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Friday, January 04, 2013

MC Reporter Displays Bias Against Lehigh's Conservative Board

A Morning Call and Express Times reporter was at yesterday's news conference, in which Ismael Arcelay formally announced his intention to run for Northampton County Council. I was there, too, representing bottom-feeding bloggers everywhere.

Now the difference between reporters and people like me, I'm told, is that they are "objective." But most reporters will concede that's bullshit. Everyone is biased. Those who claim they are not are lying to themselves.

Pleasantries were exchanged before the news conference, and The Morning Call's reporter made the rounds introducing herself to Team Fleck. She told them her beat is Northampton County and Lehigh County government. She then added she was glad to be away from "those wackos in Lehigh," an obvious reference to its very conservative Board of Commissioners.

"You could get in trouble for that," someone joked.

How can she or her newspaper claim impartiality, while simultaneously condemning Republicans to a bunch of Democrats?

Wouldn't she, and her newspaper, do a better service to the community by just being honest?

By the way, they are a bunch of wackos.

I doubt very much I misunderstood this reporter, but have not spoken to her. I have sent her an email so she can provide her side of the story if she wishes.

40 comments:

Anonymous said...

By any, dare I say " objective", standard they are wackos over there at the Lehigh County Commissioners.
If she committed any indiscretion it was simply being honest in response to the obvious. What's plain as the nose at the end of one's face is undeniable.
For many reasonable vintage pointe Republican Democrat Independent Liberal or conservative those people are--- well ----wacky.

You surely get that BOH?

Anonymous said...

Ment to say - " From any reasonable vantage point..."
Sorry.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Although I certainly think some of their actions have been downright wacky, I don't pretend to be unbiased. From an objective viewpoint, that is an unfair assessment. What's really bad is that the remark was made to partisan Dems, in effect telling them that she is one of them.

Anonymous said...

It's obviously an indiscretion and unprofessional to make such a comment, but you might consider that the reporter considers them wacky for their actions and what she's seen of them at numerous meetings, not necessarily their political associations.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Agreed. It is inappropriate, but she has seen more than I.

Anonymous said...

Unprofessional? Certainly.

An admission that she is "one of them"? Speculation on your part counselor. You put yourself in the position of interpreting her motivation.

Is that group of commissioners wacky?
Yes, regardless of political affiliation.
Wacky. Undeniably..

Bernie O'Hare said...

So am I.

Anonymous said...

Undeniably.

Anonymous said...

What makes them wacky? They are doing exactly what they said they were going to do when they ran. Everyone else gets elected by blasting raised taxes but these guys pledged to lower the taxes and they did. They ran on making Lehigh County government smaller, and they are doing that. We need more wackos like that!

JOHN M

Anonymous said...

You actually heard a reporter say wackos? How can any single reporter cover all Lehigh County government activities and then move over to Northampton.

Anonymous said...

I thought the MC went out of print and to an online-only presence? Does anybody read it anymore? If a dopey reporter chick falls in the forrest and nobody hears it, does anybody give a shit?

Anonymous said...

It will be interesting to hear her reply, although no reply is likely more telling.

It will also be interesting to see if there's any response from the Call hierarchy. If not, it's an indictment of the whole organization.

Anonymous said...

You know what the morning call reported though? How your boy, joe Brennan is gonna go hang with Jose and Luis in the county prison for the next 90 days. Where is your coverage on this?

Anonymous said...

I don't think the MC even pretends to be unbiased.They might be singing new tunes when they are bought out from the Tribune.

Cute how they covered up their failure to publish a notice of an Allentown public meeting.Made it sound like the city clerk didn't do his job.


I give them three years max till they are only an on-line news organization.

And yes a lot of people, including many in the small remaining LC GOP think the commisioners seem wacky.

Anonymous said...

Bernie,

Bias in the media...how could that be?
How bad it is was just demonstrated to you yesterday. As someone living in a liberal universe I can tell you they really believe everyone of intellect thinks as they do and those who don't are idiots and/or corrupt. It is that simple.

Scott Armstrong

Anonymous said...

