Poor you,” in that sarcastic way that wives have. So the chances of Mamanem letting me GET HBO to watch this, given our current state of pecuniary strangulation (a phrase I learned from Battle Cry), are pretty much nil
Oh, well. Maybe it will come out on DVD really fast, and I can get it on Netflix. I can’t wait.
By the way, that lucky dog Burl got to cover the premiere out in Hawaii. I am, needless to say, way envious. Here’s his report.
Aaron Johnson and some of his supporters are pretty worked up over his being excluded from a mayoral candidate debate being sponsored by the USC Law School Democrats.
The odd thing is, the law school group didn’t just invite the main three — Benjamin, Finlay and Morrison. They included Joe Azar — but not Johnson, Sparkle Clark or Gary Myers (or any of the lesser candidates I haven’t even met). According to WIS:
“It bothers me that anyone would have their voice stifled in that manner,” said Johnson. “I believe it’s critical to a functioning democracy that every candidate is allowed to voice their opinion, raise their concerns. I understand the limitations of the media, the limitations of an event like a debate, I understand there are time constraints, but I still think that every effort should be made to include as many people as possible.”
The USC law school has officially NOT invited me to their mayoral debate. Here is the letter I received. There is not much more I can do as a candidate, even though I am a USC graduate and I have done more than any other candidate to try and reach young people and students in our community.
Mr. Johnson,
Thank you again for your interest, understanding, and patience. The groups involved in the planning have decided on a standard for the forum, and unfortunately, you do not fall within it, and I cannot offer you an invitation to participate in the forum. I hope you will understand that this was a very difficult decision to make, but one that had to be made considering our limited resources.
The standard we used is what we’re calling a media standard, designed to reflect the weight that the candidates are given by the local media. This viewpoint-neutral standard was our only option given that appropriate polling and financial information was unavailable. Our method was to tally the times each candidate was mentioned in articles written by Columbia’s mainstream media, including the State and the local network affiliates.
Of course, it is not our intention to exclude anyone for their specific views. We are a community that encourages vigorous debate, and we welcome anyone else who is running to attend and hand out campaign literature and engage other attendees before and after the forum. I admire your effort to get involved in the community, and I hope you can attend.
Regards,
William Tinkler
The “media standard,” eh?
Now you know, I’m not in principle against limiting the number of candidates in a debate. And as a longtime editor, I have no problem with making an editorial decision that some candidates are more legit than others. You may think that’s terrible, but editors have limited resources (especially today), and I believe they have a sacred duty to devote as many of those scarce resources as they can to telling you about the candidates who actually have a chance of getting elected.
And yes, I’ve heard all the arguments from the lesser candidates. You tell them they’re not viable, and they say they would be viable if you’d cover them, and you say you’re not in the business of changing the reality, only of reporting and commenting on it, and… well, such debates go on and on, with both sides having good points. But in the end, you have to deploy your resources as wisely as you know how, and brace yourself for the inevitable complaints.
And if you’re running a debate, one of your precious resources is the amount of time available. And if you limit the field, the viable candidates have more opportunity to be heard, and the voters have more opportunity to judge them wisely. So the USC Law School Democrats have my sympathy.
My saying that is going to disappoint Aaron, who has praised me for writing about him when the MSM wouldn’t. But on the other hand, I sympathize with him completely for being excluded when fellow dark-horse candidate and Five Points businessman Joe Azar gets invited.
The law school dems seem have devised a system that would give them a numerical value for measuring the news coverage, so as to get an “objective” result, and Azar (who after all is better known to the media, for having run so often) just happened to fall on the good side of the thin red line.
But they would have been better off realizing you can’t be purely objective about these things. At some point, you have to have the guts to apply some judgment, which cannot be measured. Particularly when the thing you’re measuring was itself based on … editorial judgment.
First, some questions I’d appreciate y’all’s feedback on:
QUESTION: Does anyone find this daily feature valuable? I enjoy doing it, but it does take up a lot of time.
