Saturday, May 22, 2010

Standard-Examiner Flinches On Herbert Campaign Finance Headline

To be fair, under whatever headline, it's a good story

By Curmudgeon:

Yesterday afternoon, the Standard-Examiner put up a story on line reporting on how much money realtors are pouring into Gov. Herbert's re-election campaign. Here is the headline and story that went up around 3:25 p.m.:
"Realtor donations to Utah Gov. Herbert reach $100K"
But when I checked back this morning on the story, the headline had changed. It now reads:
"Herbert defends disclosure over campaign caps, accepts $25,000"
All mention of the realtors gone from the headline. Imagine that.

Can't help wondering what happened between the posting of the first headline about realtors pouring money into Herbert's campaign coffers, and the second, much muddier headline, from which the realtors magically disappeared. Did the advertising department start getting annoyed calls from the Utah Realtors Association, go into cardiac arrest, and then demand of the editors that the headline be changed? Inquiring minds want to know!

To be fair, let me add that under whatever headline, it's a good story. And in the print edition, the realtors sneak back in as a sub-head ["Realtors' total to Utah governor reaches $100,000 since August"].

But the paper's flinching on the initial headline was, I thought, interesting and worth noting.

Utah Governor's Mansion- Up for Grabs in 2010

14 comments:

Ray said...

Given the history of URA's control of the politicians in this state and the citizens of Ogden Valley's battle over Powderville, I'd say the initial headline was the story. Another URA chump in the statehouse is not good for the common folk of this state. Be scared Utah, very scared. The real Herbert will stay hidden under the skirts of URA until/if he wins the governership. Watching the URA's influence on the last session of Utahs politiacians, having their crony in the top spot will unleash the blind ambition of this organization.

RudiZink said...

Here's another interesting editorial change, Curm. The original story featured live links to Herbert's and Corroon's donors' lists, whereas the replacement story contains raw (unclickable) URLs only.

Was this latter alteration just an inadvertant error on some SE copy editor's part, or a conscious effort to deter readers from carefully examining these lists?

Here are the live links, BTW:

Gary Herbert Donor List

Peter Corroon Donor List

Monotreme said...

Oh my heck! I'm on the Corroon list but not the Herbert list!

I wonder how that happened.

Monotreme said...

Jeanette Ballantyne gave money to Corroon's campaign?

I feel dirty. I need to go take a bath now.

Pissed at the Utah Real Estate Industry Leviathan said...

Thanks for putting up Gary Herbert's contributors list, Rudi!

Unless the weather suddenly clears this weekend, I'll be staying indoors over the weekend and will be compiling spreadsheets which will show, I believe, the massively lopsided Real Estate Industry contributions to this Gary Wiliams Real Estate Industry shill, which are flowing to the campaign coffers of this mental weakling Herbert.

Stand by, WCF Readers!

Insane said...

I'm saving my contribution dollars for the Godfrey / Patterson ticket.

RudiZink said...

"Thanks for putting up Gary Herbert's contributors list, Rudi!"

So sez one of my email correspondents.

Unless the weather suddenly clears this weekend, I'll be staying indoors over the weekend and will be compiling spreadsheets which will show, I believe, the massively lopsided Real Estate Industry contributions to this Gary Williams-type Real Estate Industry shill, which are flowing to the campaign coffers of this mental midget and intellectual weakling Herbert.

Stand by, WCF Readers!

HS Teacher said...

I've heard that Gary Herbert barely graduated from high School, and that he has neither college experience nor any post-high school degrees nor certificates.

Is it possible that this is true?

Is it possible that Gary Herbert is halfway as lame as he seems to be?

Mike Ostermiller said...

LOL! The Utah Governor's mansion will soon become the UAR's Frat House and personal playpen!

Read those posts and weep, suckers!

We have you Utahns by the "short and curlies" and we'll never let up!

Danny said...

Right off I see the realtors have kicked in $100,000 for Herbert, under three lines and two entities.

I also see regulated utilities giving money to Herbert.

Corroon is getting money from labor unions, hardly clean money.

I do appreciate both candidates posting their info.

I like Corroon because he opposed the Real Soccer stadium $50million corporate welfare hand out that the Republicans did.

But other than that, what good is either party? Here is a Democrat calling for an end to our imperial wars. What chance is there that either party will support him?

None.

End The Wars of The Imperial U.S.A.

ozboy said...

The real estate/developer cabal has pretty much had a strangle hold on Utah government for quite a while now. That includes all levels from town councils to the legislative leadership so called. They now have the Governor's office and the Lt. Governor's office wired. Next is the state Supreme Court. I don't know what members of that court are currently real estate hacks or beholden to them, but I see where David Connor - currently the newest member of the 2nd District Court, is on the short list to become the newest member of the state Supremes. Connor has very little court experience and yet is in the running for this highest judicial appointment. Herbert will make the decision. When he was mayor of Farmington, Connor was known as a very pro-developer politician. He is the main protoge of Gregg Bell, former Farmington mayor, former state senator and now Lt. Governor and well known wanna-be real estate developer himself.

Bottom line is that the real estate hustlers of Utah have the state and all its citizens by the balls and they are only increasing their control and influence. As a holder of real estate I ought to be happy about that, but as a citizen who believes in balance in government it scares the hell out of me!

If you can find a bookmaker who is covering the Supreme court appointment, I would advice you to bet heavily on Connor getting the post. Would appreciate any one who can steer me to said bookmaker.

Danny said...

Oz,

One supposes that simply holding real estate does not make one in common cause with the realty people.

Indeed, they don't want you to hold and enjoy your property. They want you to sell it. They want it carved up into little pieces. They want to turn your neighborhood into crap by putting houses higher on the hill, so you will move there, and they will collect their commissions both when you buy and sell.

They produce nothing. They feed off dislocation and dissatisfaction.

They are parasites. If not for their bribery of government, they would be nothing.

Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve said...

County Commission candidate Kerry Gibson has the total support of the Real Estate group in this election. That must tell you where he is on all of this. Let's ask Gibson on his view of an independent ethics committee.

history tells all said...

This all shows you that the republicans are bought and paid for, and therefore are not there in the best interest of the common man or any body else for that matter. So Why is it these guys keep getting you votes? Doesn't anyone every see the corruption that is going on. Whether it be money or hot tubing or drunk driving. cheating on ones spouse or just plan stupid-ness. I think the public needs to get informed and see which party is the better party for helping people cope with life.

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