Missourinet

Washington U. - Protesting with class

Friday's commencement ceremony at Washington University in St. Louis featured the presentation of an honorary doctorate to conservative icon Phyllis Schlafly, a graduate of Washington U. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports hundreds of attendees who apparently disagree with Mrs. Schlafly's views protested by turning their backs as the 83-year-old was honored.

According to the story, Schlafly thought it was "juvenile" of students to do this ... but says it did not ruin her moment. Juvenile? Probably ... but this form of protest would have to be considered among the more respectful forms of protest. It gets across a point without ruining anyone else's experience through such childish forms of protest as jeering and drowning out speakers by shouting expletives.

College campuses - which used to be considered among the few places in which opposing ideas could be freely expressed - have become little more than settings in which free speech is stifled. We regularly see examples of this across the country. The anti-free speech movement is usually led by malcontents who attempt to shout down invited speakers with whom the malcontents disagree. Conservative commentators Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, and David Horowitz are routinely subjected to this kindergarten-level behavior from those who clearly are not intelligent enough to protest in other ways.

Interestingly enough, this infantile ranting often comes from young hotheads who claim to love free speech ... but will only allow it to take place if they happen to agree with what is being said. Interesting concept!

Back to Washington U. ... Retired civil rights attorney Margaret Bush Wilson introduced Schlafly at the ceremony. The Post-Dispatch reports Wilson said after the ceremony that while she does not share many of Schlafly's views, this is a free speech issue. The newspaper quotes Wilson as saying, "Vigorous, free-flowing debate is the cornerstone of our American life."

To borrow from the protesters of the 1960s ... "Right on!"

- Steve Walsh

Congratulations Fired Up! ... But how will Howard get credentialed?

While engaged in the daily review of my favorite blogs I learned that Fired Up! Missouri will be part of the Blogger Corps for the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Congratulations!

I mean it! While Fired Up! has taken shots at yours truly and other members of the mainstream media in the past ... it is only appropriate to say mazel tov to all those in radio, television, newspapers, and Internet media when good news is delivered. Fired Up! will be joining representatives of the Missourinet, Kansas City Star, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Associated Press and others from Missouri who will be in Denver for the big event. The others I have mentioned with be in the Twin Cities for the Republican National Convention, as well, and I am guessing Fired Up! will not ... but who knows ... there's still some time.

And, as someone who cares for fellow media people ... including bloggers ... I must raise a concern.  Having covered political conventions in the past and scheduled to do so again this year I must caution my friends at Fired Up! about credentialing. You see ... the Democrats and Republicans are kind of sticky about the whole concept of using pseudonyms in place of real names. It's not a problem for Steve Walsh and Brent Martin of the Missourinet ... or Jo Mannies of the Post-Dispatch ... of Steve Kraske of the K.C. Star ... or David Lieb of A.P. But it might pose a problem for someone claiming to be Howard Beale.

I only raise this issue because I care. I look forward to reading the contributions of the Fired Up! force at the Democratic Convention and it would be a tragedy ... okay, perhaps "tragedy" is too strong a word ... but it would certainly be a shame if the Fired Up! representatives were denied their credentials because they chose to remain behind the curtain. It's probably a safe bet that Roy Temple will be there ... but just about everyone who covers Missouri politics already knows Roy. What about the others? Will Howard Beale and others be denied access because of a belief that reporters and journalists - mainstream and bloggers - should have a right to secrecy?

I hope not! And to show how much I care ... I am going to call on all readers of this blog to get in touch with the Missouri Democratic Party ... with the DNC in Washington ... and with the committee organizing the 2008 Convention. I am asking you to go to your windows, open them and stick your head out and yell, "I'm as mad as Hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" Tell them you want people who are given access to presidential candidates to be able to keep their true identities secret. What is all this garbage about openness? It's clearly overrated! If we all join together we can save the process for Howard Beale and the Howard Beales of the future.

