On Saturday, Toledo-area blogger Maggie Thurber, yours truly (NewsBusters; BizzyBlog), and many others dealt with the now-national story of how Glass City Mayor Carty Finkbeiner had turned away Marine Corps Reservists who had been given prior clearance to conduct weekend urban warfare exercises in the city.
The Toledo Blade's Sunday and Monday coverage of the story clearly showed sympathy towards the still-unrepentant mayor, while taking a "what's the big deal?" attitude towards those who don't appreciate what he did.
Sunday's report by JC Reindl started its defense in its headlines ("Finkbeiner taking flak over Marines; Mayor defends his decision to cancel urban war games"; bolds are mine throughout), and continued into its text:
They were gone but not forgotten.
A day after Mayor Carty Finkbeiner ordered 200 Marine Corps Reservists out of downtown Toledo, residents here and elsewhere expressed disappointment, disbelief, and even outrage.
"Even outrage." Imagine that.
In response to his critics, Mayor Finkbeiner declared his absolute support for the Marines Corps as well as all of the nation's armed forces - yet still defended his decision to send the Marines packing.
"No matter how much I respect, love, and appreciate the military, there are better places to conduct military planning and staging sessions than the central business district," Mayor Finkbeiner told The Blade. "I think the military brass would understand and appreciate that."
..... Mayor Finkbeiner, a Democrat, said yesterday that he ordered the Marines out because he did not want a repeat of the last time the Marines' battalion trained downtown in May, 2006.
"I saw the military with guns drawn emulating warfare, and I observed the expressions of citizens who happened to just be coming down the sidewalk that particular Saturday noon in wonderment, asking, 'What have I found myself in the middle of?'" the mayor said. "There was a look of wonderment on some people's faces, and there was a look of fear on other people's faces."
..... Mayor Finkbeiner said if there is one major regret of this ordeal, it is the lack of communication to his office.
In other words: "It's somebody else's fault."
As was the case in its initial report Friday, the Blade "somehow" failed to ask Finkbeiner why, if he was so troubled by what he saw in 2006, he engaged in no "communication" with the Marines for 21 months -- instead, waiting until the last minute to stop them and, according to Friday's Blade story, costing the Marines an estimated $10,000.
Today's Blade story by Ignazio Messina ("Calls mount for mayor to apologize as order to cancel training draws fire across nation") makes one wonder how the Mayor would have any idea what the "military brass ..... understand and appreciate":
Brian Schwartz, spokesman for Mr. Finkbeiner, acknowledged that Major Brooks asked to see the mayor Friday, soon after the battalion was ordered to leave, but was denied a meeting.
"The mayor was in another meeting," Mr. Schwartz said.
Thurber, in a post earlier today, makes an important follow-up point today:
The Mayor could have met and tried to find another way for the Company to complete their scheduled training, especially in light of his public statements that he wasn't opposed to the Marines, but to the training location they'd selected.
It appears that the Blade's "professional" reporters, as usual, didn't think to ask the mayor or spokesman Schwartz about such an obvious inconsistency -- one that a "mere" blogger noted quite easily.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
—Tom Blumer is president of a training and development company in Mason, Ohio, and is a contributing editor to NewsBusters
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if i had the money i'd
February 11, 2008 - 14:32 ET by TruthMongerif i had the money i'd build the Marines their own damn town right next to my house:)
and mayors of other cities would not be welcome
Fear and loathing in Toledo
February 11, 2008 - 14:33 ET by ArchConservativeOnce again, (d)ems and liberals hate, loathe, and fear the very same military they claim to support. Would it have been too much to let the little drones (citizens) of his city know that the Marines would be once again conducting operations in the area? Would it have been too much for his office to coordinate with the local paper and the police to give the drones ample warnings and notifications? Apparently yes it is. Once again a (d)em uses the power of his office to thwart and demoralize and defeat his own armed forces. Good job people of Toledo, way to go.
HEY CARTY YOU SMUG BASTARD: You support the troops by supporting the mission! If you don't support the mission, have the guts to say you don't support the troops.
Arch...every year
February 11, 2008 - 15:51 ET by HadEnoughthey come here the public is aware of the training, no surprises.
Mayor Finkbeiner is an idiot.
February 11, 2008 - 15:12 ET by R D HelmWith the anti-Marine nonsense going on out in Berserkeley, and given the nation-wide outrage that has errupted over it and that is continuing even now, one would think a truly intelligent person would think twice before dissing the Marines in such a visible way.
