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* I suppose it had to happen sooner or later. Here’s Mary Schmich in today’s Chicago Tribune…
It’s not surprising that out on the Internet, conspiracy theorists have been convening with relish, reluctant to accept [Chris] Kelly’s death Saturday simply as the suicide of a 51-year-old man on the brink of prison.
Schmich’s column was published the day after her own newspaper printed an editorial full of dark and incorrect gun-jumping theories artlessly disguised as “questions.”
Back to Schmich…
“And now the mysterious deaths will start,” wrote one comment-board Sherlock Holmes.
“The plot thickens,” wrote another.
“Blago/Kelly,” wrote another, “this will become the story of the year! It doesn’t get any better than this.”
It turns out that all three of those comments came from a post on Chicago Now, which is a site run by… yeah, you guessed it, the Chicago Tribune.
The “blogger” whose post got all mucked up with oddball comments is actually a cable news show host who works for CLTV, which is part of Mother Tribune’s empire. This person did two CLTV talk show segments entitled “Christopher Kelly: Murder or Suicide?”
But, “the Internet” is to blame. Sheesh.
* Look, there’s a lot of goofy stuff out there on the Internet. But, frankly, some of the vilest things I’ve ever seen posted were on newspaper-owned websites. Try scanning through some of these reader comments posted on yesterday’s Tribune editorial, including…
this sounds like another vince foster-type cover-up.
And…
Was Kelly about to expose a “quid pro quo” deal offered to him by Fitzgerald ? Why are the feds not investigating this suspicious deaths of one of its key witnesses for the prosecution ? Is Witness Tampering and Obstruction of Justice by the feds involved ?
And…
Cause of death? Blago.
Heckuva job, Tribbies.
I don’t necessarily mean to just pick on newspaper site commenters. Some of the weirdest conspiracy theories out there are regularly published under bylines in Schmich’s own newspaper.
So, instead of blaming the amorphous “Internet,” it would be nice if those in the print trade would occasionally try looking at where the real problem is: Within.
* Related…
* Christopher Kelly death: He tried suicide days before he died, police say - Friend of Blagojevich faced prison and led chaotic life in his last days, officials say
* Police chief says Kelly tried to kill self earlier
* Kelly failed first suicide attempt - Timeline of events before death revealed
* Blago to attend Kelly funeral
* Carol Marin: Memo to Blago: It’s not always about you
* Yes, aspirin can kill you: “I have great respect for it as a medication. I have great respect for it as a poison,” says Dr. Edward Krenzelok, director of the Pittsburgh Poison Center.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 9:43 am
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Let’s have a contest.
Name one thing/person that Blago has touched that turned out right.
Comment by Leave a Light on George Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 9:52 am
My heart goes out to the people that loved him. I know the mess that a normal sudden death brings, but this type of high profile suicide just has to be over the top.
I bet the estranged wife is left to try and clean up the financial mess. That poor woman didn’t ask for this - and she has 3 young children to think about.
No one killed Kelly. His own destructive ways led to this.
Comment by PPHS Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:01 am
Terry Sullivan, legal analyst for WGN (yes, sorry Tribune Co.) was on the AM news around 6:30 AM saying the Feds have jurisdiction over all others, and he is sure they have the cell phones and are conducting their own investigation. The State now has the Cadillac, so that is out of the County Club Hills hands now. He also pointed out that Chicago, where Stroger Hospital is, did not have a press conference or come out with the details that occured there, thankfully.
Sadly Kelly, leaves behind a big family and 3 young daughters. Christopher Kelly
Still a journalist (more like entertainment writers) like Schmich are in poor taste when they write columns like the one she did.
Comment by Third Generation Chicago Native Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:03 am
Ms. Schmich should keep quiet and spend her time and energy on fixing up that relic of a comic strip (Brenda Starr) that she writes.
Comment by fedup dem Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:06 am
“The “blogger” whose post got all mucked up with oddball comments is actually a cable news show host who works for CLTV, which is part of Mother Tribune’s empire. This person did two CLTV talk show segments entitled “Christopher Kelly: Murder or Suicide?” ….”
