This Reporter Has a Nose for News!
[Guest post by Aaron Worthing; if you have tips, please send them here.]
Consider this more of a light post, but I couldn’t help but be amused by this line in a news article on the race between the Devil and Daniel Webster:
Holding a steady 7-point lead over a controversial and increasingly malodorous incumbent, Republican Daniel Webster is poised to knock out U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, a new Sunshine State News Poll shows.
(emphasis added.) Of course the term “malodorous” means bad-smelling, so apparently not only does Grayson smell, but that bad smell is “increasing.” Presumably, then this reporter is not talking literally.
And of course while part of me chuckles at the snark, that’s not appropriate. This is a news article.
On the other hand, I am glad to see the author describe Grayson’s commercials as “highly negative and inaccurate ads that alternately labeled Webster ‘Taliban Dan’ and a ‘draft dodger[.]’” Consider this another example of how the media will actually tell you the facts if they feel they can ascertain them. You know for people who think that the media never figures out what happened for itself.
[Posted and authored by Aaron Worthing.]
Aaron,
Just to clarify, that post wasn’t a news article, nor is its author, Kenric Ward, a reporter. He’s an editorial page writer.
It was still a good post, though.
Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (a18ddc) — 10/26/2010 @ 1:05 pmBrother
i am not sure what this thing is, then. I’ll email to him and get a definitive answer.
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 10/26/2010 @ 1:11 pmGrayson is a steaming pile of cow dung.
Ever been around a dairy in the summer? The odor does increase. Trust me on that one.
Besides, Daniel Webster will define Grayson on the 2nd, and the definition will be “lose”.
NEW POST:
“This needs to go worldwide” — Lynn B.
ANALYSIS: JUAN WILLIAMS WAS LYNCHED BY NPR FOR NOT BEING “BLACK ENOUGH” (warning: controversial photo)
heir2freedom (d9456e) — 10/26/2010 @ 1:59 pmhttp://heir2freedom.blogspot.com/2010/10/analysis-juan-williams-lynched-by-npr_25.html
I think the lesson here is that this shows how far a leftist has to go beyond the boundaries before the MFM will call them on it.
JD (ae2c41) — 10/26/2010 @ 2:21 pmAaron,
Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (a18ddc) — 10/26/2010 @ 2:34 pmI know, sometimes reporters can sound a lot like editorial writers . . . but in theory, there is a difference.
Gotta agree with JD; a lefty has to be as vile as Grayson just to get a gentle spanking by the MFM.
Old Coot (ac0ff6) — 10/26/2010 @ 4:30 pmOld Coot,
The writer isn’t a supposedly “objective” reporter. He’s an editorial writer, one who is paid to write opinions. Sorry for repeating myself, but this is one of those things those outside the industry often don’t get.
Also, the Sunshine State News is at odds with Grayson, so a scolding from its opinion staff is not surprising.
But if you’re looking for an actual reporter to condemn Grayson, I’m happy to do so. Grayson is a vile purveyor of character assassination.
Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (a18ddc) — 10/26/2010 @ 4:59 pmOK, now I’m confused. Kenric Ward is also referred to as “chief political correspondent,” which sounds much more reporter-y than “editorial page writer.” But two other staffers are just titled “reporter.”
Guess we’ll have to wait for Mr. Ward to clear up what his job description actually is.
Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (a18ddc) — 10/26/2010 @ 5:12 pmOkay, Brother Bradley, does that not then beg the question as to what it would take for the newsie reporters to accurately characterize Grayson?
JD (ae2c41) — 10/26/2010 @ 5:25 pmBrother
Thanks for the assist. Now i am thinking it definitely was a news item. But let me see if he clears it up. I emailed him at like 5 pm, so i don’t think he will until tomorrow at the soonest.
i mean most of it is not opinionated. except for that one line, which i based the headline one because it leapt out as funny.
I mean if its an editorial, that is fine.
But if it is pretending to be news, that seems over the line, although in truth i am just being a little nit-picky.
Aaron "Haiku" Worthing (f97997) — 10/26/2010 @ 5:32 pmKenric appears to be writing a news story, a report on new polling results. It seems perfectly fair to describe something or someone as “controversial” in a news account. However, “malodorous” is an editorial word and not something most news editors would let stay in non-quotation material.
Of course, if only JD had been the writer, then it would have been “mendoucheous.” 🙂
Angeleno (193c25) — 10/26/2010 @ 5:42 pmJD,
Okay, Brother Bradley, does that not then beg the question as to what it would take for the newsie reporters to accurately characterize Grayson?
Yes. I was just saying that Ward didn’t appear to be a newsie, according to his job description (the first one, at least.) Precision in these matters is important to me, because reporters often get grief because of a newspaper’s editorial columns.
Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (fb9e90) — 10/27/2010 @ 7:32 amAngeleno,
Exactly correct. Kenric Ward’s role is a bit confusing — is he a reporter or an editorial writer like George Will? (Or a hybrid news analyst like Juan Williams. Also, Ward’s bio says he has played both roles (at different times.
Correction on my part, he isn’t listed as editorial page writer at Sunshine State News, that was a previous role at Scrips Interactive Newspapers.
Now as to Sunshine State News — it appears to be an explicitly right-of-center publication, judging from its motto of “The Right Source for Business & Politics,” and its self-description of providing news “in a fair and balanced way.”
The left-wing Reid Report lists other links to conservatives.
None of which is to dispute that Grayson is indeed malodorous. My point is that the “malodorous” adjective isn’t as startling as you might think.
Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (fb9e90) — 10/27/2010 @ 7:50 am