It's All Politics
It sure is all politics. At least for some people.
Below is a conversation I had with Caddo Parish Commissioner Rose McCulloch a couple of weeks ago when I called to ask about a lawsuit filed against her and the commission for slander.
“Hello Commissioner McCulloch. How are you doing today?”
“Not good Janelle.”
“Understandably so. I was calling…”
“Are you calling to talk to me about the tax incentives story?”
“No.”
“Are you calling about low income housing in my district?”
“No.”
“Well, then I don’t want to talk to you because I’ve been waiting for you to call me about those stories.”
“So you don’t want to comment on…” dial tone…
Wow.
Then today, as I was leaving a Commission meeting she calls me out after not speaking to me for the past few weeks.
“I’m still waiting on you to write that tax incentives story.”
I guess Commissioner McCulloch, and possibly some other people in the community, are confused about the way the media operates.
I don’t know of any reporter that is going to write stories politicians ask them to in exchange for comments for another story or any kind of favors. This isn’t the “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” situation that some politicians may think it is.
You don’t want to comment? Fine.
Hanging up on the reporter trying to make sure you have a fair say? Fine.
After all, it’s all politics.
Below is a conversation I had with Caddo Parish Commissioner Rose McCulloch a couple of weeks ago when I called to ask about a lawsuit filed against her and the commission for slander.
“Hello Commissioner McCulloch. How are you doing today?”
“Not good Janelle.”
“Understandably so. I was calling…”
“Are you calling to talk to me about the tax incentives story?”
“No.”
“Are you calling about low income housing in my district?”
“No.”
“Well, then I don’t want to talk to you because I’ve been waiting for you to call me about those stories.”
“So you don’t want to comment on…” dial tone…
Wow.
Then today, as I was leaving a Commission meeting she calls me out after not speaking to me for the past few weeks.
“I’m still waiting on you to write that tax incentives story.”
I guess Commissioner McCulloch, and possibly some other people in the community, are confused about the way the media operates.
I don’t know of any reporter that is going to write stories politicians ask them to in exchange for comments for another story or any kind of favors. This isn’t the “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” situation that some politicians may think it is.
You don’t want to comment? Fine.
Hanging up on the reporter trying to make sure you have a fair say? Fine.
After all, it’s all politics.
Labels: Caddo Parish Commission, Commissioner Rose McCulloch, lawsuit
posted by Janelle Rucker at 5:38 PM
2 Comments:
You really have your finger on the pulse of the city! I'm sure the citizens of Shreveport are more concerned with Commissioner McCulloch's response to a slander suit, than the actual issues that are affecting her district. Mainstream media has gone the way of modern day politics. The media makes no attempt to focus on the issues that affect the people and actually do them a disservice by focusing on minutia. Homicides, thefts, and other crime related stories now rule the day. I'm disappointed with the content of this blog. Was there a discussion of a tax incentive story prior to the call concerning the slander suit? If that is the case, I can understand Commissioner McCulloch's frustration with being solicited for comments that in no way serve to aid the people she has sworn to serve. Then again, why am I surprised? After all, even with the media it's all politics.
Well, Janelle...
Perhaps the politicians DO know how the media works. In fact, look around the newsroom and worse yet, look around at the intellectually challenged stories published not only in your paper, but also the 'big city' papers for a introspective glimpse as to the toxic grease pawned off as 'news' to the ever-dwindling numbers of subscribers.
Although you are not the 'news editor' I'll ask you why 'rip and print' government press releases go in the paper unedited instead of questioning the sources of the government-sponsored spoon-fed BS?
As for dropping subscribership, you may decide to stop and ponder the possibility that even with the regular publishing of the senseless 'spoon-fed' idiocy I see in the print media, the falling circulation numbers might well be linkable to the fact that even your publication's writing is over the head of your general readership.
Trust me on this... that wasn't a compliment.
Try this on for size... there is a nationwide politically-charged website based right here in Shreveport, Louisiana...
www.truthattack.org
Where's the coverage? Oh, sorry... I forgot, the story isn't a government-issued press release.
Gary Thomason
318.797.1766
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