MyDD :: Fire Peter Jackson

Fire Peter Jackson

by PA08, Sat Mar 05, 2005 at 02:07:46 PM EST

Last year, the blogosphere really went to bat for Ginny Schrader when the smokey back room people tried to force her out of the primary.

If you want to read a classic Kos post, check out the July 20th: DCCC fails Schrader. In it, he says:

The rules are changing. The party committees no longer have unquestioned control over such decisions.

That is correct. But somebody forget to tell the AP's Peter Jackson. And you should be pissed.

For those new to the Peter Jackson Scandal, get ready to lose a great deal of respect for the Associated Press.

Peter Jackson is the AP reporter who decided to shill for the Party bosses by not mentioning the only pro-choice candidate in the Democratic Primary (PA).

Not only did Peter Jackson not mention Professor Pennacchio, but he dishonestly implied that there would be no primary when he included the following quote:

"It was always his goal to try to have a united front," said Penny Lee, Rendell's communication director. "We're not expecting anyone to file against Bobby" in the Senate primary, which is still 15 months away.

Why did Peter Jackson break the public trust by doing this? Well, a Kossack found out when calling to complain.

When I called the AP newsdesk at (717) 283-9413 at about 10:30 pm EST to complain about this failed journalism, the gentleman who answered told me (among other disturbing statements) that, "The Dem State Party chair told us that only Casey will be running and don't bother reporting on anyone else" (!!!!!)

So we have an AP reporter lying to the public at the request of party bosses trying to force an anti-choice Senate candidate.

The politics stinks.

But the reporting is worse, and AmericaBlog says it may be much, much worse:

It's disgraceful. And the fact that the reporter knew damn well the truth, he had spoken to someone about the other candidate at length, makes it seem as if this "mistake" was intentionally made to favor or disfavor a particular candidate for election. And that isn't just awful, it strikes me as unlawful coordination with a political campaign.

The AP needs to hold Peter Jackson accountable. We need to complain. Please do so:

info@ap.org
717.238.9413

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Permalink :: 8 Comments :: Post a Comment

BTW (none / 0)

Atrios piles on.

by PA08 on Sat Mar 05, 2005 at 02:40:25 PM EST

It is about choice (3.00 / 1)

I just want to thank everyone for the groundswell of support for the democratic process. PA08 is right, this is about "choice," but not only the kind of "choice" that everyone has been focusing on since Ed Rendell and the state party establishment decided to foist a nominee upon us.

This is about having a choice between two candidates who have very different views on the issues, and yes, that includes reproductive choice. However, this is apparently now a choice between those who choose to stifle the democratic process and a campaign who fights to open it up by communicating directly with the grassroots.

Possibly the most disturbing part of everything we have found out since the story broke was T.J. Rooney (PA State Party Chair) allegedly claiming that Casey is the only candidate and don't bother reporting on anyone else. I have spent a lot of time thinking about this, and that is a pretty scary comment.

To everyone out there who has emailed or called, thank you. To see my email box flooded this morning with copied emails really meant a lot to the campaign.

Tim

by Tim Tagaris on Sat Mar 05, 2005 at 02:40:48 PM EST

Re: It is about choice (3.00 / 1)

"Possibly the most disturbing part of everything we have found out since the story broke was T.J. Rooney (PA State Party Chair) allegedly claiming that Casey is the only candidate and don't bother reporting on anyone else. I have spent a lot of time thinking about this, and that is a pretty scary comment."

Remove the words "possibly" and "pretty" and this sums up my reading of this diary.

The 10,000 Things

by Andrew C White on Sat Mar 05, 2005 at 04:19:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Makes me wonder.. (none / 0)

how many other worthwhile candidates wither due to media apathy, laziness or straight up collusion.

by OxBuzzard on Sat Mar 05, 2005 at 03:54:25 PM EST

Re: Makes me wonder.. (none / 0)

If they're not a celebrity like Ralph Nader, Arianna Huffington, or Jesse Ventura, pretty much any given third-party candidate.

by craverguy on Sat Mar 05, 2005 at 04:10:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Hmmm... more than that... (none / 0)

... the Pennsylvania State Democratic Committee and Chair need to be held accountable and hear from the average PA citizen. It is fine that the insiders have their favorite son in the race but if they are working to deny the average PA democrat a choice of candidates then they need to be smacked upside the head and given a loud and clear wake up call that those days are gone!

So... PA residents... ready to call your state committee people and let them know to cut this kind of crap out?

The 10,000 Things

by Andrew C White on Sat Mar 05, 2005 at 04:16:58 PM EST

At The Same Time (none / 0)

Chuck has no money, no name recognition and no experience as a candidate. How seriously should he be taken at this point?

by Adam B on Sat Mar 05, 2005 at 08:28:09 PM EST

Re: At The Same Time (none / 0)

Well it could have been one sentence of the several hundred word story.

I think that was enough recognition for yesterday. It also could have been an indication of how seriously he took the campaign. One sentence out of dozens.

And that is saying nothing for the quote about expecting no one to file, cause, umm, we are filed right now.

Tim

by Tim Tagaris on Sat Mar 05, 2005 at 08:48:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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