I was out looking at the hibiscus we have on our back porch. There are no flowers on it right now, though the leaves are in great shape. I noticed that all the spots were there had been beautiful flowers now had empty stem ends. Flowers come and go. Matter of fact, with many flowers, one flower has to die for another on the same stem to reach full bloom. It's a floral hormone thing. The live flower releases hormones blocking the others from blooming. And so we lose a writer today-- maybe forever, maybe for a short time. We have one writer who threatens to stop posting to OEN every time an article doesn't get headlined.
This time, OEN covered a story that a writer disagreed with-- that a sizable percentage of readers disagreed with the decision to cover it.
I was talking to one of our senior editors and said, "If we haven't offended or driven at least one or two readers away from the site because we've posted something they didn't feel we should have posted, then we're not pushing our edges far enough."
That's the way we're going to do things. Part of our vision is to be a tough progressive media site. That means not flinching at covering stories or issues that the other media avoids. That means taking risks-- with subjects, with writers, with news and stories. That means making mistakes.
If you disagree with one story or one subject OEN covers, including the Palin baby and Bristol Palin, you always have the choice of kissing OEN goodbye. But I invite you to consider that being progressive, being an alternative media site that aims to cover what the mainstream don't cover almost requires us to go out to the edges in covering the news and the stories that are out there. We would not be doing our job if we failed to cover Sarah Palin's potential attempt to hide her daughter's unwanted child, by claiming it was hers.
Do you disagree? Fine. We've headlined Mikel Paul's article expressing disagreement. We headline articles we disagree with all the time. Do you leave because you disagree? That might make you a one issue decider. I invite you to consider that the issue we cover today, that incenses you is on the site because of what you value in the site-- our willingness to cover what the mainstream media fails to cover.
We're not going to back down. We made a mistake, which our editorial board regrets now, deciding not to cover the John Edwards affair. We should have covered it and we didn't. If we had covered it, we would have been roundly criticized. Well, now we face the fact that getting that kind of criticism is part of the territory... and it's okay for you to criticize. We won't tolerate name calling, just as we don't tolerate as a general site policy.
So, if you disagree. Speak up. We do listen. We don't always agree and at least, we provide a place where disagreement is allowed.
BTW, yesterday was the highest traffic day OEN has seen since January-- 98,000+ page views. Today is on track to break at least 80,000, and the newsletter, to 15,000, has not yet gone out, just in case any of the OEN haters out there are hoping the controvery here has hurt us. For you techies, the strange thing is, for the past two months, every time we hit peak traffic highs-- at least the past five times, alexa has show the high traffic days as low traffic days. Fortunately, the site metrics that count, google, quantcast, do a better job.
Some notes from our senior editors:
We offer the opportunity for full debate with our comments feature. OpEdNews offers this feature so that readers and participants can expand their knowledge and understanding. But lately, many posters have abused this feature by debasing civil discourse with hostility, disrespect and name-calling. Any and all comments that contain ad hominem attacks will be removed. Stick to the facts, debate the conclusions, but don't guess at people's motives and don't call them names. Repeated violations of this policy will result in loss of privileges. Let's keep the debate civil, folks.
and
Name-calling, nasty attacks, mean-spiritedness, etc., against fellow writers, readers or editors have no place on OEN -- If you think OEN is a "joke" and compare it to Karl Rove, move on, know one forces you to read it, let alone post on it.
Rob Kall is executive editor and publisher of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, inventor . He is also published regularly on the Huffingtonpost.com and is a columnist with Northstarwriters.com. He is a frequent Speaker on Politics, Impeachment, The art, science and power of story, heroes and the hero's journey, Positive Psychology, Stress, Biofeedback and a wide range of subjects. He is a campaign consultant specializing in tapping the power of stories for issue positioning, stump speeches and debates. He recently retired as organizer of several conferences, including StoryCon, the Summit Meeting on the Art, Science and Application of Story and The Winter Brain Meeting on neurofeedback, biofeedback, Optimal Functioning and Positive Psychology. See more of his articles here and, older ones, here.
To learn more about me and OpEdNews.com, check out this article.
and there are Rob's quotes, here.