Did Finkbeiner not think this story was going to get out? Does he spend all his time locked up in the basement of city hall?
None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free. -J.W. von Goethe
Oh, the poor mayor. He's
February 11, 2008 - 16:26 ET by motherbeltOh, the poor mayor. He's getting "flak" for his stupid, immature, petty-minded decision. What a shame. He's right up there with the woman who is suffering the "frustration" of being illegal. What ever happened to suffering the consequences of one's actions?
I see no problem here
February 11, 2008 - 14:54 ET by FranksamThe cities such as Toledo, Berkely and San Francisco, who have no use for training exercises or recruiters should simply promise to not use National Guard troops in the event of floods, earthquakes, terror attacks, etc.
Liberals don't care what you do, as long as it's mandatory. -Franksam
"...had been given prior
February 11, 2008 - 16:27 ET by mattm"...had been given prior clearance to conduct weekend urban warfare exercises in the city"
I'd like to know who gave them clearance and who rescinded it.
BTW: Your quote is great!
According to what I saw in
February 11, 2008 - 18:54 ET by QueenMumAccording to what I saw in an interview with a Marine officer on Fox yesterday, the Marines okayed the exercises with Toledo law enforcement. That's standard procedure. The mayor claims he was never advised and did not give his approval.
Power to the people!
Well, it looks like we may
February 11, 2008 - 14:57 ET by ConservativeRexWell, it looks like we may have saved ourselves a few million more federal tax dollars. We can now pull out all federal monies going to Toledo as well as Berkeley.
A few million here, a few million there pretty soon you're talking real money.
Ratfinkbeiner
February 11, 2008 - 15:01 ET by BEGRUNTRD, I agree with you, where was his head (we know where, and it's very dark) after the Berkley debacle. As you said, did he think it wasn't going to get out? How stupid can you be. I hope they hound him to death, and hopefully out of office. The jerk....
"If a man does his best, what else is there"?
General George S. Patton Jr.
Ratfinkbeiner
February 11, 2008 - 15:45 ET by Emma GrumpSounds like the mayor has a severe case of Cranial Rectal Inversion. Or maybe his underpants are just too tight, significantly impairing his ability to think logically. Happens to a lot of democratic politicians these days.
Begrunt and Emma.....
February 11, 2008 - 16:22 ET by motherbeltRatfink???? Oh, my, I haven't heard that in years!!! Brings back fond memories of the 70's and "Laugh-in" LOL.
Mayor Finkbeiner declared
February 11, 2008 - 15:02 ET by BDMayor Finkbeiner declared his absolute support for the Marines Corps as well as all of the nation's armed forces - yet still defended his decision to send the Marines packing. "No matter how much I respect, love, and appreciate the military, there are better places to conduct military planning and staging sessions than the central business district," Mayor Finkbeiner told The Blade.
Shows how much Finkbeiner understands. The marines undoubtedly wished to operate downtown Toledo specifically to replicate an urban environment. I guess any casualties that that particularl unit suffers in Anbars Provinces cities can now be laid at the foot of Finkbeiner. I would LOVE to see his competition in the next election use THAT against him.
"I saw the military with guns drawn emulating warfare, and I observed the expressions of citizens who happened to just be coming down the sidewalk that particular Saturday noon in wonderment, asking, 'What have I found myself in the middle of?'" the mayor said. "There was a look of wonderment on some people's faces, and there was a look of fear on other people's faces."
Wunderment because, unlike Finkbeiner, his citizens undoubtedly do not see the US Marine Corps Reseverve as the enemy.
This is nothing new...
February 11, 2008 - 15:47 ET by HadEnoughfor us who work in Toledo.
This guy is the king of micro-management, just like Hilary. He knows everything that is going on in his kingdom, don't be fooled.
The fact that the Blade would lay down for him...well...let's just say that it's just another day in Toledo. This is the paper that runs ads which say: "buy our newspaper on Sunday for the money saving coupons"
There are two programs on
February 11, 2008 - 16:20 ET by Clear thinkerThere are two programs on TV that we watch with our granddaughter like clock work. American Idol and Extreme Home Makeover. These are two programs that we find that is family friendly so we watch together.
Anyway, last night on Extreme Home Makeover the crew built a new home for a Marine that has 4 children, lost his leg in Iraq to an IED, then his wife left him a year after he got home. Watching this Marine throughout the program made me proud to be an American. He works hard with one leg to raise his children and keep food on the table, yet in his spare time he goes to vet hospitals and counsels other Marines that have been injured and trys to inspire them that life is not over for them, it's just different. He loves his family. He loves his fellow Marines. He loves his country. And he loves what he was able to do for the people of Iraq while he was there. This man has more honor in the leg that he lost, than the stupid Mayor of Toledo will ever have.
