JS picks up on weeks-old Schock campaign dirt, buries it below routine coverage
Molly Parker of the Journal Star did get around to reporting on the Carla Grube/Freedom House controversy in the Aaron Schock campaign. That story is at the bottom of today’s Word on the Street column I’ve written about it after having read about it at Willy Nilly’s site. I don’t believe for one second that they found out about this from the Bureau County Republican.
I have several thoughts:
The article ran below a segment discussing the departure of Eric Lane, who is described as Bill Spears campaign manager and whose salary is paid by the Illinois Democratic Party. Spears says Lane was never his campaign manager and I’m fairly certain from earlier conversations that the party organization wasn’t paying his salary. If so, his movement from one campaign to another says nothing about how the party feels about Spears’ chances of defeating Schock.
In journalism, the bigger story leads. Why was the tale of the transplanted staffer considered juicier than the other story, which involved possible illegal hiring, possible violation of rules against non-profits getting involved in politics and with sexual harassment by a female employer against male staffers, and this person’s involvement in Aaron Schock’s campaign. Shouldn’t that story be the one greeting reader’s first? Schock’s campaign manager, Steve Shearer, served on the Board of Directors of Freedom House and once shared a home with Grube.
I’m NOT complaining about Molly writing about Bill Spears in less that glowing detail. This is the kind of story that political reporting is all about — who’s up and who’s down, who’s coming and who’s going and why. I just think the two segments ran in the wrong order, and that the newspaper did Molly — accused far too often of being overly fond of Schock — new favors by doing so.
In the interest of full disclosure: I am a friend and supporter of Bill Spears.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
Maybe …. just maybe….. the article ran as written by Molly Parker and Jennifer Davis. Maybe, just maybe, there is something to the fact that the Dems are pulling their support from this campaign and moving it to another….perhaps they see the writing on the wall. Not having seen any poll numbers, I really have no idea who is leading in the race but I do feel that Schock has run the better (and cleaner) campaign to date.
Maybe… just maybe… the Journal Star, and its “ace” reporters are doing their damndest to influence public opinion… maybe… just maybe… they’re doing it just like they did for Davey Baby Ransburg…
Maybe… just maybe… they’re hoping that people have completely forgotten about the punk that ran against Ricca Slone… maybe… just maybe… they’re hoping that folks are fooled into thinking that punk somehow morphed into the great “statesman” that his ads portray him as…
Maybe… just maybe… the Ransburg crap will circle around once more and hit Aaron right on top of his blown-dry hair…
MOLLY PARKER AND JENNIFER DAVIS ARE NOT PUPPETS FOR THE JOURNAL STAR, BELIEVE ME. hOWEVER, SHELLEY AND HIS GANG( THE EDITORIAL STAFF) ARE PUPPETS FOR THE MONEY SHAKERS AND THEY ARE OF COURSE PUSHING SHOCK’S BUTTON AND HOPING FOR HIS VICTORY. SO, IF YOU ARE IN THEIR POCKET OR CAMP, GO THAT WAY. THEY HAVE CERTAINLY PUSHED A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE OUT OF POLITICS.
or maybe the man is doing what he says he’s going to do. or maybe the man is accessible. or maybe he listens. And what is it with you folks and your hygiene issues. One candidate comments on electric smiles and one of your comments on blow drying hair. Do you not want your representatives to brush their teeth and comb their hair?