Senator Wayne Allard responded today to Democratic criticism of his comments regarding illegal immigrants by saying his remarks were taken out of context. From The Associated Press:
He said he was referring to smugglers who abandon or enslave illegal immigrants and are involved in drug and crime rings. He said he never mentioned ethnicity and, in fact, based his remarks on media accounts of the plight of women and children from around the world.
The Tribune disagreed:
Tribune Editor Chris Cobler said the reporter denies misrepresenting what Allard said. He said he had no reason to doubt that Allard was denouncing people who traffick in illegal immigrants. "But I strongly believe our reporter when he says that's not what (Allard) said," Cobler added. He said Allard's office didn't complain after the story was published.
Allard's response came after Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak criticized him for comments in The Greeley Sentinel on May 27 in which he said that illegal immigrants are "all the same bad characters." Waak told the AP that she "became aware of Allard's remarks Monday after hearing from the head of the state Democratic Party's Latino Initiative."
The follow-up to the Tribune's original story actually originated here at Colorado Pols, and if Waak heard it from someone else, it was because they heard it here.
After in depth investigation this reporter has uncovered the facts. Our premise is, “What motivation did the reporter for the Greeley Tribune have for mis-quoting the august Senator Allard?” The answer is obvious. The Greeley Tribune is a hot bed of progressive, liberal, Democratic ideology. The American Institute for Truth, Justice and The American Way has completed a study of one issue of the infamous Greeley Tribune and concludes that 98% of its news content is written by liberal journalists with a progressive “slant”. And as even further proof, the Tribune’s editorials are rife with liberal-progressive statements. When we asked the reporter of this infamous story how he could justify misquoting and taking out of context the Honorable Senator Allard’s comments, his reply was weak and lame. We quote here, “I’ve got my notes from the interview.” That we feel is justification enough to misbelieve this miscreant of journalism. Gentle Reader, we are supremely confident that our report here, now, today puts this sordid episode to rest.
I remain, Antonio Ersatchi, your humble Investigative Reporter.
Posted by: Antonio Ersatchi | June 30, 2005 at 09:03 AM
Looks like Senator Allard went to the Peggy Lamm school of public relations. Obfuscate and Mislead 101.
Posted by: Rick James | June 30, 2005 at 09:30 AM
Bravo! Look at Allard squirm.
This ought to show Pat and Weld Cty Dems that if they get on the ball they'll enjoy the rewards.
Posted by: Yup | June 30, 2005 at 11:04 AM
This is my fifth, and last ever, post to this site. I regret if I contributed to any traction this story ever had. I try to be objective (I'm not always), but this site, while it strives hard to appear objective, is very much not.
The fact is, indisputably the reporter paraphrased the actual offensive statement, and many here are pretending that Allard actually said "illegal immigrants are all bad characters" -- at the behest of this blog, which appears to be proud for identifying the topic. In fact, I believe this site is pleased with having had controversy surround an R. Which means it is run by anti-Rs, which is okay, except for the fact that it is cloaked in John Stewart-style faux objectivity.
If Allard actually said and meant that he thinks all illegals are bad characters, that phrase would have been entirely in quotes. It wasn't. It wasn't because the reporter was either too lazy to clarify in order to obtain the exact quote, or deliberately did not clarify so that the issue could go forward.
This is all okay, blog-wise, except that this site is horribly inconsistent in its treatment of Allard's response. For example, should Waak be ashamed for associating "latinos" with "illegal immigrants"? Where is the following headline: "When in doubt, don't ask someone what they said and meant if their response will undermine the credibility of a politically motivated accusation."
I'm not hispanic, but if I was, I would be super PO'd at Waak for simultaneously suggesting I should take a perceived shot at illegals as a shot at me, and also for taking my ethnic community for granted in some perverted political calculus. And that subject - which I may not be objective about - is certainly fair and obligatory material for any objective blog. But I haven't seen "When in doubt, accuse someone of being racist" posted yet.
No offense to anyone intended of course, because I enjoy reading everyone's thoughts.
Posted by: perspective | June 30, 2005 at 11:30 AM
Good comment, perspective. Stick around. No blog nor newspaper is objective. Some try to be fair, and some pretend to be fair. I don't think this blog has ever covered up it's lefty leanings. In fact, the owner makes it clear he's a Dem. That's ok by me, because we have some interesting discussions and rants here, and everyone has a chance to spin at will.
I don't know the Greely paper nor its reporters and editors, but I know journalism and journalists. If you're working on the Greely paper, you're either a beginner, hack or just like living there. So if the reporter misquoted the senator, I wouldn't be surprised. Been there. Done that. At the same time, the reporter may have accurately quoted a senator who misspoke. Been there. Done that.
What's important is what the senator says he meant and believes. The beauty of newspapers is that they update every day. Blogs update all day long. Newspaper editors tend to stand behind their reporters, but they do it only so many times. If there are a lot of complaints about a reporter, an editor gets nervous and eventually will fire an incompetent. But, editors and reporters can be very defensive and arrogant, as the NY Times has been proving for years.
Similarly, politicians can deny about anything. The talk so much about so many things that they probably don't remember everything they say any more than the rest of us do.
Bottom line, you have to give everyone the benefit of the doubt on something like this, unless you have a partisan reason to make an issue of itas the Dems do in this case.
It's just politics as usaul, eh?
