Updated below: CNN.com now noting Blago's Democratic affiliation
An unsigned CNN.com article on Tuesday which broke the news that Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich had been arrested by federal authorities omitted his Democratic party affiliation. Both Blagojevich and his chief of staff John Harris face conspiracy and bribery charges related to the appointment of Barack Obama’s successor to his Senate seat.
The article did describe the accusations against the Illinois governor and his aide in detail. Among other things, Blagojevich is accused of trying to obtain “a substantial salary for himself at a either a non-profit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions; placing his wife on paid corporate boards where he speculated she might garner as much as $150,000 a year; promises of campaign funds -- including cash up front; [and] a Cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself.”
The unnamed author also quoted from U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who described the situation: “The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering.”
A four-sentence-long biography of the chief executive came near the end of the article: “Blagojevich, who turns 52 on Wednesday, is in his second four-year term as Illinois governor. His term ends in January 2011. Before being elected governor, he served as a U.S. congressman for Illinois' 5th district from 1997 until 2003, according to his online biography. He and his wife, Patti, have two daughters.”
Update (Ken Shepherd | 13:05 EST): CNN.com now reporting the Democratic affiliation of the Illinois governor in the teaser blurb on its front page (see screencap below).
—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. You can follow him on Twitter here.
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msnbc mentioned it second
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 12:18 ET by seaniepmsnbc mentioned it second paragraph
It wasn't mentioned in the
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 13:16 ET by motherbeltIt wasn't mentioned in the "breaking news" story on (MSNBC) TV...I just happened to catch it.
a.w.o.l. from fox news, too...
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 13:51 ET by clinging to my guns and my religion...although they did at least mention the "Obama associates Antonin Rezko, Stuart Levine, Ali Ata" connection. yeehaw!
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/12/09/report-illinois-governor-taken-federal-custody/
"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle." Edmund Burke
→ No sweat clinger
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 13:57 ET by Cool ArrowIf Brit Hume doesn't mention it, I'll eat my sombrero.
Hide and watch. Brit's a straight shooter.
yeah, i was really...
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 14:04 ET by clinging to my guns and my religion...surprised. fox has usually been pretty good about reporting the "whole truth", or at least the great majority of it. maybe they just had a momentary lapse to the new msm stylebook, lol!
"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle." Edmund Burke
Someone mentioned in
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 14:13 ET by Scuba DudeSomeone mentioned in another post that Fox uses AP and that there is something in the fine print that whatever they use cannot be edited or something like that. Until an actual Fox reporter writes something they are beholden to whatever AP has provided them.
Here's hoping Fox starts the word processers in their newsroom.
Perhaps they realized that
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 14:16 ET by ChaitealoverPerhaps they realized that the audience wouldn't need to be told the party affiliation of a politician from Illinois.
Chai
"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money" Margaret Thatcher
EXCELLENT, lol!
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 14:24 ET by clinging to my guns and my religionit boggles the mind that the citizens of illinois continue to punish themselves with this democrat machine year after year, decade after decade. perhaps they should be lumped in with all the "racists and rednecks" who inflicted john murtha on themselves for another term. the stupidity of the voting public never ceases to amaze me!
"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle." Edmund Burke
One word answer to the question.....
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 15:44 ET by doug1950Unions
(D)
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 15:07 ET by JDWPolitical affiliation is not the most important factor at this point. Blagojevich's opportunity to appoint a new person to the seat should be the focus.
JDW
DAILY WAVE
Obama: This is not the Blagojevich I thought I once knew.
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 15:18 ET by PrieblesQuestion: I wonder how much the Democrat Gov of NY is getting for Hillary's seat?
UPDATE
Tue, 12/09/2008 - 16:24 ET by JDWWithin the last 2hrs Durbin called for a special election, Blago has been thrown under the bus. Interesting.
One must realize such an election would include replublicans.
In addition, Fitzgerald's statement does not preclude Obama from guilt, 'The complaint makes no allegations about the president-elect whatsoever.'
JDW
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