Yes folks ... I envision the day when names on credentials will be meaningless ... a day when the media class at conventions is dominated by people using pseudonyms. It's only a dream ... but one worth holding onto. Congratulations, again, Fired Up! ... we'll see you at the conventions - But will we know it?"

- Steve Walsh

"The thrill of victory" ... Lobbyists at play

There's nothing more exciting than an "end of the session" filibuster at the State Capitol. Okay ... that's probably not true ... but work with me. Tuesday night/Wednesday morning saw a handful of legislators filibustering an immigration reform bill. As filibusters go ... I can certainly say I've heard more enlightening and interesting banter. And that lack of witty repartee brought out the best ... or perhaps the worst ... in several lobbyists, some Senate staffers ... and a Senator or two.

It was the lobby-olympics - thrills, chills, spills, and excitement ... or at least what passes for thrills, chills, spills, and excitement late at night or early in the morning in the State Senate. The marquee event was the superball bounce. This sport cannot boast the popularity that soccer commands on the world stage ... but there are many who will swear it is much more exciting than soccer. Frankly, that's not hard to do ... but I digress.

The rules for the superball bounce are fairly straightforward ... a thrower makes his way to the Whispering Gallery in the Capitol Rotunda ... then throws a superball all the way down to the first floor - a length of seven football fields (alright, that's a bit of a stretch ... but it is about the length of a football field). Crowds gathered to observe these great and not so great athletes exhibiting their skills. Concerns were expressed that someone might fall to his death ... and that certainly would have been more exciting and noteworthy than what was happening in the Senate ... but it was not to be.

Not all of these great sportsmen and sportswomen played superball bounce. Some played hallway golf - a display of artistry not seen since Tonya Harding's friends tried to kneecap Nancy Kerrigan at Detroit's Cobo Arena prior to the 1992 Winter Olympics. Who among us cannot remember the wailing of the sweet Nancy as she screamed ... "Why me? Why me?" Forgive the momentary lapse back to the 1990s ... but it was a VERY long night in the Senate.

Back to the golf ... As one duffer putted the ball down the third floor hallway from the Senate side of the Capitol beyond "center court" to the House end of the building, a Senator whose district borders the Mississippi River was heard to exclaim, "Can you believe they let us make laws?" To be fair there wasn't much lawmaking going on. After all ... there was a filibuster taking place in the Senate.

- Steve Walsh

Sometimes you just have to ask, "Why should I care?"

A visit to the office of Scott Brandon - the Director of Operations for Learfield's News Division - provides the visitor with a chance to experience Scott's news philosophy. And, I kind of like the philosophy. Posted over Scott's desk is a something which looks like a bumper sticker with the question, "Why should I care?"

Scott's thinking is that the Missourinet (and Learfield's other news operations in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska) must cover and report on stories that matter to our customers - the listeners and the radio stations that are our affiliates. And we should be able to put ourselves in the position of the customer and answer the question, "Why should I care?"

Many of us in radio, television, newspapers, and the Internet tend to focus on stories which are of interest to us ... but not necessarily of interest to anyone outside our bubbles. In many of those cases we face the challenges of making what might be a dull story an interesting one. Sometimes it's easy to do with a great piece of sound or video ... other times we have to work at it. But, like most things, the more work you put into something ... the better the final product ... and the more interesting it will be to people.

To the point ... all news operations must make decisions as to what is newsworthy and what is of interest to our listeners, viewers, or readers. There are times when the two do not go hand in hand. For instance, there is little doubt that the big story in Missouri over the last few days has been the deadly weather that has claimed 16 lives. This is clearly one that is newsworthy and, at the same time, easily answers the "Why should I care?" question.

But what about the times when the big stories we see, hear, and read involve the latest travails of Britney Spears and whether she will get custody of her kids ... How about Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and whether they are starving themselves ... Then there's the question of whether Angelina Jolie is having twins. Forgive me ... but ... "Why should I care?" And what's the deal with the paparazzi fighting over who can get pictures of someone's baby? Again ... "Why should I care?"

