Guess The Party Affiliation: Suzanne Williams
A very sad story involving a Colorado state senator whose automobile crossed into the oncoming lane, collided head-on with another car, killing a pregnant woman and leaving her C-sectioned infant in critical condition. Two of the senator's sons are hospitalized as they were ejected from her small SUV (the senator pushed for laws requiring police to pull over those suspected of not wearing seatbelts). The Associated Press reported on the story. Anyone want to guess what little bit of insignificant information they left out...?
The Texas Department of Public Safety says state Sen. Suzanne Williams has been released from the hospital after Sunday night's collision.
Trooper Gabriel Medrano says 30-year-old Brianna Michelle Gomez died in the crash, and her baby boy is in critical condition after being delivered via cesarean section.
While we can only speculate, experience tells us if Williams were a conservative, that may have been included in the headline. While the AP was being "responsible" as her party affiliation had nothing to do with the story, local coverage was much more revealing.
For example, Colorado 9 came right out with it in the first graph:
CHANNING, Tex. - Colorado State Sen. Suzanne Williams (D-Aurora) was injured in a head-on crash Sunday in Texas. The passenger in the other car died.
And later on in their coverage...
Investigators say Williams was wearing a seatbelt. Her son and her oldest grandson were not wearing their seatbelts and were ejected from the car. Williams' other grandson, a 3-year-old, was also not wearing a seatbelt, but was not ejected.
Williams is on the Colorado Senate's Transportation Committee and has pushed for legislation giving police officers authority to pull drivers over for not wearing seatbelts. Right now, not wearing a seatbelt is a secondary offense in Colorado.
All occupants of the other car were wearing seatbelts.
9NEWS asked Williams why her family was not wearing seatbelts during the accident and she said she did not have time to answer the question.
Senator Williams' public statement would have probably (and rightfully) been condemned for its insensitivity, as it should be.
“It’s a tragedy that I now have a personal experience with a highway accident,” Williams told 9NEWS over the phone from Texas. “It’s been very traumatic.”
It may be a meaningless observation from someone who wasn’t there, but I think it was more traumatic for Brianna Michelle Gomez and her baby.
This is a tragic story on many levels, but we again know how these things are covered when the shoe is on the other foot.
- Bob Parks's blog
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Comments
Amen
Submitted by scottyusmc on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 9:56am.
She will get a pass!
The three year old not in a
Submitted by Ryan Mc. on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 9:58am.
The three year old not in a seatbelt would get you put in jail in Ohio. If the kid were not in a car seat and a seatbelt you'd be charged with child endangerment. For someone who wants the police to pull people over for adults not wearing seatbelts its that much more amazingly hypocritical. Then again, she is a Democrat.
I agree that if she were a Republican there would be a story in every paper asking if the congresswoman were on medication (insinuating drugs or alcohol.) They would likely ask if she should resign from congress. They would be focused on what she needed to do for the dead woman's family. They would ask what crimes could she be tried for. They'd have three guests on the cnn msnbc shows to speculate on creative charges they could make up to charge her with.
We don't even need to speculate. This occured to a Republican who ran a stop sign 5-10 years ago and killed someone and this is exactly what the media did.
Confused...
Submitted by owr084 on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 9:59am.
So, which state is Williams a Senator? You say Texas in the lead sentence. But, you quote Colorado 9 as saying she is a Colorado state Senator...
Re: Confused...
Submitted by Bob Parks on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 10:46am.
You are right. She is a Colorado State Senator whose accident was in Texas.
More 'do as I say, not as I do'
Submitted by DontFeedTheTrolls on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 10:03am.
Now Williams, like Ted Kennedy, can use this accident, where she killed someone else, to further her career as a Democrat. The Gomez family will be shuffled off to the side.
I too have found
Submitted by texusmc on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 10:31am.
that she is a Colorado State Senator, District 28 She is also the Vice chair of Transportation, and Business, Labor and Technology. see here http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/Senate/members/Sen28.htm
And to agree with Ryan Mc. she will also be charged with child endagerment in Texas as well for NOT having her 3 yr old grandson buckled in a carseat. 4'9" AND over 40lbs is the law here in Texas. (see here http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/director_staff/public_information/seatbelt.htm )
granted the fines are minimal and it is a misdemeanor (which is totally wrong) but its still breaking the law. Madam Senator, YOU of all people should be the advocate for following the law. Now you have violated this and will pay a very high price for it. But probably not as high as you should.
A GRANDPARENT NOT buckling up a Grandson??
Submitted by Calypso Jones on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 11:51am.
