Thursday, October 30, 2014

JS Editorial minimizes late hit by Walker allies on Burke

The Journal Sentinel editorial board says the hit isn't fatal, but calling it "twaddle" shows board doesn't get it.
No voter should base his or her decision on 20-year-old twaddle from a fired Trek employee who now is a Republican county chairman — all dredged up a week before the election. 
Analogy: Ref to boxer's corner after low blow towards the end of the 15th round in a long, close battle marked by one-sided dirty tactics

'Your fighter's got plenty of time to recover from that twaddle. No one shot is fatal.' 

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't think the MJS did enough to make up for their role in the smear. They should apologize to Mary Burke.

MadCityVoter said...

Better yet, they should give a platform and twice the space to all the ex-Trek executives who can testify to Burke's business ability and leadership. The only way to rub out a smear like that is with a whole lot of very well publicized truth.

Anonymous said...

This is outrageous behavior by the JS, even worse than what has gone before. "We published 'twaddle' at the top of the front page, but because we're admitting that it was 'twaddle' on the inside pages, we're absolved of bad journalism." Nope, no absolution for the smear story -- that they're still milking on the news pages. Instead, it's time for a searing expose with interviews with some of the folks pushed out by George and Marty to share their thoughts on that duo. Tip: It won't be "twaddle."

Jake formerly of the LP said...

Load of garbage. If they had questions about the source, then DONT RUN THE STORY. They know better than this BS.

Here's a real response to the J-S's pro-Walker handling of this (non) story, from a more legit publication- Lisa Kaiser and the Shepherd Express. At least they admit their biases at the Shepherd.

My favorite line:"If Bice is getting his tips from the Wisconsin Reporter, he needs to rethink his whole career."

Anonymous said...

Google "Fake Dems R Us" - the gang is all there.

Anonymous said...

On Vicki McKenna's show the other day, the author of that piece, Matt Kittle (from WI Reporter), stated that the source(s) had taken this story about Burke/Trek/fired to all of the major news outlets and that no one picked it up.

So they came to him and simply ended up with it.

If that is the case, then the MJS/WSJ/etc. should have been familiar enough with the story.

If not, well, then, I guess that claim is on Kittle.

Anonymous said...

What's really sick is that Walker knew this was out there for a couple months but as per usual chose not to stop it. He is a piece of sh** no matter how you cut it. He is pure and simple an indecent human being! He will destroy this state if given even another 2 years.

Anonymous said...

I called the Journal Sentinel today and cancelled my subscription (which was only online because they don’t deliver where I live). I am not the type to get steamed over something and cancel a subscription. I have read that paper loyally and have subscribed ever since I left the nest. But this front page hit job on Mary Burke this week put me over the edge. They quote a couple of “former Trek executives” who say she was forced out of her job and put it on the front page less than a week before the election. They don’t even bother to check the veracity of the sources, one of whom, it turns out, is right-wing freak whose Facebook page includes, among other things, vile caricatures of Michelle Obama and a portrayal of Barack’s “hope and change” with a swastika.

Now today they have a CYA editorial saying, oh, no big deal, it won’t hurt Burke in the election, it’s just a bunch of “twaddle” anyway. Well, if it was “twaddle,” what was it doing on the front page in the first place? And as for it not doing damage, we all know the saying: A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth can tie its shoes. And then of course they let Walker get away with his expected denial: “I had no knowledge of it.” Riiiiiight. It is just plain blasted obvious to any sentient being that Walker and his campaign dredged up this garbage and put it out there at a strategic time.

In my days editing little weeklies, if I had come up with a story like that, on such a high-profile issue, with such thin sourcing, I would have been kicked out the door in a heartbeat. Now here’s the biggest paper in the state committing a journalistic mortal sin, and no one will pay any consequences. In fact someone will probably get promoted for showing journalistic enterprise.

The editorial board claimed it would not endorse a candidate in this campaign. Why endorse when they can fire a torpedo right into the hull of their pet Scottie Walker’s opponent? The person who took my cancellation over the phone asked why. I told her I can no longer take the newspaper seriously and no longer will support it with my money.


Anonymous said...

Why would you publish "twaddle" on the front page? Or at all, really?