Unfortunately, while many of us care little about the lives of the rich and famous ... others live vicariously through the exploits of these individuals. And there's the rub. Often the media will have to weigh the importance of one story with the frivolity - yet possible interest - of another ... and decide what to run in the story line-up and where to place these stories.

So ... we often have to mix the substantive stories with the fluff to make the product both informative and interesting. Fine ... but we have to make sure we do not lose sight of the fact we are news operations and not "Entertainment Tonight." If lawmakers at the state or local levels are passing legislation that will affect the lives of people we have to tell people about the legislation and how it is going to affect them - for the better or for the worse ... and make it interesting as well as informative. That can sometimes be quite challenging.

This is where a blog comes in handy. We can sometimes entertain the fun stuff and get into "the rest of the news" in the blogosphere. These blogs might appeal only to a small readership ... but it's a dedicated readership ... and the blogs add something valuable to the mix - even if they are dedicated to the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

Oh ... one last thing ... Britney and her kids ... "Why should I care?"

- Steve Walsh

Lifetimes of memories ... blowin' in the wind

By now many of us are well aware of the tornadoes that hit Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma over the weekend - killing dozens of people.

It is during times of tragedy that emergency officials spring into action ... everyone from the State Emergency Management Agency to the National Guard to first responders at the local levels. These are the folks who see the devastation in an "up close and personal" way. And many times these police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and others actually know the victims or their families ... adding to the personal side of a tragedy of this proportion.

These emergency crews are not the only people springing into action amid the devastation. Utility crews are pressed into service as they try to restore electricity to thousands of homes affected by power outages. The good people who operate shelters brace for the onslaught of "the new homeless." And city and county officials must open the doors of armories, meeting halls, and the like to accommodate those for whom there is no room at the shelters.

Then there is the role that we in the media play. Missourinet affiliates in southwest Missouri have had their hands full since the twisters hit ... as have newspapers and TV stations there and throughout the state. Part of what we do is criticized by some who say we are exploiting a situation by providing audio, video, and photographs of victims when they are most vulnerable.

To be sure, there is some of that going on, and it overshadows the positive role the media play when covering events such as these. But that is a small part. Folks who have suffered tremendous losses need help. There is no way the media can help bring back a loved one who has died ... but we can raise awareness about property losses - how someone who had a lovely home just days ago is now asking for a bowl of soup and a piece of dry floor to sleep on.

Missourinet affiliate KTTS in Springfield offers a great example of how the media can play a constructive role in helping to increase awareness outside the affected area and, perhaps, to inspire those who were not hit by the severe weather to want to help their fellow Missourians - financially or otherwise. The station's website not only provides photographs and information on the tragedy, but it offers valuable information as to where Red Cross shelters are located.

The Joplin Globe, which has a business relationship with the Missourinet, offers extensive coverage of the destruction caused by the tornadoes. Thanks to the website, readers are constantly updated on news regarding friends and family ... and their damaged homes and businesses.

While the media report on the destruction, we are not immune to all that happens. A twister took out a transmitter shack and damaged the tower of radio station KBTN in Joplin. (But the station is still on the air!)

Let's end this piece with a contribution from David Brazeal - Managing Director for Learfield Interaction. (That's an actual position, but I digress!) David lives in southwest Missouri between Billings and Republic. The weather got nasty early Saturday evening ... but he and his family were spared the brunt of the severe storms. Nonetheless, personal items and belongings - one of them believed to come from Seneca, Missouri (approximately 75 miles away) and another from as far away as Miami, Oklahoma (a distance of about 85 miles) - ended up on David's property.

