The Albuquerque Journal Again

I can only assume that the folks at the Albuquerque Journal never look at their newspaper as a informed reader would.  Well, they are all we have got these days, but here it goes.

The Journal spent several days with front page stories and an editorial on northern NM Democratic politicians who led with their hearts instead of their brains and had $5000 worth of paving millings sent to the parking lot of a catholic church.  It was dumb for Representative Ben Lujan and County Commissioner Harry Montoya to do so.  And probably it violated the state constitution and it should have been reported and their hands whacked by a nice Domincan nun.  (If there are any in existence anymore.  My old principal Sister Perpetua Maria could have made them regret it.)

Then in today's paper we see a story buried back on the state page about republican governor candidate Susana Martinez taking $450,000 from one ultra right wing fanatic and his wife in Texas.  His name is Bob Perry of Swift Boat fame.  He is so far right he is off the charts.  The story said Martinez 'collected' the money in contributions.  Collected!   Think if a NM Democrat had 'collected' $450K from someone like George Soros.  Do you think the story would have been on the front page?  You are damned right it would be.  Do you think they would have used the word collected?  I bet they would have used a different and more negative adjective.  Like 'amassed' or 'stockpiled.'

If Diane Denish had accepted such a large donation here is what I think the first paragraph of the Journal story would be.  "Democrat Diane Denish today denied that amassing a $450,000 donation from left wing George Soros will have any influence on her decision making.  Soros, an emigre from the Soviet Union, is known for supporting ultra liberal causes."  I am pretty sure this story would be above the fold on the front page.

I don't know if the editors at the Journal even know they do this.  Maybe they don't really understand how this hurts their credibility in political coverage.  I am simply aghast at the difference in the way these two stories were given coverage.  They handled the asphalt millings like a Obama Fox News story and the Martinez story like a Reader's Digest article.

Arghhhh!

P.S.  Ben Lujan and Harry Montoya will now get more votes for doing what they did for the church.