Where the FL Story of Jeb's New DCF Chief Should Have Appeared: "The Weekly World News"

various, including www.myflorida.com, and The Miami Herald, AP, UK Guardian ^ | August 17, 2002 | summer

[summer]

Where the FL Story of Jeb's New DCF Chief Should Have Appeared: "The Weekly World News"

Written by summer - a former Dem, now an independent and a FL certified teacher

Florida media went into a heated overdrive this week.

"Far right" headlines across the state screamed about Gov. Jeb Bush's new appointment to lead the DCF (the state's Department of Children and Families, better known as the agency responsible for child foster care and adoption).

In the The Miami Herald, we find the Tallahassee Bureau Chief and political editor, Peter Wallsten, listed among other newspaper staff members, all claiming the governor's new DCF leader is a disgrace, because of this 'new appointee's essay.' The subject 1988 essay reportedly advocated, among other things, physical abuse of children: specifically spankings resulting in "welts and bruises."

However, beyond the FL media frenzy, there is an online statement from the new DCF appointee himself, Jerry Reiger. He claims he "was not a co-author" such an article, and never endorsed such a view. He says at the time of the article's publication, he was chairperson of a group releasing this paper, but he exercised "no editorial control" over the paper's content, and he disagrees with its views. He also says he then disassociated himself with this group and its extreme views.

Hmm. What's a swing voter to believe?

Should we believe the accusations in The Miami Herald -- which I saw published everywhere, here in FL, nationally on the AP, and picked up overseas, in the UK Guardian Unlimited website?

Or, should we believe the new DCF head Jerry Rieger's denial statement -- which I saw published nowhere else except on FL's state website?

To my fellow independent voters, I say: STOP reading the one-sided reporting of tabloid media!

Instead, read the highly competent political reporting found in my very favorite news source:
The Weekly World News.



I suggest this because only in The Weekly World News can we find something that doesn't exist in Florida media:
both sides of a political news story.

For example, this week The Weekly World News published a first-rate article about a local political race, below:


CLICK HERE to read: "Two-Headed Man Runs Against Himself For Mayor" --
a fine example of fair political reporting.

And, guess what? We get to read about BOTH sides in this above story!

Now, I ask you, seriously: Could Peter Wallsten from "The Miami Herald" handle this kind of story? I doubt it! He would shy away from this story because it involves TWO! TWO SIDES!

We learn that one candidate, Max, "teaches high-school history" while the other candidate, Niklas, "manages a popular coffee shop."

In the rest of the article, rather than The Weekly World News telling us what it thinks these two candidates believe (or, merely interviewing only one of the two candidates), my favorite news source reports in-depth about BOTH.

Consequently, voters in Germany's mayoral race get to read TWO sides of the story.

Wow! Readers now have all the information to decide for themselves, because BOTH sides are reported in the SAME article! Now, that's what I call real journalism!

However, here in FL, we are not so fortunate.

We only get to hear about one side. Only one side of the story about DCF's new head was reported.

That's because we are stuck with Peter Wallsten, the political editor of The Miami Herald -- a newspaper I once bought, but which, to me, has now sunk to the lowest level of a rumor mill rag.

In a better quality newspaper, one with higher journalistic standards - for example, The Weekly Word News - we find reporters taking the time to listen to BOTH sides.

Unfortunately, The Miami Herald is not willing to meet the higher journalism standards of The Weekly World News.

That's unacceptable, Mr. Wallsten! Wake up! Get a grip!

Until then - FL folks, read The Weekly World News for accurate political reporting! (And, if you've let your subscription lapse, now may be the perfect time to renew!)

[summer]

Re your post #39 - LOL! Thanks, MeeknMing! :)

[summer]

Re your post #36 - Thanks for providiing that link, Betty. I will post that entire article on this thread when I have more time. (And, I will write back to your other posts then too!) :)

[summer]

Leni, Always good to hear from you, and thanks for the bump! :)

[summer]

Re your post #33 - I think your mention of PT Barnum is right on the money in this instance. Thanks for your post, pt17.

Maybe someday the Dem leaders will welcome someone with the experience of this man. I do not support a lengthy and expensive executive search if this current person is willing to come to FL and try, despite the rude welcome he is receiving due to a political race.

[AmishDude]

Thanks for the comment. On the other thread, I actually made an allusion to McCarthyism (but was a bit too subtle to mention it outright :).

I've seen this more than once. The Republican gets "associated" with a group and all of a sudden he's unqualified for whatever.

