After the years of the Ryan debacle and all of Rod’s holier than thou preaching, the press should be challenging virtually everything that he and his lackies say. It is amazing that they are allowed to spin things the way they do even when their statements run directly contrary to the facts - or to statements that they themselves made hours or days earlier.
As far as examples are concerned, pick a day, any day.
eg. There were no hiring lists, um, there were lists, but those aren’t them, um, those were the lists, but we started using new ones years ago, um, did I say years, I meant months, um, our lists don’t have names on them, um, ok, they have names, but not middle names. You get the idea.
I think that the media has been overly hostile but insufficiently critical. The papers could do a better job of explaining how the governor’s rationale/explanations have shifted/changed/been proven false over time rather than merely conveying that the members of the leg and many in his own party don’t consider him trustworthy. If they trotted out the factual reasons for finding Blago untrustworthy — e.g. to stick with the hiring lists example, a timeline of the positions that governors office has taken with regard to this aspect of corruption — voters would have a better understanding of what is actually going on in the State.
And now that I think of it, why isn’t Judy’s campaign faxing the press such a timeline that’s updated each and every time that the Gov shifts his position?
The media is reporting the smoke, but refuse to expose the fires. So, overall they seem to be riding the center politically on Blagojevich. To those who believe that anything political should be reported neutrally, they would probably like this. However, if you believe the media should be a watchdog, then you feel let down.
I can’t comment on the whole media… but the journal star is beyond under-reporting the governor’s corruption. Never is anything front page news. You think the current gov spending as much money as he has on lawyers, that would incite some front page news. Nope, Castro steals the thunder. He had surgery. Great going JS, I have never read a paper that revels in ignorance as much the journal star. The Suntimes, I believe, has been sufficiently critical of the gov considering the bias of the paper. Overall, it is as disappointing as the coverage of George Ryan’s corruption in ‘98. The media does plenty when it comes to a national race, why do they always insist on dropping the ball state-wide???
- Common Sense in Illinois - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 9:22 am:
While it appears the media has been overly critical in some instances, the administration itself is the reason. I’ll give some leeway to Blagojevich and staff as this is their first term, but the blatant inability to speak truthfully just blows my mind. For its part, rarely does the media seek to verify what the administration is telling them. For instance, the so-called $5 billion 2003 debt never existed, that was a two-year number. Another, the Blago-math used to inflate new education spending (1+1=3), although Doug Finke had it cold. Many administration claims have gone unverified and/or unchallenged or not put into proper perspective. Here’s another…In April, Illinois led the nation in job growth and we were treated to great fanfare. The following two months Illiois’ total employment decreased by over 6000…nobody in the media picked up on that. Guys and Gals…please try to reach out to other sources more often to cut through the crud.
The media is giving GoverNOT Hairdo a pass. And I find the press disgusting and lazy for not holding Blogo’s feet to the fire. If this were any U.S. President, do you think the press would sit quietly by and let a spokesperson hand out the bull that we are expected to take? I don’t get it. There is so much out there that is front page news and yet we don’t see it. Each day that Blogo is not on the front page in a negative fashion, his campaign breathes a sigh of relief. And this state is going to end up with this incompetent idiot again as our governor. DEMAND ANSWERS PEOPLE!
You must separate reporters from columnists. From the reporters side I think they have been somewhat fair. I think many of the problems the Gov brings on his because he has a poor communications team. There were some questionable articles that really should have been saved for columns but other than that I would have to say fair.
As far as columnists go, it does not seem fair to expect much in the way of balance with them. There are clearly columnists, such as the great Rich Miller, who have an obvious anti Rod agenda. But, as long as people realize they arent reporters, they give opinions, not always news, then thats fine.
I think that the problem with the media is that they throw around the term corruption too often in order to energize the story. Minor allegations are inflated to seem as if there is a vast, corrupt system in place. The media is fond of saying the governor is strictly hiring people with political clout and circumventing the system. Try telling that to any person who has tried to get someone on the state payroll. They will tell you it is nearly impossible due to all the personnel regulations. Has the press looked at Topinka’s payroll? It’s a virtually who’s who of Republican hacks.
Its obvious the media (especially downstate) have an ax to grind with the governor because they feel slighted. Their egos are bruised because they feel they don’t have enough access to him because he is never in Springfield and when he in town is he doesn’t want to talk to them. Can you blame him? Try checking out Bernie Schoenberg’s or Doug Finke’s Sunday columns for a taste of just how biased they are. It laughable and most will say their credibility has certainly taken a hit because of it. Of course that is why they are in the opinion section and not in the news portion.
The media is free to do what they want, but I think people today are not as gullible as they used to be and realize that the media will sensationalize any story.
The article that hasn’t been written that needs to be written is one that evaluates the borrowing from the pension fund. I want to see a graph of how the funding of the pension system has progressed over time.
My understanding is that in the ’90s the state passed a law that said the pension liabilities would progress from woefully underfunded to almost fully funded over 45 years or something.
How has the state done on meeting this obligation? How did the state do before Blagojevich? How is it doing with Blagojevich? To what extent does a hot or cold economy affect the state’s contributions?
So, the media is failing to sufficiently analyze what is arguably the most important long-term issue. Part of the problem is lacking expertise. Part of the problem is the contempt journalists have for their audience. Part of the problem is that the journalists don’t want to get outside their comfort zone.
Journalist are generally lazy. Pick the story of the day and print some words and job done. Most of them really do not understand the issues they report on and therefore, they do not know the questions to ask.
Alaska Governor’s Office Cuts Off Communication With Journo
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
JUNEAU, Alaska A veteran freelance journalist will be cut off from communications from Gov. Frank Murkowski’s office because he hasn’t shown the governor the proper respect, a Murkowski spokesman said Tuesday.
Deputy Press Secretary Will Vandergriff said reporter Bob Tkacz won’t be alerted of future press conferences held by the governor and will no longer receive press releases.
“We’re sick of him,” Vandergriff said. “We don’t think he’s doing his job as a reporter. Half the time, he just wants to get the governor’s blood up.”
Tkacz, who has reported from the Capitol since 1990, is well known among government and legislative officials because of his dogged and sometimes combative style of questioning. He has written for various publications on government and commercial fisheries during his 16 years in Juneau, and now reports for the Alaska Legislative Digest and his own newsletter, Laws for the Sea.
Tkacz is not banned - he can still show up at the governor’s press conferences if he finds out about them - but he is no longer going to be invited, Vandergriff said.
Although Murkowski has had a rocky relationship with the press since taking office, this is the first time he or any Alaska governor in recent memory has imposed sanctions against a reporter.