That is unbelievable. That was her child's child. I thought ALL grandparents were super careful of their childrens' children.
this site is becoming more
Submitted by jwm45 on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 12:17pm.
this site is becoming more ridiculous with each passing day. Who gives a sh!t about her party affilliation or the fact that AP or whoever didn't mention it. I think if you want to pillory anyone it should be the local station that interviewed her on the phone and most likely cherry-picked a quote that when taken out of context makes her sound coldhearted.
45
Submitted by almostacowboy on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 12:40pm.
Since you seem unclear on the purpose of NB, it is to point out media bias. In this instance, the usual practice of major media to not mention the party affiliation when the bad news is about a Democrat and go into full hyperbolic mode when it's about a Republican.
As far as the local station making the Senator sound cold-hearted, I kind of picked that up from the FACTS that she had not strapped her 3 year-old grandson into an approved car seat and had allowed her own son and her other grandson to ride not wearing seat belts. That, coupled with her self-centered statement that "it has been traumatic", shows me she is more concerned about herself and her "trauma" than the life she snuffed out.
Bob Parks- your story says "Two of the senator's sons are hospitalized as they were ejected" but later says "Her son and her oldest grandson were not wearing their seatbelts and were ejected..".
Inconsistent.
RE: Inconsistent
Submitted by Bob Parks on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 1:36pm.
You're right. My early morning multi-tasking skills need improvement.
I'll leave my mistake in the story so your correction will be in context.
Thank you.
Well let's see jwm45, (does
Submitted by Scuba Dude on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 1:30pm.
Well let's see jwm45, (does that stand for jammie wearing moron # 45?). you are a member for 5 WHOLE WEEKS and you are complaining about NB doing it's job of showing liberal media bias? I think we have another sleeper activated folks.
I've been registered here for
Submitted by jwm45 on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 1:56pm.
I've been registered here for 5 years...and I think in a story like this, the party-affiliation-is-missing-mantra is silly. And hey, maybe she's IS an idiot, who knows? But the knee jerk association of -> she's an idiot -> and not only that, she's an idiot democrat -> therefore, all democrats are idiots is getting kind of old. You know what else is old? if someone has an opinion that doesn't align they get slammed like we're grade school.
Well, you're
Submitted by UpNorth on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 2:00pm.
entitled to your opinion here. You don't get a free pass on what you say, though. If you want to see "slammed", head on over to Kos, PuffHo's or DU, Oh, never mind, they "moderate" comments, so usually there's only one side that shows up on their posts.
Slight correction, UpNorth...
Submitted by Jer on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 2:46pm.
HuffPo moderates comments with respect to abusiveness, not agreeability. A broad diversity of views is tolerated and plenty of comments by conservatives are published.
Jer
Hey Jer...
Submitted by beauxdog on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 3:02pm.
I once tried to comment on DU... and you know me... I was polite, non-sarcastic and tried to lay out a thought out argument (don't always succeed, but I tried).
I was immediately banned.
You are indeed, beauxdog...
Submitted by Jer on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 3:33pm.
And please note that I am not defending DU or dKos...only HuffPo.
Jer
Ahhh Jer...
Submitted by MrShy on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 3:32pm.
The good soldier. It's the holiday season, so he's gliding down on his liberal sled and handing out goodies on behalf of the left. No surprise there.
- Shy Right
Join Mr. Shy and The 1* Percent
Hey Shy...
Submitted by Jer on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 3:47pm.
Just clicked on 'Shy does der Bingle" for the holidays. Next Christmas, how about a little more tunes and less egg nog, huh?
Jer
Said goodies...
Submitted by NevadanConservative on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 5:20pm.
being paid for by freshly printed obamabucks and taxpayers. (of which I am one, BTW...$18K last year in wages and I paid $900 in taxes on it. So yes, Barry and all your little mostrous followers... I >DO< have "skin in the game"
NVCon.
I stand
Submitted by UpNorth on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 8:21pm.
corrected on PuffHo's, Jer. Thanks for pointing that out. And, I'll take your word for it that "a broad diversity of views is tolerated". Although I'm sure you could have found a word that conveyed what you wanted to say without bringing "diversity" into it. Like, a broad range of views? A panopoly of views?
JWM's failed attempt is old
Submitted by MrShy on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 3:29pm.
You know what else is old? if someone has an opinion that doesn't align they get slammed like we're grade school.
No, that will never be old. That will remain fresh and new and necessary every time a liberal and rampant-liberal-media-bias DEFENDER (please go to the top of this site and read the tagline, for cryin') -- like yourself -- comes to NewsBusters and pathetically attempts to minimize what is a maximum problem in this country today with regards to the left-controlled propaganda column that is our news/entertainment media.