Gotta wonder if MoTrib plans to look into this event which a little news creation going on or if this just gets swept away like the ESOP/Wrigley federal probe scandals.
Capt Fax you should probably note most of these media comment sections get little action.
Personally, I continue to be amazed at the amount of time/space the media gives mopes like Blagoof and Kelly.
But it does explain why there are fewer buyers, listeners, viewers
BTW WGN-AM’s John Williams just got blowed away on a segment designed to debunk Jimmy Carter’s comment on America’s struggle to deal with a black president…King John took about 4 calls, all agreed with Carter, he retreated and his right wing traffic bunny then talked about how horrible it all is.
No one seemed to worry about ripping the president when he did not wear his flag pin.
Yeah it is not race based….right
Comment by CircularFiringSquad Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:09 am
The Chicago Tribune has lost prominence and profitability. And this hurts the feelings of people financially connected to the Trib.
People on the Internet also push back when the Trib writes goofy stuff. Trib editorials are often silly and illogical.
Remember when the Trib found a way to blame Bush’s domestic critics for bombings in Turkey? Classic Tribune propaganda.
So, Trib people love to blame the faceless hoi polloi who write on the Internet. Giving these people the label “the Internet” absolves the Trib of actually having to deal with these people as individuals.
In this case, dealing with them as individuals would cause the Trib to acknowledge that their employees are using the Internet to start the fires of Right Wing conspiracies.
In most cases, dealing with specific people on the Internet would force the Trib to acknowledge the slipshod logic, phony populism and partisan cheapshots in its own editorial page.
Comment by Carl Nyberg Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:11 am
I can only see that Sneed, or whomever else at the Tribune, can only contribute to the sucess of the Chicago Suntimes, when people get fed up with them writing as if they worked for some rag.
With Mayor Welch and his media fiascle going on you can be sure that Chicago Police, Cook County police are going to keep details of events at Stroger from the general public.
Comment by Third Generation Chicago Native Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:17 am
CLTV by the way had live footage last night of people attending Kelly’s wake coming and going.
They also had Patti Blagojevich who said very little and seemed quite irritated, rightly so, on CLTV (Tribune Co. ) putting a camera in her face.
Comment by Third Generation Chicago Native Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:22 am
Was it the pressure to testify….or was it the pressure to NOT testify? I think there’s a big difference.
Comment by Deep South Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:27 am
Conspiracy theories happen when people can’t understand why someone would do something.
People don’t want to believe that the Gen. at Pearl Harbor was so lazy he didn’t have his radar system up and running (it was two days after the attack, with the proper urgency).
Likewise, no one can understand how a father with small children would be so loyal to someone like Rod B.
Fawell, at least, cared more about his GF than himself, that’s why he testified.
Bottom line is, people do inexplicable things.
Sad (in this case very sad) but true.
Comment by Pat collins Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:31 am
For me this subject is pretty much ripe. Politically connected building contractor becomes confidant, advisor, and agent for governor of what was arguably the worst administration in the history of Illinois, runs afoul of the law, has meltdown and self-destructs. Move along, ahem, nothing to see here.
Comment by ahem Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:31 am
Is this how it is going to be for awhile? The former mainstream media will strike out against other media as it goes downhill? Is this how media organizations are birthed and die out - in rumors, chaos and smears?
I remember when the National Enquirer, the Globe and the Star were popular publications carrying these kinds of stories. Now it seems that due to declining revenue, traditional media has turned to covering nonsense stories. What are consumers supposed to do when the National Enquirer ends up exclusively covering the back story of former VP Candidate John Edwards’ illicit affair while campaigning for president? What are consumers supposed to do when only Fox News covers the resignation of an Obama Czar, due to his racist and nutty public speeches? Or the ACORN scandal? Where are we getting our “news” anymore?
