Good, Bad, and Ugly

Liberal Edward Kennedy?

Obama pays tribute to liberal Edward Kennedy
   
MIDDLETOWN, Conn., May 25 (Reuters) – U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama, seen by some as the heir to the Kennedy family legacy, praised Sen. Edward Kennedy as a champion for the poor and struggling, as he stepped in for the ailing Massachusetts senator at a graduation ceremony.

I don’t understand Reuters decision to include the “liberal” label to describe Senator Kennedy in the headline. The “liberal” label seems totally irrelevant to the content of the article.

By labeling Senator Kennedy as “liberal”, Reuters reflects a not-so-subtle conservative bias, not only against Senator Kennedy, but, by association, against Barack Obama as well. Shame on you, Reuters. You should know better. 

Lake Tahoe

Several readers questioned the word in this context. The headline originally referred to “liberal icon Kennedy,” which seems more appropriate, but then icon got dropped in the editing process: GBU Editor 

The wrong name…

Opposition wins seat in blow to UK’s Brown

“They must know the writing is on the wall,” said 60-year-old Patrick Sutton, also a lifelong Labour supporter who switched to Conservative candidate Edward Simpson.

As one of the leading news providers, it seems a schoolboy error for your reporter and editor to have misspelled the name of the winner of the Crewe and Nantwich by-election immediately next to a picture of his name on a large poster, otherwise keep up the good work

No comparison…

New shows in the works from “Idol” creator Fuller

The 2007 finale was seen by more than 33 million viewers, according to Nielsen, and more than 74 million people voted for winner Jordin Sparks. (In comparison, President George Bush got 62 million votes in the 2004 election, according to the Office of the Federal Register.)

Your story contains a glaring error that misleads readers into believing that more Americans voted for American Idol’s Jordin Sparks in last season’s finale than voted for President Bush. This is flatly wrong. Idol claims 74 million VOTES, not PEOPLE who voted. This is irresponsible reporting at its worst. 

Bad cropping…

There is a reuters photo of Obama circulating that includes a background picture with the “Change” banner cropped down to “Hang”.

Some people may find this quite offensive and would have a very hard time believing this was just an honest mistake. Really looks like it was done on purpose, or there is no editing staff whatsoever. Please remove it.

Proud, or really proud?

Obama’s wife joins push to court US working class  

But she has stirred controversy, such as when she said in February: “For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country.” Critics said the comment sounded unpatriotic and suggested she had not been proud of her country before her husband’s candidacy.

Is it nomral Reuters standard to misquote important people, when the misquote amounts to slander?

This isn’t the White House

I  don’t believe this event was held at the White House, was it?…

A Washingtonian

You’re right. We had plenty of journalists at the thing, so this was a bit embarrassing. We corrected: GBU Editor

REUTERS photo by Jonathan Ernst  

Ala. carte abbreviations

Alaska’s 1st female governor gives birth to son

ANCHORAGE, Alabama (Reuters) – Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin gave birth to a baby boy early on Friday, becoming the second U.S. governor to have a baby while serving in office.

Great atricle today on Governor Palin. That is of course, with the exception of opening the piece up with a preschool mistake. Might I suggest a small gift of a U.S. States for Dummies book for the author?

Another meaning…

Young Pennsylvania voters take a shine to Obama

I think a news headline about taking a “shine” to a man of color is considered in poor taste, at best.

Mark S.

Please reseach Black folklore and historical use of the term “Shine” that your use in the same sentence with Sen Obama. I think you will find it, if not inappropriate, at least a pretty odd choice of words.

Blue, red, blue, red…

Please quit promoting John McCain. Your bias toward him and Republicans is clear. There is no need to frame it in an “article” that is a McCain promotion.

I read Reuters because it seemed to report the financial and economic news in an unbiased way. What happened?

The race is over?

U.S Democratic race over? Clinton doesn’t think so

WASHINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) – Somebody forgot to tell Hillary Clinton the Democratic presidential race is over and Barack Obama won.

Clearly you need to correct the opening of your article. When last I checked, there were ten states that haven’t yet voted for a candidate. A presidential race is “over” when either a candidate has dropped out of the race, a candidate has earned the required delegates to claim the nomination and halt the race, or all  states have voted, and the candidate with the most delegates has won. Thank you for your commitment to the facts.