That, in itself, is fascinating ... but David has picked up a piece of what appears to be a family photograph ... which could mean a lot to someone who has lost so much ... and is looking for the owner. He's posted the photo on his website. It's not much to go on, but it's another example of how the media can be of assistance, and it could be worth a great deal to someone whose lives have been so negatively impacted ... and whose memories and mementoes were last seen just blowin' in the wind.

- Steve Walsh

Celebrating David Cook Day - 'Tis the reason for the season ...

Well, here we are celebrating David Cook Day in Missouri. Governor Blunt has proclaimed this David Cook Day as a show of support for the Blue Springs native who is a top three finalist in the American Idol competition.

And ... the older we all get ... the more we look back on David Cook Days from years gone by ... back to when we were kids and it seemed we didn't have a care in the world.

I can remember Mom making hot chocolate as Dad gathered the kids 'round the David Cook tree as he read us "The Night Before David Cook Day." You know ... we were aware of how the story would turn out ... but it was such fun to just sit there, listening to Dad read from the book as we kept warm next to the Paula Abdul log ... which was apparently well lit.

That, of course, was only a prelude to the excitement we would experience the next morning when we awoke and ran downstairs to check for Cook Day presents. Let me tell you ... getting to sleep the night before was no easy chore ... but we somehow managed. Later in the day we would greet friends and family who dropped in for a bit of holiday "Cook"ing. Ah ... the memories are so thick you have to wipe them away with your hand.

As the years went by ... things changed. The secular progressives took over the schools and made it illegal to teach anything about David Cook to kids. At the same time, David Cook Day was becoming so commercialized we started losing sight of the true meaning of the day. There even came a time when the stores hadn't had a chance to take down their Truman Day banners and bunting when the Cook Day ornaments went up. But that only made us all the more determined to celebrate our inner Cook.

Nowadays, David Cook Day has been relegated to the "so so" holidays that are really not given much thought by Missourians who get up and go to work without attaching any significance to the day. David Cook decorations are nowhere to be found ... the banks remain open ... and there's mail delivery.

Sure, the Missourinet still calls the State Highway Patrol and the Water Patrol ahead of time to see if all available personnel will be on hand to watch for David Cook Day speeders and for those who are guilty of DUI - Driving Under Idolatry. But it seems the youngsters of today will never have the experiences so many of us had growing up.

So, you have probably heard or read Governor Blunt's David Cook Day message. Accept it! Embrace it! Live it! This is David Cook Day - 'Tis the reason for the season! (Psssst! "Day after Cook Day" sales begin promptly Saturday morning at 6:00!)

- Steve Walsh

Midwives and NASCAR ... and some thoughts from Isaiah

Allow me to begin today with a brief visit to the Bible:

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
And the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them."
Isaiah 11:6

Okay, folks ... this is not quite the approach of the Biblical "end of days" (at least we hope not) ... but we are approaching the "end of days" of the session. And, in a sense, the wolf is dwelling with the lamb ... or perhaps the leopard does lie down with the kid (goat).

Political polar opposites Senators John Loudon (R-Chesterfield) and Senator Chuck Graham (D-Columbia) have come to an agreement ... causing more than a few Missouri political observers to scratch their heads. (I leave it to you to decide which of the two is the wolf and which one is the lamb.) The agreement comes on Loudon's legislation to legalize midwifery in Missouri. Graham has blocked the effort in the past through use of the filibuster. But this year Graham has opted to allow a vote to move forward.

Of course, there is a reason for this. Graham sponsors a bill which would have a portion of a Boone County highway dedicated in honor of Columbia's own NASCAR superstar Carl Edwards. It wouldn't appear as though there would be too much opposition to this ... and, truth be told, there really isn't. But Loudon has seen an opportunity ... and has seized that opportunity. It has been made clear that if Graham filibusters the midwifery bill ... Loudon will filibuster the Carl Edwards bill. This goes to prove the quote attributed to gangster Al Capone: "You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone."