Everytime the traditional media blanketly announces to their readers, “Nothing to see here, folks, move on!”, they become a part of a cover-up. Instead of exposing events, they bury them on page 37 on the NYT. Instead of debating issues, they mind-melt with the Status Quo and rudely shout at their readers. What did they think will happen?
Just how long can people who shop at Wal-Mart read opinions and comments from people intent on insulting them as idiots? Just how long did the traditional media think they can poop in their nests and expect their readers to clean it up?
So now they don’t know what they are doing. They don’t have a clue. They are flaying around in multiple media, (radio, paper, Internet, television), and don’t have a direction. As a result, neither do the people paying for this direction-less mess. If folks wanted to be uninformed, they can do it free.
Maybe, what we are seeing, is how media dies.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:32 am
The Chicago Tribune.
aka
The Old Whipping Post.
Comment by Speaking at Will Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:32 am
@Third - Under normal circumstances, a person attending a funeral ought to be annoyed by aggressive cameras. But when Blago put out a press release announcing his attendance, whose behavior is overly aggressive in that scenario? Patti should be annoyed with her husband; the cameras were doing what he asked for.
Comment by Thomas Westgard Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:34 am
CFS,
I fail to see how the comments by our former President Carter about how race is involved in everything having to do with Obama is related to this stream at all.
Re Kelly. I feel for his family in the wake of this tragedy.
=this sounds like another vince foster-type cover-up= Oh Prunella, now we have to hear from the flat earthers and truthers again? When do we get a break from these loons?
Comment by dupage dan Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:38 am
In her defense, we must remember that Mary Schmich is willfully ignorant of the internet, blogs and other such new-fangled gizmos.
I’m told it’s part of her charm…
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:40 am
One of the problems of freedom of speech is the ability to say anything you want, anyway you want regardless of verifiability. Much of the wild speculation that pops up in situations like Kelly’s is the same nonsense you hear over a beer at a party. Most of that used to simply die when the event was over and people said that was beer talking. Now technology allows that nonsense to be re-found and rehashed endlessly because it ‘exists’ in cyberspace where similar minded people get reinforced simply because they can find it. 24 hour news and talking heads of all kinds need to grab onto whatever they can to fill time and stand out to pull ratings. Facts? We don’t need no stinkin’ facts.
Kelly stepped into the arena on his own and got bit. His family should be left out of this, but unfortunately the spin masters will not be able to stop themselves to sell a headline. I would hope others will look at this situation as an example of why to play clean, but the temptations are just too strong for some people.
Comment by zatoichi Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:42 am
If you knew Chris, you have to believe that he privided for his family before he took his own life. Even his critics who knew him would say that there was honor in the way Chris carried himself. He was a proud man whose word was his bond — if he was with you, you never second guessed.
I want to share here what was printed on the prayer card distributed at his wake yesterday. I think it is an excerpt from his note. It tells me a lot about Chris’s decision, and I share it here because I think he would want you to know where his mind was when he made this final decision. Decide for yourself.
“Thank you Lord for seeing how weary I am, and letting me rest. The pain is gone; the peace is beautiful, Your love surrounds me. I have fought the good fight (I think)an d somehow now at htis stage, no matter what the outcome, I feel I have won.
My homily –”For everything there is a season.” I want my family to move on with their lives, and realize everything is for a reason. Have no regrets. Everybody did all they could. I love you all and will still be with you.”
It comforts me to know that Chris will still be with me. I will miss him. Rest in peace, friend.
Comment by Anon Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:52 am
Check out the Trib for pictures of the Blagos and the children, on the way into the church.
Comment by PPHS Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 11:07 am
The press abuses its 1st Amendment rights when it shows up unwanted and uninvited at services such as these.
Sure, Kelly was a public figure. But his services are not particularly newsworthy. There’s not a public “need to know” what’s going on there. It’s morbid sensationalism. Poking cameras and shouting questions at mourners is an irresponsible intrusion in this instance.
One of the talking heads on Fox this morning was doing a standup remote from the funeral home, and said services were going to be a “circus” because Blago would be there.
He said this without irony.
