Your humble correspondent has had problems with the Orlando Sentinel in the past, especially when it published a silly global warming alarmism story which presented various map scenarios of Florida being flooded over. However, I must extend congratulations to that periodical for its excellent live blog coverage of a phony stacked deck "town hall" meeting conducted by Congressman Alan Grayson which could serve as a model for other newspapers on how to cover such events. First a description of the event as covered in the regular way via Orlando Sentinel article:
Grayson's hastily called meeting took place in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union hall, which limited attendance to about 120 members of the public. It also was scheduled just after a regular meeting of local Democrats, some of whom stayed behind for the town hall in the scarce seats.
Outside the building, hundreds of frustrated people who could not get inside waved signs and chanted for and against the proposals.
The article did a good job of covering the event but the live blog written by Scott Maxwell gave the readers a real flavor of what was happening when it was happening. Here are a few of Maxwell's live blog excerpts posted from his Blackberry:
Aug 17, 2009 5:47:31 PM
I'm guessing a lot more people will be interested in what goes on inside U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson's "town hall" meeting tonight than will actually be able to get it. So I'm going to try to feed you intel from the inside.
The plan is for me to blog the event live as it happens right here. I'll start with the scene outside and then try to give you a real-time feel of who's saying what inside -- and, as i mentioned below, try to get a feel for the breakdown of the crowd.
One word of warning: Since I'll be doing this with mobile technology, Comment posts will likely be delayed until I can get back to a land-based computer. But they'll be there ASAP ... as long as they're not filled with profanity or slander.
Oh, who am i kidding? This is the internet! If it weren't for profanity and slander, this thing wouldn't even be up and running!
Be back with you soon....
7:22:44 PMWell, the fire marshall is on this thing like dirt on a pig. And word is that he just said that the meeting hall is at capacity with only Democrats at the monthly meeting of the Orange County Democratic Executive Committee in the hall -- which aint much of a town hall.
Fortunately, Democratic organizers - who didn't know Grayson was going to commandeer their 7 pm meeting for his 7:45 pm Town Hall until he sent out the press release last night - seem to realize this. (Shutting out oppnents aint very Democratic, after all.)
So word is that, after the Democrats finish their business portion of their meeting, many of them will leave, giving up their seats for those in line for the Town Hall, which is slated to start in about a half-hour.
They should.
And for what it's worth, the only people in here right now seem to be DEC members. The union members are outside as well.
The entries and the rules
Well, I'd say they let another 40 people. Maybe 50. But not nearly enough for my taste.
They shoulda cleared out the hall first - and had a bigger hall.But a good number of apparent opponents came in - and Grayson's folks vowed to split the time evenly. We shall see.
Said Grayson press guy Todd Jurkowski: "All we're asking - quite frankly what we're demanding - is respect." (For speakers)
Grayson just introduced his kids. And now he's getting ready to start.
At capacity? Probably just for now
The crowd outside is chanting "Read the bill! Read the bill!"
Grayson overheard and said he had - and held up his copy.
The very next questioner - another objector - then asked about a specific question about the bill, so Grayson's staff put the bill on a big screen, and the audience read it together.
The questioner (again very polite) then asked if he would be forced onto the public option. Grayson said no. Most clapped. But some seemed not to buy it - but via quiet rumblings.
.. Came in response to Grayson saying he had never seen any evidence that tort reform would significantly change the cost of health reform.
He said the studies he had seen show that malpractice accounts for no more than 1 percent of health care costs. A big chunk of the crowd booed. But then Grayson asked them if any of them could cite any study/evidence to back that up. None did. So Grayson asked his staffers to raise their hands - and suggested that anyone who has evidence of tort reform being effective should contact them, now or after the meeting, and he vowed to look at it.
Stated Mella(sp?) Ioppollo: "Congressman, I can't believe that, in the 8th congressional district, you couldn't get a bigger hall."
Touche, Mella.