You know ... it's not often that the Bible and Al Capone are quoted in the same essay ... with the mention of Carl Edwards thrown in for good measure. But remember, folks ... we are approaching the "end of days" - of the legislative session, that is ... (at least we hope!)

Oh ... one more thing about this political "detente" in the Senate. Might it be permanent? Let's answer that by tossing Woody Allen into the mix of the Bible, Al Capone, and Carl Edwards. Said Allen: ''The lion and the lamb may lie down together, but the lamb won't get much sleep.''

- Steve Walsh

Oh so British ... informative, yet condescending

Former British Prime Minister Sir John Major paid a visit to Missouri this week to be honored at an event in St. Louis. He took a side trip to Westminster College in Fulton to see the Sir Winston Churchill Memorial & Library.

Rob Crouse, Westminster's Director of College Relations, called a few days ahead of time to ask if anyone would be interested in coming to Fulton to see the former Prime Minister and to take part in a media availability. First off ... it's almost impossible to say "NO" to Rob Crouse ... who used to work with Governor Bob Holden ... and is one of the nicest people you would ever want to meet. Second, as a history and political science major, how could I turn down the opportunity to meet and talk to this former world leader? (John Major, that is ... not Rob Crouse or Bob Holden.)

Of course, it is important to prepare for an event like this. For instance ... how does one address John Major? As a former Prime Minister is he addressed as Prime Minister? Is he addressed as Sir John? What is the protocol for addressing a former British Prime Minister who has been knighted by the Queen?

I located the phone numbers of the British Embassy in Washington and several consular offices in various locations throughout the United States. I called several of these places in an effort to obtain the information I so desperately sought. Finally, I found someone who could answer my question. And the answer was delivered with typical British aplomb.

The person with whom I spoke informed me that the proper salutation is "Sir John." But that wasn't all. The person then informed me that John Major was no longer the Prime Minister. I responded by saying I was aware of that fact. He then let me know that in Britain a former Prime Minister does not carry the title. Tony Blair is Mr. Blair ... nothing more ... and John Major is Sir John because he has been knighted ... otherwise he would be Mr. Major. The individual then took advantage of the opportunity to say Britian is unlike the United States in that ... "We (the British) stop referring to people by the titles they have achieved in life once they no longer hold those positions ... Unlike you Americans who keep referring to your Presidents as Mr. President long after they have left the White House."

Ouch!

God bless the British ... informative and condescending at the same time! I would expect nothing less.

- Steve Walsh

Have a piece of pie

You know you're approaching the end of the legislative session when the annual Senate Pie Day sweetens up the proceedings.  The event is hosted annually by the holder of the office occupied by Senator Charlie Shields.  He happens to be the Majority Floor Leader ... but that's not the reason he hosts it ... it just so happens he holds the office that was once occupied by Senator Harold Caskey. In fact, the tradition began when Caskey held that office ... and that stretches back to ... well ... years and years and years.

This year's selection of pies covered the gamut from apple to banana to cherry to peach to rhubarb to raisin cream to raisin to strawberry rhubarb to pumpkin to custard to lemon to chocolate meringue to sugar free cherry to sugar free apple to the greatest pie in the world - pecan pie! Charlie Shields says there were a lot of requests for gooseberry pie ... which was nowhere to be found this year. Why? Well, the smiling Senator from St. Joseph informed several of those who asked, "Where's the gooseberry?" that we are experiencing a shortage of gooseberries this year because they have been diverted to the making of ethanol. That's not quite true ... and Charlie was only joking ... but he says some people left him believing that is the reason for no gooseberry pie this year.

For the record ... the pies - 167 of them - came from the Jerre Anne Cafeteria & Bakery in St. Joseph. Who paid for these 167 delicious pies? Charlie Shields??? All the Senators??? Senate staff??? NOOOOOO! The pies are paid for by some of those omni-present Capitol dwellers so many of us know and love ... In the words of the smiling Senator from St. Joe: "The pies are courtesy of the professional lobbying community!"

