On the other hand, Joe (Killian, not Guarino)... Vernon Robinson is a candidate for political office and is *required by law* to file complete and accurate reports of finances, contributions, expenditures, etc.
It could be argued that if the reports are erroneous or missing information or downright false, illegal or just questionable in their character, then the public has a right (yes, a right) to know how those mistakes were made, where the money is, where it went, where it came from, how it was spent, etc., etc. simply because the laws regarding elections and running for office *require* it to be reported.
That is why these reports, if it is proven there was illegal wrongdoing, will be investigated by the FEC and, hopefully (in accordance with the law), Mr. Robinson will be investigated and/or charged and (maybe) convicted of a crime (if a crime was committed, which may be doubtful).
At the very least, if there was any wrongdoing, the truth *will* come out and Mr. Robinson could be fined.
As much as we all hate it, someone refusing to comment on a story isn't really stripping - or even attempting to strip - you of your first amendment rights.
The person you're trying to talk to isn't obligated to talk to you - even if he's a public figure. One could argue that he certainly should, particularly if he's running for something, but his refusal doesn't really impact your rights. You'll publish what you're going to publish anyway - just without his comment and, hopefully, with a line explaining that he declined to comment.
From there it's up to the reader to ask why he's not commenting - and most smart politicians and people in public service know that.
No one likes being stonewalled - but people who won't cooperate on stories can't really be said to be depriving anyone of their rights.
Re "objectivity":
The notion that journalists try to be objective is a myth -- but not for the reason a lot of people think.
True objectivity is even rarer than true love. Most human beings are incapable of it, and many of those who are are also emotional or psychological cripples. We all carry our beliefs and biases with us; the best we can do -- and usually it is sufficient -- it to be aware of them and to correct for them.
Instead of "objectivity," smart journalists seek instead to create reports that are 1) factually accurate; 2) contextually accurate; 3) contextually complete and 4) fair. They try, in other words, not for objectivity of outlook but for objectivity of method, to use Jay Rosen's phrase.
I don't know whether or not Jay O. has conducted himself in complete accord with this approach -- for example, unless I missed it, he doesn't say whether he has reviewed Brad Miller's records with the same degree of thoroughness -- but nothing in what he has told us about his approach violates the tenets laid out above.
One critical component of fairness is giving the subject of the report the opportunity to address, fully and frankly, whatever issues or allegations the report lays out, rather than not seeking comment or engaging in a "gotcha" interview. So far as he has described his approach to this point, Jay appears to have done the right things.
I'm liking the vibe of the conversation. Joe, I never claim to be a journo, I do claim to be a blogger and when the two cross over,which they often do, I am a freelance writer. It seems to me that more and more MSM sources are using blogs as their source on a story. The AP and Reuters are now putting worthy blog post on the wire.
I have in this matter, tried to remain objective and unbiased, but Mr Robinson doesn't seem to make that possible. Congressman Miller's FEC reports show refunds, the first time they file a report. They follow the FEC guidelines to a tee. As I stated in my post, if Mr Robinson took care in his filings and didn't cry clerical error when caught, and now caught again, I would have nothing to complain about.
Congreeman Miller has voted to the let on issues. Knowing the Congressman on a personal level now, I know he is voting with his heart, and he is voting for his constituants. The numbers show that this district is left leaning, Guilford Co went to Kerry in the last election. This is a red state, no doubt, but their are pockets like this that lean left and you happen to live in one of these.
If Vernon Robinson and Marcus Kindley are the represetation of the Republican party in Guilford Co, the blue will flow here for a long time.
Yes, I'm a supporter of Brad Miller. There I said it. I do feel like I was being fair in the practice of offering Vernon Robinson a chance to tell his side of what I am working on. His choice was to answer this question through a campaign worker and tell me not to call. Don't you think if your biggest thorn offered you a chance to tell your side, you would take it, right? In his case, it's no. To me that is a sign of what it might be like if he was to win and Joe Voter called as a constituant with an issue. Message: I want to be paid, but don't bother me. That was loud and clear.
Matt, I agree in principle that it is possible for a blog to be objective in the traditional journalistic sense. The problem is that very few of the local blogs I have visited meet that criterion. (In fact, I cannot at this moment think of even a single one!)
