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News & ArtsMonday, September 10, 2012
2012 What the McKenna Campaign Talks About When It Talks About The Stranger
Posted by Eli Sanders on Mon, Sep 10, 2012 at 1:39 PM
Rob McKenna's gubernatorial campaign has begun having regular conference calls with political reporters—unless they're political reporters from The Stranger.
Why aren't we invited?
A political reporter who is allowed on the conference calls recently asked McKenna campaign manager Randy Pepple for a statement on the matter. The Stranger later obtained a recording of the exchange from a source.
Let's listen in:
1
Eli, as someone who recently started a citizen-run local news cooperative for my own town -- a lot of those of us reporting have particular political views and targeted donations, but we work to keep the cooperative news site strictly news and not opinion/editorial -- I am curious to hear your response. Thanks in advance.
2
Well, I have long suspected that FOX news couldn't be defined as "journalism", but since Rupert Murdoch heads a PAC, does that mean FOX is not allowed in any of these calls?
5
Wow. They've clearly had some meetings about y'all. That was a talking points response, with a clear strain of irritation present.
Too bad McKenna is such a crappy lawyer & politician that he can't distinguish between his campaigns and his office, and bars The Stranger from his AG pressers too. Of course, you'd expect him to have such an arrogant and incompetent staff that is even proud of their ignorance.
Too bad McKenna is such a crappy lawyer & politician that he can't distinguish between his campaigns and his office, and bars The Stranger from his AG pressers too. Of course, you'd expect him to have such an arrogant and incompetent staff that is even proud of their ignorance.
6
He's got a point. If I was a Republican candidate and Goldy was 'covering' my campaign, I wouldn't let his hacky ass onto my press calls either. Unfortunately, with a guy like that on staff, the rest of your reporters (like the excellent Paul Constant and yourself) are exposed to charges of also being terrible hacks, which if course they (and you) are not. Bummer.
7
Ugh. I'm so glad you don't have to engage with that person more than absolutely necessary. (READ: never)
8
This blog entry from the PI from last year sums up the same argument made in the audio:
http://seattletimes.com/html/politicsnor…
http://seattletimes.com/html/politicsnor…
10
This is not a policy of excluding journalists with ties to PACs. It's a policy of excluding journalists with ties to the other guy's PAC. A subtle but important distinction.
You're "not a journalist" if you openly back my opponent, but if you openly back me, you are.
You're "not a journalist" if you openly back my opponent, but if you openly back me, you are.
11
and I'll make the assumption that Frank Blethen makes no large political donations to GOP candidates....
12
@4,
It's barely a minute long if that's a factor. Just says that one of the Stranger's reporters is on a PAC who's stated purpose is to defeat Mckenna at any cost and that the editor is a major donor to Inslee, thus compromising their integrity. Or something along those lines.
Is @6 correct that Goldy is the journalist referenced? And who's the editor? Dan? (forgive my ignorance, as I'm not a Washingtonian and so not as invested in this as you all.)
It's barely a minute long if that's a factor. Just says that one of the Stranger's reporters is on a PAC who's stated purpose is to defeat Mckenna at any cost and that the editor is a major donor to Inslee, thus compromising their integrity. Or something along those lines.
Is @6 correct that Goldy is the journalist referenced? And who's the editor? Dan? (forgive my ignorance, as I'm not a Washingtonian and so not as invested in this as you all.)
13
I've both tweeted to the McKenna campaign, and posted a question on McKenna's Facebook page asking if anyone would care to comment on the journalistic nature of FOX "News" given their recent comments about The Stranger.
I'm not holding my breath for an answer on the one hand, and expecting they'd block me on Facebook on the other...
I'm not holding my breath for an answer on the one hand, and expecting they'd block me on Facebook on the other...
14
@10 good point and I expected the reporter asking the question to go on to ask him that -- "so if a reporter donates to YOUR campaign, is it then okay for him to be on your media call? Access needs to be bought one way or another?" But I guess the reporter was too stunned to pursue.
15
Given that Goldy is hardly going to stop writing about the campaign just because he can't attend their press conferences, the McKenna campaign has two options: they can let him in, monitor him, and hope he does something they can spin as embarrassing - i.e., give him enough rope to hang himself; or they can exclude him, and exclude The Stranger entirely, and generate bad press and bad feelings.
If they had the courage of their convictions they'd do the former.
If they had the courage of their convictions they'd do the former.
16
@ 11 - I'm sure McKenna will make sure that the Times isn't involved in their conference calls, either. Ha.
21
So I assume that this means that they've fully vetted the editorial boards of every news outlet that they invite to determine that NONE of them have made contributions to Inslee or to a PAC that is hellbent on McKenna's destruction.
22
Will anything change if McKenna became governor? Doubtful. He'll only answer questions of upright Blethen owned rags.
23
At what point in time is the Stranger going to grow a backbone and sue in court over their exclusion in these events?
If they don't start ASAP, I am going to stop reading. Period.
If they don't start ASAP, I am going to stop reading. Period.
24
@19: Shouldn't that be: "Terry! To the checkbook please!"
Don't forget that happier relationships start with good manners between them.
Don't forget that happier relationships start with good manners between them.
25
@4:
Basically, the guy says that two Stranger employees are working actively to defeat McKenna (he says one chairs an organization opposing McKenna and the other has made donations against McKenna), so therefore the Stranger is not considered a newspaper and is not entitled to be included. Or some such drivel.
Basically, the guy says that two Stranger employees are working actively to defeat McKenna (he says one chairs an organization opposing McKenna and the other has made donations against McKenna), so therefore the Stranger is not considered a newspaper and is not entitled to be included. Or some such drivel.
27
@18 they're probably on a smartphone that doesn't support that audio file. Mine didn't. But thanks for the smugness.
29
"NO!"
That first word (and it was a loud word, I needed earplugs) from the guys mouth says it all for me. It is similar (IMO) to a little kid saying NO! to eating his dinner. Not because he doesn't like the texture or flavour (because his dinner is probably slathered with salt anyway), it's because he just doesn't like what's on the plate at all. And so just like the little kid the McKenna campaign just doesn't like The Stranger and will find anything to give them a reason no matter how insignificant.
That first word (and it was a loud word, I needed earplugs) from the guys mouth says it all for me. It is similar (IMO) to a little kid saying NO! to eating his dinner. Not because he doesn't like the texture or flavour (because his dinner is probably slathered with salt anyway), it's because he just doesn't like what's on the plate at all. And so just like the little kid the McKenna campaign just doesn't like The Stranger and will find anything to give them a reason no matter how insignificant.
32
I'm with @6. It's really too bad that the excellent political reporting of guys like Eli and Paul is tarred by their association with shameless partisan hack Goldy.
33
I have proof that Rob McKenna, and others are using tax dollars to cover up a case of child sex trafficking, prostitution, drug trafficking, tax fraud, and food stamp fraud, in a once high profile case. Witnesses are being retaliated against, to protect the reputations of elected officials. Contact me for more information.
34
@19 "Terry! To the checkbook!"
I can't be the only one who immediately pictured the two of you standing, smoking-jacketed in the study at stately Savage Manor, turning the switch concealed in the bust of Ann Landers, and then sliding down greased poles to arrive becostumed in the checkbook cave, can I?
I can't be the only one who immediately pictured the two of you standing, smoking-jacketed in the study at stately Savage Manor, turning the switch concealed in the bust of Ann Landers, and then sliding down greased poles to arrive becostumed in the checkbook cave, can I?
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