167 pies ... nickels and dimes for some of those guys!

- Steve Walsh

Ron Paul supporters say they're being targeted by GOP

A National Guard Armory in Jefferson City is a busy place today as dozens of elected delegates to the Missouri Republican Party Convention sit and wait for an opportunity to, in essence, defend themselves against concerns that have been raised to GOP officials.

In all, about 300 of the roughly 1,900 elected delegates were sent notices, informing them of challenges to their status as delegates or alternate delegates. The 300 were invited to Jefferson City to respond to the challenges. But they were not informed of the details of the challenges, nor were they told the source of the challenges. On top of this, they were not allowed to bring along legal representation.

They were told they would have five minutes with the convention credentials committee, which is made up of about a dozen people including State Party Chairman Doug Russell and Party Executive Director Jared Craighead.

While those summoned to Jefferson City were not aware of the reasons for any credential challenges, they quickly realized that the vast majority of those who had journeyed to the capital city are supporters of Ron Paul. Many of those with whom I spoke are of the opinion it is their support for Paul which has led to this situation today. Those who had had their hearing informed me they had been treated politely ... were asked several questions including their loyalty to the Republican Party ... but were not given information on why they had been singled out.

At the time of this posting many of the delegates whose credentials had been called into question are of the belief they will not find out until the Branson Convention later this month whether they will be seated as delegates. I will update further when I have had a chance to speak to GOP officials.

- Steve Walsh

Just how do you pronounce that name?

One of the major pieces of legislation being dealt with by state lawmakers during the 2008 session, which ends on May 16th, is an economic incentive package designed to lure Canadian airplane maker Bombardier Aerospace to an area near Kansas City International Airport.

It's known as the Bombardier bill. It started out as an $880-million package over 22 years ... and has been scaled down to a $240-million proposal over eight years.

For Capitol observers who can get beyond the fiscal details of this package ... one of the best shows in town has been the attempt by some lawmakers - on both the House and Senate sides - to pronounce the name of this Canadian company. On Thursday of this week ... Senator Charlie Shields (R-St. Joseph) - the sponsor of the bill - did some explaining to Senator Delbert Scott (R-Lowry City).

Download barjay.MP3

Now ... if only Charlie could explain to his colleagues and the rest of us why the British and the Americans have different pronunciations for the word "lieutenant."  Americans pronounce it (loo-TEN-uhnt) ... while the Brits say (lef-TEN-uhnt). Of course ... what do the British know about the Queen's English???

- Steve Walsh

To "Twitter" or not to "Twitter?" ... Technology for technology's sake?

Monday morning at the Missourinet is meeting time as we discuss the week's schedule of events, projects that must be completed, and just about anything else that's in the news or just happens to come up.

Technology is one of the things we have been addressing as we consider how best to cover candidate debates, the national political conventions in Denver and St. Paul, and election night ... and how to make our coverage even more valuable to our customers - the affiliates and the Missourinet audience.

It has been suggested that we fully embrace Twitter - which bills itself as "a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?" That's great ... but how might this be of benefit to our newsroom or our customers?

Learfield's wired-guy in residence, Steve Mays, recently approached me with an example of how Twitter could be of benefit to us. It must be noted that Steve - God love him - seemingly embraces all things technological whether or not they are of any practical value. The example Steve gave me was from professional agriblogger and farm podcaster Chuck Zimmerman.

I know Chuck and I like him. In fact, when I first came to Learfield in 2000 Chuck ran the Brownfield Ag News Network. But I explained to Steve Mays that I found little value in somebody keeping a running tab of so many of his movements. I suggested that someone might be interested in hearing from a reporter, in Baghdad, that a bomb had just exploded and had killed many people. But I do not see the news value in Chuck informing people that his plane had arrived on time ... or another travel update ... or that he's avoided city traffic.

