When ever I go to Starbucks on Rio Grande on Sunday mornings with Brian I always run into someone I know. Take a look at this gentleman. He looks like your everday guy but he isn't. (Drum roll music here.) He is , the Editor of the Albuquerque Journal Editorial Page! His name is Steve Mills and he ascended to his post after Bill Hume left that same position to become senior policy aide to Governor Bill Richardson.
I have known Steve for many years and have sat across a conference table from him many times while arguing with him or agreeing with him. Mostly, I argued with him when I was Mayor. I always liked him though and felt he had a really difficult job. Editorial Boards are like any other group of people. Everyone has their opinion and I know there is usually quite a bit of debate as they decide to take a position on some issue or political endorsement. I think you can see that happen in many endorsements of candidates when the endorsement spends half its allotted space talking about everything that is wrong with a candidate, before endorsing them. Just look at the Journal endorsement of george bush last election. But, make no mistake about it, it is the Journal Publisher that always makes a final call on high profile endorsements. Although I don't agree with many of their endorsements and editorials I do appreciate we still have a locally owned newspaper. There are not many of those left in this country. I think that is why we get so little really diverse views in Journalism anymore. I just wish our Journal did some hard hitting editorials on the bush administration.
One thing that has surprised me recently about the Journal is its more moderate editorial stance on many environmental issues. This has been evident over the last two or three years and it is a good thing all the way around. I don't think the Journal gets high marks on growth issue editorials however. Maybe in time that will change too.
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