Vandergriff denied the action was an attempt to limit press freedom or impose standards on reporters who cover state government.
“We just think he needs to reflect on the way he interacts with our office,” Vandergriff said.
Vandergriff said he has never read any of Tkacz’s reports.
Tkacz said he only learned of the sanction when he was asked about it by a reporter.
“I think it’s an attempt to intimidate,” he said. “They’re picking on the reporter from pretty much the smallest medium in the building. I don’t see them throwing AP out of the news conferences or any of the media that they need because (they) have widespread circulation.”
The restricted information flow should not impede his work, as other reporters have said they would forward him future news releases and announcements, he said.
“This is slapping my wrist, or something like that, and my wrist feels fine,” he said.
The decision to declare Tkacz a persona non grata was made by Murkowski and Chief of Staff Jim Clark after Tkacz walked out of a governor’s news conference last Friday.
Tkacz left after Murkowski twice interrupted a question he was trying to ask.
Murkowski later said he hoped Tkacz would return to his news conferences. However, Vandergriff cited the walkout as a reason for the sanctions. He also cited a time last year when Tkacz, as a protest, tried to enter a press conference from which several news organizations had been barred.
Tkacz was escorted by security from the governor’s Capitol office at the time.
Tkacz said he respects the office of the governor and that he is just trying to get answers to his questions.
However, Murkowski refuses to answer them, he said. Instead, he said, the governor tries to steer the conversation to topics he suspects are related to his re-election campaign.
Murkowski faces a tough primary race against Republican challengers Sarah Palin of Wasilla and John Binkley of Fairbanks.
Vandergriff said the governor addresses legitimate state concerns in his news conference and is not campaigning.
In re: to pensions the AP did a great story that was published on May 7th, 2006. I kept this graph because it was so insightful. They broke down pension payments by administrations. Blagojevich has done better than any previous administration.
Its funny. You can always tell when the Blagojevich Campaign is posting. Not only are they the ONLY pro-Blago posts, but also a vanilla flavored puffery.
I have been surprised that the press has been so light on Blagojevich. The Tribune went after Jack Ryan’s divorce papers like a shark that tasted blood.
Blagojevich is bleeding pretty heavily with the Fitzgerald investigations, yet the press seems reluctant to do much with it.
Not even the underlings have been indicted yet, so we are looking at maybe 3-4 years before the Blago indictment, but it would be good for the press to responsibly inform the voters of the seriousness of the investigations and probability of an indictment.
Where is the press? What are they thinking?
Ashur Odishoo
Candidate
State Represenative 11th District
Anonymous 11:56, is that the final numbers of what actually went in? Or are those the numbers before the pensions were borrowed against? Who came up with these numbers? The governor? An independent organization? Or Peter Pan? Numbers are nothing without credibility… it seems that we have some anonymous numbers…
BKSTREETS, not sure what your point is. This is a topic about GoverNOT Hairdo, not Bush. My point was that the press can dog someone when they want to.
BK, you have time to make personal attacks at people you don’t even know, and I need to get a life??? FYI, the question of the day asked if we felt the media was covering Blago fairly. Try to address an issue sometime, instead of spreading ignorance to the blog.
Thanks,
Double L
Leather Lover - You attacked me for not using facts but yet seemed to ignore the fact that your boyfriend Ashur attacked Blagojevich supporters without any facts. I attacked you because of that and you will just have to deal with those facts. Good day my bitter rival.
The media has been way too tough on Blago. He is sensitive and very handsome. When he looks into the camera and gives that sincere we care about you and your families glance it just melts my heart and inspires me to donate to him all the more.
I love seeing his name stretched across the tollways as I fly through while all those other suckers wait in line and pay double. Ha Ha-they are not worthy enough to travel on Rod’s roads. I don’t even mind that the tollway regularly misreads my transponder and constantly threatens me with fines and suspensions because Rod is worth it.
I really fell for Rod when I was watching the horror of the Katrina victims and saw him in the background of virtually every Illinois based news report. That is when I new we had a governor that cared. Some people accused him of grandstandng but my Rod would never do anything that shameless.
I am even more proud of his positions on gun control. I want all the gangbangers to have to travel to Southern Illinois to get their weapons. No longer should they be available in Chicago.
I want a governor who is not afraid to take money from anyone. Whether they support anti semitism should not be any barrier to fundraising, after all, how many registered voters are really Jewish.
Let the media pick on him all they want. I know they have nothing important on Rod because I know he stands for nothing important.
The Governor is obviously in a lot of hot water, and yet most of the general public doesn’t know it. I don’t know if that says something about the media coverage or the people of this state.
My only concern is that media outlets continue to print the obvious lies that spew forth from the mouths of the Governor and his people.
It’s just a few bad apples. We’re rooting out corruption. We balanced the budget. The pile of unpaid medical bills is getting better. We’re abiding by all the campaign finance rules. The legal fees have accumulated as we make sure we are following the rules.
At some point, in the interest of fair reporting, shouldn’t the media stop printing the statements that they know to be blatant lies?
Bitter Rival? You aren’t YDD. Saying that you provided no facts isn’t a personal attack. But saying, “Get a life you loser.” and “how about less time writing on blogs and more time campaigning…or maybe you were smart enough to give up already.” Those are personal attacks. I try to provide incite often thrown in with some entertainment. You just try to hurt people and piss them off. I don’t like it. I ask you to stop, please.
- Way Northsider - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 3:03 pm:
I would love to see the media do some real analysis rather than “he said” “she said” “they said” back and forth stuff. There is no way to tell who is lying and who is not by reading the papers. In actual fact probably everyone is lying to a certain extent and it is the media’s job to try to figure it out and report on it as it will be years before it all gets hashed out in the courts - if it ever does. Rehashing press releases by various parties is not journalism, it’s plagarism. I would love to see some real journalism - then we wouldn’t have to discuss whether or not they were too harsh - they could report the facts and we could make up our minds.
- paper bag over my head - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 3:27 pm:
I think the public is still on vacation. None of the average Joe’s I know are aware of all the sharks in the water around Blago. I don’t think it is the media’s fault, I just think people are more interested in the Sox score than the governor’s race right now. Out of curiousity, what do these folks from Blago’s (or JBT’s if they are) hope to gain by posting on this blog? Do they think noone is knows it is them?
Garp, I don’t know who you are or what you do for a living but you need to get a job writing speeches for someone. Your post is the funniest thing I’ve read in a long time. Keep it coming.
anon at 11.67
you are correct in the statement but according to the sers annual report 1.38 billion was funded with the proceeds of a bond, so technically it correct, however the taxpayer will now have to pay for the additional funds
that were supposed to be used and the interest on 10 billion bond.
