Berger and The N&O
2012-02-16 - by
A TAPster who has watched a succession of politicians tangle with the N&O was struck by Senate Leader Phil Berger’s letter to the editor Tuesday, especially the end:
“Interestingly, the editorial opines that the state’s Legislative Building is a ‘hot-air factory where opponents of the Racial Justice Act seemingly will say anything …’ Clearly, it is death penalty opponents, including those who write The N&O’s knee-jerk editorials, who say anything to help North Carolina’s most heinous criminals leave death row.
“And it’s clear that our state’s most productive hot-air factory is not at 16 W. Jones Street. It’s in an out-of-touch editorial department at 215 S. McDowell Street.”
The TAPster predicts: “He will rue the day – as Easley did after he chunked the note from Carmen Hooker.” The TAPster believes that Easley’s comment, in response to the N&O’s question about a document he supposedly received on the mental health system, set him on a collision course with the paper – one that didn’t end well for Easley.
I couldn’t help but notice the contrast with this quote from Marc Basnight about being criticized in the media (quoted in Jan DeBlieu’s excellent series in the Coastal Federation’s publication):
“’I never minded getting beat up in print,’ Basnight insisted. ‘I say bring it on. Free speech is one of the greatest things in this country. Let freedom ring.”
“America’s founders—Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, John Adams and others— savaged each other ‘in pen and print,’ he said. ‘It’s all part of the process. The truth will come out’.”
It looks like both Berger and Speaker Thom Tillis need to take a deep breath when it comes to media coverage. It’s not going to get easier, fellows. But it can get tougher.
Posted in General, North Carolina - Republicans
Berger and The N&O
2012-02-16/
A TAPster who has watched a succession of politicians tangle with the N&O was struck by Senate Leader Phil Berger’s letter to the editor Tuesday, especially the end:
“Interestingly, the editorial opines that the state’s Legislative Building is a ‘hot-air factory where opponents of the Racial Justice Act seemingly will say anything …’ Clearly, it is death penalty opponents, including those who write The N&O’s knee-jerk editorials, who say anything to help North Carolina’s most heinous criminals leave death row.
“And it’s clear that our state’s most productive hot-air factory is not at 16 W. Jones Street. It’s in an out-of-touch editorial department at 215 S. McDowell Street.”
The TAPster predicts: “He will rue the day – as Easley did after he chunked the note from Carmen Hooker.” The TAPster believes that Easley’s comment, in response to the N&O’s question about a document he supposedly received on the mental health system, set him on a collision course with the paper – one that didn’t end well for Easley.
I couldn’t help but notice the contrast with this quote from Marc Basnight about being criticized in the media (quoted in Jan DeBlieu’s excellent series in the Coastal Federation’s publication):
“’I never minded getting beat up in print,’ Basnight insisted. ‘I say bring it on. Free speech is one of the greatest things in this country. Let freedom ring.”
“America’s founders—Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, John Adams and others— savaged each other ‘in pen and print,’ he said. ‘It’s all part of the process. The truth will come out’.”
It looks like both Berger and Speaker Thom Tillis need to take a deep breath when it comes to media coverage. It’s not going to get easier, fellows. But it can get tougher.
Posted in General, North Carolina - Republicans