To Watch me on youtube, having a lively conversation with John Conyers, Chair of the House Judiciary committee, click here Now, wouldn't you like to see me on the political news shows, representing progressives. If so, tell your favorite shows to bring me on and refer them to this youtube video
My radio show, The Rob Kall Show, runs 9-10 PM EST Wednesday evenings, on AM 1360, WNJC and is archived on www.whiterosesociety.org Or listen to it streaming, live at either www.wnjc1360.com or here.
A few declarations.
-While I'm registered as a Democrat, I consider myself to be a dynamic critic of the Democratic party, just as, well, not quite as much, but almost as much as I am a critic of republicans.
-My articles express my personal opinion, not the opinion of this website.
Get in face of the propaganda and shout LIAR ! LIAR !
Fight LIAR with FIRE! It works.
About the LIAR Sarah Palin saying she had a baby, Rob, 4 months ago when she was NOT pregnant ...
That's the total story. Stay on message. The Gov says she was pregnant, and she LIED then, and is a LIAR now. Because she was NOT pregnant. Everyone knows she was not pregnant since everyone looked at the photos. And she offers NO EVIDENCE she was pregnant, like, for example, let's see some medical and hospital records. The dated receipt for the amniocentesis. But that's only an example.
The story surfaced, and flared into high heat -- a peak day of OEN visits -- when all of a sudden some new red-herring news from nowhere is dragged across the path ... something about her daughter being pregnant and I don't know what all, besides, I'm not interested, that's her business and that's NOT relevant to the fact that Sarah Palin is a LIAR, and on the McCain's GOP ticket, saying she was pregnant. She's a fake, a fraud, a LIAR.
That's all the story is. Stay on it. Stay on message.
... leave the daughter out of it, trailing her red herring behind her ... that's not any news. BTW, don't answer this but how did the real story get criss-crossed with the distraction story?
---
FYI, here's an item by Eric Alterman, listing what I think are solid topics for reporting, at the GOP convention this week.
... some juicy, made-for-television storylines to keep journalists busy all week:
Party Disunity.
Speaking of Hurricane Gustav.
Is John McCain ready to lead?
Cindy McCain's Speech.
Are the Republicans promoting John McCain enough?
The polls. ... (Obama is) "already up 6 in the Gallup tracking poll mentioned above. Surely this will be of great concern to Republicans, no?
Who else won't be there?
•Former Rep. Bob Ney (Abramoff. He just got out of prison, so he's available.)
•Former Rep. Bob Ney (Abramoff. He just got out of prison, so he's available.)
•Former Rep. Mark Foley (sex scandal)
•Former Rep. Duke Cunningham (accepted defense contractor bribes, still in prison)
•Former Rep. John Dolittle (Abramoff, under investigation)
•Former Rep. Rick Renzi (Abramoff, FBI raided his house)
•Former Speaker of the House Tom DeLay (indicted for money laundering)
•Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales (resigned, shown to have role in U.S. Attorney firings)
•Rep. Don Young (Abramoff and VECO scandals, under investigation)
•Sen. Ted Stevens (Just VECO, but he's just been indicted)
•Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons (under FBI investigation, bribes)
•Former Rep. Curt Weldon (home raided by FBI, business dealings)
This isn't even a full list. But note, these Republicans all committed their misdeeds during the past eight years, and were all federal office holders. ...
---
by
meremark (1 articles, 3 quicklinks, 26 diaries, 507 comments)
on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 4:16:22 PM
I think you're dead right about Tom De Lay being indicted for money laundering. He was U.S. House whip or asst. whip, but I don't think he's ever been Speaker of the House.
by
Larry Retzack (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 32 comments)
on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at 6:09:06 PM
I am not avidly following the stories about babies in the Palin clan. But if I understand, there were two stories which, taken together, were self-contradictory and cancelled each other out. I guess that OpEd News covered both. The "wrong" one AFAIK (as far as I know), was that the newborn was Bristol's not Sarah's. But with the campaign now being upfront that Bristol is pregnant, then it squashes the other story, which (if ture, but it wasn't) could have indicated that Palin lied to or deceived the public.
That was the only part that should be relevant to the campaign. I have no interest to troll through people's personal details, but relevance appears if it can be established that a pol lied to or deceived the public.