For starters, I hope Rich sends the Wait kid off to Blog purgatory.
Back to the topic. My irony meter hit the peg when I saw 11:56 anon’s post about an AP story showing Blago has put a higher percentage of something into the pensions than his 3 predecessors. I guess 11:56 forgot to cut and paste the part that said it was a percentage of GRF spending.
The post is ironic for two reasons. First of all, if there is one area the working press has tried to fairly cover over the past few years, I think it’s Illinois’ pension problems. From Chambers up north to more than a handful of the Statehouse gang, the working press really gets it and has learned to not fall for the hooey that comes out of the OMB.
Speaking of hooey, that chart is full of it. Those numbers are completely bogus. Blago NEVER put anywhere near $7.5 bn GRF in the pension funds over his term. Let’s recall his real pension funding record:
One could argue further that $1 billion in debt service on the pension bonds really should not be counted in there, either, but that would drop Rod’s “percentage” to a level even lower than that notorious skinflint Edgar.
Anyone, Gov, Agency head, flack, whoever, starts off even with our media. They either build good relationships or burn bridges; for the most part, the decisions on how the relationship proceeds is totally within their control. If Blago has nuked the bridge to the pressroom, he lit the fuse himself.
blowhard is a liberal and is getting a pass from the liberal press. If ReadMyLips were a republican, the liberal press would be all over the story like stink and manure.
- anon.in the stykes - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 5:43 pm:
Pension contributions are really NOT in line with past administrations because there are more people on it !!! Loads far exceeding original expectations left in late 02′ & early 03′. There aren’t as many paying in either ! In any event failure to adequately fund the pension is a “crime” in and of its self but complete FAILURE to fund the pension to pay back bills or institute new programs with NO income stream to support it is “grand larceny”. You {rather Bladgo & the boys} are screwing with peoples post work incomes & livelyhoods. People paid in trust that it would be there , often doing the same jobs faithfully for many years. Who would have thought the gov’t would have done this. A republican might hurt you a little but a democrat will damn sure finish you off !!!!
I, too, think the press does not work hard enough to challenge his obvious fabrications and non-answers. When he said the budget is balanced, and everyone knew it wasn’t, including the press, someone should have jumped up and said “But what about all the unpaid medical bills to providers? Has that been factored in the balanced budget?
But the press won’t do that for the simple reason I don’t think they do their homework before they attend these blowhard sessions he conducts with the media. Every time he says something blatantly false or boneheaded, they need to jump down his throat with hard questions backed up by the facts they looked at BEFORE the press conference. If you are a political reporter, you should know this administration’s tactics inside and out and should make sure you know what has gone on before your next published article, so you aren’t giving them a pass. Printing a follow-up with the real facts a day later on the 10th page of the paper doesn’t do any good and who sees it anyway?
Governor Rod Blagojevich, the best governor in the State of Illinois, is constantly being persecuted because he provides universal pre-school, prescription drugs, more money for schools, has not raised taxes, and has changed politics as usual.
These attacks by him are from Jews like against Mel Gibson because of attacks on Sister Claudette Mohammad and Rod did not even know she was a Muslim or knew Louis Farrakhan. These attacks are probably from Haku, the evil wizard in outer space that created the white race as taught by the Honorable Elijah Mohammad and CROE which gets state contracts. This is all a plot by Alderman Dick Mell because he wants to dump waste with Rod’s wife’s cousin Frankie C and he is an evil mobster and the mob is trying to get Rod. The Republicans and George Ryan are trying to get Rod because he is doing the best stem cell research and protects human rights and can solve Iraq.
Rod is being persecuted and it must stop.
I think the press is not critical enough and does not ask enough hard questions. I don’t feel like they do their homework on issues so they even know what to ask. They just show up and write down whatever the politician is saying — which does not serve the public very well. I’d say that a lot of journalists are trained in writing newspaper articles when they should really be trained in the discipline they are writing about (political science, public budgeting, science, whatever) with a secondary focus on newspaper writing. I think that many of them joined the ranks of journalism for the glamour and not for the hard work involved with studying the background material. Can I say lazy?
Carl-Edgar and Ryan met their statutory obligations. The ststutory requirement is what drove the increasing percentage of GRF contributions, not anything else. Blago met the requirement by 1) borrowing money (FY 03 & 04) 2) transferring funds (FY 05) 3) and changing the law in the name of reform (FY 06 and 07) to justify reducing the contributions.
- Long Time Reader; First Time Poster - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 9:09 pm:
First of all, Teddy at 6:14 I assume is being sarcastic. If not, I pray that we don’t let those people anywhere near a ballot box because they obviously are too stupid to be trusted to vote.
Secondly, the thing that upsets me the most is when Topinka is critical of Blago for taking HUGE wads of cash from state contractors and suggests that they are giving cash in return for state contracts. Then, Blago says, “Well, you do it too Judy. You’re being hypocritical.” Then the media fails to mention that (1) Blago does it a million times more than Topinka, and (2) Topinka’a contracts are either let out my competitive bid or they are renewals of existing contracts that were competive bid when they were first started.
I will agree with the numerous posters who believe the press “stops” too soon in their questioning of the Govervich and his merry band of (staff) thieves.
PLEASE- working press- the next time Abby or one of her counterparts gives an inane answer, such as 8:27 AM anon indicated (”There were no hiring lists, um, there were lists, but those aren’t them, um, those were the lists, but we started using new ones years ago, um, did I say years, I meant months, um, our lists don’t have names on them, um, ok, they have names, but not middle names”- please please ask a follow-up question! Don’t allow them to lie to you- pin them down!
- Murrow is Dead - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 9:54 pm:
I think I have to agree that much reporting I have seen is lazy, and some reporters I have met or watched working are indeed lazy. Not all, but a disappointing number.
It is hard to pin down where the failure is, but the small-market reporters are more obvious at this; asking only the softball questions or asking for a live quote of what’s already in the press release and calling it a done deal. If pressed to find some balance, they don’t go past a simple “he said/she said” quote exchange, with one of those cliche’ “…it remains to be seen…” endings to the piece, that suggests all we can do is just quietly wait to see what resolution fate hands us. God forbid any piece have a conclusion drawn as to which party is telling the truth and which was lying…
Maybe some of the blame goes to the commercial nature of the business. Taking the time to research a story and develop sources and reach conclusions is not something these stations have a budget for or time to do. Typically only independant columnists or freelance people on their own schedule can do this kind fo digging. These days in MSM it’s all about a short snappy headline delivered first before the competition, and now it’s off to the next thing in the pile, and they are always aiming to simplify the story past the point of usefulness.
