Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference
WARNING: If you want to join, be aware that this ping list is EXTREMELY active.
Posted on 06/26/2007 11:21:12 AM PDT by Politicalmom
Yesterday, we wrote about an Associated Press article on Fred Thompson's career as a lobbyist. The article was factually accurate, as far as I know, but it took a decidedly anti-Thompson bent, as is evident from the opening paragraphs:
Republican Fred Thompson, who likes to cast himself in the role of Washington outsider, has a long history as a political insider who earned more than $1 million lobbying the federal government.
As a lobbyist for more than 20 years, billion-dollar corporations paid Thompson for his access to members of Congress and White House staff.
The AP article was picked up by countless news outlets, world-wide and has had, I think it's a fair to say, a significant impact. It was authored by Travis Loller, a name with which I was not familiar. The author of SnarkingDawg wrote us to point out that Ms. Loller has a rather colorful past as a left-wing activist. Mother Jones described her as a "radical":
Three American citizens, along with nine other foreigners, were deported from Mexico on April 12, 1998 for alleged collusion with the Zapatista rebels (EZLN). The woman, Travis Loller, 26, and two men, Michael Sabato, 30, and Jeffrey Conant, 30, are part of an American relief group called Intercambio de Tecnologia Apropiada (ITA) or, in English, Appropriate Technology Exchange. The Mexican government accused the three of agitating for the rebel army that's been struggling in the southeastern state of Chiapas for over four years in an effort to win basic civil rights and gain land reform for the indigenous Indians in the region.
The three Americans have extensive activist histories, having worked for reproductive rights, the homeless and protests against the Gulf War, the Rodney King verdict and Propositions 187 and 209. Ironically, their time in Mexico was spent not on direct politic organizing but on community improvement projects in the poverty stricken villages of Chiapas, including building potable water systems, latrines, composting, and soil improvement. They even had plans to help construct micro-hydroelectric plants. Sabato and Conant have been working on and off in Chiapas since August of '95, Loller since January of '98. They are among the thousands of non-Mexicans to visit Chiapas who've found the Zapatistas' non-hierarchical, consensus-based, experience-driven revolution to be a refreshing, inspiring change from the traditional Marxist-Leninist rebel movements.
I did a bit more checking on Ms. Loller. The Associated Press says that she "Joined AP in 2003 in Nashville. Covers Hispanic issues and general assignments." The Thompson story was a departure for her; as best I can tell, she has seldom if ever written articles about political figures in the past. Other than the fact that the is in Tennessee, it is not clear why she was selected for this particular story.
As a former radical, I'm not unsympathetic to Ms. Loller's history. For all we know, her politics may be very different today from what they were in 1998. At a minimum, though, it's an interesting background for a reporter for the Associated Press, an organization which is still regarded by many as a neutral and objective wire service. And it's a good reminder that for every news story, there is a face behind the name.
Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference
WARNING: If you want to join, be aware that this ping list is EXTREMELY active.
Wait, wait, wait...
Mother Jones describes her as a ‘radical’???
‘nuf said.
The AP employing a radical leftist. I am shocked.
the Associated Press, an organization which is still regarded by many <\insert> <\insert> as a neutral and objective wire service.
Apparently, the operation was a success.
Goes to prove the old saying, 'never name your daughter Travis'.
Seems so..
LOLOL!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.