AP Becomes William Donahue's Stenographer

by Chris Bowers, Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 02:05:29 PM EST

In her article on Amanda Marcotte, Melissa McEwan, Nedra Pickler quotes William Donahue of the Catholic League:
Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, demanded that Edwards fire Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan.

"John Edwards is a decent man who has had his campaign tarnished by two anti-Catholic, vulgar, trash-talking bigots," Donohue wrote in a statement. "He has no choice but to fire them immediately."
Interesting that she would use Donahue as a source on in appropriate language, without looking into past remarks Donahue himself:
Who really cares what Hollywood thinks? All these hacks come out there. Hollywood is controlled by secular Jews who hate Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular. It's not a secret, okay?
In fact, Pickler's entire article is nothing more than just unskeptically quoting from press releases by the Catholic League, and offering up stats about its membership. It is pure stenography.

I wonder when Pickler will write an article, or amend her current article, to reflect that Donahue himself has repeatedly used language of the sort he claimed Marcotte and McEwan used. Only one way to find out: the AP's Washington, D.C. desk can be reached at (202) 776-9400.




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Re: AP Becomes William Donahue's Stenographer (none / 0)

According to Salon, Amanda Marcotte, formerly of Pandagon, and Melissa McEwan, of Shakespeare's Sister have been fired.

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2 007/02/07/edwards_bloggers/index.html


by nanorich on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 02:09:15 PM EST

Re: AP Becomes William Donahue's Stenographer (none / 0)

Ruh-roh.


by blueflorida on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 02:19:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: AP Becomes William Donahue's Stenographer (none / 0)

I've got a bad feeling about this...


Join us at Show Me Progress!
by clarkent on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 02:21:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: AP Becomes William Donahue's Stenographer (3.00 / 0)

If this has really happenend, the Edwards team is about to be on the receiving end of a blogswarm.


by blueflorida on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 02:22:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: AP Becomes William Donahue's Stenographer (none / 0)

Me, too.

I was just beginning to like Edwards.

Guess I will have to hope that Gore comes around.


by nanorich on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 02:28:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

go here give thoughts on this (none / 0)

http://johnedwards.com/about/contact/for m/


McCain - a serial Opportunist, from marriage to policy positions
by TarHeel on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 02:54:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The Salon report (none / 0)

couldn't be true. At least I hope to hell not. I really don't think the Edwards campaign could be stupid enough to buckle to pressure from Bill Donahue. Yeah, I'm gonna bet it's not true.


by david mizner on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 02:27:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

what the heck does this mean? (none / 0)


Speculation from sources that the two bloggers might be rehired was bolstered by Jennifer Palmieri, a spokeswoman for the Edwards campaign, who said in an e-mail that she would "caution [Salon] against reporting that they have been fired. We will have something to say later."

McCain - a serial Opportunist, from marriage to policy positions
by TarHeel on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 02:23:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: what the heck does this mean? (none / 0)

I wonder if it's a rope-a-dope strategy. Hire the bloggers, take fire from wingnuts, and then stand up for them in the end.


Join us at Show Me Progress!
by clarkent on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 02:34:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: AP Becomes William Donahue's Stenographer (3.00 / 0)

Glen Greenwald claims, in bold type no less, that the Edwards campaign is "apparently denying" that these bloggers have been fired, but doesn't indicate where he heard this.

Worth noting that along with William Donahue, the charge against Edwards' tentative blogger outreach is also being led by that guiding light of civility and integrity in the blogosphere... Michelle Malkin.

But, of course, most of the people the media reaches with all of this won't be familiar with the backgrounds of William Donahue or Michelle Malkin, and so won't find there anything odd about them being cited. But they will of course after this apparently be familiar with the backgrounds of Ms. Marcotte etc, since the media is so graciously taking the time to shovel muck on them...


by Silent sound on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 03:06:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: AP Becomes William Donahue's Stenographer (none / 0)

Thank you.  Good god almighty, thank you.

You could have just slammed Edwards without thinking, but that's an acticity best left to other regulars on MyDD.


by DrFrankLives on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 02:17:25 PM EST

Re: AP Becomes William Donahue's Stenographer (none / 0)

Nedra Pickler.  Oy.  

It's gotten to the point where I can get heartburn by reading the name of just about any major political "journalist."  They all pretty much suck.


by antidoto on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 02:40:39 PM EST

adam nagourney/ Jennifer Medina (none / 0)

jouranalists should be like football offensive linemen.. if they're doing a good job no one knows their name.


McCain - a serial Opportunist, from marriage to policy positions
by TarHeel on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 02:42:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: AP Becomes William Donahue's Stenographer (none / 0)

Chris, there are better money quotes on Donohue than the one you picked but you are right on the money of course.


by Crablaw on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 02:55:28 PM EST


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