**UPDATE** Earlier version of blog incorrectly stated that Ron Fournier had deleted tweets in question when in fact they are still on his account.
It appears as though the days of civility and integrity in journalism are long gone. On March 1, National Journal’s Ron Fournier, formerly the Washington bureau chief at the Associated Press, took to Twitter to express his dissatisfaction with government sequestration, suggesting that President Obama:
Can handle Bin laden, not Boehner? He may be POTUS, but Obama incapable of “a Jedi mind meld.”
Fournier continued his violent rhetoric in a follow-up tweet, suggesting that, “Bin Laden didn’t compromise. Handled him pretty well.”
The tweets, which have not been deleted, were discovered by the website Gawker.
Fournier apparently is upset at the inaction by President Obama over the sequester, and suggests that killing Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) might be the best solution. To suggest that the Speaker of the House should be eliminated in the same manner as the world’s worst terrorist shows a new low for a supposedly objective journalist.
Rather than apologize or issue a retraction for his offensive commentary, the tweets remain on Fournier's account. As someone who formerly represented the Associated Press as its Washington bureau chief, one would think Fournier would have both the decency and the professional dignity to refrain from such horrendous commentary.
It remains to be seen if the National Journal will take appropriate disciplinary action.