And it’s scary how everything seems to get equal weight in the rundowns for the nightly broadcast. When the “lost local dog finds his way home” story seems to get the same running time as a Governor allegedly participating in criminal conspiracy, something is very out of whack.
On another topic, I feel I have to say the poster who said Rich is blatantly anti- Blago was unfair.
My take on the issue is that Rich was not known for giving George a free pass at any time, and he’s not necessarily playing to one side more than the other… he’s equally galling no matter who is in the office (grin). And he’s not all that nasty - Kelly Smith was far more ascerbic talking to governors than Rich is. Even the Big Guns from Chicago TV are not all that tough: they make sure they ask one zinger question they can use as a self-quote, then leave an opening for the guv to retreat thru, unpursued.
The press/governor relationship seems like it must by nature be adversarial to have any hope of getting at more than just repeating press release copy. Perhaps if the governors didn’t hide behind press spokespeople so much, more progress could be made.
I hear tell they have a special room at the Capitol, set up for long, meaningful discussions of important state issues with the press, all in one place… the blue carpet would set off Rod’s eyes so nicely…
Illinois politics, you got to Love it! (It brings out some really strange characters. Ha Ha)
An elected official should expect media. The Governorship is no different. Everyone loves the elected official in the beginning, but enough time lapses and this guy did not quite get what he was after and so on and so forth…..What is reasonable for a society? Health care for the children, elderly, working poor… health insurance… Schools, decent roads, jobs…….. Balancing a budget is a difficult task as anyone paying bills and keeping a family afloat will atest to. Make that a budget of billions of dollars and add a few million families all with issues and concerns and ideas….. The Govenor was well informed of the budget woes the state was in before he was elected and he also had to have known or been familiar with Illinois politics, coruption and all… Reporters report on what they see, hear, smell…most do their job with integrety others go for the sensation. Is it fair? Maybe or maybe not. An election year always brings out the sensation. Is the Govenor being unfairly targeted? He is the Govenor and has been the Govenor for four years, expect the ridicule and the criticisms. Its healthy government.
- Springfield Resident - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 10:15 pm:
Lazy? How about inept. Especially “News Channel 20″ that feels compelled to run every piece of canned video from Blago or the usual Sunday blather from Quinn….and never giving credit that it’s canned video from the campaign or IIS. When the typical reporter is barely of legal drinking age and hasn’t developed the seasoned cynicism necessary for the job, then you get what you pay for.
The big problem is with the public. This blog’s subjects today are a prime example. Oy & Mystery debt garnered 20 total comments. Those are “news” items. The more “fluff” items that result in Blago vs. JBT supporters sniping garner 50-60+ comments. I’m not surprised people don’t follow the issues. They would rather pound their chests and tear down candidates they oppose.
I don’t know what everybody’s expecting from the press.
For those of you talking about hiring lists, how do you know about them? Because John O’Connor at the AP and the whole crew at the Sun-Times have been going at it to show their readers what’s going on in the Blagojevich Administration. Chambers pointed out how Illinois is in worse fiscal shape than any other state. How many times have you read the Tribune link some campaign contributor to some major contract? It’s like a weekly feature. Bernie Schoenburg never lets go of a good story. So years ago Blagojevich said he won’t take money from the Democratic county chairmen, and guess who’s writing about it YEARS later? Erickson reminds us all that Blago’s giving fuel breaks to United Airlines but not the average motorist like you and me. And Crain’s won’t let go of the Rezko stories. Somebody mentioned the tollway signs. Well, Joe Ryan at the Daily Herald made a big stink about that a long, long time ago. Then the Tribune got it and ran with it. And here’s how Jon Hilkevitch (who isn’t a state gov’t reporter) countered dubious Blagojevich administration spin:
The signs carry out the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority’s “branding strategy” to educate the public about open-road tolling and the benefits of I-PASS, Mitola said.
The signs, the first of which were erected last year, cost the tollway $15,000 apiece, $480,000 for the total order of 32 signs. They do not provide directions, information about how open-road tolling works or how motorists can subscribe to I-PASS. The signs say in large letters: “Open Road Tolling. Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor.”
A spokeswoman for Blagojevich said open-road tolling has been a major initiative of the governor. The decision to put up the signs, said Abby Ottenhoff, was made by the tollway, “and we were fine with the decision.”
The press corps may be the only ones not working (or who haven’t worked) for the state that understand the pension deficit.
Yeah, I used to work as a Statehouse reporter in Springfield. But I look at a LOT of state government stories around the country every day. And I have to say, the Illinois press corps is one of the best in the country. They’re tough but fair. They’ll give the administration a chance to speak, but they’ll bring out all the relevant information. They don’t get paid to call people names, just to lay out the facts and let readers decide how they feel.
Almost every single complaint people voice about Blagojevich on this blog has been broken by the mainstream media. So what’s the problem?
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 8:27 am:
After the years of the Ryan debacle and all of Rod’s holier than thou preaching, the press should be challenging virtually everything that he and his lackies say. It is amazing that they are allowed to spin things the way they do even when their statements run directly contrary to the facts - or to statements that they themselves made hours or days earlier.
As far as examples are concerned, pick a day, any day.
eg. There were no hiring lists, um, there were lists, but those aren’t them, um, those were the lists, but we started using new ones years ago, um, did I say years, I meant months, um, our lists don’t have names on them, um, ok, they have names, but not middle names. You get the idea.
- So-Called "Austin Mayor" - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 8:43 am:
I think that the media has been overly hostile but insufficiently critical. The papers could do a better job of explaining how the governor’s rationale/explanations have shifted/changed/been proven false over time rather than merely conveying that the members of the leg and many in his own party don’t consider him trustworthy. If they trotted out the factual reasons for finding Blago untrustworthy — e.g. to stick with the hiring lists example, a timeline of the positions that governors office has taken with regard to this aspect of corruption — voters would have a better understanding of what is actually going on in the State.
And now that I think of it, why isn’t Judy’s campaign faxing the press such a timeline that’s updated each and every time that the Gov shifts his position?
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 9:01 am:
The media is reporting the smoke, but refuse to expose the fires. So, overall they seem to be riding the center politically on Blagojevich. To those who believe that anything political should be reported neutrally, they would probably like this. However, if you believe the media should be a watchdog, then you feel let down.
Dig!
