How many times have we seen it where the MSM refuses to mention the Party affiliation of an accused public figure, convicted felon or otherwise notorious personage if that person in the news happens to be a Democrat? It seems to happen nearly other day in the MSM, doesn't it? Conversely, should that newsworthy person be a Republican, well the MSM seems to fall all over themselves to mention that he is a Republican -- and usually in the first few sentences. Well, it looks like the MSM is now branching out to mentioning party status even of relatives of a notorious person in the news should there be a Republican in the family! It's as if just having a Republican family member alone explains the bad conduct as far as the Media are concerned.
Here we have the case of one William Smith, Jr., who is currently waiting to find out if the U.S. government is going to acquiesce to a request by the government of Peru for his extradition to face murder charges. Smith is accused of murdering his Peruvian wife while living in that country. It's a sad story of internet dating gone bad, and tawdry all the way around. Certainly, we hope justice is done.
But HOW does Smith's Father being a local Republican have anything to do with this story?
Let's ask AP. They seem to think his Father is a relevant issue in theirs titled "Pa. Man Held After Death of Wife in Peru."
After describing the actually relevant aspects of the story, AP slips this paragraph into the mix:
Smith's father, former Dauphin County Republican chairman William T. Smith Sr., referred calls to attorney Don Bailey. Telephone messages left by The Associated Press at Bailey's home and office on Sunday were not immediately returned.
What the heck does his Father being some small time, local Republican (and a FORMER one at that) have to do with this story? Is this Republican status relevant to the son's murdering his internet wife in a foreign country?
How?
Yet, there it is, as big as day. Looks like the AP thinks that any Republican in the family makes the fact somehow germane to the conduct!
(We also have the same factoid mentioned in a Clear Channel report, as well. I'm not sure if that report is derived from the AP report or not.)
Now, here is a report from the local Dauphin County News in which his Father is also mentioned. That story goes into quite a bit of depth on the case. But at least it makes sense that the local paper would find his Father's local service to the community somewhat relevant and of interest. Certainly, the local papers would feature his locally prominent father.
But, why would a national news service find this murder suspect's Father integral to the story? No one in the rest of the country has ever heard of a small time local Pennsylvania GOP operative, so there is no reason for a national wire service to include such a factoid in a nationally released news blurb.
Unless, of course, they have another agenda.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
To the AP, and all other
September 10, 2007 - 18:07 ET by drillanwrTo the AP, and all other MSM-types:
http://newsbusters.o...
...a former Republican
September 10, 2007 - 19:16 ET by TruthMonger...a former Republican chairman?!!
So what does he do now? That doesn't really matter of course:)...
Curse these damn republicans - the root of all evil...
The AP
September 10, 2007 - 18:12 ET by Cool ArrowI'll give them a pass since they did report on the ex ACLU chief who loved kiddie porn as the ex ACLU chief who loves kiddie porn.
...but did they say he was a
September 10, 2007 - 19:12 ET by TruthMonger...but did they say he was a Democrat...naaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
Redundant
September 10, 2007 - 19:14 ET by Cool ArrowWe can't demand they be redundant, can we?
Like there's any difference.
~LYDSEXICS UNTIE!~
Bah-zing!!
September 10, 2007 - 19:44 ET by PeskyDaneBah-zing!!
Apples to Oranges CA
September 10, 2007 - 21:06 ET by stratmanThe ex-ALCU chief was the criminal and the ACLU has represented some mighty unsavory characters and issues including the legalizing of distribution of child pornography. As such, the fact that the alledged pedophile was involved with the ACLU, specifically as a chief, was significant to the story.
On the other hand, the father of the man that is alledged to have killed his Peruvian wife has not been identified as being involved in assisting his son in any criminal way, nor has it been suggested or reported that the father used his political capital as former Dauphin County Republican chairman as far as we know. If the father had used his connections in the party to abet his son's criminality or elude the legal system including the police, then it would be germane to the story.
