Editor's Note: This item comes unadulturated from the Associated Press at the Democratic National Convention.
Democrats rent asunder _ over chairs, football
By DEVLIN BARRETT
DENVER (AP) -- There wasn't blood on the floor of the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night, but there was a deep scratch, and maybe some bruising.
Laura Chick, the controller for the city of Los Angeles, was sitting with California delegates when she grabbed an Associated Press reporter's arm.
"This man just took my chair, knocked into me, look at this!" she said, showing a bright red nick on her arm, and then pointing to her ankle, which she said he had stepped on.
The man in question, who would not identify himself, said: "I am a Clinton delegate and these Obama delegates are mistreating us," prompting groans and eye rolls from those seated around him.
Chick was furious but said she will handle it.
"If he does it again, I'll kick his" rear end, she said.
___
Delegates love to talk about how great their own states are, but they will admit, when pressed, which are the worst states.
Chick allowed that California was best, of course. But when asked which state was worst, pondered a minute and said: "Alabama, I guess, I just have this feeling that there is lingering prejudices there, but maybe that's totally unfair on my part."
Nearby, the Ohio delegates easily picked out the worst state.
"Oh, Michigan, definitely. It's a good thing they didn't seat us near them," said Rick Neal of Columbus, Ohio, citing the great rivalry between the two states' premier college football programs.
Ron Kaye is the former editor of the Los Angeles Daily News where he spent 23 years helping to make the newspaper the voice of the San Fernando Valley and fighting for a city government that serves the people and not special interests.
Twice in recent years, Los Angeles Magazine listed Kaye among the city’s most influential people, specifically in the area of politics. Kaye has been variously described in the media as the “accidental anarchist,” “the Patrick Henry of the San Fernando Valley” and a “passionate populist.” He is now committed to
carrying on his crusade for a greater Los Angeles as an ordinary citizen. Previously, Ron worked at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner,
Associated Press, Cleveland Plain Dealer and The Australian as well as papers
in Fairbanks, Alaska and Yakima, Wash. He also wrote for Newsweek magazine, The Guardian in London and the National Enquirer.
Does it surprise anyone that after being assaulted Laura would run to a reporter? And do you think she was still upset, or just stupid, when she identified her least favorite state? "Alabama, I guess, I just have this feeling that there is lingering prejudices there, but maybe that's totally unfair on my part."
Not sure? Read her blog on My Fox La. It sounds like a 6th grade book report.
Why talk about that slimy politician Laura Chick when you can comment on the slimy new editor, Gracias Garcia of the LA Daily News. She canned another editor to further her yellow journalism promotion of liberalism, lesbians, and Mexican La Raza.
YOU WANT PROOF? THERE'S PLENTY. WAIT AND SEE.
http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2008/08/subtract_another_daily_ne.php
Subtract another Daily News editor
5:20 PM Tuesday
This time it is City Editor Judi Erickson who decided the grass is greener outside the Dean Singleton newspaper universe. Memo from Editor Carolina Garcia:
http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2008/08/subtract_another_daily_ne.php
...
"Just to tote up the bill so far for 2008: Editor Ron Kaye, Managing Editor Melissa Lalum, Assistant ME George Foulsham, Editor of the Editorial Page Chris Weinkopf, columnist Bridget Johnson, education reporter Naush Boghossian, Washington reporter Lisa Friedman, feature writer Brent Hopkins, music critic Fred Shuster, Glendale reporter Alex Dobuzinskis, web editor Josh Kleinbaum, cityside reporters Val Kuklenski and Rick Coca, Kings beat reporter Matthew Kredell, sports writers Matt McHale, Billy Witz and Heather Gripp, and many others whose names I did not confirm. And it's still early in the year. To be fair, there have been some hires mixed in with the departures."
Gracias Garcia's new editors purposely distorting the news
from an email by Naush Boghossian...
Hi, XXXX.
I'm fully aware of what Prop. 39 states. I certainly did not write it
that way and will check up on it. The editing process is a very
interesting one.
Thank you.
Naush
there's more.
Anyone notice Mayor V. sitting directly behind Bill Clinton whenever the camera was on Bill before, during and after Hillary's speech?
I wonder how much that choice seat cost us LAians.
The two things I loved the most, and I wish I could be a mirror on the wall to see his reaction if anyone ever has the nerve to tell V. that 99-percent of the time he was videocast from the chin down. That's the only time his smarmy smile is wiped from his face.
Then there was the poignant moment when childlike V. played knock-knock on Bill's right shoulder.
Leaning way forward, V. gave that distinguished shoulder three hard raps, which said, "Yoo-hoo. I'm here right behind you. Acknowledge me!"
And acknowledge him Bill did, for all of about 21 seconds before shining him on. I never saw Bill turn back again for further chit-chat with our un-illustrious mayor.
Gracias Garcia just announced that Beth Barrett is leaving too, so the exodus is growing ever greater.
Personally, I thought the way she got the Mirthala story -- by admitting she flew to Phoenix to spy on the guest list and try to interview mourners at her mother's funeral, and then called Corinna's mother and got her to fess up in an unguarded moment (NOT kosher to do with an old lady unless you make it clear who you are, why you're asking and what you'll do with the
info) -- was low. She also did not need to publish names of DWP employees to make the point about excessive salary and perks -- and in fact, that point got lost in the mix of low-wage employees, when there are still upto 200 getting free cars plus exhorbitant salaries over 150K.
But I'm very concerned about the blatant way this new editor is turning the Daily News into a Latino paper, even changing the stories of reporters who don't suit her political bias (like that Naush ref. above re: 39); there was a strong bias before as well, but it wasn't ethno-centric. What's happening here sounds truly xenophobic, and why people worry when Latinos seize power. Too bad she's giving them justification for worry (like Alarcon, Reyes, Cedillo, Nunez and company on the political scene).