Hartford Courant Reporter Uses Pejorative 'Tea-Bagger' Term in Story

Gee! Guess where a reporter is coming from if he uses the vulgar and childish term "tea-bagger" when referring to tea party protestors?

Anderson Cooper was among the first "journalists" who used the "tea bagging" term back in April. Despite his initial glee over injecting "tea bagging" as often as possible into his comments on the tea party protests, Cooper was eventually forced to apologize for his highly unprofessional use of that term.

Although the use of "tea bagger" has now become generally recognized as the mark of liberal unprofessionalism it does keep creeping back into stories such as a few weeks ago when a CBS online editor used that term in his blog. And now we have Christopher Keating who took a dive into unprofessionalism due to the use of "tea-bagger" twice in his Hartford Courant article on a tea party protest. 

Keating managed to make it through a few paragraphs in his report before giving way to his inner child:

...Williams was one of the speakers Friday as the national tour of the Tea Party Express made its stop in Hartford. The tour began in Sacramento, Calif., and was headed to Washington, D.C., for another rally today. The group received an escort from the Rat Pack Motorcycle Club of Waterbury, whose members stood behind the speakers toward the end of the rally under the north portico of the state Capitol.

For more than two hours, and at times in driving rain, the tea-baggers stood outside to hear the speeches about state and local politics.

Having introduced that term into the story, Keating decided to go for an encore several paragraphs later:

Dodd's campaign manager, Jay Howser, said that the tea-baggers have nothing to offer.

"The great thing about the far right wing, extreme group of tea-baggers who have entertained us throughout the summer is that their idea of free speech is akin to shouting down opposition, drowning out debate, and in Connecticut, encouraging Sen. Dodd to commit suicide with painkillers and alcohol," Howser said. "No responsible American, regardless of their political beliefs, thinks that this fringe element has anything valuable to offer to our country's discourse or debate."

Um, Mr. Keating, just because Dodd's campaign manager has stooped to using "tea-baggers" in his description of tea party protestors doesn't mean you have to follow suit.

Keating's childish reporting did not go unnoticed by readers commenting on this story:

When I opened the paper Sun am and saw the report on the Tea Party Express, and that it used used the pejorative and prissy term "tea-baggers" I was confused, as I thought it was a news report. I then recognized the reporter's sly editorialization was an attempt to tell us subscribers that he knew how unimportant the story truly was. You guys are getting closer to losing this 35-year customer. How stupid do you think your readers are?

Mr. Keating, how dare you refer to Tea Party Patriots as "tea-baggers". Do you not realize this is derogatory. Not only is it biased and slanted, its rude, offensive, unbecoming of a journalist, and frankly, something I'd expect to hear from the likes of Janeane Garofalo. For Dodd and the comments of his campaign manager, Howser; to insult his concerned constituents is remarkable and shows his unwillingness to hear CT taxpayers. His continued insults to moderates and conservatives will back fire. Is insulting potential voters a smart idea if you're a "campaign manager"?? Why don't you hear and address the concerns of CT residents - the people that you have sworn to represent?

Keating did get one thumbs up for his use of the "tea-bagger" pejorative:

Hahahahah!!! I just noticed this!!! Hahahahaha!!! Do you know what a tea-bagger is slang for?? LMFAO!!! Thanks Courant!!!! I needed that!!!

Yes, Christopher Keating probably does know what "tea-bagger" is slang for and he still used it. Very unprofessional. Very very unprofessional.