Larry Elder went absolutely nuts over this today.I respect the "Sage from SouthCentral," but if he just started talking about this story TODAY, he is several days behind Hugh:
From http://www.hughhewitt.com/editorial_archive_files/editorial_archive_05_02.html#9:
May 9, 2002 - Message of the DaySometimes the Los Angeles Times seems almost determined to offend its readers. Today's edition is a case in point.
First, the Times runs a "first person" account of the events inside the Church of the Nativity by Times' photographer (now a "staff writer" for purposes of the article) Carolyn Cole. (Click here.) To run this piece is to endorse what the paper's employee did --rush the Church with a "group of international activists," and doing so despite Israeli efforts to stop additional people from entering the Church. Apparently it is Times' policy to aggravate international crises by interjecting their employees into the middle of the hot spot.
Beyond that, though, is the piece itself. As "reporting" it is a miserable failure. In fact, it is worse than a failure. Take this line for example: "The Palestinians' relationship with the priests is good. The clergymen have been kind to the Palestinians and have helped carry the bodies of those slain out of the church." No where in the entire article, not even a single phrase, mentions that these priests are hostages. Their captors are described in glowing and even gentle detail. There is nothing of reporting about this at all. It is, quite simply, propaganda.
The Times has all but declared its allegiance to the side of the Palestinian Authority in recent weeks, and it is suffering a decline in circulation as a result. But now it has moved from sympathizer to propaganda agent. No doubt more will cancel their subscriptions (call 1-800-252-9141), and more should write the editor-who-isn't John Carrol via e-mail at JohnCarroll@LaTimes.com or the big boss in Chicago, CEO of The Tribune Company, John Madigan, at master-webmaster@tribune.com.
Oh, by the way, California's Attorney General Bill Lockyer bowed to ethics yesterday, and returned $50,000 in campaign contributions from Oracle --the company whose giant contract with the state has led to scrutiny of Gray Davis' donations-for-favors regime. Lockyer is holding on to the investigation and will no doubt pull a Reno and get Davis off the hook. The story appears on page B-9.
The Times' strategy for reversing its deep decline in subscription is now obvious:
The paper is targeting pro-Palestinian liberal Democrats. You have to wonder when shareholders will wake up to the fact that this paper is suicidal...