We will "slam" you with the truth and facts every time you try and gloss over what is real and dangerous, Jammie Wearing Media (Lover) 45.
EDIT: And "opinion".... huh? Wha??? This AP article, for the millionth time in AP's illustrious history of liberal/leftist-shilling hackery (and faux-journalism), neglected to tag a Democrat as a Democrat in a news item that reflects bad on that side of the aisle.
Hey Jammie, ever heard of "death by a million cuts"? That's what the media has seemingly done to your brain -- killed it by lying and/or omitting things again and again and again. So, naturally, this site is "becoming more ridiculous with each passing day" to a brainwashed leftist like yourself who can't see the forest.
- Shy Beats
Join Mr. Shy and The 1* Percent
My apologies on how long you
Submitted by Scuba Dude on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 4:09pm.
My apologies on how long you have been here. But I will still go with you are a sleeper, two posts since the change over to the new NB in Oct 2010? This is where I wish the Admin did not deep six the old comments.
Guess what, the dropping of the party affiliation when ever a Dem gets caught doing something wrong is a bias, it is a bias of OMMISSION. Yet if it was a Republican it would be shouted from the highest rooftops by the libturds.
they get slammed like we're grade school.
Submitted by Tugboat Phil on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 5:04pm.
Just for the record, if that were the case I'd call you a poopyhead, but I'm not going to.
~"grade school"
Submitted by Wrathful Brunette on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 8:37pm.
Poor metaphor. Grade schoolers don't have the skillz to gut, truss, roast, slice, and dice liberal trolls, plants, shills, and pills. They just whine.
Like you.
A very old skill indeed*
Submitted by cajun2 on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 9:01pm.
...handed down for generations...its called "noodleling"
True Calypso*
Submitted by cajun2 on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 12:27pm.
Most grandparents are super careful with beloved grandchildren. Unless you are one of those congress critters so elitist that they believe all the rules, regulations, and changes made by them to a nanny state is good for thee not me. Add her to the list of "no rules for me group" of Sheila Jackson Lee, Lisa Murkowski, Nancy Pelosi, Diane Feinstein.
The Senators son and two
Submitted by tominhouston on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 1:33pm.
Of all the jobs that I've had in my life, being a grandpa is the best. The Senators son and two grandchildren were not buckled in and her car crossed over into the opposing lane. I'd guess that there were things going on in her car and she was trying to help with something that should have been done AFTER she pulled over to the side of the road and stopped.
The babies are more important than 5 or 10 minutes.
SAFETY - SAFETY - SAFETY - SAFETY - SAFETY - SAFETY - SAFETY - SAFETY
What's a stain from a spilled drink or refereeing a dispute between 3 year olds compaired to a car completely wrecked and incomperably worse, a child who is now without a mother.
Finally NB, all of those babies involved are so, so, so much more important than party affiliation.
Again, the purpose
Submitted by UpNorth on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 1:56pm.
of NB is to point out the omissions and commissions of the media. The accident is tragic, not because of who the driver of one car is, but because someone lost their life, an innocent driver, in her own lane of traffic. The media would have paid scant attention to this, if not for the status of one driver involved. So, if it merits that much attention, then tell the whole story, not just what the reporter/editor/publisher decided was newsworthy.
Agreed, whatever was going on in her car SHOULD have waited until she could stop the car and address what it was.
One of the secondary
Submitted by Radical1979 on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 8:51pm.
One of the secondary benefits to kids being in car seats is that they shouldn't be able to get into any trouble necessitating reaching in the back (unless they drop something). My kids were always in their carseats for safety, then I could relax knowing even if they were howling for something, they couldn't get into any danger.
Talk about party ID bias...
Submitted by Jer on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 3:51pm.
I want to know why AP is blatantly editorializing in its headline content.
Jer
ID Bias -
Submitted by Agnostic on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 6:10pm.
Good catch - Could you imagine what the headline would be if someone of Greene's quality was running as a Republican? Quirky is compliment compared to what the media has said about Boehner, Bush, Reagan, Bush, Inhofe, etc...
No, I don't think you meant it this way but come on - this is Greene. Have you heard the man speak? Quirky is a compliment.
Or the way they spoke about
Submitted by Radical1979 on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 8:53pm.
Or the way they spoke about Christine O'Donnell? Quirky was hardly the word used to describe her.
Everybody in my car wears a
Submitted by johnsonl on Tue, 12/28/2010 - 4:55pm.
Everybody in my car wears a seat belt when the car is moving. Period. Don't want to? Walk.