Our military will go to hell and back for us. The Mayor can just go to hell!
The Conservative movement is about to be reborn.
Probably saved Marines lives
February 11, 2008 - 16:34 ET by Lame CherryConsidering how Ohio, Pennsylvania over to New York and New Joisey are pretty much the butcher shop of crime in America, the Comrade Mayor probably saved Marine's lives as most of those cities are more dangerous than Baghdad.
Just read the Ohio papers for their really heinous murders as of late.
I know I wouldn't want my company operating there. Is safer in Mosul.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
toledo
February 11, 2008 - 17:38 ET by JimmybobI fired off an email to Toledo today. I told them that if ever I am in Ohio I will not be stopping there. Instead I would go to Columbus because they know how to treat Marines!
To any city, tourism is a big deal. I chose to deal with this with my tourist dollar.
I called
February 11, 2008 - 18:10 ET by RebelI was on My Space and they had the number to the city.so I called you could tell the lady who answered was fed up,must have had a lot of phone calls today.here is the number 1-419-245-1001 if you want tell the mayor how you feel.
Go WVU
Never vote for Byrd
Emailed the mayor(D)
February 11, 2008 - 18:34 ET by NortoMr. Mayor,Imagine how humiliated these brave souls must behurting due to your grandstanding. You and Berkley,nice company you keep.Sad to say because of them you get to continue to haveyour say even though I more than strongly disagreewith you. I get really angry when the troops are putin embarrassing positions and not respected.Shame on you, NW
emailed
February 11, 2008 - 22:51 ET by WesenI emailed the fellow also but wasn't as polite. mayor.toledo@toledo.oh.gov
Mayor's Party?
February 11, 2008 - 23:12 ET by NNNortonThe media doesn't want to admit it (so what else is new?), but the mayor is a pround member of the DEMOCRAT party. No surprise there.
http://toledoblade.com/apps/p
February 11, 2008 - 23:16 ET by NNNortonhttp://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080210/NEWS16/802100347
The left hate this country
February 12, 2008 - 08:39 ET by rbosqueThe left hate this country and the Marines reminds them of the greatness of this country. P!ss on them.
The Mayor's Reply
February 12, 2008 - 19:01 ET by WesenThank you for your thoughts. Your message will be conveyed to the Mayor. Attached is the Mayor's Statement to the Media and a statement from Lt. Colonel Piccoli, U.S. Marine Corps on this issue.
Statement from Mayor Carty Finkbeiner -Regarding U.S. Marine Corps.
February 10, 2008
Frank Szollosi can play politics with anything. It is what he does best.
Today, I spoke with Major Jeff Brooks of the United States Marine Corps. I conveyed my sincere regret for the failure to communicate within the administration and any inconvenience that caused the U.S. Marine Corps.
I also conveyed, as my staff did on Friday, that we would make available abandoned buildings for Marine training outside of the CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT (CBD).
I concluded by reviewing my belief that the CBD, particularly on a weekday afternoon, was not available for military staging operations. 10,000 - 14,000 men and women would have been departing their offices in downtown Toledo on Friday afternoon with a major military training action unfolding - including the use of weapons being discharged with blanks.
My interest is not only in supporting the U.S. military wherever and whenever such support is sought, but also protecting the health, peace, and tranquility of Toledoans in every way possible.
For those who disagree with my priorities in terms of safeguarding Toledoans, we may disagree, but you have my respect.
Statement from Lt. Colonel Piccoli - U.S. Marine Corps
February 11, 2008
Although our planned training event for Company A, 1st Battalion, 24th
Marine Regiment from Grand Rapids, Mich., did not occur over the weekend in the Central Business District of Toledo, Ohio, we greatly appreciate the commitment of the city leaders and the support of the citizens of Toledo to assist us with future training opportunities in the Toledo area.
As the Marine Corps has done in myriad cities in the past, which includes Columbia, S.C. (2003), New Orleans (2004), Savannah, Ga. (2005), and Hampton Roads, Va. (2006), we'll continue to work very closely with community leaders, law enforcement personnel, members of the media and private citizens to ensure our training does not adversely impact them. Such training, coupled with governmental and civic support, enables the U.S. Marine Corps to meet the country's expectations as the nation's premiere force in readiness.
The U.S. Marine Corps stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of Toledo as we move forward together well into the future.