Steve Brandt suggests (see below) that press veterans Gene Lahammer and
Betty Wilson are doing the heavy lifting (research) that results in the
Stribe's editorial decisions. I wonder how much and what kind of
research goes into the paper's endorsement decisions. I remember that
when I was interviewed in 1998 Gene was there, but so was Lori Studevant
(sp?) and someone apparently her subordinate. I felt that Lori was in
charge.
I would love to see the voting tally sheets of the endorsement interview
committees, and see them crosstabbed against parties, issues and
eventual endorsements. My trust level for the Stribe is not high. I
don't blame major candidates who decline to screen. Why spend one or
two hours and to just give them ammunition to rip you.
I can't complain myself, or complain much about *this* year's tone. The
writers are becoming more civil. But I remember 1997 when several
Reform Party city council candidates were screened. In the interviews
they were pressed hard on public financing of a stadium, but stuck to
their guns and remained firmly against it (as did most of the public).
My recollection generally was that none of our candidates were endorsed,
their rejection of public subsidy was not mentioned in the write-ups
(though it was a major interview topic), and that the editorial writers
patronized or trashed some of them as people and or as candidates. As
though they had been audacious to presume to run (against DFL anointed
candidates).
I wish the editorial page of the paper would try to reflect the
diversity of political experience and opinion in this region. As Oliver
Cromwell once said--Sir I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, is it
possible ye may be mistaken?
Humility is a virtue in anyone with significant power or range. But it
is not a characteristic flowing off of the Stribe's editorial page.
Alan Shilepsky
Downtown
>The bulk of the Star Tribune legislative
>endorsements are researched by two retired reporters who have close to
>a half-century's experience between them in covering state government
>and rate as pretty fair observers of both the issues and what it takes
>to ably serve as a legislator. They are Gene Lahammer, formerly of
>the Associated Press, and Betty Wilson, formerly of the Star and the
>Star Tribune.
