Friday, March 30, 2007

Confirm, Deny, Ignore...



CONFIRMED
One of Senator Jim Webb’s staff was stopped and arrested for bringing a loaded handgun, with additional ammunition clips, into a Senate office building. The staff member stated and advised the officers that the weapon belonged to Senator Jim Webb (D).

“A congressional official briefed on the incident said Webb gave the gun to Thompson when the assistant drove him to an airport earlier in the day. Thompson, upon entering the Senate building, forgot he was carrying the weapon”
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8O44EEG0&show_article=1

DENY
Later on as the story evolved the Virginia Junior Senator Jim Webb (D) would not confirm that the loaded handgun that his “Staffer” was caught with was in fact his handgun. This after the staff member spent the night in a jail cell…
http://tailrank.com/1619534/Webb-s-Aide-Pleads-Not-Guilty-to-Gun-Charges

IGNORE
I read media coverage of this incident in many newspapers including: Washington Times, Washington Post, New York Times, New York Post, Baltimore Sun, Daily News Record, and multiple news media websites. This story and developments continued for many days and continues at this time. But I was not able to locate any information on this story, involving the Virginia Junior Senator Jim Webb, Democratic Party, anywhere in the Staunton NewsLeader.

Other local newspapers covered this incident and in fact the Daily News Record out of Harrisonburg had their story on the front page edition.

If anybody did see NewsLeader coverage about the Democratic Virginia Senator and his wayward Loaded Handgun, please forward it for it will be interesting to see how it was reported…
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/28/washington/28gun.html?ex=1175659200&en=a8c9fa3339986dda&ei=5123&partner=BREITBART

10 comments:

Dennis Neal said...

Steve, (uh, I mean ... "rightside" ... don't want to reveal your "secret identity" or anything" ...) in case you hadn't noticed (and you wouldn't, since you don't actually read the print edition), The News Leader has completely switched its focus to local/state and community news. We run only one page of national/world news in our print edition now since folks can get their glut of national/world news in so many other places it's no longer our franchise.

Lynn R. Mitchell said...

So what you're saying, Dennis, is reading about the Virginia junior senator is considered NATIONAL news and not worthy of being in a local/state newspaper? Isn't information about the state's senators STATE news? I don't quite follow your logic in this....

Dennis Neal said...

No, what I mean is that we have better things to do news coverage-wise than regurgitating Associated Press wire stories that you can find in multiple quantities everywhere, including on the Internet. What we concentrate on is a mix of 80 percent local and community news with about 10 percent state and 10 percent national/international. The NV and DNR, since they're following the dinosaur business model and pretending that TV and the Internet haven't been invented, are doing the reverse.
But while we're on the topic, if this had been a Republican and not a Democrat, wouldn't you all be beside yourselves defending his Second Amendment rights?

RightsideVA said...

Dennis,(uh, I mean NewsLeader), thanks for clearing that up. I do read the hardcopy but don't get it everyday unless looking for a topic such as the Webb\Gun incident. I do support the Senators gun rights and I am impressed that he has not backed away from them. I am sure that is not making him popular with his leadership. I am also amazed that he is playing the deny game and leaving Thompson out in the wind. It would be a much smaller incident if he admitted the gun was his but thats his strategy...

But there would be no difference in coverage if he had a (R) behind his name? You guys would be all over it in a minute and I believe it would probably be a "NewsLead Blog-Topic" the first day... (ex. "Was Allen Blitzed"?)

Local coverage and focus is a good direction in responding to the changing media world. But how\why has the NewsLead been avoiding the numerous local Republican events that we have highlighted here on Rightside. Allen at Rowe's a week before the election, Saxman Transportation townhall meeting, Hanger chamber meeting, etc???

zen said...

It appears you've been granted your wish today RS. Front page story of the AG's Staunton visit.
I'll await your criticizm of how unfair the coverage was.

Lynn R. Mitchell said...

Zen, glad you noticed and we'll see how it goes. Meanwhile, to address Dennis, amazing how that "state/local" concentration on news started after you piled on George Allen last fall.

As to bashing your competition ... not classy.

RightsideVA said...

I did see the coverage by the NewsLeader and I understand it was a pretty good event. Wish I could have been there but was at work and also saw the write up by the NewsVirginian.

I also saw the comment left on the NewsLeader "Comment" area about the event and gathering of "right wing Americans for Prosperity" per a unidentified "mrsoul51". I have always found this an interesting choice by the NL to allow people to leave comments, viewed by all going to their website, without having to identify themselves. This practice seems to lead to people attacking others and making questionable comments without the responsibility of being identified.

As far as Hanger not being there, you think maybe he was avoiding somebody or issues?

Anonymous said...

Maybe we WANT a newspaper that does not carry the water of the GOP.. It's bad enough that you people continue to interupt our statement rallys downtown that show Bush-Boy has taken us into a unjustified war with his lies. And who cares if the attorney general comes to town to talk to his selected few for nothing intelligent could come out of it.

It's about time somebody ignores the lies of the republican party in the valley and concentrates on what is IMPORTANT to the people in Staunton!

RightsideVA said...

Dennis,
"The NV and DNR, since they're following the dinosaur business model and pretending that TV and the Internet haven't been invented"
No kidding. I see what you mean:
http://dnronline.com/news_details.php?AID=9566&CHID=1
But I do believe that the people of the Valley do want to hear about what their Junior Senator is up to and how he responds to incidents like this one. I also believe they are interested in seeing how local people feel about an incident like this and what the think of the junior Senator now. Might make a good blog question for your blog?

And what ever happened to that gathering of local valley bloggers at the NewsLeader "Strategy Ops Center"? Had to eat those donuts I promised but I will bring fresh ones once you get all the bloggers together. Maybe some of them do not wish to be identified as the masters of their blogs???

Dignan,
(Interrupt) Statement Rally's?
Seems like many people in the Valley have decided that if you are going to be there and in the media with your "Bush-Hate" tactics, we are going to be there supporting the Troops, the mission, and the President when the Troops view the media reports. We will be there to make the statements that the Majority do support the Troops and their mission and the radical bush-haters are the minority...

Also believe the local public are interested when people like the Lt. Governor, Attorney General, and other elected officials are in town and what they had to say. Unfortunately it seems there has been little to report on the Democratic Governor for he does not seem to visit the area often... I believe the last time he was here was at the Webb rally at Wrights before the election. No use for the Valley until the next election???

Another topic "IMPORTANT" to the people of Staunton...

Anonymous said...

If anybody did see NewsLeader coverage about the Democratic Virginia Senator and his wayward Loaded Handgun, please forward it for it will be interesting to see how it was reported…

The next time I run out of toilet paper, remind me to borrow that rag from my next door neighbor, and I will look out for it before I wipe, and will give you the full critique.