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Sun 14 Aug, 2005 11:22 am
Still Hiding the Bush Bulge
Spiking of story an "internal matter," Pasadena paper says
Extra! July/August 2005
Dave Lindorff
Pasadena residents didn't get to read about the exploits of local celebrity Dr. Robert Nelson, who, besides being a Jet Propulsion Lab photo analyst who helped present those dramatic photos of Saturn's rings and moons, also gave the lie to White House claims that the bulge seen on Bush's back during the presidential debates was "just a wrinkle."
They didn't get to read Nelson's account of how his photo analysis of Bush's jacket?-a story that would have increased speculation that the president was wearing a hearing device during the debates?-almost made it into the New York Times before being killed by top editor Bill Keller (Extra!, 1-2/05).
They didn't read all this in their local daily, the Pasadena Star-News, because senior editors at that paper killed the story on Saturday, April 30, right before publication in the Sunday edition?-apparently for political, not journalistic, reasons.
The Star-News is the oldest holding of MediaNews Group, a newspaper and television station chain owned and run by William Dean Singleton, one of the U.S.'s more conservative media moguls. Singleton was singled out by Editor & Publisher (1/26/04) as one of several newspaper chain owners who contributed money to the Bush/Cheney re-election campaign last year. MediaNews Group also owns the Denver Post and the L.A. Daily News.
What role, if any, Singleton and his politics had in the killing of Star-News reporter Gary Scott's story on Nelson and the Bush bulge is unclear. What is known is that the story was filed, edited and set to run, that a photographer had been assigned and had taken pictures of Nelson at home with his photo analysis equipment, and that it was killed at the last minute.
Several sources confirm that the story was axed?-and immediately wiped from the paper's computer system?-on orders of Star-News executive editor Talmadge Campbell, who oversees the operations of the Star-News and two other papers, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and the Whittier Daily News, from an office in San Gabriel. Sources say that Campbell, a former Texan and outspoken Bush supporter, does not normally get involved in day-to-day decisions like what features run?-or don't run?-in the Pasadena paper.
Star-News editor Larry Wilson described Scott as a "fantastic" reporter. Asked if it was true that Scott's story was killed for political reasons by Campbell, Wilson did not offer a denial, saying only that the Star-News, "like most good newspapers, will not discuss stories that had been in production unless they appear in the paper."
Executive editor Campbell confirmed that he killed Scott's Nelson story, but he declined to give an explanation for what he conceded was a rare interference in the paper's daily operation. "It's entirely an internal matter. In doesn't involve anyone in New York, Mother Jones or you especially," he told Extra!.
Said an obviously frustrated Nelson, "The scientific community last November produced very credible evidence suggesting the president may have been cheating in the debates. Responsible reporters at the New York Times and the Star-News have attempted to report this news to their readers but their efforts were quashed by upper management. The founders of this nation understood the importance of an informed public, but given what has just happened, one is tempted to ask: Does the term ?'free press' apply only to those who can afford to own one?"
You're surprised these scumbags did something like this?
Kerry did a very purposeful back-slap... I think he knows. Always curious what he found, and if it was anything, why he didn't say anything.
What I wonder is if it would have mattered. Bush lost all three debates and still won the election. Do you think if he was found out to have been cheating that it would have made a big dent?
I think how much it mattered would depend somewhat on what, exactly, the bulge was/is, and how it was being used. I haven't come to any conclusions, myself, but the possibility of it being some sort of medical device sounded rather plausible, when this was all being discussed. If THAT's what it is -- if its exposure also exposed some serious medical condition that Bush is trying to hide -- I think that could well have affected the election.
I seem to remember somewhere that they finally said that it was a bullet-proof vest. I guess that's plausible, but he was kind of acting like someone was feeding him answers.
Even so, assuming he was cheating, you think maybe people would just say, well, he's not good with words so he got help, big deal? I mean, if his embarrassing performance wasn't enough to turn voters off, I'm not sure if his cheating would do it either. But maybe that's just the cynic in me talking.
