Friday, September 05, 2008

If you believe in daily newspapers ...

... you can believe in the Kilkenny letter.

I was the political reporter for The Broadview Journal for four years. I went to every Broadview Heights city council meeting and meticulously reported on it. If city council approved $10,000 for a new tractor, it was in my column. If Boy Scout Troup 720 was in attendance in order to earn a badge, it was in my column. If they approved a new part-time clerk for the recreation department, it was in my column. Local politicians loved me one day and hated me the next. They constantly (and unsuccessfully) tried to get me fired. The readers ate it up.

Broadview Heights is a small suburb of Cleveland, about 16,000 people. There were five other papers at the Journal's parent company Scriptype Publishing that covered five other area municipalities. I was buddies with all the editors and reporters.

I know how these small town governments operate. I've seen the fights and the backstabbing. And I can envision every one of Kilkenny's scenarios, similar ones played out before me. People, I really know this territory and I know that Kilkenny has her share of bias, but there's a healthy dose of truth in her words as well.

Tip o' the hat to a Baroque lady for this link.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had seen this over at cajunboy. Interesting. But boy if you read the comments under your posts the majority seem to be defending Palin. That could be a good thing of course. "Where there's smoke..."

RJ

Anonymous said...

The comments posted under the article in the adn, I mean.

RJ

Helen Mansfield said...

That's an excellent letter, and it does sound legit and probable.

I think that's the closest you'll get to the truthiness of Sarah Palin because there does appear to be some sort of Internet conspiracy and this gal is disappearing before our eyes.

Mone said...

Kilkenny tells it the way it is/was, possible that some people dont like it.

The Fool said...

There are more bullets in Wasilla than people...and the sale of ammo probably just went up.

Seals said...

I read the Kilkenny letter yesterday. Pretty awesome, and really just scratching the surface compared to what the national media and political bloggers have dug up.

Covering small town politics is great until a couple of councilmembers stop by the office to try to get you fired, and your publisher is a douchebag ... I'm just sayin'.

Do you guys have anything like the Sunshine Law?

http://ago.mo.gov/sunshinelaw/sunshinelaw.htm

It's loads of fun when council members think they can meet at a restaurant prior to the official meeting to talk about the good stuff -- and get away with it. ;)