I have often wondered why the Seattle Times employs Ron Judd, and even gives him plum assignments. And I have wondered even more why they tolerate smears from him like this one:
Q: This sea-lion thing is getting out of hand. I mean, they're amusing and all, and I didn't think the ones cruising for dinner at the Ballard Locks should be killed when that argument was hashed out. But now I read that hundreds of the buggers are swimming 140 miles up the Columbia River, eating up to 10 percent of endangered chinook — meaning we can't fish for them in the ocean or eat them at Anthony's.
If it comes down to them or my barbecue, I'm siding with the Weber. Isn't it time to start using lethal methods to control this pest?
A: We could say "absolutely," and then stand back and wait for the cannon-blast of angry calls, letters and e-mails. Instead, in the fine tradition of White House Propaganda Minister Scott McClellan, allow us to issue forth the following steamin' heap of doublespeak:
If, like me, you wonder why this crude smear is acceptable at the Seattle Times, you can ask the executive editor, Michael Fancher, at this email address: mfancher@seattletimes.com. If you feel even more strongly, you can probably find an email address for the publisher, Frank Blethen, with a little effort. If you feel mischievous, you might want to send a query to Seattle Times guest columnist and retired journalism professor, Floyd McKay, asking him if that paragraph meets his professional standards. And, if you feel extra, extra polite, you might send a copy of any email to Ron Judd (Democrat, Phobos and Deimos), whose email address you can find at the end of the column.
(And just to be complete, let me note that Judd butchered a metaphor; a "cannon-blast" is a single thing and logically can not refer to "angry calls, letters, and e-mails". (Bombardment or barrage would work.) The phrase "issue forth" should be replaced by something less awkward, though an alternative is not easy to find, at least for a family newspaper. There are other composition errors in the column, but I don't have the time to correct all Judd's mistakes.)
Posted by Jim Miller at April 14, 2006 09:33 AM | Email ThisBut then Jim you know more about smears than I do. From your blog:
"In other words, Ware's efforts to be "objective" have turned him into a propaganda mouthpiece for terrorists."
"Just saw Katie Couric. I didn't expect the election results to make her happy, but I was still taken aback by the angry, bitter woman I saw on TV. She was wearing a black dress that would not be out of place at a funeral, and she looked as if she had lost a child to a brutal murderer."
" A similar desire to be "objective" may have let the Associated Press ignore the strong likelihood that one of its stringers in Iraq, photographer Bilal Hussein, was a tool of the terrorists. Michelle Malkin has that story, which includes this crucial, but unverified claim: "
[Note to Jim: any time you cite Malkin, stating that her claim is unverified is redundant] Oh, maybe I do know a smear when I see one.
Posted by: Steven Donegal on April 14, 2006 10:24 AMDon't waste your time. We're just a bunch of cranky, right-wing crackpots/zealots/extremists/radicals who can't take a joke. I'd rather keep my powder dry (literally) for the bigger issues coming down the pike.
Posted by: jimg on April 14, 2006 10:30 AM1). Psychology
2). Poli – Sci
3). Journalism
The newspapers are already full of balding, paunchy middle age, left leaning HACKS, no need for younger ones. Without six more years of education and a Ph D in Psychology, what do you do with your B.A.? The same is true for Political Science.
I guess Tulleys, Starbucks, Seattle’s Best, Government Social Workers, and the Co-Op Organic Grocery stores will have a never ending of supply of workers!!!
The meaningless reruns are preferable to this.
Posted by: Janet S on April 14, 2006 12:18 PMWe are witnessing the death throes of the antique media.
Enjoy the spectacle.
Posted by: JCM on April 14, 2006 12:20 PMI'm a strong Bush supporter on foreign affairs and economic issues. But I think Scott McClellan is incompetent. He stepped into his current job when Ari Fleischer left. That was the week that the '16 words you can never say in a State of the Union Address' flap started. He couldn't get the facts across to the public like Ari could. And it's been downhill ever since. He hasn't grown into the job of communicating the facts and the positions of the administration to the American people.
I hope McClellan is replace soon, and with someone who will tick-off the libs more often.
Posted by: Republican (by default) on April 14, 2006 12:23 PMI dougbt that Judd knows the difference.
Posted by: Van on April 14, 2006 06:36 PMThere is a natural solution to the problem of the sea lions gorging on the salmon and nature has shown us solution.
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/InNews/whaleseal2003.htm
Posted by: pbj on April 15, 2006 11:11 AMTrudeau's been working on this college application theme off-and-on over the past 6 months. I thought his kids were past this age, but maybe not. I think you have to be the parent of a college-bound kid, particularly one applying to top-25 colleges to understand how true these really are. The humor is lost on anybody else. Trust me, the Saturday (4/15) comic is waaay to close to home...
Posted by: TimF on April 17, 2006 09:21 AM