Oh dear, I thought you were referring to the bulge someone called a 'moose knuckle' when Bush was walking toward the sailors on the aircraft carrier in order to tell them the war was over. Gosh, that was exciting. And the moose knuckle was pretty impressive as well. Do you think socks are used for that or Kleenex?
I know what you mean, FreeDuck. The first debate was a clear win for Kerry, but as I remember the second two were much closer, and Bush supporters could somewhat plausibly claim a win or at least a tie. I really think proof that he was outright cheating would've counted for something. Mebbe not.
Election aside, I'm just terribly curious if it really is anything at all (I'm skeptical, but haven't been convinced that it's nothing yet) and if so, what.
sozobe wrote:I know what you mean, FreeDuck. The first debate was a clear win for Kerry, but as I remember the second two were much closer, and Bush supporters could somewhat plausibly claim a win or at least a tie. I really think proof that he was outright cheating would've counted for something. Mebbe not.
Election aside, I'm just terribly curious if it really is anything at all (I'm skeptical, but haven't been convinced that it's nothing yet) and if so, what.
at the time, i think i posted some stuff that i'd found on one of our old line cards that pretty much fit the bill. concluding that maybe it was, maybe it wasn't.
i don't think it would have made much difference to the people that were determined to vote for dubya. he's their guy for much different reasons.
it is quite a brain teaser though, isn't it ?
I'm always astounded about the flurry of activity you people generate over unproven accusations about anything that Bush does.
It proves he is doing a great job when he annoys a bunch of "lefties".
rayban1 wrote: I'm always astounded about the flurry of activity you people generate over unproven accusations about anything that Bush does.
It proves he is doing a great job when he annoys a bunch of "lefties".
have you had even one breath of fresh air since 2000?
rayban1 wrote: I'm always astounded about the flurry of activity you people generate over unproven accusations about anything that Bush does.
It proves he is doing a great job when he annoys a bunch of "lefties".
aww, yeah ray...
guess ya could say the same for moveon, air america and michael moore, huh ? :wink:
DTOM wrote:guess ya could say the same for moveon, air america and michael moore, huh ? Wink
Yeah......they can be a bit annoying for short periods of time........until they put the OTHER foot in their mouth. Boy they must have rotten breath. :wink:
rayban1 wrote:DTOM wrote:guess ya could say the same for moveon, air america and michael moore, huh ? Wink
Yeah......they can be a bit annoying for short periods of time........until they put the OTHER foot in their mouth. Boy they must have rotten breath. :wink:
har!
hmm, i don't sign every single petition they send me, but i haven't really seen any of them make any major misteps. to what, my good sir, might you be referring ? quote he, as he doths his cap.
DontTreadOnMe wrote:rayban1 wrote:DTOM wrote:guess ya could say the same for moveon, air america and michael moore, huh ? Wink
Yeah......they can be a bit annoying for short periods of time........until they put the OTHER foot in their mouth. Boy they must have rotten breath. :wink:
har!
hmm, i don't sign every single petition they send me, but i haven't really seen any of them make any major misteps. to what, my good sir, might you be referring ? quote he, as he doths his cap.
Do you have any idea how many lifetimes it would take to dig up every instance of the number of times those fanatics have planted both feet in their mouths. One thing can be said though they are too stupid to realize it as attested to by the lack of winning any elections.
rayban1 wrote:DontTreadOnMe wrote:rayban1 wrote:DTOM wrote:guess ya could say the same for moveon, air america and michael moore, huh ? Wink
Yeah......they can be a bit annoying for short periods of time........until they put the OTHER foot in their mouth. Boy they must have rotten breath. :wink:
har!
hmm, i don't sign every single petition they send me, but i haven't really seen any of them make any major misteps. to what, my good sir, might you be referring ? quote he, as he doths his cap.
Do you have any idea how many lifetimes it would take to dig up every instance of the number of times those fanatics have planted both feet in their mouths. One thing can be said though they are too stupid to realize it as attested to by the lack of winning any elections.
well, i have some time so i'll wait while you dig some up.
[size=7]So we aren't talking about the moose knuckle bulge?[/size]
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