Posted by: Donald E. L. Johnson | June 30, 2005 at 12:15 PM
Pardon my typos. I usually am perfect!
Posted by: Donald E. L. Johnson | June 30, 2005 at 12:25 PM
Pardin my typos. I usally an poifect!
Posted by: Donald E. L. Johnson | June 30, 2005 at 12:28 PM
Pardon my typos.
Posted by: Donald E. L. Johnson | June 30, 2005 at 12:39 PM
Intrepid Italian reporter has dug deeper in to story. Impeccable Unnamed Source has given this reporter the following information. All working at Greeley Tribute are either beginner, hack or just like living there. Impeccable Source has also told this investigative reporter that Newspaper editors tend to stand behind their reporters, but they do it only so many times. Reporter has leaned that “Editor” has stood behind this reporter over 250 times. Reporter has written email to Mr. “Editor.”
Dear Mr. Editor,
This reporter has learned that All working at Greeley Tribute are either a beginner, hack or just like living there. Given that impeccable and irrefutable information we have 3 questions:
Q1. Which are you?
Q2. Which is category fits reporter for Honest Senator Allard story?
Q3. How many more times will you stand behind this reporter and his stories?
Mr. Editor we emphatically deny that we are attacking the messenger or attacking the media, in fact we know irrefutable fact that you are a liberal-progressive voice of the Democratic Party. Our Unnamed Source knows journalism and journalists and even though Source admits he does not know Greeley newspaper, these are facts.
Source has assured us that you are nervous and will fire incompetent reporter of this story.
Q4. Is this true that Incompetent Reporter has been fired for writing scurrilous story?
Mr. Editor we have read Grand Senator Allard’s letter to you and we will file story shortly defending and further proving Senators case. We demand an answer immediately to our questions.
Gentle Reader, be assured that if your investigative reporter is asked for identity of Impeccable Unnamed Source, he will never give in and will go to jail rather than reveal Source.
UPDATE: Gentle Reader, the Editor of Greeley Tribunal has not responded to Antoino, we must conclude all charges against All Working at Greeley Tribune, Editor and Reporter are true. Note to Mr. Perspective: we must not lose your strong objective voice, political discourse, dialog, discussion and debate must continue with your strong arguments. Agree that reporters must put quotes around quotes or no good. You ask question regarding headline, “When in doubt,...etc.” Your headline is too long, could be: “Don’t Ask, It Undermines Credibility.” Better, shorter, newspapers like short headline. One question Mr. Perspective, who is accusing another of being Racist, Antonio will investigate and report.
As always, I remain Investigative Reporter Antonio Ersatchi.
Posted by: Antonio Ersatchi | June 30, 2005 at 01:54 PM
Intrepid Italian reporter has dug deeper in to story. Impeccable Unnamed Source has given this reporter the following information. All working at Greeley Tribute are either beginner, hack or just like living there. Impeccable Source has also told this investigative reporter that Newspaper editors tend to stand behind their reporters, but they do it only so many times. Reporter has leaned that “Editor” has stood behind this reporter over 250 times. Reporter has written email to Mr. “Editor.”
Dear Mr. Editor,
This reporter has learned that All working at Greeley Tribute are either a beginner, hack or just like living there. Given that impeccable and irrefutable information we have 3 questions:
Q1. Which are you?
Q2. Which is category fits reporter for Honest Senator Allard story?
Q3. How many more times will you stand behind this reporter and his stories?
Mr. Editor we emphatically deny that we are attacking the messenger or attacking the media, in fact we know irrefutable fact that you are a liberal-progressive voice of the Democratic Party. Our Unnamed Source knows journalism and journalists and even though Source admits he does not know Greeley newspaper, these are facts.
Source has assured us that you are nervous and will fire incompetent reporter of this story.
Q4. Is this true that Incompetent Reporter has been fired for writing scurrilous story?
Mr. Editor we have read Grand Senator Allard’s letter to you and we will file story shortly defending and further proving Senators case. We demand an answer immediately to our questions.
Gentle Reader, be assured that if your investigative reporter is asked for identity of Impeccable Unnamed Source, he will never give in and will go to jail rather than reveal Source.
UPDATE: Gentle Reader, the Editor of Greeley Tribunal has not responded to Antoino, we must conclude all charges against All Working at Greeley Tribune, Editor and Reporter are true. Note to Mr. Perspective: we must not lose your strong objective voice, political discourse, dialog, discussion and debate must continue with your strong arguments. Agree that reporters must put quotes around quotes or no good. You ask question regarding headline, “When in doubt,...etc.” Your headline is too long, could be: “Don’t Ask, It Undermines Credibility.” Better, shorter, newspapers like short headline. One question Mr. Perspective, who is accusing another of being Racist, Antonio will investigate and report.
As always, I remain Investigative Reporter Antonio Ersatchi.
Posted by: Antonio Ersatchi | June 30, 2005 at 01:54 PM
Looks like Greeley Trib is on the story.
Posted by: Donald E. L. Johnson | June 30, 2005 at 02:32 PM
That is the whackiest thing I have ever seen. But great to know you're on the case AE. Now i'm off to have dinner with the Hardy Boys and Deep Throat.
Posted by: biff | June 30, 2005 at 02:59 PM
This forum needed skhanig up and youÂve just done that. Great post!
Posted by: Jenny | May 04, 2011 at 09:50 PM