Since that part of the story is now dead, I think everybody should let it go. Everyone should wish a happy life to Bristol and move on.
Rob, I hope you headline my new article, "American Interests: Where do we draw the line?," and even reply to it because it's a good debate question and I bring up the question about progressives and national security. I think that progressives are united by being against militarism, but in the real world what does that mean in (e.g.) a Nader defense department, or a McKinney defense department?
Progressives are being asked to clarify their identity, because someone like me knows only that "progressives are anti-war." So, what would they do about Russia, and what would they do about defense spending?
by
John Kusumi (43 articles, 0 quicklinks, 26 diaries, 89 comments)
on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 4:18:48 PM
You say, "But with the campaign now being upfront that Bristol is pregnant, then it squashes the other story."
Just some friendly questions ...
Squashes? Like, in dead? (Methinks you jest). Have you not been around the block enough times to know that these kinds of dates can be manipulated (and often are)? Sad, but true, many a man has married based on these kinds of dates, only to realize later that they might not have been as accurate as originally stated.
Have you otherwise been reassured by the Republican party that they are honest and truthful, that you elect to believe them in this? If not, is there a reason they would suddenly start to be honest, now? Does it not seem extraordinarily convenient to you that Bristol just happens to be the exact amount pregnant that she doesn't show too much, but it covers her for the Trig birth controversy, no more, no less?
If this was only about young Bristol and her unwed motherhood, of course we'd leave it alone. Few in the Blue even care about that. But it's not. Sarah EITHER took a reckless and foolhardy chance by flying while in labor, OR she lied about her daughter's pregnancy, which seems to be an excellent possibility. (Of course I am open to any third possibility, but I haven't heard any postulated.)
Either way, as a mother, that indicates to me that this is a person who I would not want to have any power over my children's welfare.
As American citizens, that is our job to determine. Of course we should do that like gentlemen and gentlewomen, with compassion for the children involved, and also with finesse, grace, and firmness. And with many good wishes to Bristol for a happy life.
by
Meryl Ann Butler (49 articles, 53 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 449 comments)
on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 4:58:38 PM
Obamas VP choice thinks he was right about the Iraq War that he voted for, but that does not get discussed much here.
So many good questions on whose baby it is. If you are right, it is a very effective conspiracy. I am sure you must have so many doubts about 9/11, I know I do. But 9/11 pales in comparison to mothers flying in labour (devoted employee who got her doctors permission), or speculating about if her underage daughter had a baby 5 months earlier and is just pretending to be pregnant now to cover for her ma's deception (and McCain still picked her with that baggage which if true would explode any hopes he has in November).
If it is true, it is troubling of course, but a mother trying to protect her child, with a lie, is hardly the crime of the century, is it? And it would mean she did not fly while in labour since she was not pregnant. Now lying about the deaths of thousands of Americans, that gets me hot and bothered. Different strokes I guess.
by
pft (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 499 comments)
on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 6:14:54 PM
A mother will lie to protect her child, but would Palin lie to protect her chances for vice presidency? Why?
This is hypocritical, too. Conservatives can complain viciously about teenage pregnancies and demonize the poor girls and their babies, but when one of their own has this problem, it's another story!
Yeah, I get mad when they lie about how many people in the world are dying because of the mad men in the white house, but it doesn't matter if it's a big lie or a little one. They're still lies. Lies cause corruption which causes evil.
by
Martha Rose Crow (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 37 comments)
on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 7:41:18 PM
that there are different degrees going on here. But I think the point is about what are the person's ethics that are reflected in a smaller scale in day to day activities - because these same ethics will show up in the larger world arena. For instance, there are many articles about kids who torture animals who grow up to be some kind of mass murderer or something. I think it's prudent to watch for the early signs, because they are the foundation of later behaviors.
by
Meryl Ann Butler (49 articles, 53 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 449 comments)
on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at 3:22:22 AM
"The "wrong" (story) was that the newborn was Bristol's not Sarah's. But with the campaign now being upfront that Bristol is pregnant, then it squashes the other story, which (if true, but it wasn't) could have indicated that Palin lied to or deceived the public."