There are instances where the funeral of a public figure is newsworthy and can be covered respectfully and tastefully with the consent of the family.
This one, they should leave alone. With rights come responsibilities.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 11:08 am
Has someone been replaced at the Trib edit board? Their editorials have been especially empty-headed the past few weeks.
In addition to the Kelly nonsense, they also ran an editorial against city unions the other day with the summation being “what good has come of unions?” …I immediately thought of the pilots union and “The Miracle on the Hudson”. Without the pilots union, Capt. Sully likely would not have had the training that prepped him for ditching his passenger jet in the river.
And today’s editorial on the about-to-be-released Baucus Health Care bill is little better. It’s ostensibly about preventing illegal aliens from getting Federally-subsidized health care benefits. In it, the Trib mentions that some Dems believe the measures meant to exclude illegal aliens (ie, show a passport or birth cert) would exclude citizens with low incomes.
The Trib then essentially asks in the next paragraph what’s the big deal about requiring those legal forms. That won’t exclude citizens, yada, yada…
Problem being that obtaining those legal forms cost money and if someone with a low income can’t afford $4 generic prescriptions at Target or Wal*Mart how are they going to afford the $100 or so for a passport in order to qualify for some hypothetical new insurance program (whether private or public since the exchange would offer both)?
Bottom line - the editorial writers clearly need to be checked for severe myopia.
Comment by Rob_N Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 11:16 am
It’s quotes like this that make me think about the nature of loyalty: “If he was with you, you never second guessed.”
I thought he was with me. I thought we were all part of a state and nation with rules about how to use public funds. And he betrayed that - for personal gain. To praise his loyalty to a gang of thieving felons is an insult to the kind of loyalty I honor.
Maybe he was a good father; for his children’s sake I hope so. As a citizen he was the lowest of the low, and he betrayed us all.
Comment by Thomas Westgard Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 11:19 am
My favorite thing about this blog is the creative destruction it does to big media like the tribune. The old media bellyaching about comments, the hypocrisy you note, oof.
Comment by shore Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 11:31 am
I’d like to make a point here that a lot of people seem to have forgotten: in the Catholic Church a funeral is not about “canonizing” the deceased, it’s about praying for them and for their families at a time when they most need it. This same issue came up in relation to the Ted Kennedy funeral and I suspect it’s going to be raised in relation to Chris Kelly as well.
If anything, someone who was a less than exemplary Catholic for any reason (divorce/remarriage, womanizing, publicly advocating abortion, involvement in public corruption or scandal, etc.) “deserves” a funeral Mass as much or more than the devout person because they and their families are in greater need of our prayers and expressions of concern. I only hope that this funeral does not turn into more of a public circus than it has already.
“Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him.”
Comment by Bookworm Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 11:44 am
Anon 10:52, thank you for sharing.
Chris was also a friend of mine. He was very proud of his three girls and was a great father.
Chris’ joking side is having a good laugh at the Mayberry PD investigation into his passing, especially the pressers.
May he and his family now have their peace, free of the media spotlight.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 11:46 am
What surprised me is this quote of Turow (with no “H”
…
“He also used to be a federal prosecutor, before, he said, it was “such an incredibly bare-knuckles business” in which people were pressed so hard to testify against their friends.”
Things were so much better in the good old days.
Comment by ahem Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 12:51 pm
cautionary tale about “aspirin” and poisoning. i recall a case from a few years ago of an athlete who died accidentally from salicylate posioning. she was using Aspercreme (sp?) heavily. it contains the same chemical compound that comes through the pills, only it goes through your skin. while this does not apply to the case at hand, people please be careful with things you get over the counter, pills, creams, herbs, these things can all affect your body chemistry, and prescription meds you take.
Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:03 pm
Rich, the combine is behind it all….. including the internet, horseshoes, and fosters beer.
Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:21 pm
“Name one thing/person that Blago has touched that turned out right.”
Kosovo, 3 soldiers released from Serbia.
Comment by Salicyllious Thursday, Sep 17, 09 @ 12:15 am