ALSO: I’m trying to figure out a time of day to do this. I’ve thought about getting up really early in the morning to do it, but 59 percent of voices in my head scream NO! to that one. Besides, I think these are better, and newsier, when I do them on the p.m. cycle. In which case, what’s the best time? noon? 5 p.m.? (Afternoon newspapers used to get their first edition into racks by noon so downtown workers could read it over lunch, and the final edition was waiting on most folks’ doorsteps when they got home from work. Both are good frames of reference… or not: The Web turns such old assumptions on their heads. The peak reading time for blogs tends to be during hours that people are SUPPOSED to be working…)
And does it matter whether I do it at the same time every day? I sort of think I should, because if readers DO like it, it would be reasonable to expect them to look for it at a certain time each day. But that presents an additional challenge. I have to work to earn bread, and every day my schedule is different.
All of which are factors that make me really want to know how much y’all value this daily briefing…
Uncertainty Remains About Cromartie-replacement Election — Yesterday’s report didn’t go into enough detail about the uncertainty that continues to surround the April 6 date, with both the attorney general’s office and the U.S. Justice Department in a position to delay the vote. So you might want to go read Adam’s story from this morning. Also, Adam blogs about the four candidates he’s heard about for the seat.
Bill Gates No Longer World’s Richest Man — That distinction belongs to a Mexican. And no, it’s not one of those Mexicans who irritate you so much by coming here to pluck our chickens and speak Spanish in Wal-Mart, but tycoon Carlos Slim.
U.S. Household Net Worth Rises — Well, none of us are as rich as Carlos Slim, or even poor little ol’ Bill Gates, but on average we shed debt and got richer, for a third straight quarter.
Chile Inauguration Jolted by Aftershocks — In an inauguration ceremony disrupted by three strong earthquakes, conservative Sebastian Piñera took Chile’s presidential oath Thursday and vowed to rebuild the country better than it had been before last month’s massive temblor. His first official act was to issue a tsunami alert — something his predecessor was criticized for failing to do in a timely manner.
Comprehensive 2010 Climate Bill Highly Unlikely, Murkowski Says — This might seem like too much of a turn-of-the-screw story for the front page — a single senator making a statement. But this was a key moderate Republican, and she was diminishing hope for the compromise legislation pushed by our own Lindsey Graham, John Kerry and my man Joe Lieberman. Yep, the very piece of legislation that got Lindsey censured by some Republicans back home, for the unpardonable sin of actually working with a Republican. It would be a great shame for this true Energy Party approach to fail after our senior senator has risked so much on it.
That’s the news for today. By the way, Mike Fitts shared with me today Slate’s version of this kind of feature. I like mine better. But what matters is what YOU think. Should I keep doing this?
A little while ago I got this from Phil Noble over at SC New Democrats:
It was reported on Monday by FITSNews.com, that in an attempt to boost support for his campaign for governor, Lt. Governor Andre Bauer has hired GOP political operative Chip Saltsman. That’s the same Chip Saltsman who was forced to drop his bid to become chair of the GOP after it was discovered that he sent out CDs to Republican friends featuring a song entitled, “Barack the Magic Negro” as Christmas presents shortly after President Obama’s election—a stunt that even Newt Gingrich called “inappropriate.”
SC New Democrat’s President Phil Noble called on Bauer to denounce Saltsman and fire him from his campaign. And, the SC New Democrats have launched a petition campaign to urge Bauer to do so.
“This is exactly the type of racist political tactics that our state doesn’t need. We are still trying to live down the sad legacy of cheap politics made commonplace by Lee Atwater for decades, but Bauer is continuing in this low tradition,” said Noble. “We need a new politics about bold visions that inspires our people to strive to achieve, not the old racist tactics dredged from the gutter of the past.”
Like most people, we thought we had heard the last of Chip Saltsman in 2008. After all, who would want to work with someone who thought such racist ‘humor’ was anything but revolting?
“Even mainstream Republicans were embarrassed by Saltsman and they forced him out of the race for chairman of the Republican National Committee,” said Noble. “I would hope that South Carolina Republicans would be as outraged as we are about Bauer importing some one like this to raise poll numbers. Saltsman has no place in South Carolina politics – Democratic or Republican.”
That got me to thinking — I heard about that video back at the time, but never saw it. And it occurred to me to wonder about it. I wondered, Are Phil and others just overreacting to the title? Are they being excessively PC? Is there not a room for satire in this world? Doesn’t “Barack the Magic Negro” sound like it could be relevant, cutting-edge satire of the kind that Saturday Night Live was known for in the early days (such as this)? And didn’t the phrase originate with a piece in The L.A. Times that actually did strike such an ironic tone?
