W. Va. paper submits to Senator's no-guns questions stipulation

Last month, Jim Boeheim went off on Andy Katz because, allegedly, Katz previously broke a promise not to ask about Bernie Fine during an on-camera interview. Supposedly, Boeheim thought it was one of the terms of granting the interview.

The West Virginia Journal-News must have learned its lesson. It agreed to a no-guns questions edict from Sen. Joe Manchin in a recent Q-and-A:

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/03/sen-joe-manchin-really-doesnt-want-talk-about-guns/62701/

Pathetic on Manchin's part to insist on such a ground rule. And bad precedent set by the paper, as well. I don't know why both parties can't come to the agreement that the paper will ask, and the Senator will decline to answer. Win-win.

 

Why cut off your nose to spite your face? Ask him about guns in every other interview session. Get this interview for your readers.

 

While I think the newspaper was wrong here, but see your point, as well, "pathetic" was a reference to Manchin.

 

Oh. Then yes. Elected officials really should be answering to their electorates. But this isn't a politics thread, damn it!

 

This stuff happens more than you'd think.

 

Another newspaper proving that it isn't worth reading to its audience. The "value to readers" of an interview with an elected official, or anyone for that matter, who calls the shots on questions is nil. Manchin doesn't even have the guts to say "no comment"? What a useless piece of shit he is,. even by Senatorial standards.

 

Not saying Manchin is right in the way he handled this, but isn't this sort of a "no comment" in advance? Even if the paper doesn't ask those questions in this particular interview, they certainly can -- and should -- mention in the piece that Manchin refused to discuss that issue ahead of time.

 

Damage control from Manchin's office:

Sent out last night.
The Journal has been pretty outspoken defending themselves. The editor makes no bones about the interview's constraints. He said they would proceed but they would provide a note at the top pointing out the Sen.'s stipulations.

 

It's exactly that. And the newspaper threw it in his face with a clear disclaimer about the interview.

But why would guns be the only worthwhile topic for an interview with a U.S. senator?

 

Let's at least give them credit for telling their readers of agreement.

How many other interviews has Manchin given, where the readers weren't told?

And, the problem is much bigger than this. How many stories have been written in big newspapers, using quotes from Obama administration officials, where they were given "quote approval"? How often did they tell us of this agreement?

And, no, it's not a Democrat thing. Republicans do, or would do, the same thing if allowed to.