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Quick Newsbits

by: odum

Sun Nov 19, 2006 at 21:22:58 PM EST

Haven't been doing a good job on the newslet items lately, as it's been all exposition and essays (except for Brattlerouser, of course)...

Terri Hallenbeck has a good read today about the state of the state GOP. It's Douglas, Dubie, and that's about it. Who brought them to this predicament? Why, outgoing Chair/ED Jim Barnett, of course. Despite people like Freyne characterizing his move to the McCain campaign as a step up in rank, and a stepping out in glory, it is clearly a horizontal move that gets him out ahead of the daggers that were being sharpened by the GOP rank and file (and for the record - I told ya so...).

Darren Allen gets caught mid-cycle. Usually he pens an editorial that pisses off the right, and then plays good "I'm-not-the-liberal-media" columnist by publishing roughly three consecutive "balancing" pieces that engage in some sort of neener-neener-neener-ing of Dems that's usually only halfway thought through. Today seems to have him stuck in mid-cycle, offering a neener mixed in with a self-contradictory acknowledgement of the obviously appropriate call by Thomas Salmon Jr. for a recount in the Auditors race (137 votes, folks). Not sure what this means for next week's Allen column, given that his cycle is slightly off it's track now.

Dean, addressing the Association of State Democratic Chairs on the recent squawking of James Carville via the NYT: "It was a great win for what I call the new Democratic Party. The old Democratic Party is back there in Washington, sometimes they still complain a little bit." Heh.

Shumlin Mark II is all about Global Warming. Good to hear. Via Freyne.

The Progressives wrapped a post-campaign gathering discussing the first cycle in a while in which they didn't grow in some quantifiable fashion. Although it's unlikely the Progs have plateaued, their primary rhetoric - that there is no difference between the Dems and the GOP - likely has (given that it's become plainly absurd on its face), which is probably the message to take away from the election. The trick will be convincing some of the die-hard "smash-all-Democrats" regulars (such as Pollina) to focus more on the proactive and visionary and less on the "smash" if they want to regain some of their momentum next time. Interesting (if flawed... more on that later this week) piece at PoliticsVT.

Oop! Gotta go. Kid's waking up... Ths week I promise at least 3 posts that will really piss people off. Keep watchin'...

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Quick Newsbits | 12 comments

Darren Allen's cycle? (4.00 / 3)

You make it sound so...monthly.

I think the "is he is or is he ain't" quotient on DA has dropped off immensely during this cycle. His "fair and balanced" opinions, which seep into his newswriting (which is, obviously, a major flaw), attempt to reach a certain sagemanship that clearly needs work. Writing to piss off one side, and then the other, shows a serving of masters which is antithetical to independent journalism. I think what juices me more than anything else is the lack of filtering in the news articles of the spin, esp. during Barnett's tenure (which roughly matches Allen's). Spin from either side has to have a credibility that is measured in something different than the sheer number of faxes sent from an office. Barnett's spin over the years has been taken directly from the DC style guide, and in key moments, rather than call it for what it is, DA chooses to print it without a balancing quote or worse, in a tone that belittles the opposition by inferring they are not ready to play with the big boys. Only when Bill Lofy came on board did that change (slightly). Barnett's content-free spin was placed on an equal setting. This is "he sez, he sez" writing. If a source burns you with this kind of crap over time, why continue to print it? And when you do print it, are you doing so to continue access in this tiny state, or to show you're a player? The credibility of each statement must be vetted, or a writer is simply allowing the spokesperson to write the article.

One would think this is Journo 101. Unfortunately, it is the bar that has been set. I hope Sue Allen can tighten the writing and attract more of the same. DA can be a good writer, when he wants to be, or when he does his homework (like on the recent blogging article...NOT).

by: teastiles @ Mon Nov 20, 2006 at 08:13:37 AM CST

by: you @ soon

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Damn! (4.00 / 1)

You should be writing these things instead of me. Well dissected and put.

Nullius perfectus est

by: odum @ Mon Nov 20, 2006 at 08:52:05 AM CST

[ Parent ]

...Allen (0.00 / 0)

I read his blog post, a bit defensive. Allen's a smart guy, but I can't help but feel he's got that 'old media' vitriol n regards to bloggers.

You can read JD's latest at five before chaos. But why would you do something silly like that?

by: JDRyan @ Mon Nov 20, 2006 at 22:11:24 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Ouch (0.00 / 1)

It looks like Snarky Boy\'s got Odum\'s number (again).

Check it out here.

by: Abbey @ Mon Nov 20, 2006 at 13:03:34 PM CST

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Snarkographics (4.00 / 3)

"For some reason, Odum thinks that because he’s got a couple dozen readers everyone’s supposed to treat him like he’s Vermont’s Tim Russert or something."

Wow, there's that many GMD readers? Cool.

by: greenvtster @ Mon Nov 20, 2006 at 14:38:13 PM CST

[ Parent ]

You (0.00 / 0)

are such a fucking loser. Nobody CARES, Snarky.
Nobody cares. Your shit doesn't make any sense, and since you don't have the balls to allow comments on your own blog, you show up here.
What a whiny ass titty baby you are.
Get a fucking hobby.