As the story stands, the father's political stripe and former chairmanship is completely unnecessary to the story and could be seen as inflammatory journalistic advocacy.
I can't recall ever reading about the political history of an innercity parent of an alledged gangbanger wanted for murder. What makes this Pennsylvania father so different?
Oh well. What else to expect? It is the AP afterall.
Killing them with kindness isn't working. Time to get scrappy with the Donkeys.
Scroll Down.
September 10, 2007 - 18:31 ET by CrashScroll down to the story that seems to be missing from the headlines like Barbara Boxer's husband, not to mention William Jefferson's culture of collusion.
10 of 11 Arrested in NJ Probe Democrats, But Media Avoids Party Labels
An Invasion of Republican Privacy
September 10, 2007 - 18:34 ET by Lame CherryUntil this story, I never really considered that liberals in the MSM must literally obtain the voter registration of everyone in the United States and have them so tagged that the Republican voters come up in nexus searches.
This is an invasion of privacy for citizens, because it makes no sense that the media would know about Republicans in the middle of nowhere unless they have a combined data source.
Several years ago I had a bit of experience with a quite well known person tracking me down TWICE in different emails and threatening me. The creature was a RINO who was heavy supporting a democrat and got quite testy, called me looney, tried to belittle me, insulted me.......all because I asked a simple question of where there commercial supporters sponsoring funding for the democrat.
If these liberals have all Republicans tagged that is bigger than anything Nixon came across ever and it might be why the Clintons were so adept at this. This is a question I would like to have someone answer if there is a computer program floating around with all Republicans information. Perhaps that is why the MSM is so quiet about Google being Big Brother socialism in they already are doing it.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
LC
September 10, 2007 - 18:48 ET by BlondeThere are apparently all kinds of databases, with all kinds of info, available.
I just had a candidate for City Commission knock on my door. He said "Hi, are you Blonde?, Yes, wow, you are the best voter on the block". So, he not only knows how I'm registered, he also knows how often I vote.
Interestingly, he & I spent quite a bit of time chatting...he figured I will be voting (and not on Florida's primary day....our city decided to stick to the old date and hold a separate election....nice tactic for the incumbents, yes?).
David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive
check the local story
September 10, 2007 - 19:49 ET by uncle_buckIf you check the local story, you would find that perhaps Smith Sr. was well known - in Harrisburg - for previous scandals :
"Smith’s father, attorney William T. Smith Sr.,
referred calls to attorney Don Bailey, who did not return repeated
phone calls over several days.
The senior Smith, a former Dauphin County Republican
chairman, served a prison term for his part in the CTA bid-rigging
case. He received a 3 1/2 -year sentence for his 1985 conviction in the
conspiracy to bribe public officials.
The scheme entailed helping Computer Technology Associates
of California win a state contract to recover Social Security tax
overpayments for public school employees.
He was a prosecution witness in the trial of state Treasurer
R. Budd Dwyer, who fatally shot himself the day before he was to be
sentenced in the conspiracy."
So it is possible that the Harrisburg locals did not need to rely on a secret database to remember past transgressions of Smith Sr. as a former political figure who was jailed for 3.5 years for bribing public officials.
The local story is very interesting and the AP version could almost be considered to be watered down when you get to the nitty gritty of this very unfortunate story.
That's good research, uncle buck,
September 10, 2007 - 20:20 ET by RJand you can make the argument that the AP did water the story down, but the question remains: why was it necessary to identify him as "Republican?"
Will the press agree when turnabout is fair play?
September 10, 2007 - 19:02 ET by pbthinkerI can't help but laugh everytime Rush Limbaugh talks about "William Jefferson, Democrat, Louisanna" and such other little comments. The MSM is so obvious, in their one-sidedness, they end up looking pretty pathetic. In fact, it's gotten so bad that, should you not see the party mentioned, you know it's a Democrat.
I noticed, last week, the NB picked up on the Sun-Sentinel not mentioning the party affiliation of Ken Jenne, the Sheriff of Broward County and former Democrat Legislator. Well, the illustrious PB Post did exactly the same thing, for which we e-mailed the editor and never got a reply.
