PDN: Replacing Ellen Goodman With Conservative Columnist?
If you read the PDN’s Op-Ed page regularly, you’ve probably noticed that Ellen Goodman — formerly published weekly in the PDN — has retired recently. The PDN has been auditioning other syndicated columnists to replace her.
Ellen Goodman was liberal, so one would think that her replacement would have similar political views. But twice now, the ultra-Rightwing Mona Charen has had a column where Ellen Goodman’s column used to be. WTF?
This has nothing to do with my liberal bias. The PDN prints a weekly column (each) by Cal Thomas and Michelle Malkin; and I’d be equally surprised if the PDN tried to replace either of them with a liberal columnist.
Ellen Goodman was liberal, so one would think that her replacement would have similar political views. But twice now, the ultra-Rightwing Mona Charen has had a column where Ellen Goodman’s column used to be. WTF?
This has nothing to do with my liberal bias. The PDN prints a weekly column (each) by Cal Thomas and Michelle Malkin; and I’d be equally surprised if the PDN tried to replace either of them with a liberal columnist.
posted by Tom Harper at 11:25 PM
19 Comments:
Good subject pick, Tom.
First of all, let's use the (not always perfect) shorthand of equating LIBERAL with DEMOCRAT, and CONSERVATIVE with REPUBLICAN.
Now, let's ponder perceptions versus reality. I think there's a widespread PERCEPTION - all along the political spectrum - that Clallam County is a rock-solid Republican Red place. Our local Republican Party leaders are generally very vocal and active in very public ways. We all know who Dick Piling is - bless his little TEA Party heart.
BUT - the REALITY is that Democrats win here, and liberal ideas/viewpoints are increasing their marketshare. Gregoire won here. Obama won here. Two of our three County Commissioners are Democrats. Even gay rights have won here (in the last election). And clearly the last City Council election showed a move in a liberal direction.
So, the REALITY is that Clallam County is a moderately liberal place. But the PDN is pandering to the (outdated) PERCEPTION that it's a die-hard conservative place.
Now, obviously, when you break down all the demographic factors (age, education, etc.), the actual readership of the PDN may well be more conservative than the county as a whole. I don't know about that. But, it would seem that, if they want to grow their readership as we move into the future, offering a much more balanced (or even left-leaning) perspective would be the way to go.
I don't read the local fish wrap much so I'm not qualified to comment on this I guess.
Other than to say that I don't think I'm a liberal or a conservative but may sound like either on any given minute in the house of mirrors.
My most favorite contributor to weekly contributions in the PDN when I first moved here was a retired school teacher, her first name was Phillis but I don't recall her last name at the moment.
"I don't read the local fish wrap much so I'm not qualified to comment on this I guess.
Don't let that stop you from posting, Billy.
I like that troubled fishing guide that contributes on Wednesdays, I can relate to him.
Watcher -- you said "the actual readership of the PDN may well be more conservative than the county as a whole."
Maybe so, but if you want local Port Angeles news, where else can you find it? I always figured the PDN has so many readers because it's the only game in town. Are there other choices?
I'd say the publishers/editors at the paper are more conservative than the population as a whole.
I'm sure the only reason Ellen Goodman was still running in the paper was because the contract ran out, and they just found a cheaper replacement. "Conservative columnists" are a dime a dozen. Can't throw a rock and not hit one. (Well, maybe with a little aiming.)
Go ahead lil libs...whine to the PDN and maybe you'll get your waaaa! way.
Truth is, the mainstream media is nothing more than Obama's mouthpiece, and I know many liberals who are at least smart enuf to have buyer's remorse for electing the messiah.
Oh bullcr*ppy!
I am so sick of all the bull. Fake sides. The whole liberal/conservative thing was old years ago, and now its rotten, stale, and boring. The UNITED STATES Constitution was written for, "We, the American people"...and that means you AND me.
We are getting screwed by the fake political two party system. We are getting screwed by politicians, corporations, banks, government -- you name it. We have less and less protection. We have a government that has ballooned out of control in size and power that it yields, and we are all pawns in the dumb game. There is NOTHING different about Republicans or Democrats -- the whole system is crooked, and we're all being played fools.
Wise up Sally, Sarah, Rex, or whomever you are now. You are hurting the American people by continuing the charade. There is no left or right, there is no red/blue, there is no Democrat or Republican, there are no conservative/liberals. It's all a con game to suck us dry, leave us in the gutter, and cripple our country.
STOP being a shill for our corporate overlords who ARE manipulating the media and your mind.
"Wise up Sally, Sarah, Rex, or whomever you are now. You are hurting the American people by continuing the charade. There is no left or right, there is no red/blue, there is no Democrat or Republican, there are no conservative/liberals."
Ah, yes.. Here we go again. Responding to fake, contrived knee-jerk rhetoric intentionally designed to get a rise from Sarah/Rex/Sally/ Larry, Mo and Curly.
But.. whaddya gunna do?
Be a chump like everyone else in Port Angeles.
Why don't we rename this berg to Chumpsville?
Given our poor record of keeping our government in line, getting along, and suffering the fools (the likes of our resident trolls)...we could all be dubbed Chumpites!
Tom, I thought you were going to do a better job of weeding the troll comments out. Now you've let the troll back (under another assumed name).
If this continues, I'd suggest pulling the plug on your blog. With comments like this and the needless counter-commentary it generates, it's hardly worth reading your blog.
Yes, I know I let one slip in. I hate to delete too many comments, and I've been deleting a lot of them lately.
oh come on!
You cannot keep trolls out and ONE lousy Troll (with several names) should not make one "pull the plug on the blog".
For criminy sakes! Get a grip here. Great, one got in, whatever. Keeps the blog going. As long as they don't pee on the rug and eat the dog, who cares if a troll comes in occasionally?
Anonymous at 12:48: Maybe you're the "troll" that needs deleted! Ever think of that? What makes you so special?
If you've had to delete comments then the troll is very, very persistent. Giving the troll oxygen will only continue the cycle.
I'll give your blog a little more time, but if the troll reappears then I'm gone.
Don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya!
"I'll give your blog a little more time, but if the troll reappears then I'm gone."
Well. Talk about over reaction!
I sure agree that trolls are annoying. After more than 10 years on various forums, and seeing trolls come and go, I can't see the dweeb that is trying to disrupt this forum being any different. We all give them what they are looking for, attention, by doing what I'm doing, talking about their disruptive activities. That is all they want to accomplish.
Tom, sorry that you have to endure this kind of BS. Such is "society" these days. A matter of percentages. LOL!
Watcher - Tea Partiers are not as thrilled with annoying Dick Pilling as you would like to think. If so they would be over at Republican central devoting time to their doings. Alas - NO.
PDN caters to conservatives? Someone should tell their writing and editorial staff that.
How about PDN write stories straight up? I know that is a foreign concept. You know... facts, investigation, asking hard questions, writing well... all the things PDN lacks. If they can master those things and get a spell check program, they are in biz.
"... facts, investigation, asking hard questions, writing well..."
rofl! Stop! Stop! You're killing me here! The PDN doing any of those things ....
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