Article

2008-05-19 Home Front: Politix

Democrat Fratricide: Chicago paper apologizes for "shoot Hillary" editorial

Timothy J. McNulty, "Public Editor" of the Chicago Tribune

The political horse race analogy went too far.

The lead editorial "No photo finish for Clinton" in Thursday's Tribune played off Hillary Clinton's loss in the North Carolina primary and tied it to the fate of Eight Belles, the horse that was put down after breaking her front ankles in the Kentucky Derby.

This was the beginning paragraph:

"The only filly in the crowded field crossed the finish line second, but the fans who'd bet on her still had one last gasp of hope. Perhaps some fortuitous technicality would disqualify the first-place finisher. But things got worse instead of better. We're talking about Eight Belles, who was euthanized Saturday after almost winning the Kentucky Derby. But we're thinking about Hillary Clinton."

Notwithstanding the playful, even clever, writing of the editorial, it was wrong, I believe, to use language that conflates the presidential race and the sad need to euthanize a female horse, ending with this sentence: "There's no reason to wait until August to put Clinton, and the rest of us, out of our misery."

It made me queasy. The imagery would never have been used if the linkage between the two events was not gender. You cannot imagine using a similar analogy about race in the case of Barack Obama or about age when referring to John McCain. . . .

They could've used a more tasteful metaphor.

Posted by Mike 2008-05-19 15:32|| || Front Page|| [11136 views ] Top

#1 I wish everyone would just quit being a bunch of wussies and stop playing the apologize game.

Posted by Flosing the Fat6622 2008-05-19 16:42|| 2008-05-19 16:42|| Front Page Top

#2 Never mind wussies. The editorial was beyond the pale, and to place it as the lead editorial! The editor should have been fired immediately for stupidity beyond the norm for his field of endeavor.

Posted by trailing wife ">trailing wife 2008-05-19 16:51|| 2008-05-19 16:51|| Front Page Top

17:34 Elmerert Hupens2660
17:22 DooDahMan
17:15 DooDahMan
17:10 DooDahMan
17:08 DooDahMan
17:08 DooDahMan
16:52 DarthVader
15:31 NoMoreBS
15:24 DarthVader
15:20 NoMoreBS
15:15 Griter+Slash1619
15:04 NoMoreBS
14:51 Grom the Affective
14:50 Secret Master
14:06 swksvolFF
13:45 Lord Garth
13:33 trailing wife
13:32 Ebbuger Whuque4103
13:17 Frank G
13:01 SteveS
12:56 mossomo
12:55 mossomo
12:43 swksvolFF
12:41 mossomo