- Lovie's Leather - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 9:20 am:
I can’t comment on the whole media… but the journal star is beyond under-reporting the governor’s corruption. Never is anything front page news. You think the current gov spending as much money as he has on lawyers, that would incite some front page news. Nope, Castro steals the thunder. He had surgery. Great going JS, I have never read a paper that revels in ignorance as much the journal star. The Suntimes, I believe, has been sufficiently critical of the gov considering the bias of the paper. Overall, it is as disappointing as the coverage of George Ryan’s corruption in ‘98. The media does plenty when it comes to a national race, why do they always insist on dropping the ball state-wide???
- Common Sense in Illinois - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 9:22 am:
While it appears the media has been overly critical in some instances, the administration itself is the reason. I’ll give some leeway to Blagojevich and staff as this is their first term, but the blatant inability to speak truthfully just blows my mind. For its part, rarely does the media seek to verify what the administration is telling them. For instance, the so-called $5 billion 2003 debt never existed, that was a two-year number. Another, the Blago-math used to inflate new education spending (1+1=3), although Doug Finke had it cold. Many administration claims have gone unverified and/or unchallenged or not put into proper perspective. Here’s another…In April, Illinois led the nation in job growth and we were treated to great fanfare. The following two months Illiois’ total employment decreased by over 6000…nobody in the media picked up on that. Guys and Gals…please try to reach out to other sources more often to cut through the crud.
- Little Egypt - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 10:03 am:
The media is giving GoverNOT Hairdo a pass. And I find the press disgusting and lazy for not holding Blogo’s feet to the fire. If this were any U.S. President, do you think the press would sit quietly by and let a spokesperson hand out the bull that we are expected to take? I don’t get it. There is so much out there that is front page news and yet we don’t see it. Each day that Blogo is not on the front page in a negative fashion, his campaign breathes a sigh of relief. And this state is going to end up with this incompetent idiot again as our governor. DEMAND ANSWERS PEOPLE!
- HANKSTER - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 10:11 am:
You must separate reporters from columnists. From the reporters side I think they have been somewhat fair. I think many of the problems the Gov brings on his because he has a poor communications team. There were some questionable articles that really should have been saved for columns but other than that I would have to say fair.
As far as columnists go, it does not seem fair to expect much in the way of balance with them. There are clearly columnists, such as the great Rich Miller, who have an obvious anti Rod agenda. But, as long as people realize they arent reporters, they give opinions, not always news, then thats fine.
- BKSTREETS - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 10:13 am:
LITTLE EGYPT - umm if it was a president? thats exactly what the press has been doing for Bush for the past 6 years! Give me a break.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 10:35 am:
I think that the problem with the media is that they throw around the term corruption too often in order to energize the story. Minor allegations are inflated to seem as if there is a vast, corrupt system in place. The media is fond of saying the governor is strictly hiring people with political clout and circumventing the system. Try telling that to any person who has tried to get someone on the state payroll. They will tell you it is nearly impossible due to all the personnel regulations. Has the press looked at Topinka’s payroll? It’s a virtually who’s who of Republican hacks.
Its obvious the media (especially downstate) have an ax to grind with the governor because they feel slighted. Their egos are bruised because they feel they don’t have enough access to him because he is never in Springfield and when he in town is he doesn’t want to talk to them. Can you blame him? Try checking out Bernie Schoenberg’s or Doug Finke’s Sunday columns for a taste of just how biased they are. It laughable and most will say their credibility has certainly taken a hit because of it. Of course that is why they are in the opinion section and not in the news portion.
The media is free to do what they want, but I think people today are not as gullible as they used to be and realize that the media will sensationalize any story.
- Carl Nyberg - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 10:39 am:
The article that hasn’t been written that needs to be written is one that evaluates the borrowing from the pension fund. I want to see a graph of how the funding of the pension system has progressed over time.
My understanding is that in the ’90s the state passed a law that said the pension liabilities would progress from woefully underfunded to almost fully funded over 45 years or something.
How has the state done on meeting this obligation? How did the state do before Blagojevich? How is it doing with Blagojevich? To what extent does a hot or cold economy affect the state’s contributions?
So, the media is failing to sufficiently analyze what is arguably the most important long-term issue. Part of the problem is lacking expertise. Part of the problem is the contempt journalists have for their audience. Part of the problem is that the journalists don’t want to get outside their comfort zone.
- Walking Wounded - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 11:02 am:
Couldn’t agree with you more, Carl.
- Lee - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 11:22 am:
Journalist are generally lazy. Pick the story of the day and print some words and job done. Most of them really do not understand the issues they report on and therefore, they do not know the questions to ask.
- Newshound - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 11:34 am:
Hey Richie, This guy sounds a little like you…
Alaska Governor’s Office Cuts Off Communication With Journo
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
JUNEAU, Alaska A veteran freelance journalist will be cut off from communications from Gov. Frank Murkowski’s office because he hasn’t shown the governor the proper respect, a Murkowski spokesman said Tuesday.
Deputy Press Secretary Will Vandergriff said reporter Bob Tkacz won’t be alerted of future press conferences held by the governor and will no longer receive press releases.
“We’re sick of him,” Vandergriff said. “We don’t think he’s doing his job as a reporter. Half the time, he just wants to get the governor’s blood up.”
Tkacz, who has reported from the Capitol since 1990, is well known among government and legislative officials because of his dogged and sometimes combative style of questioning. He has written for various publications on government and commercial fisheries during his 16 years in Juneau, and now reports for the Alaska Legislative Digest and his own newsletter, Laws for the Sea.
Tkacz is not banned - he can still show up at the governor’s press conferences if he finds out about them - but he is no longer going to be invited, Vandergriff said.
Although Murkowski has had a rocky relationship with the press since taking office, this is the first time he or any Alaska governor in recent memory has imposed sanctions against a reporter.
Vandergriff denied the action was an attempt to limit press freedom or impose standards on reporters who cover state government.
“We just think he needs to reflect on the way he interacts with our office,” Vandergriff said.
Vandergriff said he has never read any of Tkacz’s reports.
Tkacz said he only learned of the sanction when he was asked about it by a reporter.
“I think it’s an attempt to intimidate,” he said. “They’re picking on the reporter from pretty much the smallest medium in the building. I don’t see them throwing AP out of the news conferences or any of the media that they need because (they) have widespread circulation.”
The restricted information flow should not impede his work, as other reporters have said they would forward him future news releases and announcements, he said.
“This is slapping my wrist, or something like that, and my wrist feels fine,” he said.
The decision to declare Tkacz a persona non grata was made by Murkowski and Chief of Staff Jim Clark after Tkacz walked out of a governor’s news conference last Friday.
Tkacz left after Murkowski twice interrupted a question he was trying to ask.
Murkowski later said he hoped Tkacz would return to his news conferences. However, Vandergriff cited the walkout as a reason for the sanctions. He also cited a time last year when Tkacz, as a protest, tried to enter a press conference from which several news organizations had been barred.
