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Shorter Haigh: What Marion Said

by: Matt Browner Hamlin

Tue Aug 01, 2006 at 08:59:50 AM EDT

( - promoted by spazeboy)

Unfortunately while the Times' readers strongly mirror the dynamics at play in the race and reveal in an oh-so public fashion where Lamont and Lieberman gain their support, Susan Haigh of the AP writes another story about Lamont's personal wealth, focusing on his income and how much he's paid in taxes. Haigh parrots the Lieberman campaign's insinuation that Lamont's country club membership is somehow improper.

The Lieberman campaign cites Lamont's recent decision to drop his longtime membership at Greenwich's exclusive Round Hill Club golf course, where Prescott Bush - the father and grandfather of the two Bush presidents - once was the club's president. Lamont said the club was "not as diverse as it should be."

Matt Browner Hamlin :: Shorter Haigh: What Marion Said

What's the point of this? The Lieberman camp is race baiting. They're not accusing Lamont of any wrongdoing and the whole effort suggests that they think Connecticut's black voters are too stupid to see where Lamont actually stands on race issues - while he's campaigning with three of the most influential black leaders in America: Maxine Waters, Al Sharpton, and Jesse Jackson.

~~Haigh~~ Marion Steinfels also writes:

[Millionaire lawyer Joe] Lieberman is petitioning his way onto the November ballot as an independent just in case. In what he calls the fight of his political life, the senator has tried to portray his rival as an inexperienced, flip-flopping millionaire whose only motivation for being liberal is to win the Senate seat.

This has really got to stop. Millionaire lawyer Joe Lieberman's campaign is writing copy for the Associated Press. Where is the fact checking? Lamont has been shown to be incredibly independent minded in his time in municipal office by Connecticut standards, as demonstrated by mikect's analysis at My Left Nutmeg. Haigh has a responsibility to her readers, if not truth as such, to rebut false claims coming out of the Lieberman camp. Her piece on whole is really about Ned's success and his money - not exactly what voters want to be reading about one week before the primary (I'm not certain this wasn't written six months ago) - but her reproduction of Steinfels' attacks verbatim really Iraqs up this story.

Writing irrelevant pieces that carry unfounded partisan attacks pro-bono is no way to practice journalism, Susan. Let's try to do better the last week before the election. Voters might actually what to read about Lieberman's position on Iraq (wait, does he have one?) and why he thinks universal healthcare is a bad idea. Stop getting played like a fiddle by Steinfels and look at the groundswell of support that is propelling Ned towards victory. That's the real story and you won't even need to seek out Tom Swan or Liz Dupont-Diehl to find out how to spin it for spin is not necessary when your base in Connecticut's grassroots.

Cross posted at Emboldened.

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Shorter Haigh: What Marion Said | 7 comments

Does anyone have her direct email address... (0.00 / 0)

to send comments?

Why hasn't she focused on the lies Lieberman is telling about Ned's record in town government in Greenwich? She needs to be pressed on it. As far as I know, only the New Haven Register ever debunked those charges in print.

by: thomashooker @ Tue Aug 01, 2006 at 13:38:52 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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I sent a letter to the CT Post editorial page (0.00 / 0)

debunking the Greenwich votes, but, of course, it remains to be published.

by: Sue @ Tue Aug 01, 2006 at 14:32:57 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

generally good (0.00 / 0)

I would say that much of this biographical piece casts Ned in a postive light - successful entrepreneur, philanthropist, hard worker. One of my commenters elsewhere said that this piece made him want to vote for Ned more because of these details.

My problem with it is twofold. Now is not the time for features on Ned's checkbook and how it got to where it is today. I'm glad that some are having a positive read on the Haigh piece, but for those of us following this race and its coverage in the media closely, it's clear that those quotes cited above are yet another instance where Steinfels gets her word in and the journalist doesn't provide a hint of editorial commentary on its spurious claims.

The Associated Press does not exist to provide a platform for political attacks. Lieberman is spending millions to repeat the same two lies (Ned's a racist, Ned's a Republican) in his mailings and television spots. Haigh doesn't need to give Joe even greater opportunities to attack Ned for free.

Disclosure: I'm proud to work for the Service Employees International Union

by: Matt Browner Hamlin @ Tue Aug 01, 2006 at 14:24:51 PM UTC

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Isn't this country club shit "quaint" (0.00 / 0)

Joe Lieberman has been a member of the most exclusive country club in the World,The United States Senate.It's Membership makes the Round Hill Club look like the Slums and Lieberman has taken full advantage of every perk available.He Gained entrance in 1988 as a member of the upper middle class and is going to Exit a multi millionaire.

PUBLIC SERVICE MY ASS,Lieberman hasn't held a private sector Job in over 35 years and became a multimillionaire.HOW?

by: ctkeith @ Tue Aug 01, 2006 at 14:25:15 PM UTC

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AP (0.00 / 0)

The AP is totally uselss, I won't even read an article written by them. There are so many better independent news outlets, its embarrassing that any paper would waste their time printing AP reports verbatim. They may serve a purpose as news and quote collectors, but as far as actually writing the piece, that should be left to someone else.

by: concorde @ Tue Aug 01, 2006 at 14:30:02 PM UTC

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From the CT Post today: (0.00 / 0)

HARTFORD — In a possible harbinger of a larger-than-expected turnout for next week's primaries, 6,715 unaffiliated voters have switched their political status from unaffiliated to Democrat in the past three months.

http://www.connpost....

by: Sue @ Tue Aug 01, 2006 at 14:31:39 PM UTC

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look at the conservative boggers pimping Lieberman (0.00 / 0)

http://ctconservativ...

by: Chris Later @ Tue Aug 01, 2006 at 15:27:54 PM UTC

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Shorter Haigh: What Marion Said | 7 comments