Inquirer Runs Pictures, Subscribers Cancel, (Second Thoughts)

County Press (suburban Philadelphia) ^ | 4-7-04 | William W. Lawrence

[Temple Owl]

Editorial

Second Thoughts

By: William W. Lawrence

04/06/2004

The Inquirer published a front-page photo of two of the murder victims of Iraqi terrorists. The photo of charred bodies hanging from a bridge behind a crowd of cheering Iraqis brought the left-leaning newspaper 185 telephone and e-mail complaints. At least seven persons canceled subscriptions.

Inquirer managing editor Anne Gordon, who was communications director for the Colorado Democratic Party during Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign, said that despite the reaction, "I would make the same call again." In an e-mail to the newsroom staff, she said: "We do our job when we give readers all the news -- no matter how painful or ugly. My heart bleeds for the families of these men. But personal feelings cannot dissuade us from our mission to provide the facts upon which an informed citizenry can make decisions."

Of course. The fact that she thought it could discourage Americans towards our effort in Iraq and throw a few votes in John Kerry's direction had nothing to do with it. Not much it didn't.

***

I see where our Congressman Curt Weldon (R-7) is in a tizzy about being accused of helping to toss a little business in his daughter's direction.

How could anyone ever think that? Curt just likes to help the State Department. And he is even asking the House Ethics Committee to check into the silly accusation.

Here's a tip. For his next trip to a problem area he should visit Saparmurat Niyazov in Turkmenistan that used to be part of the Soviet Union. Saparmurat Niyazov is better known to his people as "Turkmenbashij" or "Father of Turkmens."

This fellow is being accused of some nasty things -- like torturing some his people -- but this is probably due to faulty intelligence and could be straightened out with a little favorable publicity.

***

I really do like the idea of term limits. I think we ought to term-limit Sen. Arlen Specter during the primary election on April 27. We really don't want our soldiers to be hauled before European courts, something which "Scottish Law" Specter does not appear to be against. Vote for Pat Toomey.

***

Just in case you missed it, some 308,000 jobs were added to the American labor force last month. I don't think you will be hearing the Democrats sneering "it's the economy stupid" this time around.

***

Matt Drudge reports that there is a crisis at CNN (aka Clinton News Network.)

According to Nielsen, the left-wing network has lost more than half its audience from a year ago. Eleven out of the top 12 cable news shows so far in 2004 appeared on FOX NEWS. Only one of CNN's shows, Larry King Live, made the list at number four.

***

Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) sent a copy of "Iraq's Legacy of Terror: Mass Graves," a report highlighting the worst human rights atrocity of Saddam's regime to each member of Congress.

"Hundreds of thousands of murdered Iraqis, including women holding their children with bullet holes, lie in at least 270 mass grave sites around the country.

"Saddam's mass graves represent a crime against humanity surpassed in scope only by the World War II Nazi Holocaust, Pol Pot's Cambodian communist killing fields in the 1970s, and the Rwandan genocide in 1994," Wilson noted.

The mailing coincided with former White House national security official Richard A. Clarke's condemnation of the Bush administration for marching on Baghdad to dethrone Saddam Hussein.

***

It's being reported that Clarke is getting $1 million for his book in which he claims Condoleezza Rice never heard of al Queda. It also turns out he was a Gore supporter in 2000.

***

Lawmen should show The Passion of The Christ in every prison in the country. Criminals who watch it seem to get an urge to repent.

Johnny Olsen, a Norwegian neo-Nazi, admitted he was behind the bombings of a youth group headquarters in the 1990s. His lawyer told newspapers Olsen's confession hit like "a bolt of lightning."

After seeing the movie, a Texas man admitted killing his girlfriend, whose death initially was ruled a suicide.

And in Mesa, Ariz., Turner Lee Bingham, 20, turned himself in and confessed to about a half-dozen burglaries. Bingham said he decided to confess to his crimes after seeing the movie about the last hours of Christ's life.

***

[Temple Owl]

I liked the idea of showing The Passion of Christ in prisons.

[Tribune7]

The Inkys circ is down about 100,000 over the last 10 or so years.

[dirtboy]

Although it pains me greatly to say this, I will say that the Inquirer has improved since they brought a new editor aboard. Their editorials are more balanced and their news coverage is less slanted. They're still quite liberal, but they don't ignore the positions of the other side the way they used to.

[NativeNewYorker]

Philly and its region have been in decline for decades, so it makes sense that the local broadsheet would be seeing a decline in circulation.

They are a very militant union shop, and it is quite logical that the kind of person who'd work in such a shop is a dem hack.

[Tribune7]

OTOH, when you hit bottom you can only go up. :-)

Truthfully, I rarely read the paper anymore.

[Mo1]

In an e-mail to the newsroom staff, she said: "We do our job when we give readers all the news -- no matter how painful or ugly. My heart bleeds for the families of these men. But personal feelings cannot dissuade us from our mission to provide the facts upon which an informed citizenry can make decisions."

They can't report a story without pictures?

Doesn't say much for their ability on reporting

[Tribune7]

Philly and its region have been in decline for decades,

Sad but true.

[Tribune7]

Doesn't say much for their ability on reporting

In fairness to her, I think she was lying. What she should have said was "but personal feelings cannot dissuade us from our mission to provide images designed to demoralize our readers and turn them against Bush so they vote for Kerry."

[alrea]

They're still quite liberal, but they don't ignore the positions of the other side the way they used to

Same thing seems to be happening to NPR.

[Mo1]

In fairness to her, I think she was lying.

I think she was lying also .. which makes it worse

[Maigrey]

After finding this place, I find that the news in papers is sooooooooooo late, and not even worth reading. (and it's got so many advertisements that the amount of news printed isn't even worth purchasing.

[Tribune7]

I think she was lying also .. which makes it worse

Very true :-)

[Tribune7]

And kids aren't reading papers.

[MonroeDNA]

Because they can't. Government schools.

[Tribune7]

problems?

[Tribune7]

thanks for posting

[smonk]

index for later

[Temple Owl]

It was a real pleasure. The Inquirer has a ultra-left week cartoonist, ultra-left wing editorial writers and it is not just confined to the editorial and news pages, the paper uses Doonesbury and Boondocks as daily editorials on the comic pages. It is a very Clintonesque operation.

[MagnoliaMS]

Hmmm. Sounds exactly like the Jackson, MS Clarion-Liar.

[oldironsides]

Every time the Inquirer calls the home of any of the offices for a sales pitch we all have the same response.
The Inquirer is a liberal rag and does not serve up a balanced view for news articles. Some actually argue and we all hang up. Maybe they are starting to get similiar answers from other people?