The McCane/Palin campaign's story that Bristol is now pregnant does conveniently nip the potential scandal in the bud. When this "upfront" story plays out to the end, and Bristol gives birth on schedule in December (after the election), all will be well.
But these high-profile cases seem all too capable of taking unexpected turns, especially in the context of an American political world that seems to be losing its grip on reality. I will be keeping my eye out for that baby.
by
Richard McGinn (1 articles, 1 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 78 comments)
on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 5:00:54 PM
"I was talking to one of our senior editors and said, "If we haven't offended or driven at least one or two readers away from the site because we've posted something they didn't feel we should have posted, then we're not pushing our edges far enough."
This is why this place is so great, it is a gathering place for opinions that transcend the traditional baloney of the right-left paradigm and the sham democracy that it erects as a facade on the brutal inhumanity of Empire.
Keep up the great work Rob!
EE
by
Ed Encho (8 articles, 18 quicklinks, 56 diaries, 394 comments)
on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 4:51:14 PM
OpEdNews should most definitely NOT back down from covering stories ignored or trampled by the 'mainstream' media. They are not mainstream. What they are is complicit with those in power. The dueling stories about the Palin baby is itself a story to be covered, because this is an example of how the truth is pushed aside in favor of a contrived explanation which is safer for those in power. The story offered by the RNC should not be accepted at face value any more than the story it attempts to supersede. Each requires evidence, and at present, only the first story satisfies that requirement.
Use this as an example of how the complicit press supports those in power, and then turn your attention to the inconsistencies in other stories we have been told. For a good example, take a look at the video called 'September Clues'.
---
I write pointed political and business short stories at klurgsheld.wordpress.com
by
P. Orin Zack (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 16 comments)
on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 4:51:28 PM
Bristol Palin is not the object of our debate -- or is she?
The Rude Pundit has a trainwreck up, "Bristol Palin's Vagina Considered".
While that may just be a toilet on the way to publication that a humorist will fall into if left to his own devices, his post represents pretty well how easy it is to use a real person as a metaphor and how especially easy it is if that person is a teenage girl.
I've tried and failed to express my discomfort about the Bristol Palin material for days now. Thank you, Rude Pundit. A grown man rifling a teenager's genitals is a better example than I could have ever devised on my own.
by
Elizabeth Ferrari (18 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 74 comments)
on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 4:55:13 PM
And an overrated one at that, probably COINTELPRO because he has little talent other than conjuring up nastiness - hell, with my own history of vile blogging (although in my defense at many times balanced with seriously important commentary and a social conscousness) I personally feel that Rude Pundit is so consistently indefensible and with no redeeming insight that his mention is only a mockery and a distraction. He is like Andrew Dice Clay or some other profanity spewing moron just trying to out vulgar the rest of the field.
I would pay no attention to that swine whatsoever and even invoking his misantropic insults here only takes away from what the discussion is.
Just my two cents
EE
by
Ed Encho (8 articles, 18 quicklinks, 56 diaries, 394 comments)
on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 5:09:27 PM
Rob-- first to the larger question, anyone who withdraws their writing because they disagree with other content on the site, or that they're not headlined enough, is not quite understanding of what a community blog is all about. As the editor you are giving us all the privilege to post ( and I thank you). As readers, we have the right to come and go as we please-- but agreed with you-- progressives (liberals) should be open to all conversation. That is what I always thought was the hallmark of democracy in general-- hearing all points of view.As to the Palin baby appropriateness-- in my view it is pertinent. a) Republican family values focus on the "family first" mantra. It is absolutely fair to question how a parent can dedicate herself on the rigorous campaign path ,while having an INFANT, any infant but in addition a special needs child, and then a pregnant teen daughter who will be giving birth right around the presidential inauguration should she win. She seems to have an amazing husband-- but some things, like a few month old baby-- who is still pheromone-attached to his mother's scent, and guiding a pregnant teen through her own hormonal and psychological changes are biologically tied to the mother, whenever possible. It is a case of quantity time, as well as quality time. b) the possible lies-- if she really is already the grandmother, is it an acceptable (and private) reason to "protect" her daughter? By today's standards that is not acceptable for anyone. We've learned the toll adult children have had upon discovering their "parents" were really their grandparents. And the emotional hurt that a teen parent has by not being allowed to claim their child as their own. Yes, as a public servant, it is our business to know, if this is her process of thinking.
by
crystal haidl (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 8 comments)
on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 5:08:32 PM
But I don't think she meant "thought crime." In reading her and others' posts here, what angers me is the utter hypocrisy of the Republican Party--the party of Rove. We all know that if Sarah Palin had been a Democrat, she would be the embarrassment of the century. Her entire private life would be paraded before us and her children would suffer in ignomy. The media would give us an endless stream of commentary on how Democratic values could lead to such a mess.