Tkacz was escorted by security from the governor’s Capitol office at the time.
Tkacz said he respects the office of the governor and that he is just trying to get answers to his questions.
However, Murkowski refuses to answer them, he said. Instead, he said, the governor tries to steer the conversation to topics he suspects are related to his re-election campaign.
Murkowski faces a tough primary race against Republican challengers Sarah Palin of Wasilla and John Binkley of Fairbanks.
Vandergriff said the governor addresses legitimate state concerns in his news conference and is not campaigning.
- Bill Baar - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 11:52 am:
I agree Carl…especially your last paragraph.
- anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 11:56 am:
In re: to pensions the AP did a great story that was published on May 7th, 2006. I kept this graph because it was so insightful. They broke down pension payments by administrations. Blagojevich has done better than any previous administration.
1992-95 (Edgar) $517 million, or 3.28 %
1996-99 (Edgar) $858 million, or 4.3 %
2000-03 (Ryan) $1.455 billion or 6.08 %
2004-07(Blagojevich) $1.874 billion or 7.29 %
- Ashur Odishoo - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 12:41 pm:
Its funny. You can always tell when the Blagojevich Campaign is posting. Not only are they the ONLY pro-Blago posts, but also a vanilla flavored puffery.
I have been surprised that the press has been so light on Blagojevich. The Tribune went after Jack Ryan’s divorce papers like a shark that tasted blood.
Blagojevich is bleeding pretty heavily with the Fitzgerald investigations, yet the press seems reluctant to do much with it.
Not even the underlings have been indicted yet, so we are looking at maybe 3-4 years before the Blago indictment, but it would be good for the press to responsibly inform the voters of the seriousness of the investigations and probability of an indictment.
Where is the press? What are they thinking?
Ashur Odishoo
Candidate
State Represenative 11th District
- BKSTREETS - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 1:01 pm:
Ashur: how about less time writing on blogs and more time campaigning…or maybe you were smart enough to give up already.
- Lovie's Leather - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 1:02 pm:
Anonymous 11:56, is that the final numbers of what actually went in? Or are those the numbers before the pensions were borrowed against? Who came up with these numbers? The governor? An independent organization? Or Peter Pan? Numbers are nothing without credibility… it seems that we have some anonymous numbers…
- Lovie's Leather - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 1:04 pm:
BKSTREETS, have some damn respect for people. Try having some facts, or credible opinions, instead of being snide for the sake of being an ass!!!
- BKSTREETS - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 1:23 pm:
Lovies Leather - Facts? Like when Ashur says he knows who is talking on this blog? Are those facts? Get a life you loser.
- Little Egypt - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 1:26 pm:
BKSTREETS, not sure what your point is. This is a topic about GoverNOT Hairdo, not Bush. My point was that the press can dog someone when they want to.
- Lovie's Leather - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 1:37 pm:
BK, you have time to make personal attacks at people you don’t even know, and I need to get a life??? FYI, the question of the day asked if we felt the media was covering Blago fairly. Try to address an issue sometime, instead of spreading ignorance to the blog.
Thanks,
Double L
- BKSTREETS - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 1:48 pm:
Leather Lover - You attacked me for not using facts but yet seemed to ignore the fact that your boyfriend Ashur attacked Blagojevich supporters without any facts. I attacked you because of that and you will just have to deal with those facts. Good day my bitter rival.
- Little Egypt - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 1:57 pm:
Rich, BKSTREETS needs some time out in the naughty chair.
- Garp - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 2:12 pm:
The media has been way too tough on Blago. He is sensitive and very handsome. When he looks into the camera and gives that sincere we care about you and your families glance it just melts my heart and inspires me to donate to him all the more.
I love seeing his name stretched across the tollways as I fly through while all those other suckers wait in line and pay double. Ha Ha-they are not worthy enough to travel on Rod’s roads. I don’t even mind that the tollway regularly misreads my transponder and constantly threatens me with fines and suspensions because Rod is worth it.
I really fell for Rod when I was watching the horror of the Katrina victims and saw him in the background of virtually every Illinois based news report. That is when I new we had a governor that cared. Some people accused him of grandstandng but my Rod would never do anything that shameless.
I am even more proud of his positions on gun control. I want all the gangbangers to have to travel to Southern Illinois to get their weapons. No longer should they be available in Chicago.
I want a governor who is not afraid to take money from anyone. Whether they support anti semitism should not be any barrier to fundraising, after all, how many registered voters are really Jewish.
Let the media pick on him all they want. I know they have nothing important on Rod because I know he stands for nothing important.
- Truth - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 2:31 pm:
The Governor is obviously in a lot of hot water, and yet most of the general public doesn’t know it. I don’t know if that says something about the media coverage or the people of this state.
My only concern is that media outlets continue to print the obvious lies that spew forth from the mouths of the Governor and his people.
It’s just a few bad apples. We’re rooting out corruption. We balanced the budget. The pile of unpaid medical bills is getting better. We’re abiding by all the campaign finance rules. The legal fees have accumulated as we make sure we are following the rules.
At some point, in the interest of fair reporting, shouldn’t the media stop printing the statements that they know to be blatant lies?
- Lovie's Leather - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 2:59 pm:
Bitter Rival? You aren’t YDD. Saying that you provided no facts isn’t a personal attack. But saying, “Get a life you loser.” and “how about less time writing on blogs and more time campaigning…or maybe you were smart enough to give up already.” Those are personal attacks. I try to provide incite often thrown in with some entertainment. You just try to hurt people and piss them off. I don’t like it. I ask you to stop, please.
- Way Northsider - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 3:03 pm:
I would love to see the media do some real analysis rather than “he said” “she said” “they said” back and forth stuff. There is no way to tell who is lying and who is not by reading the papers. In actual fact probably everyone is lying to a certain extent and it is the media’s job to try to figure it out and report on it as it will be years before it all gets hashed out in the courts - if it ever does. Rehashing press releases by various parties is not journalism, it’s plagarism. I would love to see some real journalism - then we wouldn’t have to discuss whether or not they were too harsh - they could report the facts and we could make up our minds.
- paper bag over my head - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 3:27 pm:
I think the public is still on vacation. None of the average Joe’s I know are aware of all the sharks in the water around Blago. I don’t think it is the media’s fault, I just think people are more interested in the Sox score than the governor’s race right now. Out of curiousity, what do these folks from Blago’s (or JBT’s if they are) hope to gain by posting on this blog? Do they think noone is knows it is them?
