If I want to read fiction, I'll go to Barnes & Noble and buy a novel. Sadly, our friends at Gannett's local outpost - the Daily Times - seem to think that when it comes to writing (it surely isn't reporting) about Salisbury and its city government, its more important to tell THEIR STORY rather than report the news. Jeremy Cox's article about Wednesday's NAACP candidate forum is but the latest in a long line of sad examples.
As we noted yesterday, Ireton chose to call opponent Joe Albero a racist rather than argue the merits of his vs. Albero's plans for Salisbury's future. Cox had no choice but to admit this as he had already said as much on Twitter Wednesday evening:
Ireton comes out swinging, calling Albero racist: "It’s become abundantly clear that my opponent on his website is someone who sees color."
Yet, today Cox manages to twist the story by bending the rules of time. Perhaps Cox watches too much Doctor Who:
“It’s become abundantly clear,” Ireton said, in a message that appeared calculated for the audience, which was about one-third African-American, “that my opponent on his website is someone who sees color.”
Albero didn’t immediate respond, but later said the city needs a “leader who won’t stand up on a soapbox and call people racists.”
NAACP chapter President Mary Ashanti urged the men back on the political high ground, saying: “We will not having you come in here to be insulted whether you’re in the audience or on here.”
Cox wants his readers to infer that Ashanti admonished both candidates. In reality, Albero's comment about standing on a soapbox came much later in the debate. (examine Cox's realtime Twitter feed) In addition, Albero's statements were based in fact rather than opinion or scurrilous assertion. Ireton is on record implying that the majority of council are racists because they disagreed with his desire to build quarter million dollar apartments in one of Salisbury's worst neighborhoods. and ... Ireton is on record implying that another political opponent, this time Albero, is also a racist. While Ashanti did not call Ireton out by name, it was clear to the audience that her comments were directed towards Ireton. After the debate we learned that Ashanti was also referring to some nasty questions clearly submitted by Ireton surrogates.
Even more telling that what Cox chooses to write is what he chooses to OMIT. There is no mention of Ireton falsely claiming that he "has always given credit to [council president] Terry Cohen for bringing the Safe Streets program to Salisbury. There is also no mention of Ireton spending the second half of the debate (again, falsely) blaming the city council for all of the Salisbury's woes.
In his coverage of the District 2 council candidates, Cox does much the same. He implies a negative on incumbent Debbie Campbell:
Of the three District 2 contenders, incumbent Debbie Campbell appeared at odds with opponents Jake Day and Jack Heath on most issues. For their part, Day and Heath did little to suggest any philosophical daylight between each other.
Yet, on the night of the debate, Cox wrote: "Little daylight between Day and Heath on issues. Seem to agree on most. Mainly, that they are against everything Campbell has done." Note the change in tone. In print, Campbell is "at odds" with her opponent. The truth is much closer to Cox's spontaneous tweet that (Day and Heath) "are against everything Campbell has done."
I can understand Jim Ireton crawling into the political gutter. His record does not warrant re-election, so he believes that he must resort to the same type of attacks thrown at him in 2009 regarding his sexual orientation. However, I would remind Ireton that he won the election, in part, because voters refused to vote for a candidate who was tied (however loosely) to those attacks. That does not explain Cox grinding the grist of hatred and derision.
On Wednesday night I was on Twitter as well:
@Jeremy_Cox did great job tweeting NAACP forum. Hope it is as balanced when printed in DT (@MyDelmarvaNow) #SalisburyMD...
It obviously wasn't. I still hope that Jeremy can learn to report balanced news of this year's Salisbury elections. I'll keep hoping; but it looks like we'll have to continue settling for Jeremy Cox, novelist.
23 comments:
Another one sided idiot, what do you expect these days.
If they do it will be wrong. They couldn't report the truth even when it is written down for them already.
Never have never will.
The same people that trashed Ireton in the last election and sent mass e-mails to many people about Jim's sexual preference are now his freinds? Go figure.
I voted for him and I don't care about sexual preference either, but I'll not be voting for him a second time.
Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me!
I was also disappointed by the fact that Jeremy refused to publish what was clearly the biggest statement of the night.
When asked what we would do to create jobs in Salisbury. I stated the following for the first time in public.
The Mayor's job is a part time job. I would immediately make it a full time job. 50% of my time would be spent doing the duties of the Mayor and the other 50% of the time I would become the first Economic Development Director for the City of Salisbury.
I went on to say that I would NOT sit back like this Mayor and the former Mayor and wait for businesses to fall into my lap. I would aggressively go to other communities in the tri state are and encourage them to relocate to Salisbury.
Rather than TAXING our way out of a bad economy, I would GROW our way out of a bad economy.