As far as the press, it is unforgivable to fail to contact the subject of the story. Beyond bias, I'm sure there's also a desire to make this gubenatorial race competitive and (like Don Henley says in "Dirty Laundry") people love it when you lose.

[BigWaveBetty]

The Orlando Sentinel is an affiliate of the LA Times, that's why I didn't post the entire article.

We wouldn't want any evidence of their lying now would we? /sarcasm
If it's not posted on a site such as ours, then once it's gone it's almost impossible to search it out later. Or they charge you to get it after they've taken off their website.

[JulieRNR21]

Also, it genuinely bothers me the FL media did not wait to get a response from the person they covered, especially in light of all the press on this agency. The FL media was in way too big a rush on this story.

Of course the media (not just in FL) act this way! This is how they 'aid & abet' the Dems. The media is so biased and this is their standard practice whenever the story is negative on a GOP candidate, particularly a conservative.

Jerry Reiger needs to call a news conference and get his side out! At the very least he needs to send a column about it to each FL newspaper that printed the story & set the record straight!

[Dog Gone]

When I saw this story in my local paper, I was appalled by the obvious smear job. I have to think that most people who read it felt the same way.

These guys are gripping at straws to find anything they can use against Bush. It's an indication of how desperate they are.

[summer]

As far as the press, it is unforgivable to fail to contact the subject of the story. Beyond bias, I'm sure there's also a desire to make this gubenatorial race competitive...

"competitive" is definately not one of the words that comes to mind in this FL gov race. Thanks for your post, AmishDude.

[summer]

These guys are gripping at straws to find anything they can use against Bush. It's an indication of how desperate they are.

BTTT.

[summer]

bttt

[Truth Addict]

"With all of the challenges facing DCF, one would think that the governor would pick someone who would not be a lightning rod for controversy or divert attention from the work that needs to be done," she said.

Well, Janet, I guess that disqualifies you from being governor, since you are also a "lightening rod for controversy", considering your actions at Waco, the Elian saga, and the many Clinton coverups, just to name a few.

In actuality, the DCF NEEDS someone to come in and shake things up a bit because after years of democrat neglect, its record is pathetic. It looks to me that Regier is just the kind of man that is needed to turn things around, given his record of accomplishments in prior government service, as well as his conservative, religious based views on family issues. Contrary to liberal dogma, it is not a crime to hold political views that are based on biblical principles, in fact for the first 150 years or so in our nation, it was practically a requirement.

Thanks, summer, for digging around enough to find the truth about this appointment, and exposing the liberal lies and bias of the local and national media. I see the media is finally getting around to mentioning Regier's denials about this report, but I think there has already been a large measure of irreparable damage done to his reputation after two days of shrill demagoguery from the press. I hope he can recover sufficiently to have a chance to make some much needed reforms at DCF.

[Truth Addict]

It would help my credibility if I spelled his name correctly; Reiger, not Regier!

[damncat]

Easy on the OSO there Betty. Its my home away from home ((-:

[Truth Addict]

Nothing personal, cat, but everyone I know has been calling it the "Slantenal" for decades.

I think it's actually a form of endearment; if we didn't care for it, we wouldn't bother to give it a pet name. ;-)

[BigWaveBetty]

OK, I'll give them 30 points for endorsing GWB for prez. :-) Just about fainted when that happened!

[BigWaveBetty]

"Slantenal"

Never seen anybody spell it before, thanks, now I know!

[Truth Addict]

Never seen anybody spell it before, thanks, now I know!

It was just a guess, and it might actually be better to spell it "slantinel" instead, now that I think about it.

[TJFLSTRAT]

The Florida media is behind McBride in a big way, for Govorner. Here in the Tampa are we have had talking points of the Florida Teachers assc. reported as news for weeks, also the matter of Children and families has been blown all out of proportion, as nightmare situations of 30 lb 5 yr olds, deadly beatings of children supervised by C & F, all have been reported over the years without mention of the then Govorner. One local channel here while reporting about Children and family screw up's have a photo of Jeb in the background behind the anchor reporting the story. This is nothing more than the local media taking orders from the DNC.

[BigWaveBetty]

We need a consensuses on this. I'll call the Sentinel and ask. ;-)

The dems are scared to death that Reno will be the dem nominee, although against Jeb I really don't see much of a difference. But I hope that Reno gets the nod because I'd love to see national exposure so that many more will know the story of Reno.

Story on Reno and The Bobby Fijnje case.