Kerry intentionally snubs local reporters in Georgia

[toopers]

The local news stations were reporting that Kerry was avoiding the local news people. Apparently, his campaign people ferreted the local reporters out of a Kerry political gathering to undergo "security" checks. However, the security people never showed up, and the reporters were left unattended for a long time. One of the reporters opened the door to see what was happening and saw that the rally had started. When the reporters tried to leave, another individual from the Kerry group told the local reporters that they were not allowed to participate in the rally and would not be able to ask Kerry any questions.

Unfortunately, I did not hear about this until after I voted this morning or I would have voted differently.

I heard this on the radio so there is no headline yet.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. As reported by whom?

Some local guy with an axe to grind?

[mobuto]

2. You would have voted differently?

Because Kerry may or may not have an asshole working for his communications department? Ok.

[CatWoman]

3. and this is LBN????

[meegbear]

4. Since you have no links ...

this shouldn't be in LBN.

[barbaraann]

5. Local reporters? Georgia?

Perhaps some FreeRepublic self-appointed "reporters" or what?

[TroglodyteScholar]

10. Bunk

This is almost undoubtedly false. I watched my local news this morning and saw a local Georgia reporter interviewing Kerry.

I don't know what the details of the rally might be, but if the man was trying to avoid the press, he failed.

[toopers]

14. Obviously, I cannot check all the news,

but the interviews you saw this morning were not from this morning at the Roadway Depot, and you did not hear any of the local reporters asking questions. This is not bunk. Sorry.

[TroglodyteScholar]

22. I'm sure of what I saw, thanks

YES, it WAS from the Roadway Depot. I could see the damn truckstop in the background. Maybe he got caught off-guard, I don't know. But the interview I saw WAS from this morning.

[Mistress Quickly]

28. What were you watching? n/t

[TroglodyteScholar]

54. Morning news on 13 wmaz

(Macon cbs affiliate)

[toopers]

11. I know that this is a little out of the ordinary.

As stated, this was on the radio this morning so there would not be any links yet. This was on the largest news radio station in the Atlanta area. It is latest breaking news since it is well under the time guidelines as required by the rules for posting.

Based upon the fact that Kerry has stated previously that he does not care about the south and now his actions seem to be backing his statements, he has lost my support going forward.

The national reporters are not going to ask the specific questions that pertain to the south, and if he is going to avoid the issues that are important to the south then I can't support him.

[AZCat]

12. What questions do you have about the south?

You mention specific questions that pertain to the south- I am curious what questions you want asked of Kerry.

[barbaraann]

16. Maybe Kerry doesn't like the Confederate flag.

Ya think?

[barbaraann]

13. What radio station?

We aren't fools here.

[toopers]

15. WSB-750 AM

[barbaraann]

18. Oh, I see they carry Sean Hannity and Neal Boortz.

Like I said, we aren't fools here.

[AZCat]

21. I think Boortz is on right now n/t

[toopers]

Yes, they do carry those guys, but they also carry news

and the best traffic reporting on the radio. If you have ever dealt with Atlanta traffic, you know we need all the help we can get!

[barbaraann]

24. Yoohoo! News? No.

Mind control. Propaganda. Lies. Not news.

[TroglodyteScholar]

20. Loyalty

You've changed your mind about your candidate because you heard an unconfirmed report on a large metro ATL radio station? This kind of unwavering support is what will win the White House for the dems this year...</sarcasm>

I'd also like to see a link with the exact quote in which Kerry stated he doesn't care about the south, if you don't mind. That seems like a foolish move for *anyone* running for presidential candidacy.

[October]

31. 2nd paragraph reveals more about you

[Bandit]

44. I guess you will just have to vote for Bush* now.....

Since that is in reality your only two choices. How childish.

[KC21304]

51. Do you have a certifiable quote of Kerry saying he does

not care about the South ? Nice try.

[rooboy]

6. Any state that has had Saxby Chambliss set foot in it..

needs to be defoliated, and removed from the commonwealth.

[King of New Orleans]

7. Because when you hold a rally

I guess you don't want it reported on TV and the papers huh?

Lamest fake story, ever

[toopers]

19. He allowed the national press

which reported the story, but not the local press. YOu understand the difference don't you, right?

[GregW]

8. Buh-bye

Nice try (well, no ... not really)

[bushisanidiot]

9. Oh, and pres. shitferbrains is ALWAYS available for the press just like in

his 2000 campaign. Give me a friggin' break! AWOL did nothing but HIDE from the press in 2000 and would only give (scripted) interviews to REPUKE news organizations like fox "news".