I'm SHOCKED the Daily Times didn't publish that information.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
The same people that trashed Ireton in the last election and sent mass e-mails to many people about Jim's sexual preference are now his freinds? Go figure.
I voted for him and I don't care about sexual preference either, but I'll not be voting for him a second time.
Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me!
February 1, 2013 at 12:34 PM
And many of them are associated with the fire department.
I have no reason to vote for anyone except Debbie Campbell for the council.
Unless the writer of this post, I have no hope that Jeremy Cox will be anything better than what he is, which is just another Daily Times hack wannabe journalist, no better than the Sarah Lake he replaced.
The Daily Times should just shut down or change its name to something honest like The Daily Political Publicist for One Side.
Of course they are NOT going to favor you Joe because they HAVE to be pro ireton in-case he wins, but everyone knows he aint going to win so let them take the Risk, when you do become mayor don't give them the time of day.
Just make sure the truth gets out 2 the ignorant whose only source is the DT...DT uses double speak they are the enemy and represent the dying breed we know as libtards
lmao, joe the daily disappointment only has one agenda, theirs. My question is if you become mayor you gonna still approve their tax breaks every year? like jimmy and barrie have?
People, please stop suggesting that Joe 'goes after' some business or person(s) when and if he is elected mayor.
That is NOT moving forward.
He is to be elected to IMPROVE the Salisbury city and area.
More than likely he will have to work with some of the people you wish him to attack, harass or whatever you have in mind.
These people will have their comeuppance just by the fact he is elected. No need for any salt in anybodies wounds.
It's time to get serious about this and act as adults. Adults who want better for themselves and their children.
Do not cast shadows on Joe's election attempt. Let's take the high road and be better than we have for the last x number of years.
Yes?
Ireton used the liberal Democrat tactic -- try to denigrate the opponent, like Bammy did to Romney last year.
I thought everything was supposed to be better after that fat New York jerk canned that Bassett jerk.
I thought everything was supposed to be better after that fat New York jerk canned that Bassett jerk.
February 1, 2013 at 8:27 PM
An example of my previous point. The personal attacks must stop. We have to be more civil, not only for this race, but in society at large.
Some have pointed out that these mass shootings that we are experiencing is not only due to people with mental issues but societies moral and ethical downward spiral.
Society all over this country has to improve. Let us start here, on this blog.
If we treat people good, they will treat us good. It is contagious. It will spread from our little blog, our little city, our little state and grow all over the U.S.
Let's give it a try shall we?
8:27, me too. Apparently Gannett sees smear as its number one product in Salisbury.
9:27, sorry, but calling Bassett a jerk may not seem nice, but I think it's a term that holds the man barely accountable. His newspaper went after people (still is) with bias and innuendo, damaging innocent people's lives and livelihoods. He had the audacity to say that Joe did that, yet was no worse than the rag newspaper, and was actually fairer because people could respond to him and he'd print it instantly in as big a place and print as his criticism.
Basset, more than any elected official, had the opportunity to do something great for Salisbury, but he sold this city down the tubes worse than anyone.
7:26 n9:27 the obvious bias of the DT has been known for years they have been part of the problem..the liberal mentality it is a diesease..dam right we want them run out town on a rail
9:48
Those who grew up with Greg Bassett ain't surprised by what he became and did at the Daily Slime.
Surely the DT will have to report on the latest legal issues involving the AG's office.
7:26-9:27 Very wise person.
Stay on the high road, remember, Karma! You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.
Anonymous said...
7:26-9:27 Very wise person.
Stay on the high road, remember, Karma! You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.
February 2, 2013 at 10:18 AM
You are an idiot. You have to fight fire with fire or you lose elections. Look what happened to McCain and Romney. They took the high road and gave America away because they placed nice guys and lost an election. Their Party was to weak to fight back.
The DT report on anything of real significance?
Hahahahahahahaaahahha.
As it is, the reporter who does a lousy biased job reporting on city politics has been demoted to a blogger so his lies can be more of an opinion piece. Delmarva Watchdog, yeah right.
Greg Bassett made "blogger" a dirty word in this town, but he had a blog. His writers had blogs. Now this Enquirer-style guy has a blog.
What a joke. When people laugh at Salisbury, the Daily Times is as big a part of that as the government.
Maybe we'll get mention on Letterman again, like "Wal-Wart" in the headline. Stupid paper couldn't get a delegate's 4-letter last name right.
Your "novelist" had a half page ad about himself in the Daily Times today. Big picture of himself, too.
The Investigator
No one in the Delmarva area brings as much investigative background to the table as I do.
It's my job to navigate through this complex world, sift through the information and bring you a concise and clear report.
My name is Jeremy Cox and I am committed to you.
Let's keep the discussion going.
***Did anyone else throw up in their mouth a little, or a lot?
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