This past Thursday it was revealed that Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, the Democrat candidate in the upcoming New Jersey gubernatorial election, was not permitted to walk with her class during 1994 Naval Academy graduation ceremonies. The incident revolves around a cheating scandal, reportedly involving some 130 midshipmen in Sherrill's class.
Sherrill claims she didn't cheat. Rather she refused to turn in some of her classmates, and that's why she was prohibited from walking, but she did graduate. Reportedly, Sherrill has the authority to release records which would prove to what extent, if any, she was involved any further in the cheating aspect of the scandal, but she has refused to do so.
She's in a tight race with Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who came surprisingly close in the last gubernatorial contest.
In a race being watched throughout the world of politics, one would think that this would be a big story. Well it has become one, but for the wrong reason. The "mainstream" media has decided to focus on how this information leaked out, as opposed to what the information means. It came from the National Archives, and included other personal information, such as Sherrill's Social Security number.
The National Archives has apologized, said it was a mistake to release all that it did, but that has not stopped the media from making the release of the info, the story, and not the extent of Sherril's possible involvement. Sherrill's team and top Democrats are demanding a full investigation with the media's blessing.
In a pathetic excuse for journalism, MSNBC Morning Joe co-host Willie Geist interviewed Sherrill on Friday and it took a full six minutes of discussing the leak, before he tossed her a softball on the question of the graduation and cheating, making sure to act as her defense attorney while pretending to be a journalist.
GEIST: So this all brings us to the question of why the Ciattarelli campaign is even looking into your military records. There was a cheating scandal at the Naval Academy in 1994. You were in no way accused of cheating. You were not implicated in that scandal in any way. In fact you received the Navy Achievement Medal for saving the life of a fellow shipmate. You received the Distinguished Public Service Award, the highest honor the U.S. Navy gives out. No one is disputing the way you've conducted yourself bravely in the United States Navy, and with honor.
Actually, many people are disputing her conduct, but that's how Democrats rally around. Finally all the accolades ran out, so he was forced to dig deep and ask, "But the accusation is that you didn't turn in your classmates and therefore did not walk at your graduation. What can you tell us about that?"
Sherrill addressed the specific question for about six seconds -- yes, I didn't turn anyone in, and yes I didn't walk at graduation -- and then it was back to the leaking of the information, and of course Geist asked no follow-up to his question which was ignored. The question should have led the interview, and there should have been several more based on her responses. Is anyone surprised it didn't go down that way?
On Friday night the New York Post reported that Sherrill's husband Jason Hedberg was one of several dozen midshipmen who sued officials at the Naval Academy, Navy and Pentagon in 1994 in an attempt to block an Honor Board at Annapolis from deciding whether they should be dismissed from the school. If only that had broken a day earlier, I'm sure Willie Geist would have been all over it!
