Press Talk: Of endorsements and crazy stuff

The columbian ^ | October 18, 2008 | Lou Brancaccio

[Bean Counter]

Wife: I’ve got some good news and some bad news.

Husband: What’s the good news?

Wife: I found a picture that’s worth $500,000.

Husband: Wow! That’s wonderful! What’s the bad news?

Wife: It’s of you and your secretary!

We have our own version of this during endorsement season. The good news? We’ve endorsed Barack Obama. The bad news? We’ve endorsed Barack Obama.

In other words, no matter what we do with a presidential endorsement, some folks will go a little (fill in the blank.)

Four years ago when we endorsed George W. Bush, dozens of my liberal friends went a little (blank.) I’m betting my conservative friends won’t.

**SCHNIPP**

Editor Lou Brancaccio

lou.brancaccio@columbian.com

[Bean Counter]

Hey Lou, try this one!

Mrs. Brancaccio: I’ve got some good news and some bad news.

Lou: What’s the good news?

Mrs. Brancaccio: I found a picture that’s worth $500,000.

Lou: Wow! That’s wonderful! What’s the bad news?

Mrs. Brancaccio: It just won another Pulitzer Prize for the Oregonian!

So much for the Southwest Washington media having the guts to take a principled and well-reasoned stand on anything...

Washington *ping*

[Zakeet]

By comparison, Rush endorsed McCain, and he has more listeners than the top 50 MSM rags combined.

[Bean Counter]

I think Lou is motivated in part out of jealosy that the Battle Ground Schools can afford a modest retreat, whereas the columbian sure as hell can’t. I’m hearing through the grapevine that Lou has a near revolt on his hands over the weekend after raiding what was left of the News Room’s pizza fund to help bail out the Advertising Department’s budget (again!!)...(the real secret is that the Bankruptcy Attorney wants cash, up front...)

[Zakeet]

I think it would be terribly depressing to work for a newspaper rag these days. The market for their product is tanking. They are being massacred by amateurs in the blogosphere. And the bottom is nowhere in sight. In a way, I can't blame them for being somewhat bitter.

On the other hand, there is no excuse for being biased -- when you purportedly sell and your customers demand a neutral product. And there is no excuse for their ignorance. And there is no excuse for their continuing down their blind alley.

[rockrr]

Lou, I’ve got some good news and some bad news.

The good news (for you) is you made your endorsement.

The bad news (for you) no one cares...