It's like they're part of the criminal element saying, "Hey, we know we're doing it, try and stop us." I guess the only way to stop them is to stop subscribing.
Never argue with an idiot. They'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
pb
September 10, 2007 - 19:12 ET by BlondeFunny you should mention Ken Jenne. I never watch the MsM, nor the local version thereof. I found out about this on NB! Too funny.
Someone here wrote to the author of the Sun-Sentinel article and got a really funny answer as to why Kenne Jenne wasn't identified as a Dem in the article. The answer was...."trying to save space!". I laughed so hard over that one....three little characters. Oh yeah, and everyone here in Broward knows Ken Jenne is a dem.
Riiiighhhtt.
David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive
It Goes Up the Chain
September 10, 2007 - 19:42 ET by WoodyMI'm beginning to see the link to Karl Rove. Demand a special prosecutor!
Now I like this part: <i>Telephone messages left by The Associated Press at Bailey's home and office on Sunday were not immediately returned.</i>
Well, you have to leave the message more than five minutes before your editor asks you about it and is ready to go to press--and, they left them on SUNDAY. They didn't say that the calls were not returned at all, but that they were not <i>immediately</i> returned. "Oh, it's a call from AP. Quit watching the Steelers, rush to the office, and call them back immediately!"
There's a Republican under
September 10, 2007 - 20:04 ET by dscottThere's a Republican under every bed. Muhuhahaha! Careful, we might get you.
dscott's postulate: The degree to which someone exaggerates or deceives is inversely proportional to the merit of the advocated position.
Why would someone
September 10, 2007 - 20:28 ET by SportPoliticsmarried to a hottie like that - even as she tells her parents she's moving to the USA with him, kill her ?
I guess we can't get all the salacious details like we do here in the USA. They state she matter of factly told her parents she hoped to move with him to the USA and left for the train.
It sounds like - on first gander - some drug cartels signature kill method - cut the body up and put it in a suitcase and sink it - an earthquake makes it surface - now maybe homeboy was dealing - the article infers it by pointing out "the authorities want to know where he was getting the money to travel to Peru" and cites old drug charges - but never states what his employment is or was, or his financial condition. For all we know he is a trust fund baby like Kerry.
I think the report is more slanted therefore, than has been pointed out. The report clearly indicates the press person "thinks he did it".
Some gal that hot in Peru - anything could have happened, and if he was running drugs for the travel and love affair(marraige) that indicates someone else whacked her - perhaps that he owes money to for drug running.
You'd think the press could have gotten some kind of information they would print from the parents (internet capable household - probably do have a phone number ) and told us if that type of killing and suitcase dumping is "common" to a certain group down there. ( I guess that's "anti-tourism" so it's forbidden. Much easier just to imply it's solved - and all is well if Bush hands over his likeness - a republican daddy/son killer.)
Outing Republicans
September 10, 2007 - 21:17 ET by echojackLet's look at the bright side.
This means that everyone whose party affiliation is not mentioned in one of the tawdry episodes must be a democratic.
Man, I gotta get down to
September 10, 2007 - 21:20 ET by ckc1227Man, I gotta get down to Peru.
Sometimes there doesn't seem
September 10, 2007 - 22:34 ET by motherbeltSometimes there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason why they do or don't mention certain things. I think sometimes they're just being garrulous, thinking it's more impressive. (Why say something in 5 words if you can stretch it to 10?) For example a few days ago, a news story about Pope Benedict called him "the 80-year-old German Pontiff"....as if that had anything at all to do with the story./
mbelt
September 10, 2007 - 22:39 ET by BlondeDo you have to continually bring everything right back to the absolute point?
You, my friend, are the best!
David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive
Hillary Clinton's father
September 11, 2007 - 11:32 ET by Jack BauerHillary Clinton's father was also a Republican.
Funnily enough, that's never mentioned in any article on her.