So congrats to the Orlando Sentinel for live blogging this event. Newspapers have recently begun taking note of a technique first employed by members of the frequently derided (by "professional" journalists) blogosphere. Let us hope that we see more of this. However, it would have been nice if the Sentinel would have also incorporated videos into the story such as the video above.
—P.J. Gladnick is a freelance writer and creator of the DUmmie FUnnies blog.
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Thank that blogger for reporting the news;
August 18, 2009 - 09:37 ET by carolina09it so seldom happens these days.
Interesting twist
August 18, 2009 - 09:43 ET by KC MulvilleIt shows an interesting trend, though, doesn't it? Instead of having bloggers pretend to be reporters ... what happens when the reporters are doing the blogging? Not so much snickering about that, is there, from the MSM?
Wow - a little journalism
August 18, 2009 - 09:38 ET by mattmWow - a little journalism from the MSM....but...
"This is the internet! If it weren't for profanity and slander, this thing wouldn't even be up and running!"
The writer mush have been thinking of the Daily Kooks.
The Law of Intended Consequences
August 18, 2009 - 09:48 ET by KC MulvilleThe crowd outside was chanting, "Read the bill!" The congressman held up his copy, and was prepared to go through the bill on its specifics.
So, does this incident prove that the congressman refuted the accusations of the crowd? Or does it prove that the criticism has been valid, and it forced representatives to do their jobs? After all, if you yell at them to read the bill, and they actually do it ... that's why we were yelling in the first place, right?
Bloggers rock
August 18, 2009 - 10:56 ET by 10ksnookerLooks like we have another congressional clunker identified for tradein. Too bad they fetch such low dollars.
Poor Decision
August 18, 2009 - 12:31 ET by Tyler DurbinUnion members are some of the few people left with good insurance coverage. Almost everyone else has been shifted into a half-assed PPO or capitation plan. It makes no sense for union members to support an inferior, government-run plan, when they may eventually get forced into it. Their leadership is leading them astray on this one.
Re Unions
August 18, 2009 - 13:02 ET by slickwillie2001This is one thing I don't understand. Unions tend to have the workers that already have health insurance plans, ranging from gold-plated UAW style to probably pretty basic like with the SSEIU. Do they think that Obamacare will give them the same thing they have now but for free? Do they think that Obamacare will actually (insert laughter here) reduce prices in the private insurance industry? Could they be that dumb?
Or have they simply drunk deeply of the Bamster-Ade and follow blindly? Are they supporting this in a quid pro quo for EFCA in the future? Has Big Union management sold out to the extent that they no longer do what is best for their members?
Someone please go take a survey of for or against Obamacare limited to unionized workers.
"He said the studies he
August 18, 2009 - 13:29 ET by stratmanSimple, Mr. Grayson. Look at medical liability premiums pre- and post- tort reform in the states that actually passed strong tort reform.
A couple of somewhat older articles found in less than one minute using Google search - here and here. I 'd bet there are more recent articles/studies.
It's not like the topic of tort reform is spanking brand new that Grayson could be rationally unaware. So is Grayson coy, dumb, or lazy?
Re tort reform
August 18, 2009 - 17:39 ET by slickwillie2001That's a troll tactic from Grayson; demand proof of any statement and send your opponent off on a research trip while you troll on.
Savings from tort reform has several aspects that all need to be looked at, like savings from lost lawsuits and settlements, savings from legal fees, savings from 'malpractice' insurance, and savings from tests that would not be done if there were tort reform. I haven't seen any good studies that counts up all the possible savings but it has to be far more than the pittance the Bamster thinks he will save from "eliminating waste and inefficiency".
Don't Know If He's A Troll, But...
August 18, 2009 - 21:51 ET by stratmanDefensive medicine costs money and steals time away from the patient, all the medical personel involved, and other patients who wait for their services to be rendered.
The future og the GOP!!
August 19, 2009 - 12:41 ET by kengieI would hope that these town hall violent meetings stop...I'm beginning to see a lot more "GOP, the party of McVey" bunper stickers.