Kerry has no problem speaking off the cuff.. GAWD, I can't wait for the debates!!! Kerry's gonna mop the floor with the chimp in chief.

[Nevernose]

17. You really think there'll be a debate?

Wanna buy a bridge? ;-)

[bushisanidiot]

29. Good Point. AWOL will probably schedule 2 debates which will Rove will

have cancelled due to some unforeseen emergency or some such creation of theirs..

[Bridget Burke]

23. Still no headline?

Gosh, how surprising!

[AZCat]

25. Here's an article from the WSB-750 AM site... contradicting you

link: http://wsbradio.com/news/030204edwards3a.htmlhttp://wsbradio.com/news/030204edwards3a.html

Super Tuesday Could Be Last Hurrah For Edwards

ATLANTA (AP) John Edwards clung to hopes of keeping his candidacy alive on the biggest day of the primary season, while front-runner John Kerry looked for a Super Tuesday sweep that could finally drive his remaining contender from the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Both senators were beginning the day in Atlanta, with Edwards of North Carolina visiting a polling place and Kerry of Massachusetts meeting with workers.
<snip>
In an interview Monday with an Albany, Ga., television station, Kerry contrasted his experience as a 19-year Senate veteran with Edwards' short career. A millionaire trial lawyer, Edwards was elected to the Senate in 1998 after no previous political experience and is still in his first term. ``I have a stronger, longer, broader, deeper record than John Edwards,'' Kerry told WALB-TV. ``John Edwards I respect he's been in the Senate since 1999. But there is no showing that he has a stronger record than I do with respect to putting people back to work and what we need to do to show the leadership of the future.''
<snip>

So an Albany, Ga. television station does not qualify as local news people? I'm sure they will be disappointed.

[TroglodyteScholar]

26. Hm, that says Monday........

Still nothing for Tuesday, though?

Hm. There is a possibility that the interview I saw was conducted by a reporter from the national press, as I'm not terribly familar with reporters local to other cities in GA...

[Mistress Quickly]

30. It was specifically this a.m.

at the Labor Rally at the Rodeway Terminal, and Atlanta news. Not Monday in Albany.

[AZCat]

33. I'm not debating that- but Kerry did NOT shut out the local media

If he gave an interview to an Albany station, he didn't shut out the local media. There is no link for your allegation, except for a mention of a RW talk show radio station.

Try again.

[Mistress Quickly]

36. WSB radio

is probably one of the most listened to radio stations in the state, if not the southeast. If the fact they do have libertarian and right-wing talk shows should disqualify them from interviewing democratic candidates, then Kerry only hurts himself. I don't give a crap, I alreay voted for Kucinich, but it sure seems like a crappy way to treat the local (read:Atlanta) media.

The guy, Richard Sankster, has been covering politics for along time, and if you don't think people of all types (including myself and Toopers) listen to the station, then that's fine, but left and right types listen to it, they have news updates all the time, and are TOPS with the traffic, which sucks in Atlanta, hence one of the reasons why so many people of all stripes listen to it.

And yes, it was during Neal Boortz's show, and Boortz asked Sankster if it was because of who is on the radio during the day, and Sankster said No, they treated everyone the same, even the TV stations with better known reporters.

[AZCat]

43. Okay- three points

1. News from a radio station such as WSB is valid, but currently we only have second-hand information from you and Tooper about this report- and WSB is the only source cited so far. If there were something in print or another radio station souce, I wouldn't be as skeptical.

2. Kerry gave an interview to the Albany TV station. This is not Atlanta media, but the headline of the thread isn't Atlanta specific. It is a local Georgia station, therefore the headline is false. And we also have the story reported by Concerned Ga Voter of an interview being done this morning on the TV (see previous posts somewhere on this thread).

3. Reporters being prevented from attending one event isn't news. If this were a pattern, I would be suspicious- like a certain president holding only 10 press conferences so far, that is something that makes me suspicious.

Just my opinion.

[Mistress Quickly]

27. I heard the report

and I agree with you. He did snub the local reporters, from 11 Alive, WSB and WSB-TV, and another, can't remember if it was FOX 5 (local Fox). Apparently the local news was told they would not be able to question Kerry at all. Only the Natinal media would.

If what the guy was reporting is accurate, it shows what asses Kerry has for help, and how much he is NOT concerned with our votes in GA.

