More problems with The Northwestern

[MessiahRp]

*Sigh*

So how much would it cost to run a real newspaper? I wish we had a Capital Times up here.

Anyways we all know my issues with the Northwestern if you'd been in this section before. There was their so called "undecided voters" focus group where Bush's incompetence supposedly swung the entire group to vote for him (including a "Green Party Member"). Um, yeah right.

Then of course their sister Gannett publication earlier this year, The Appleton Post Crescent, was actually soliciting for more Republican letters to publish earlier this year.

Overall the two Gannett papers have been awful and completely partisan for the Right.

Well they *Shockingly* endorsed Republican Representative Tom Petri over Jef Hall today and tried to talk up his accomplishments without naming one (because he has none).
http://www.wisinfo.com/northwestern/news/opinion/stories/opinion_18240529.shtml

And yesterday they seriously orgasmed over Bush being in town.
http://www.wisinfo.com/northwestern/news/opinion/stories/opinion_18240393.shtml

Read these and tell me... how can we avoid a barrage of DU LTTE's on these idiots?

Rp

[Lisaben2619]

1. I think it's the editors, not the reporters.

I realize that I'm still new here, but I'm going to stick my neck out a little. I've had recent contact with the reporters at the Northwestern who cover politics. They are young, energetic, and do what they can to be fair, IMHO, in an extremely crazy (politically) city. I don't envy them for having to write reports that will get by their editors who have daily wet dreams about Carol Roessler, Greg Underheim, Carol Owens, and Petri. I don't know why the article on the new voters was written the way it was, but I do know that Jeff Bollier is not a Republican shill.
I really think that the local Dem Party has to start standing up to this paper. The only candidate who even questions the fairness of Gannet is the Green Party candidate in the 54th AD, Tony Palmeri. The local Dem party is packed with milquetoasts who never want to make any waves. They have a Republican running as a Dem in the 53rd AD, for cryin' out loud, and she's getting a lot of money from big money Republicans. The last time Bush was in Fond du Lac, this "Democrat" candidate walked right past all the protesters into the venue to see him.
I think it's time for the Dems to grow a backbone and ask for a meeting with the editor and publisher of this conservative rag. They haven't elected a Democrat into local office for how many years? In spite of the fact that Oshkosh proper voted Gore in 2000? It certainly couldn't hurt to put some pressure on this newspaper!

[Sabriel]

2. The only thing I can do is write them

I had a subscription...for a few weeks. Then I cancelled the rest and told them exactly why. If I want to read a right-wing rag with no pretense to fair reporting, I'll have the Moonie Times shipped in.

But my hat is off to people who still write LTTEs and try to change opinion and refute outright BS. That vitriolic letter on Sunday from the Lt. Col. certainly needs a response.

[MessiahRp]

3. I disagree with one thing

LuAnn is not a Republican. She is pro-choice, pro-gay rights. She's battled TABOR fiercely. I know she is still a conservative Dem by all standards and I think she still has a long ways to go to understand the working poor's plight, but I worked for her to surround her with more liberals and I think if she could be around more lefties she might start bending more in our direction.

I know she used to be a Republican, but Wes Clark voted Republican and he has made a damn fine liberal since. Same with David Brock. We need to give her time to adjust.

Plus she comes from a VERY conservative district. Running as a far left candidate would mean a blowout loss. So give her some slack.

Steven Dedow was the other Dem and he is far left but he would have been waxed with his one tier Union approach to the election.

Oh and the Republican donors. As someone who put countless hours into her campaign let me explain.

LuAnn is well known in the area. Her husband is very popular and between her family and his they know everybody.

A lot of Republicans are fed up with the inaction of Carol Owens for their district so they were willing to listen to LuAnn, not because of her party but because they know and trust her. So they believe she is the person that can fix a lot of the problems in the district and they distrust Carol. So they donate.

That doesn't mean she's going to get into office and swing far right. It means she's a Democrat who happens to be able to cross over the aisle and get Republicans to work with her on some issues as well. Which will in effect make her a terrifically successful legislator for the 53rd district because the last thing the Assembly needs is more partisan hacks that stonewall the other side.

Could she be more liberal? Yes, definitely. I think she needs more left wing people around her to show her our views in a non-fanatical light and in a way she understands.

But she will be a terrific legislator and she will fight for choice, gay rights, against TABOR, and for her district. And that makes her someone to vote for on November 2nd.

Finally on the Jeff Bollier thing, I know he's not partisan but The Northwestern likely set that focus group up, which might explain exactly why he was stuck with the worst focus group ever.

Rp

[Lisaben2619]

4. I'm voting for Bird because she'll stay awake

at her desk on the floor of the Assembly which will be a big improvement over Owens. However, we'll have to agree to disagree on the funding. There's no way that people like the Vettes and the Hydes give money without expecting something in return. I have repeatedly heard people tell her that they're going to vote for her and Bush. At the very least, she is suspect.

[Lisaben2619]

5. I apologize; I was wrong about Jeff Bollier--he is a shill.

His story today on the front page of the Northwestern about campaign volunteers is a blatant slap in the face to all the people working on Tony Palmeri's campaign. No matter if you call Tony a "spoiler" or a "participant", the grassroots volunteers who are working for his campaign should have also been featured. They put just as much time and energy into vounteering as do the ones from the Repukes and the Dems. Talk about one-sided. I'm sorry I defended him.