Philadelphia Inquirer “Fair,” Influenced by GOP Publisher?

[Stingo]

This week we saw a courageous newspaper in the Chicago Tribune, which for the first time in its history decided not to endorse a Republican, but to endorse Barack Obama. They made the choice based on the facts of the case, they claim. As I note here, the Tribune Editorial Board notes John McCain’s poor decision-making skills as a strong reason for endorsing Obama, the choice of Sarah Palin among them. I was impressed, having been a Tribune reader for well over 20 years. I am remarkably unimpressed this morning by the Philadelphia Inquirer’s endorsement decision.

Instead of making a firm decision to present to its readers, as the Chicago Tribune did, the Philadelphia Inquirer decided to waffle. They published a “dissent” which supports John McCain just under the majority Editorial Board view that Barack Obama is the best choice for President. Oh, they don’t call this a waffle, nor even an endorsement of the minority on the Editorial Board, a minority perhaps led by GOP publisher Brian Tierney. In their explanation of this unprecedented move of “fairness,” they say that they ran a dissenting editorial endorsement to present why someone would back McCain. Here’s their words from the article by Tony Graham of the Inquirer:


http://allspinzone.com/wp/2008/10/19/philadelphia-inquirer-fair-influenced-by-gop-publisher/

[Demeter]

1. Isn't That Scaife's Baby?

The one that Hillary thought she could suborn? Guess they didn't make the transition after the convention....

[wisteria]

2. No Scaife's paper is the Tribune Review. The Phila. Inquire was brought out by a conservative

organization a year or so ago. The Paper has been slanted ever since.

[Stingo]

3. I would say more slanted to the middle

The Inquirer hosts two virulent Republican columnists, Michael Smerconish and Rick Santorum. Santorum's columns have been a hateful series of attacks on anything liberal, with no abatement. Smerconish, amazingly, has been converted to Obama. He's got a morning radio show on 1210, and after Smerconish's endorsement of Obama today, you can bet the rabidly conservative group of listeners on 1210 are going to attack him tomorrow. I'll listen for a change, as it will make great theater.

[Stingo]

6. No

Sciafe is in Pittsburgh. Brian Tierney is the head of a group that owns the Inquirer. among the other investors is a minority owner of the Philadelphia Phillies and one of the Toll Brothers, Bruce, who surely must be hurting right now, given the housing crisis.

[Demit]

4. I'll bet Tierney did write it. It had that amateurish feel.

The 'dissent' was strictly boilerplate talking points. But the most hilarious part was

"America needs an honest president with experience, common sense, sound temperament and good judgment in the Oval Office. Those qualities will make it easy for many to vote for McCain."

Pure comedy gold, that was!

[Stingo]

5. Tierney is no amatuer

But he is a former GOP Campaign Manager, and as such he believes in the power of talking points. That makes the "dissent" a paltry document.

[Demit]

7. He's no writer. That makes the dissent laughable.

He was a PR guy. I don't think he was a copywriter. He was more a mouth. That's how this piece reads, like an ad agency principal who thinks he's so talented he can do everyone's job. It's pedestrian & rote. I know junior copywriters who could have better mimicked a journalistic essay, and still gotten in Brian Tierney's beloved talking points.

[Stingo]

8. Agreed

Tierney shows he is an amatuer, and also a defender of the GOP no matter the facts of the matter. PR people can be like that, though not the best of them.