‘Washington Post’ Suspends Comments on One of its Blog

Editor and Publisher ^ | January 19, 2006 | By E&P Staff

[Mobile Vulgus]

NEW YORK Jim Brady, the executive editor at washingtonpost.com, notified users of the post.blog that the public comment feature had been suspended “indefinitely” after “a significant number of folks” posted personal attacks, profanity, and hate speech.

Attempts by E&P to reach Brady have been unsuccessful so far. It seems likely the move is related to controversy in recent days over Sunday’s Post column by ombudsman Deobrah Howell. She has been heavily criticized by some political Web sites and bloggers for writing that indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff gave money to both political parties, when most research shows he only gave directly to Republicans.

Then, this morning, Howell responded at the Post’s blog, explaining that she had heard from “lots of angry readers” and wished that she had written that Abramoff “directed” contributions to both parties, adding: “While Abramoff, a Republican, gave personal contributions only to Republicans, he directed his Indian tribal clients to make millions of dollars in campaign contributions to members of Congress from both parties.

“Records from the Federal Elections Commission and the Center for Public Integrity show that Abramoff’s Indian clients contributed between 1999 and 2004 to 195 Republicans and 88 Democrats. The Post has copies of lists sent to tribes by Abramoff with specific directions on what members of Congress were to receive specific amounts.”

This explanation, in turn, drew an immense and sometimes nasty response to the comments section today, with some critics pointing out flaws in her reasoning and comparisons. A few hours later, Brady announced the blog comment turnoff, without explaining exactly why.

But Brady went on to say that readers refused to follow the site’s simple guidelines prohibiting personal attacks, the use of profanity, and hate speech.

[Mobile Vulgus]

Ah, the natives are restless on the lefty side again!

[JennysCool]

It seems likely the move is related to controversy in recent days over Sunday’s Post column by ombudsman Deobrah Howell. She has been heavily criticized by some political Web sites and bloggers for writing that indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff gave money to both political parties, when most research shows he only gave directly to Republicans.

They're so desperate to spin it this way!

[speelurker]

Check out the zoo:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/19/165443/946

They are going nuts over there about this.

[BigSkyFreeper]

The left probably called the WaPo a tool of the right.

[xcamel]

But wear your welding mask, and full-body-condom.

[muawiyah]

Yes, definitely a bunch of democratcompsympliberalpinkos doing all the threatening and stuff. That's so typical of them.

Think Ben Bradley got in his 2 cents worth too?

[JustAnotherOkie]

Lefties are nasty, nasty people.

[freedumb2003]

Buahahahahaha

That is a hilarious thread.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Eee-vil Geene-yus Karl Rove has been keeping himself busy, shutting down the left.

[speelurker]

Yeah, I need a shower now. But it was worth it to read this:

I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF ROVE (4.00 / 6)
had his minions type offensive stuff so that this would happen and make the moderates look unhinged. Didnt he bug his office to make his opponent look bad?

LOL

[nickcarraway]

How many times do we have to be sicked by how unfairly right wing the Washington Post is?

[Darkwolf377]

Wow, that was fun. Can't ANY of them spell?

I would never close a blog, or an ombudsman blog. But the scandal isn't about Abramoff's personal contributions; it's about his personal contributions AND the contributions he diverted from others--that's the source of at least part of the suspected crimes. The libs just can't handle the truth that their guys are corrupt, and want to squealch the truth with silly obfuscation.

This scandal will sink R and D alike, and it should. Libs and conservatives should be in agreement that all corrupt politicians should be found and dumped. But libs don't care if "their" guy is corrupt, because "their" guys at least oppose the eeeeevil Republicans.

There's a message here for Republicans, too.

[Reactionary]

"Hate speech," huh?

What was it? Rationality?

[BigSkyFreeper]

How many times do we have to be sicked by how unfairly right wing the Washington Post is?

They're so unfairly to the right politically that DU archives the whole website on DU's server, and nary a peep from the WaPo. I mean, how assinine can they be?

[UglyinLA]

I got kicked off DUmmies for stating the same argument.

[BigSkyFreeper]

You have to admit though, the WaPo isn't ready for prime time. They should just ditch trying to become a blogging site and just stick strictly to being a damn newspaper.

[billhilly]

"“While Abramoff, a Republican, gave personal contributions only to Republicans, he directed his Indian tribal clients to make millions of dollars in campaign contributions to members of Congress from both parties."

Howell is exactly right about this. What's more, an examination of every lobbying firm in Washington and most state capitols would confirm the practice. That is what lobbyists do. They direct their client's PAC (political action committee) contribution dollars to the committees and leaders with whom they do daily business. Congress loves it, because it helps them fund their campaigns, and lobbyists stay in business in direct proportion to the amount of dollars they can pass around.

Been there, done that.

[freekitty]

It's just one of the moves according to their agenda. Attack, attack and attack because they have nothing else they can go by. No facts to speak of. Gee, I wonder what kind of classes they have to learn this silliness?

[cake_crumb]

The research I read shows he also gave directly to Democrats.

[babydoll22]

That poster " fugue" has got to be from DU or Nigeria.