But then I found the video — at least, I THINK this is the video (you know how people are always putting out different versions of things on YouTube — here’s another). If it isn’t, I hope someone will point out my error.
And when I saw it, I realized Phil was absolutely right to fulminate about this. It was everything he said it was, and a little bit more…
I hope you don’t mind me contacting you, but your credentials are quite impressive and I would love to speak to you. We have helped countless individuals realize their dreams of owning a business of their own. Based on your resume, I can see that you are quite accomplished in your field and may welcome the chance to apply your expertise in a more entrepreneurial setting.
Our network of franchisors represents the hundreds of major franchise businesses that currently exist in the industry. Our services simply assist prospective clients, such as yourself, in researching and selecting available franchise businesses that best suit desired lifestyles and financial goals. The research, qualification, and application service we provide costs you absolutely nothing; our affiliates get paid by the franchisor if and when you open your doors.
This is a unique opportunity that would allow you to apply your experience to a business of your own, increasing your earning potential and allowing you some much deserved flexibility in your career.
I’d love to speak with you and provide more insight, as well as answer any questions you may have. Please visit us at www.biz-recruit.com for more information.
Best regards,
The thing that gets me about these messages — or which GOT me until I became familiar with the pattern — was the way they start out making you think that, just this once, an actual human has read your resume and thought about your situation and decided that you’d be just right for them…
That’s something that happens all too often in these days of computerized, insulated job applications, processes that seem designed with one priority — to make sure you never make a human contact.
For the most part, all of the promising contacts I’ve had, the best leads, have all been from people I already knew, or who already knew me. With very few exceptions, the things you apply for online (and don’t call us) have been dry holes. I’ve applied for them anyway, doggedly, dutifully. But it’s a dispiriting process.
Anyway, these folks trying to find new franchise holders are pretty aggressive. Once, one of them called me on the phone, and got me to agree to talk to someone out of Charlotte who helps people set up franchise businesses. This was four or five months ago.
I had zero interest in starting a franchise business. Franchise WHAT? you may ask. What KIND of business? All sorts, they said. It was kind of inconceivable to me that I would go into a business I didn’t have a burning desire to go into. Unless someone had always wanted to own, say, a fast-food restaurant, it seems doubtful to me that he would succeed. And yet I know that the business world is full of people who go into a business, or several businesses, simply because it’s a way to make money. And some make lots of it. But that’s a mindset that was, and is, alien to me. The concept was so generic, so fill-in-the-blank. If the work itself isn’t interesting, or rewarding, how can you get up every day and do it, and with sufficient dedication to succeed? I have no idea.
But I talked to the guy; I listened to his pitch. And finally I said, Look, don’t you have to have some capital to get a franchise? And he said yes. Well, said I, I’m unemployed. And my severance is running out, and (although I didn’t quite put it this way) I’m certainly not insane enough to blow what’s left on some business I have no motivation to go into. Besides, I’m sure it’s wouldn’t be enough. Right, he said.
So, I asked, how on Earth is one to come up with this capital? Said he, well, if you own your own home…
So that was it. I was expected to throw my one asset of significant material value onto the floor in this dubious crap game.
I thanked the man and ended the conversation at that point.
I’m sure that for some people, this would be just the thing, the opportunity they’d always dreamed of. And great enterprises entail risk.
But it wasn’t for me. I do have to hand it to them, though, for having the most sophisticated come-on, one that appeals to the unemployed person’s desire to be noticed, to have one’s resume actually read…
I think I’ll drop the cutesy ersatz-Cronkite “the way it is” thing, and just call this the front page. Here’s today’s:
Voters to choose Cromartie replacement April 6 — After going back and forth on the matter (to judge by the Tweets I saw all day), Columbia City Council decided unanimously to add the newly opened seat to the ballot on which voters will choose a new mayor. So — who can mount an effective campaign that quickly? Will it be a successor hand-picked by Cromartie, or someone with independence? We’ll see.