- Little Egypt - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 3:36 pm:
Garp, I don’t know who you are or what you do for a living but you need to get a job writing speeches for someone. Your post is the funniest thing I’ve read in a long time. Keep it coming.
- bullwinkle - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 3:42 pm:
anon at 11.67
you are correct in the statement but according to the sers annual report 1.38 billion was funded with the proceeds of a bond, so technically it correct, however the taxpayer will now have to pay for the additional funds
that were supposed to be used and the interest on 10 billion bond.
- NumbersGuy - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 4:05 pm:
For starters, I hope Rich sends the Wait kid off to Blog purgatory.
Back to the topic. My irony meter hit the peg when I saw 11:56 anon’s post about an AP story showing Blago has put a higher percentage of something into the pensions than his 3 predecessors. I guess 11:56 forgot to cut and paste the part that said it was a percentage of GRF spending.
The post is ironic for two reasons. First of all, if there is one area the working press has tried to fairly cover over the past few years, I think it’s Illinois’ pension problems. From Chambers up north to more than a handful of the Statehouse gang, the working press really gets it and has learned to not fall for the hooey that comes out of the OMB.
Speaking of hooey, that chart is full of it. Those numbers are completely bogus. Blago NEVER put anywhere near $7.5 bn GRF in the pension funds over his term. Let’s recall his real pension funding record:
FY 03: $0 GRF (borrowed fourth quarter)
FY 04: $0 GRF (all borrowed)
FY 05: $2.1bn GRF (approx)
FY 06: $1.4bn GRF (after $1bn cuts)
FY 07: $1.8bn GRF (ditto)
Total: $5.3 billion. Oops.
One could argue further that $1 billion in debt service on the pension bonds really should not be counted in there, either, but that would drop Rod’s “percentage” to a level even lower than that notorious skinflint Edgar.
Anyone, Gov, Agency head, flack, whoever, starts off even with our media. They either build good relationships or burn bridges; for the most part, the decisions on how the relationship proceeds is totally within their control. If Blago has nuked the bridge to the pressroom, he lit the fuse himself.
- "B Team" - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 4:58 pm:
blowhard is a liberal and is getting a pass from the liberal press. If ReadMyLips were a republican, the liberal press would be all over the story like stink and manure.
- anon.in the stykes - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 5:43 pm:
Pension contributions are really NOT in line with past administrations because there are more people on it !!! Loads far exceeding original expectations left in late 02′ & early 03′. There aren’t as many paying in either ! In any event failure to adequately fund the pension is a “crime” in and of its self but complete FAILURE to fund the pension to pay back bills or institute new programs with NO income stream to support it is “grand larceny”. You {rather Bladgo & the boys} are screwing with peoples post work incomes & livelyhoods. People paid in trust that it would be there , often doing the same jobs faithfully for many years. Who would have thought the gov’t would have done this. A republican might hurt you a little but a democrat will damn sure finish you off !!!!
- Carl Nyberg - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 5:52 pm:
But is the state fulfilling its statute obligation to increase the percent of the pension liability that is funded?
- Disgusted - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 6:04 pm:
I, too, think the press does not work hard enough to challenge his obvious fabrications and non-answers. When he said the budget is balanced, and everyone knew it wasn’t, including the press, someone should have jumped up and said “But what about all the unpaid medical bills to providers? Has that been factored in the balanced budget?
But the press won’t do that for the simple reason I don’t think they do their homework before they attend these blowhard sessions he conducts with the media. Every time he says something blatantly false or boneheaded, they need to jump down his throat with hard questions backed up by the facts they looked at BEFORE the press conference. If you are a political reporter, you should know this administration’s tactics inside and out and should make sure you know what has gone on before your next published article, so you aren’t giving them a pass. Printing a follow-up with the real facts a day later on the 10th page of the paper doesn’t do any good and who sees it anyway?
- Teddy - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 6:14 pm:
Governor Rod Blagojevich, the best governor in the State of Illinois, is constantly being persecuted because he provides universal pre-school, prescription drugs, more money for schools, has not raised taxes, and has changed politics as usual.
These attacks by him are from Jews like against Mel Gibson because of attacks on Sister Claudette Mohammad and Rod did not even know she was a Muslim or knew Louis Farrakhan. These attacks are probably from Haku, the evil wizard in outer space that created the white race as taught by the Honorable Elijah Mohammad and CROE which gets state contracts. This is all a plot by Alderman Dick Mell because he wants to dump waste with Rod’s wife’s cousin Frankie C and he is an evil mobster and the mob is trying to get Rod. The Republicans and George Ryan are trying to get Rod because he is doing the best stem cell research and protects human rights and can solve Iraq.
Rod is being persecuted and it must stop.
- NoGiftsPlease - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 6:55 pm:
I think the press is not critical enough and does not ask enough hard questions. I don’t feel like they do their homework on issues so they even know what to ask. They just show up and write down whatever the politician is saying — which does not serve the public very well. I’d say that a lot of journalists are trained in writing newspaper articles when they should really be trained in the discipline they are writing about (political science, public budgeting, science, whatever) with a secondary focus on newspaper writing. I think that many of them joined the ranks of journalism for the glamour and not for the hard work involved with studying the background material. Can I say lazy?
- NumbersGuy - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 8:48 pm:
Carl-Edgar and Ryan met their statutory obligations. The ststutory requirement is what drove the increasing percentage of GRF contributions, not anything else. Blago met the requirement by 1) borrowing money (FY 03 & 04) 2) transferring funds (FY 05) 3) and changing the law in the name of reform (FY 06 and 07) to justify reducing the contributions.
- Long Time Reader; First Time Poster - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 9:09 pm:
First of all, Teddy at 6:14 I assume is being sarcastic. If not, I pray that we don’t let those people anywhere near a ballot box because they obviously are too stupid to be trusted to vote.
Secondly, the thing that upsets me the most is when Topinka is critical of Blago for taking HUGE wads of cash from state contractors and suggests that they are giving cash in return for state contracts. Then, Blago says, “Well, you do it too Judy. You’re being hypocritical.” Then the media fails to mention that (1) Blago does it a million times more than Topinka, and (2) Topinka’a contracts are either let out my competitive bid or they are renewals of existing contracts that were competive bid when they were first started.
This annoys me to no end.
- Roy Slade - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 9:46 pm:
I will agree with the numerous posters who believe the press “stops” too soon in their questioning of the Govervich and his merry band of (staff) thieves.
PLEASE- working press- the next time Abby or one of her counterparts gives an inane answer, such as 8:27 AM anon indicated (”There were no hiring lists, um, there were lists, but those aren’t them, um, those were the lists, but we started using new ones years ago, um, did I say years, I meant months, um, our lists don’t have names on them, um, ok, they have names, but not middle names”- please please ask a follow-up question! Don’t allow them to lie to you- pin them down!
