"...tough stories on the front page."

Nancy Barnes, editor of the decidedly rightwing Minneapolis StarTribune, filled Strib Opinion Page space today with 1,274 words of blather that essentially claimed "We-a not-a culpa."

In this waste of space, Ms. Barnes claims, and I quote:

Yeah, "right." What a crock. "tough stories" like Strib Repeater, er, 'scuse me, "Reporter" Kevin Diaz' puff piece two days ago on Clark Kent, er, 'scuse me, "Jeff (Landlord) Larson", of FLS?

MnPublius covered that Strib "story" on Friday; I weighed in with a letter e-mailed (and posted) to Ms. Barnes (and for those wondering - no, Ms. Barnes has not replied).

Yesterday, Eric Boehlert of MediaMatters.org took a look at the Strib's recent activities. He noted:

Nothing funny about Star Tribune's treatment of Franken
by Eric Boehlert

The Minneapolis Star Tribune closed the barn door a little last week.

On Thursday, the newspaper's editor Nancy Barnes distributed a newsroom memo announcing that the paper's columnists should refrain from political commentary until November 5. She thought it was best if the paper's cadre of opinion makers "refrain[ed] from partisan political commentary in their columns ... at least until after the election." And that columnists would "'stand down' on the kind of column that's an overtly partisan take."

I always thought columnists were paid to express their opinions and to share with readers unvarnished insights on the issues of the day, electoral politics being just about at the top of that list. But if that's how the editor of the Strib (as it is known locally) wanted to handle the home stretch, to go ultra-civil, than that's certainly her right.

What raised eyebrows in the land of Minnesota Nice was that Barnes' memo landed on desks (or in inboxes) the day after newspaper columnist Katherine Kersten uncorked a sidewinder that tagged Al Franken, running for the U.S. Senate in the state, as being anti-Christian, and specifically anti-Catholic.

Cherry-picking from his three-decade career as a comedy writer and satirist, Kersten highlighted a handful of cracks and claimed he was unfit for the Senate because he was a "slanderer of Christianity." ("Vulgar mockery of Christians: Is this what we want in a U.S. senator?" read the headline.)

For instance, Kersten was deeply offended by a skit idea for Saturday Night Live, which never aired, in which Franken suggested a series of dogs, played by cast members, confessing to a priest. (I'm Catholic, and just the premise of that skit made me laugh.)

In another book, Franken described greeting a New York audience with the words, "Isn't Cardinal O'Connor an asshole?" (Trust me, in New York in the 1990s, that was not as provocative a statement as it seems today; O'Connor was an extraordinarily political and, at times, divisive figure.)

Then, in a deceptive bit of wordcraft, Kersten wrote, "In today's surreal political climate, a guy who lobs insults like these has a shot at one the highest political offices in the land."

Note the verb tense: "lobs," as in the present tense. As in, Franken's still in the comedy business and looking for punch lines at the expense of Christians, and especially Catholics. (Franken's daughter quickly reminded readers in a Star Tribune online forum that her father had been married to a Catholic for 33 years.) (MediaMatters.org)

OK, let's review - Nancy Barnes lets Katherine Kersten rip Franken, sends a memo out saying "No New Ripping", and follows that up with a front page puff piece on the guy that cuts Norm Coleman a deal on rent, utilities, probably clothing, and God only knows what else too.

And speaking of Norm's UtilityGate problem, Nancy Barnes essentially is saying that is a subject that is NOT going to be addressed between now and election day:

If an individual or a campaign makes an allegation against another candidate, we will require the burden of truth. (Strib)

OK, let me get this "right": I made the allegation that "FLS" - Jeff Larson's corporation - is on Coleman's D.C.utility bill, based on the fact that Team Smokescreen has been stonewalling since August 4th about that utility bill.

Can I provide the "burden of truth" for that? No, it's a matter of connecting the dots. Which, of course, gives the Strib - and Nance Barnes - their "out" for not outing this story; "we require the burden of truth, and you haven't given it" even though Coleman could put an end to this story by showing an actual utility bill.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I've said it before, and I'm going to say it again:

The reason politicians and their spokestools lie to reporters, is they can.

And you can thank Editors such as Nancy Barnes for allowing that. If you wish to contact Nancy Barnes and let her know your thoughts, you can call her at 612-673-4951 and/or e-mail to nbarnes@startribune.com