The Silence Of The Scribes

It's an old saw; reporters do the "who, what, where, when, and why" to do a story. Well, they used to; back before mergers and budget cuts cut the hearts and souls out of newsrooms. These days, "reporters" are all too often "repeaters" - they take what is told to them, and go with it. Often, it's because they have to - there simply isn't time to do real "reporting" (let alone "investigative reporting). And, follow-up? Who's got the time for that??!?

I'd like to remind regular readers and (im)posters that back on August 4th, Norm Coleman's spokestool, Mark Drake, deflected a question about Norm Coleman's utility bill by promising to check with the Coleman Campaign about making an actual utility bill available for "the credentialed media" to examine."

Now, just minutes before ol' Smokescreen's spokestool promised to check with Team Smokescreen about making an actual utility bill available, Mark Drake talked about how "open" and "transparent" Team Smokescreen has been, with respect to RentGate. Keep in mind, this was August 4th.

So, has any member of "the credentialed media" actually seen said actual utility bill?

As far as I can tell, no. And I've followed up with various reporters, through e-mails and in conversations on the campaign trail. Several say they've continued to ask about it, but are getting stonewalled about seeing an actual utility bill.

So, I sent An Open Letter To The Media on October 8th, reminding the media of Team Smokescreen's spokestool's promise. E-mailed it to over 150 e-mail in-boxes. Here's that letter:

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media,

On August 4th, the DFL held a press conference at the capital, to introduce a George Bush look-alike. That’s not the point of this e-mail. The point is what Senator Coleman‘s spokesman, Mark Drake, promised afterwards.

After the DFL was done, Mark Drake commandeered the podium, and claimed Senator Coleman has been “open” and “transparent” with regards to RentGate and UtilityGate. Further, Mark Drake promised, under questioning, to check with the campaign about allowing members of the media to see an actual utility bill, so members of the media could verify Senator Coleman was paying what he should be and not violating the Gift Ban.

Two months later, as best as I can determine, this has not happened; Senator Coleman has not made an actual utility bill available to the media to verify he is not violating the Gift Ban. Two months later, there are no stories reporting this has not happened.

Why not?

Tommy Johnson, Blogger
www.MnBlue.com

It will be interesting to see how the Fourth Estate responds.....(MnBlue)

That letter was sent to media types from The Dassel-Cokato Enterprise Dispatch and Sun-Current newspapers through the Strib and PiPress and Washington Post and AP through KSTP and WCCO and TPT.

And what was the Fourth Estate's response, to Team Smokescreen blowing smoke about an actual utility bill?

(cue "crickets" soundtrack...)

Hey - that silence of the scribes is deplorable. Team Coleman NOT making an actual utility bill available IS a story. Alas, it's a story the scribes, for some reason, don't write.

Ladies and Gentelemen, I may have been born at night, but it wasn't last night.

There is a real reason Team Coleman has not made an actual utility bill available, and I'd bet a whole bunch of nickels that's because "FLS" - Jeff Larson's corporation - is on that bill.

If it was just the name "Jeff Larson" on that bill, they would have produced that bill - after all, what's a little unethical deal between pals?

But, Norm Coleman accepting free utilities from a corporation is a whole different level of unethical behavior - and I firmly believe this LACK of "openness" and "transparency" from Team Smokescreen is a clear indication of that - where there's smoke, there's fire.

So, what we have here, what we can clearly see and hear, is that a campaign can go from August 4th through election without the Fourth Estate doin' the ol' "who, what, where, when, and why."

This little episode of "The Silence Of The Scribes" simply reinforces the answer to this question:

"Why do politicians and their spokestools lie to reporters?"

Because they can, Ladies and Gentlemen - because they can.