Tuesday, October 22, 2013

FORMER STAR-LEDGER COLUMNIST RIPS ENDORSEMENT

Give former Star-Ledger scribe Bob Braun credit. The former columnist who left the paper earlier this year took issue with the Ledger's endorsement this week of Gov. Chris Christie.

Not a complete surprise the paper would endorse Christie given his overwhelming lead in the polls. But, as Braun notes, the paper has also been one to criticize him in the past.

Writes Braun:

The worst of this editorial is the smarmy line about “our duty is to the readers, and our goal is to help them decide which button to push.’’
No thanks, Mr. Editorial Writer. The ethical, the moral, thing to have done, given the arguments you yourself used, was to say we endorse no one. Otherwise what you are doing is urging  a vote for someone you have proven beyond doubt is, in your words, a fraud and a catastrophe–and unworthy of high office.
Never, in 50 years of newspaper work, have I seen such contorted logic and such  breathtaking cynicism. Shame on you.

Read more HERE.

I got to know Braun on several occasions covering the Ledger for E&P, but most interestingly when I did a story on famous parent/child reporting duos in 2004. His daughter, Jenifer, was a fashion writer at the paper at the time and is now features editor.

2 comments:

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  2. From The Old J Perfessor:

    In my years as an editorialist and an editor, I have never seen anything more absurd than The Ledger's "endorsement." It appeared to be the result of a compromise decision by a dysfunctional editorial board. Or perhaps it was a compromise with the publisher, who demanded that the board back Christie to preserve ad revenue from the governor's campaign and the Republican Party. Whatever it was, it looked stupid, further tarnishing the reputation of the rapidly declining Star-Ledger.

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