- Murrow is Dead - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 9:54 pm:
I think I have to agree that much reporting I have seen is lazy, and some reporters I have met or watched working are indeed lazy. Not all, but a disappointing number.
It is hard to pin down where the failure is, but the small-market reporters are more obvious at this; asking only the softball questions or asking for a live quote of what’s already in the press release and calling it a done deal. If pressed to find some balance, they don’t go past a simple “he said/she said” quote exchange, with one of those cliche’ “…it remains to be seen…” endings to the piece, that suggests all we can do is just quietly wait to see what resolution fate hands us. God forbid any piece have a conclusion drawn as to which party is telling the truth and which was lying…
Maybe some of the blame goes to the commercial nature of the business. Taking the time to research a story and develop sources and reach conclusions is not something these stations have a budget for or time to do. Typically only independant columnists or freelance people on their own schedule can do this kind fo digging. These days in MSM it’s all about a short snappy headline delivered first before the competition, and now it’s off to the next thing in the pile, and they are always aiming to simplify the story past the point of usefulness.
And it’s scary how everything seems to get equal weight in the rundowns for the nightly broadcast. When the “lost local dog finds his way home” story seems to get the same running time as a Governor allegedly participating in criminal conspiracy, something is very out of whack.
On another topic, I feel I have to say the poster who said Rich is blatantly anti- Blago was unfair.
My take on the issue is that Rich was not known for giving George a free pass at any time, and he’s not necessarily playing to one side more than the other… he’s equally galling no matter who is in the office (grin). And he’s not all that nasty - Kelly Smith was far more ascerbic talking to governors than Rich is. Even the Big Guns from Chicago TV are not all that tough: they make sure they ask one zinger question they can use as a self-quote, then leave an opening for the guv to retreat thru, unpursued.
The press/governor relationship seems like it must by nature be adversarial to have any hope of getting at more than just repeating press release copy. Perhaps if the governors didn’t hide behind press spokespeople so much, more progress could be made.
I hear tell they have a special room at the Capitol, set up for long, meaningful discussions of important state issues with the press, all in one place… the blue carpet would set off Rod’s eyes so nicely…
- AJ - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 9:58 pm:
Illinois politics, you got to Love it! (It brings out some really strange characters. Ha Ha)
An elected official should expect media. The Governorship is no different. Everyone loves the elected official in the beginning, but enough time lapses and this guy did not quite get what he was after and so on and so forth…..What is reasonable for a society? Health care for the children, elderly, working poor… health insurance… Schools, decent roads, jobs…….. Balancing a budget is a difficult task as anyone paying bills and keeping a family afloat will atest to. Make that a budget of billions of dollars and add a few million families all with issues and concerns and ideas….. The Govenor was well informed of the budget woes the state was in before he was elected and he also had to have known or been familiar with Illinois politics, coruption and all… Reporters report on what they see, hear, smell…most do their job with integrety others go for the sensation. Is it fair? Maybe or maybe not. An election year always brings out the sensation. Is the Govenor being unfairly targeted? He is the Govenor and has been the Govenor for four years, expect the ridicule and the criticisms. Its healthy government.
- Springfield Resident - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 10:15 pm:
Lazy? How about inept. Especially “News Channel 20″ that feels compelled to run every piece of canned video from Blago or the usual Sunday blather from Quinn….and never giving credit that it’s canned video from the campaign or IIS. When the typical reporter is barely of legal drinking age and hasn’t developed the seasoned cynicism necessary for the job, then you get what you pay for.
- Buck Flagojevich - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 10:52 pm:
The big problem is with the public. This blog’s subjects today are a prime example. Oy & Mystery debt garnered 20 total comments. Those are “news” items. The more “fluff” items that result in Blago vs. JBT supporters sniping garner 50-60+ comments. I’m not surprised people don’t follow the issues. They would rather pound their chests and tear down candidates they oppose.
- Ashur Odishoo - Wednesday, Aug 2, 06 @ 11:17 pm:
Rich,
There seems to be a consensus that the press is lazy. While at times I think that may be accurate, I think they are sometimes too cautious.
As a political reporter, what do you think? I’m sure you all get mostly the same leads.
- Dan Vock - Thursday, Aug 3, 06 @ 12:08 am:
I don’t know what everybody’s expecting from the press.
For those of you talking about hiring lists, how do you know about them? Because John O’Connor at the AP and the whole crew at the Sun-Times have been going at it to show their readers what’s going on in the Blagojevich Administration. Chambers pointed out how Illinois is in worse fiscal shape than any other state. How many times have you read the Tribune link some campaign contributor to some major contract? It’s like a weekly feature. Bernie Schoenburg never lets go of a good story. So years ago Blagojevich said he won’t take money from the Democratic county chairmen, and guess who’s writing about it YEARS later? Erickson reminds us all that Blago’s giving fuel breaks to United Airlines but not the average motorist like you and me. And Crain’s won’t let go of the Rezko stories. Somebody mentioned the tollway signs. Well, Joe Ryan at the Daily Herald made a big stink about that a long, long time ago. Then the Tribune got it and ran with it. And here’s how Jon Hilkevitch (who isn’t a state gov’t reporter) countered dubious Blagojevich administration spin:
The signs carry out the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority’s “branding strategy” to educate the public about open-road tolling and the benefits of I-PASS, Mitola said.
The signs, the first of which were erected last year, cost the tollway $15,000 apiece, $480,000 for the total order of 32 signs. They do not provide directions, information about how open-road tolling works or how motorists can subscribe to I-PASS. The signs say in large letters: “Open Road Tolling. Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor.”
A spokeswoman for Blagojevich said open-road tolling has been a major initiative of the governor. The decision to put up the signs, said Abby Ottenhoff, was made by the tollway, “and we were fine with the decision.”
The press corps may be the only ones not working (or who haven’t worked) for the state that understand the pension deficit.
Yeah, I used to work as a Statehouse reporter in Springfield. But I look at a LOT of state government stories around the country every day. And I have to say, the Illinois press corps is one of the best in the country. They’re tough but fair. They’ll give the administration a chance to speak, but they’ll bring out all the relevant information. They don’t get paid to call people names, just to lay out the facts and let readers decide how they feel.
Almost every single complaint people voice about Blagojevich on this blog has been broken by the mainstream media. So what’s the problem?
- Murrow is Dead - Thursday, Aug 3, 06 @ 1:01 am:
You didn’t list any radio or TV, I see… which is what I was complaining about…