Chattanooga editor fired for ‘shove it’ headline aimed at Obama (fired guy whines about it)

[cali]

A Chattanooga newspaper editor has been fired for that “Take your jobs plan and shove it” headline that greeted President Barack Obama on his arrival to the city earlier this week.

We noted the rude nature of the greeting here.

The sacked editor, by the name of Drew Johnson, posted the above message via Twitter. You'll note that there's some disagreement about the precise cause of his dismissal. From the notice issued today by the Chattanooga Times Free Press:

The headline was inappropriate for this newspaper. It was not the original headline approved for publication, and [Free Press editor Drew] Johnson violated the normal editing process when he changed the headline. The newspaper’s decision to terminate Johnson had nothing to do with the content of the editorial, which criticized the president’s job creation ideas and Chattanooga’s Smart Grid. The Free Press page has often printed editorials critical of the president and his policies.

<snip>

http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/political-insider/2013/aug/01/chattanooga-editor-fired-shove-it-headline-aimed-o/

[Xipe Totec]

1. He better hope the Jobs Program works now. nt

[MADem]

2. Wonder how well his state does with Ye Olde Unemployment Benefits? nt

[Xyzse]

3. Sadly he may just be the next Fox News correspondent.

[geek tragedy]

4. *cue ominous music* the stifling of dissent in Obama's America continues.

/snark

[brush]

5. Dissent my ass

He decided to put his own spin on a headline that wasn't okayed by the editor he reported to.

He can exercise his free speech rights all he wants and shout "take this jobs plan and shove it" from the rooftops in expressing himself in his private life, but you can't insert your own editorializing in a headline like that and make the decision to publish it without consequences.

That's not how it works. If he had worked hard enough he could've become a columnist then he could've written just about anything he wanted.

Now he'll find out what conservatives like him have set up in reduced unemployment benefits in his state.

[geek tragedy]

6. Well, sure, but exaggerating the stifling of free speech is a big favorite

amongst the rightwing.

[okieinpain]

7. lol, just wait until hillary is potus.

These guys are going to have a complete melt down.