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Thursday, October 30, 2008

Josh Feit: Banished!

posted by on October 30 at 17:33 PM

Josh Feit, previously of the Stranger, as well as Horse’s Ass editor David Goldstein (AKA Goldy) was kicked out of Dino Rossi’s news conference yesterday because, according to a Republican operative, he worked for a “partisan” publication, Horsesass.com. Bruce Ramsey, an editorial writer for “nonpartisan” Seattle Times—which just happened to endorse Rossi—was allowed in, and today he called bullshit on the Rossi camp’s double standard.

Being an employee of a big paper, I have hardly ever had that happen to me. The one time I remember was in the 90s as a business reporter being denied entry to a stockholder meeting of the Fisher Companies, which was then under SEC rules a public company. I was furious—shaking—and a good deal less polite to the Fisher vice-president who kicked me out than Goldy was yesterday—and I don’t regret anything I said to that Fisher man, or about him, thereafter. My experience wasn’t exactly the same as Goldy’s, but close enough.

Obviously, a lawyer holding a press conference in his private offices may let in who he likes and exclude who he likes. It may well be, as Goldy suspects, that they excluded him because he’s anti-Rossi, and because his style of expression is less than genteel. Maybe even the name of his blog has something to do with it. But for the record: Goldy is part of the media in Seattle. People who follow politics know who he is. They read him. Whether Feit is paid, or how much he is paid, is beside the point. We are not media because of how much money we make, or that we make any at all. We are media because of what we do.

I can only add: The only time I’ve ever been asked to leave a press event was at a press conference held by the anti-monorail campaign in 2003—and I’m still pissed. People who work with the media need to learn that you get better press by letting the media (even the partisan media!) in than by excluding them.

RSS icon Comments

1

"need to learn" Give it up America has been going downhill for a while now Time to start the holidays early Some Everclear over dry ice sounds spookily daring

Posted by gry mklsk | October 30, 2008 5:48 PM
2

Quit trying to get on the Times' good side; they still won't hire you.

Posted by Kenny | October 30, 2008 5:52 PM
3

Rossi did always hate our American values of Truth, Justice, and a Free Press.

On the other hand, Josh can sometimes be a bit grouchy ...

Posted by Will in Seattle | October 30, 2008 6:04 PM
4

This is too bad. I like Josh and he's cute too.

Posted by Sargon Bighorn | October 30, 2008 6:07 PM
5

Yes, but...David Goldstein is a turd. I wouldn't let him in if I were Rossi -- I mean, it's not like he's going to give Rossi good press regardless of whether he's allowed in. Bruce Ramsey might.

Posted by joykiller | October 30, 2008 6:09 PM
6

If Josh wasn't always an elitist asshole, I would feel bad.

Posted by Josh is gone? Who knew? | October 30, 2008 6:13 PM
7

Only talking to sympathetic press outlets seems to be considered perfectly acceptable conduct in some circles these days. It's part of the "let's make our own reality bubble where the lies we tell are actually true" strategy that really defines the modern era of conservatism.

Posted by flamingbanjo | October 30, 2008 6:20 PM
8

"I'm tellin'! MOM, MOM! Someone was mean to an unemployed former 'journalist!'"


Posted by Jeff | October 30, 2008 6:23 PM
9

So wait...Josh DOES NOT work at the Stranger anymore?

Posted by Mrs. Y | October 30, 2008 6:38 PM
10

"Josh is a ten-year veteran of WA’s political press corps as a reporter and News Editor for the [recently defunct] soon to be struggling Stranger, and with his decade of experience HA now claims the weighty mantle of “Seattle’s Only Online Newspaper."

"But it’s a job he can’t afford to do for free, and so after brainstorming the possibilities, I decided to roll the dice on the concept of “community-funded journalism” and promise Josh $2,500 I don’t have. And that, loyal readers, is where you come in."

Posted by cochise. | October 30, 2008 6:39 PM
11

Why would they let JF in? He was just there for the party platter.

Posted by Scott Dow | October 30, 2008 7:18 PM
12

It's just like that video of the McCain spokesperson getting humiliated on CNN and then sitting there, cocky.

The times, they are a 'changin.

Posted by Joe | October 30, 2008 7:38 PM
13

Dino Rossi's campaign taking advice from the Stranger about Josh Feit is almost as absurd as The Stranger denying it's an arm of Darcy Burner's campaign.

Posted by Just sayin' | October 30, 2008 7:52 PM
14

Yeah, why did JF leave the Stranger? I guess I missed the details.

Posted by stinkbug | October 30, 2008 8:23 PM
15

From my understanding of the arrangement, I believe Josh is on loan to HA from The Stranger.

...but I could be wrong.

Posted by unwelcomed | October 30, 2008 8:35 PM
16

My respect for Bruce Ramsey would be higher if he had told the Rossi stooges that if Goldy couldn't come in, then he wasn't coming in either. That type of media unity succeeded in busting open a McCain event, if memory serves.

Posted by Perfect Voter | October 30, 2008 9:31 PM
17

Sweetiecums,

You need to go back and rework the first paragraph completely. Terrible terrible grammer.

Take a look at the second one as well. There is a lot of redundancy in play. It makes it a little cumbersome.

Cuddles, you swarmy little fish pot...;)

Love, ecce

Posted by ecce homo | October 30, 2008 9:54 PM
18

"Josh Feit?" Oh yeah, the other dead man. Perhaps if I wasn't so heavily sedated...

Posted by David St. Hubbins | October 30, 2008 9:56 PM
19


Hey it's me, Lara Elborno.

I go to rallies to protest while pretending to be on the guys site.

I'm just an angry person because when I was younger I was really cute, and all the boys wanted me, but my mom wouldn't let me date.

Now I'm older and have this big mustache on my face. Even if I shave it it grows back in like an hour.

And don't ask about elsewhere -- it's a jungle.

So...I protest.

Posted by Lara Elborno | October 30, 2008 10:05 PM
20

ECB: you have .com in your post when it should be .org.

Posted by stinkbug | October 30, 2008 10:52 PM
21

@19, I'd like to French braid your pit hair.

Posted by Jubilation T. Cornball | October 30, 2008 11:01 PM
22
I mean, it's not like he's going to give Rossi good press regardless of whether he's allowed in
On the other hand, just letting HA into the room couldn't possibly have made Rossi look any worse than he does now. Republicans characteristically mishandle the press because they mistakenly assume that everyone is motivated by ruthless, unprincipled ambition.
Posted by Furcifer | October 31, 2008 3:17 AM
23

Josh Feit is a spent force, all used up. His wad is shot. He's like a pornstar whose been in the business too long.

Posted by Gerard Damiano | October 31, 2008 7:58 AM
24

Called bullshit? He went in. Listened. And left without a word of protest. Once safely back in his corporate office, he THEN called bullshit. Oh bravo!

Posted by Bob | October 31, 2008 9:51 AM
25

@18,

Well, Josh isn't paid to be as confused as Dino Rossi is, now is he?

Posted by Mr. X | October 31, 2008 10:56 AM
26

@11 for the win. Somebody give Josh some candy, ok?

Posted by Will in Seattle | October 31, 2008 11:17 AM
27

Why did Josh Feit quit The Stranger? To get to the other Seattle alt-weekly!

Nyuk nyuk nyuk! I crack myself up sometimes.

Posted by Cookie W. Monster | October 31, 2008 12:30 PM
28

Anybody else catch what ecce homo said @17?

"Terrible terrible grammer."

BAH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HAAAA!!!!

Posted by Fatso Catso | October 31, 2008 12:33 PM

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