I know and respect Jay's ideological orientation, which he has made no major effort to hide; and he certainly has a right to that, as do all of us. This is one of the reasons blogging, as a general rule, cannot be regarded as identical to journalism. Even when journalism, on television and in print, is biased, it is at least making an effort to create the appearance of objectivity.
On the other hand Joe, we all know that journalists are not always objective. Many have said the MSM is "liberal" and then there are plenty of conservative newspapers (or Fox News Channel).
A blogger could be a journalist, although not always. A journalist can be a blogger, although not always.
Journalism is what is done. Blogging is only the medium through which the journalism can be relayed to the public.
For example... it would be very feasible for me to write less opinion and simply write news stories on my blog. Those news stories would be in all practical terms, journalistic pieces. The opinion pieces would be opinion pieces. The blog site and the blogging software would, as I've said above, just the way in which the information is relayed to the public.
Maybe Jay is remaining objective. Jay says he has looked also at Miller's finance reports and finds no fault in them.
If a reporter at the News & Record were doing the same thing... looking at two candidates' finance reports... and he found flaws in one of the candidate reports, that reporter would most likely be doing the same thing as Jay: Trying to contact the candidate's campaign to find out their side of the story and then report on it.
On the other hand, however, maybe Jay is just doing his job as a concerned, involved and politically aware citizen (of which very few are left in our nation).
Jay, I think this discussion to some extent reflects the basic differences between bloggers and journalists. Journalists are supposed to maintain complete objectivity, whereas bloggers bring a certain worldview to their work.
If Mr. Robinson's campaign has made any mistakes with respect to reporting or any other fundraising issue, I hope that will be corrected.
But realistically, I doubt there is any reason for the Robinson campaign to believe that you are going to be supporting him; and in fact, there is probably ample reason to believe you would be supporting his adversary.
I recently reported on my blog that Mr. Miller's 2005 voting record was as far to the left as could be measured, and in fact was further to the left than that of Bernard Sanders, the socialist congressman from Vermont.
I do not expect to be able to call Mr. Miller's campaign and have them jump at every request and demand I make. That is just not the real world. Mr. Miller's campaign could justifiably feel that there is nothing to be gained from expending time dealing with someone who is going to oppose him anyway.
I am not a journalist. I am a blogger, and there is a difference. I am free to express my perceptions regarding campaigns and candidates, but I do not possess an entitlement to their time or their cooperation.
Hugh, why should Mr. Robinson talk to Jay? Aside from the fact that Jay is a registered voter and constituent of the district Robinson seeks to represent, there is also the fact that hundreds of people will read this article here this week and thousands more will see it on the front page of Greensboro101.
Good stuff. Thanks for letting us know about it at BlueNC.
The same thing has kind of happened to my Jay.
Mr. Robinson and I were having a really good conversation via email. Although we weren't agreeing I think we were being very civil. I wouldn't put the word "productive" on the conversation, but it was positive (in that it was civil).
He's stop responding to all of my emails now, though. I sent him one or two a few weeks to a month ago and he has never responded.
Maybe good ole' Vernon is depressed with knowing he's going to lose ANOTHER election?
Is "None Of The Above" running this year?
Keep up the good work. Hopefully, in the future we will return to the sanity to districts that look more like counties and not strings on a Yo-Yo.
Congress has low ratings as a whole, but let's remember that the Republican Party controls congress.
Miller, stands up for his district, and votes against many current policies that this administration has, or is trying to pass.
Take a look at the administration's policy advisor. He steals thousands of dollars from Target, gets 40 hours of community service, and only repays a fraction back to Target.
I bet a lot of folks would love the privilage of doing what they want, and not worrying about consequences.
http://www.news-record.com/apps/...EC0101/
60804029
Hugh, he doesn't *have* to ... but not doing so gives him less room to complain, legally or otherwise, once Jay posts his stories.
I'm not a political analyst. But if I were, I might point out that Congress' approval ratings are in the toilet right now and that any congressional challenger, particularly in a district gerrymandered to favor the incumbent's party, who wants to do well in November would at least go through the motions of acting accountable to the public.
For the same reason that you would like me to respond to an anonymous commenter. He is running for office and it has been proven in a court of law that bloggers have rights, the same rights that the MSM has to report stories. We also face the same downfalls if we print something incorrect or libelous. Check it all out here: http://www.google.com/search?
hl=...G=Google+Search
Why should Vernon have to respond to insignificant bloggers?
Looks like you got him running scared!
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