Chamber Endorses Gresham Barrett, Vincent Sheheen — That’s an interesting pairing. They like Barrett because he’s for “comprehensive tax reform, ensuring South Carolina remains a right-to-work state, infrastructure improvement and energy independence.” They like Sheheen because he’s for“comprehensive tax reform, port expansion, the technical college system, low-cost energy and small business growth are all priorities that support a globally competitive South Carolina.”
Meeting With Biden, Palestinians Stick to Plan for Talks — As I indicated yesterday, the process stays on track in spite of plan for new settlements, which is promising. Plenty of harsh words were said about it (and should be, if you ask me), but it’s not a deal-killer.
Lost Boys actor Corey Haim dies aged 38 — Gotta tell you, I have no idea who this kid was, aside from what I’m now reading. When I asked aloud, “Who’s Corey Haim?,” I was told I would recognize his picture. I didn’t. But there’s so much buzz about him via social media and other outlets that I’m putting him on the front. I’m doing this in direct defiance of the Ratts rule of news: “News is what happens to, or interests, an editor.” That Ratts is such a cynic…
Facebook, Twitter Updates Spell Trouble in Small Workplace — Speaking of social media — I felt like there was enough hard news on the page (and note that it’s fresh stuff that wasn’t in the morning papers) that it might be nice to vary it up with a watercooler type of trend story.
And that’s the way it is, Wednesday, March 10, 2010. Sorry. Couldn’t resist.
A friend of the Mac persuasion, who is constantly waxing lyrical about her iPhone and can’t wait to get an iPad (you know how Apple people can be), passes this on:
A new Stanford University survey confirms what many iPhone users may have long suspected: Apple’s smartphone can be addicting.The survey was administered to 200 students with iPhones, 70 percent of whom had owned their iPhones for less than a year.
The most interesting trend was how quickly the iPhone became an indispensable part of the students’ lifestyles, and how many of them openly acknowledged they would be lost without it.
OK, sure, as a Crackberry user, I can see how that might happen. But then they present the basis for these findings:
Nearly 85 percent of the iPhone owners used the phone as their watch, and 89 percent used it as their alarm clock. In fact, 75 percent admitted to falling asleep with the iPhone in bed with them, and 69 percent said they were more likely to forget their wallet than their iPhone when leaving in the morning.
Well, now, come on — who doesn’t use even an ordinary cell phone as their watch, and as their alarm clock? I started doing that years ago, and who wouldn’t. Do people still buy watches, except for the really expensive ones that a certain kind of materialistic show-off twit wears as jewelry?
True, it’s a little disturbing that 30 percent of respondents reported that their phone is a “doorway into the world,” but I have the impression the researchers chose that creepy language. And face it; it IS a doorway into the world — several doorways, in fact.
And how often do you use your wallet in a given day, compared to how often you use a smartphone — for your e-mail, for Twitter, for Facebook, for blogging, to take pictures and video, and occasionally make a phone call? I might, just might, pull my wallet out of my pocket twice in a day, but sometimes go all day without touching it.
I mean, hello?!?!? Do you know what century this is, Stanford?
Embattled Columbia City Councilman E.W. Cromartie said he will resign by the end of today.
Cromartie, at City Hall, said he would step down and urged the city to hold an election to replace him on April 6, with the other city elections.
Cromartie agreed to plead guilty to federal tax evasion and structuring monetary transactions to evade reporting requirements, according to documents filed Friday in Columbia.
That would be something if they could do this along with the others on April 6. Apparently, that’s a possibility. I’m undecided as to whether that would be too fast. And I’m asking myself, Why does E.W. want it to be then?
State budget cuts mean Dept of Commerce will likely “suspend all foreign trade missions.” Maybe this should have been considered in 2008?
I gather that Gina — who, as you will recall, was the one who caught our governor at the airport sneaking back into the country from Argentina — is covering some sort of hearing on budget cuts at the State House. (Maybe she’s at the “the Tuesday Ways and Means Standing Committee Budget Briefing for Members of the House;” I don’t know.)
Anyway, it’s not all fun and games, as Gina goes on to reveal just moments ago:
Commission on Indigent Defense is likely to cut 43 public defenders bc of state budget cuts. Good gravy! How many are left? Like 3?
You have to have a certain ability to take things lightly, covering the State House, or you’ll go quite mad…
Or at least, I did when I heard about it, until I saw it. 