Judging by circulation figures, this unprofessional hack's family likely doesn't read her exceedingly poorly constructed scrawl. Her grammar and construction are notoriously appalling. She's a typical, schooled-by-Microsoft-Word, excuse for a serious journalist. When writing is your craft, you should really learn to write. Evaporating budgets bring evaporating quality in reporting and writing. That's how you end up with dopes who wouldn't have been hired to scrub toilets at the old Call. Although, she likely has to do that as well as her other duties. Tough times require multi-tasking professionals.

Anonymous said...

I'm thinkin' she wasn't biased ( those LC people are very odd, regardless of party affiliation), just unprofessionally candid.
That's not good.

The cover-up of the Izzy A. story is much more disturbing.

Scott Armstrong, your own bias is lapsing over into paranoia again. Calm down buddy or people will think your one of the LC GOP fringe faction.

Anonymous said...

10:30 anonymous coward,

I wear my bias on my sleeve, that is my right. Reporters however should not. Even more importantly an editor should have schooled this reporter on the importance of demonstrating objectivity in both action and writing.

Scott Armstrong

Bernie O'Hare said...

9:05, How does it feel to be a bigot?

Bernie O'Hare said...

My email to her was returned with the notation, "address rejected." I am not bothering to try with her again.

Anonymous said...

Racist 9:05, I'm sure there are lots of Sullivans and O'Connors in NCP. Joe could receive comfort from a McGillicuddy.

Anonymous said...

Who the heck are you talking about, Samantha Marcus?

Anonymous said...

It's feels alright, I guess, Bernie. But seriously, as a Dem, I'm glad Joe didn't get to skate by without a trip to the slammer, he's a scumbag in the purest sense.

Anonymous said...

This could save the mans life. Life is funny that way.
Who is to say? I wish the best for him and his family.

Bernie O'Hare said...

It could save his life and I wish nothing but the best for Joe, his wife and his two brave sons.

Anonymous said...

Age old trick, tell someone how you're on their side--eventually they trust you to tell you stuff they shouldn't.

Anonymous said...

Armstrong @ 10:02
What an exquisitely perfect little gem of projection.
The contempt, the intellectual superiority, the certainty of it all.

And the simplicity. Always the simplicity.

Perfect. Absolutely perfect!

Another Anon Coward

Anonymous said...

Why isn't this reporter fired.

Anonymous said...

3:45 has to type in frustration in the middle of the night since low-T made those all night i-porn jack sessions impossible. There's a pill for that, Glenn. And wipe off your filthy monitor once in a while.

Anonymous said...

8:13 ---- except I think 3:45 hit a home run.middle of the night or not.

Anonymous said...

Yawn.......................
LC GOP is a laughingstock.
This is news?

Anonymous said...

8:13
Right /
Fire the reporter for an off handed comment that a blogger thought he overheard her say, which IF she said it is true?
She shouldn't just be fired,she should never work again!
The MCalls become a complete joke. Isn't working there punishment enough?

Anonymous said...

Get the pitch forks and the torches, off with her head!
Blasphemy I say blasphemy. Off with her head.

The right wingadings are just the best thing goin'.

Anonymous said...

I don't think mr Armstrong gets along with the Looney Toonies at the Lehigh Co. GOP right now. I think he is too liberal for them.

Bernie O'Hare said...

This has NOTHING to do with Armstrong or Lehigh's board. It has everything to do with what is or is not professional behavior by a supposedly unbiased reporter.

Anonymous said...

Bernie---- it is inescapable, the obvious connection is wackiness my man, wackiness.

Anonymous said...

What is wacky about following through on their campaign promises to cut spending, cut taxes and limit county government? They made their position clear in the election process - over 20 mailers. They received the highest number of votes in the general election. Democracy and honest politicians are wacky?

Anonymous said...

Right wingading creepos like yor and your Fox news fellow travelers are wacky.

Anonymous said...

Just because you say so? Be specific. Bet you won't, because you can't. All you can do with your pea brain is call others names.

Anonymous said...

Anon 2:01 am

You can't seem to be beyond name calling? Do you have nothing to say of substance?