I haven't read all of the comments on this debate by any means, so I don't know what nasty things may have been said, but it seems to me that the progressives are trying to exercize some restraint out of consideration for both Sarah Palin and her family. We recognize that except for the issue of honesty (and the clear fact that her values are not progressive) it would be hypocritical for progressives to attack her, but just where does the Republican Party get off? McCain's candidacy has been a circus, yet he can get away with it all.
by
Patricia 0rmsby (3 articles, 5 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 161 comments)
on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 8:11:07 PM
You say: "If you disagree with one story or one subject OEN covers, including the Palin baby and Bristol Palin, you always have the choice of kissing OEN goodbye."
Well, there is another choice. Am I the only person who struggles to find enough time to read many of the amazing articles on OEN, let alone ALL of them? It's a pretty large buffet table, here. Readers can choose to put the stuff on their plate that they prefer, and just leave the rest for others. No need to limit the buffet choices.
by
Meryl Ann Butler (49 articles, 53 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 449 comments)
on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 5:14:53 PM
and it is a STRUGGLE to read everything worthwhile, and tasting that much smorgasbord is time-consuming.
Indeed, half the stuff looks like rightwing stuffing, doofus fodder to waste more time sorting OUT.
Like when a collective-good, timely, important, informative diary entry appears bright and fresh ... and then immediately a dozen doofus drivels pushes it down the stack and out of view.
Or is it just me noticing such things ...?
by
meremark (1 articles, 3 quicklinks, 26 diaries, 507 comments)
on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 9:09:15 PM
First of all, diaries are unmoderated. Diary submitters always have the option to submit their writing as articles. Of course, some articles, once in the queue, when evaluated by editors, are published as diaries. So, if you want to see the moderated writing, look to the articles.
OTOH, some of our best writers post directly as diaries. Go figure.
Soon, we'll be offering favorite options. Actually. We've started. You can click on the favorite button, below the printer friendly button, and save it to your member page. Before year-end, you'll be able to identify your favorite writers and topics and sort the site by those criteria. And of course, now, we have our popularity navigation system, so you can see which articles, diaries, polls, etc., are being read, forwarded or commented upon by the most readers.
by
Rob Kall (869 articles, 4016 quicklinks, 345 diaries, 1847 comments)
on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at 6:34:21 AM
My take on this is that Mikel Paul's article reflected his dismay at OEN's Progressive community's reaction to the Trig Palin baby speculation (as represented by the hundreds of comments on the various Palin baby threads).
I certainly don't want to put words in his mouth, but I don't think he faults, and I know that I don't fault OEN for presenting this topic (or any topic) and the links to Daily Kos articles. I do not consider any of this to be "taboo", as if OEN should self-censor sensitive topics.
His dismay was "when plausibility would be offered as proof, conjecture as confirmation, implication as fact or presupposition as evidence," and I think he was speaking to the larger community of active OEN participants. After all, OEN itself did not present a significant article on the subject, merely links to other articles.
It was the comments -- some quite aggressive comments, and some by OEN editors themselves -- that appeared to give more credence to the Daily Kos's speculation than might be reasonable, that delineated all of Palin's shortcomings for lying (and a lie only may or may not have occurred), and that showed, frankly, an extreme bias, and on a fairly sensitive topic. I'll use the first comment to this article as an example of, as Mikel said, "plausibility ... as proof, conjecture as confirmation, implication as fact or presupposition as evidence."
It was the disappointment in the Progressive community here at OEN, Rob, not OEN itself.
by
Robert Knowles (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 59 comments)
on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 5:17:35 PM