But hey, like another DU'er said, we should just needs to be defoliated, and removed from the commonwealth.

Thanks for the love.

And people wonder why the Democratic Party can't carry the south.

[barbaraann]

34. The Democratic Party can't carry the South because of RACISM.

n/t

[Mistress Quickly]

37. Thanks for grouping me in with that group

along with a whole lot of other people.

[barbaraann]

41. Not everyone in the South is racist, but too many are.

I know. I lived there for many years and heard racist things with my own ears many times.

[papau]

35. Dem's can't carry the South unless they allow Fox to interview?

I guess I did not realize how much power right wing talk radio and TV have in the South.

I do not doubt it - I just had higher hopes.

Sort of Kills the Edwards concept, though.

[Mistress Quickly]

39. What are you talking about?

We were talking about all local media, NBC, ABC, (WSB carries CNN newsbreaks), Fox, all of 'em.

[papau]

55. Did I not read that local reporters did interview?

Sorry if I mis-read, but I thought this was only one interview opportunity - and that indeed Kerry had had local folks in interview Q&A sessions.

I also thought the local TV was a Fox outlet, and that the radio station was one whose theme was right-wing talk.

And that the pick-up on the charge was by other right-wing talk stations.

So which ABC, NBC, or CBS outlet was refused an interview?

[toopers]

56. And they are also the ABC news affiliate to the

local WSB-TV station.

[DoctorMyEyes]

32. How fast was that turnip truck traveling?

The story just defies logic. Please try thinking about it.

[Merlin]

38. Man, those must have been some really, really dumb reporters.

They allowed themselves to be "ferretted out" of a crowd, and shuffled off outside the hall to go through a "security check" !

That's hilarious! It really fulfills my stereotypical image of local Georgia yokels. Kind of like Mayberry gumshoes.

But wait! There's more!

These enterprising "reporters" then docilely stood around "unattended" for a lengthy period of time while the event got under way.

Ahhhhh ha ha ha! That's great!

Gosh, I'm amazed they had the initiative to actually open the door.

Limbaugh's writers don't get any better than this.

Oh, and since this is LBN, may I repeat the appeal:

Link Please!

[Mistress Quickly]

40. I am restraining the actual words I'd like to use

for your snide comments on us local yokels.

The secret service were told to swep their equipment, and reporters, and thus escorted them into another room.

The bigotry here against the south astounds me sometimes.

[Liberal Veteran]

46. They were probably from the Orchard Hill Gazette and Boxankle Almanac...

And before anyone blasts me, I actually grew up in Orchard Hill, Georgia which is in Spalding county and my Grandmother was born in Boxankle, Georgia which is in Monroe County.

Blink while driving through either town and you will miss them.


Had to edit because I forgot, Forsyth isn't a county, it's a town in Monroe County, like Boxankle.

[jocal]

57. Actually Forsyth *is* a county (and a town)

Forsyth County is located directly north of Fulton (where Atlanta is)... not far (or as we say in GA, "just yonder") from Spalding County. Both counties are in the "metro Atlanta" area.

[onehandle]

42. I was there. This is a lie.

Maybe not the poster's lie. I imagine he was listening to talk radio.

On edit, I just noticed that he was listening to WSB-750 AM.

He might as well been listening to Karl Rove.

I was there early. So was the media. End of story.

[Mistress Quickly]

45. So the Atlanta media

wasn't set aside, and only National coverage allowed?

[onehandle]

47. No, they were not.

When I got home I flipped through the local news reports and they all had different video. Even our local Faux affiliate.

[Tiberius]

48. Headline? Link?

This should be locked.

[onehandle]

49. No kidding.

I sent an alert. Anyone else?

[mountainvue]

50. Why would you have voted differently?

[KC21304]

53. That is my question too. Especially if you already knew

that Kerry said he " didn't care about the South ".

[pfitz59]

52. After their treatment of Cleland , why shouldn't he?

Ralph Reed runs the Georgia GOP dirty tricks! Kerry is no fool. He can win without the lying thieving Georgia crowd! (PS - I have cousins in GA. Have been there many times, and love SOME aspects of the state, but its been taken over by the REPUKES!)

[hang a left]

58. Peaches! We don't need no freakin' peaches.

[Moderator]

59. Locking...

We normally allow TV or radio stories because sometimes they get news out faster than the internet. But in this case, some time has passed and there is still no verifiable link, not even on the radio station's website at http://wsbradio.com/ .