This is not criticism of Chuck or anyone else doing this ... Undoubtedly there are those who want to know where Chuck is at a given time - family members, perhaps. This is merely me asking how this would be of any earthly benefit to a news operation or its customers. Remember ... Twitter is being sold to me NOT as a way to keep in touch with friends and family ... but as a newsroom tool.

On my own, I searched and discovered CNN's Twitter site ... and actually found this to be of value. It provides teases with links to the full story. Of course, many of the people who are particularly interested in a subject ... and who have access to the Internet (and one would imagine all Twitter subscribers have Internet access) ... would already be keeping tabs on the latest developments regarding something of specialized interest (i.e. elections in a remote part of the world.)

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Again ... What we are looking for is the value to the newsroom and its customers in something like Twitter. Missourinet news anchor Mary Furness summed it up this way: "You cannot use the technology indiscriminately ... You have to tailor it to your needs."

I might add to Mary's questioning of the value of Twitter by borrowing from Willard Duncan Vandiver who uttered those two words that have become synonymous with Missouri: "Show Me!"

- Steve Walsh

Spence Jackson joins Team Steelman

Governor Matt Blunt's former Communications Director Spence Jackson is taking a position with State Treasurer Sarah Steelman's gubernatorial campaign.

Jackson begins his new duties as Communications Director tomorrow.

The 37-year-old Jackson is a native of Springfield.  He previously served as Field Director in Senator Kit Bond's 1998 re-election campaign and as Communications Director for Matt Blunt's campaigns for Secretary of State in 2000 and Governor in 2004.

Jackson became Communications Director when Blunt was Secretary of State and held the Communications post in the Governor's office when Blunt was sworn-in as Governor in 2005.  In October of 2006, Jackson was named Deputy Director-Communications and Community Outreach with the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

- Steve Walsh

Former British Prime Minister to visit Churchill Memorial

Westminster College in Fulton has welcomed some big names over the years ... starting with Sir Winston Churchill who delivered what is arguably one of the best known speeches heard in this country. Its official name was the Sinews of Peace Address ... but it has become known in the United States and around the world as the Iron Curtain Speech, which was delivered on March 5th, 1946.

President Harry Truman was there that day. He was the first of a long line of VIP to grace the Fulton campus. Those names include Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Gerald Ford. Vice President Dick Cheney has spoken at Westminster ... as has Senator John Kerry. Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher have spoken there, as well.

Another British P.M. visits Westminster next Tuesday, May 6th, when Sir John Major takes a tour of the Churchill Museum and interacts with a Westminster College history class.

Major's visit will be brief ... as he'll head to St. Louis later in the day to receive the Churchill medal from the Board of Governors of The Churchill Memorial at a reception and dinner in St. Louis.

- Steve Walsh

Form e-mails ... Does anyone really pay attention to them?

The Missourinet and other newsrooms across the state and country are deluged with e-mails - especially during political campaign years - telling us of the latest positives of certain candidates ... or the latest negatives of others. Most of these e-mails, while self-serving, are interesting and informative.

We also receive e-mails from people we assume to be concerned citizens wanting their take on a given issue to be embraced, or at least considered, by the media. That's great, too, as the media must be aware of what is on the minds of our listeners, viewers, or readers.

Occasionally, though, we get an e-mail from one of those "concerned citizens" ... and it is followed a short time later by a separate e-mail ... from another "concerned citizen." What is amazingly mind-boggling is how two people - ostensibly in different parts of the state, country, or even the world - send identical or near identical e-mails. Such was the case with a pair of e-mails received by the Missourinet on the heels the latest comments of Reverend Jeremiah Wright - Barack Obama's former pastor.

Take a look ... I'll wait ... Download obama_and_reverend_wright2.txt

Okay ... let's continue. This is not the first time this kind of thing has happened. In the days of cost-free e-mail communication this is almost routine. A couple of questions: Does the fact that two or more people send identical or near identical e-mails diminish from the message? Do recipients (media or elected officials) simply dismiss these e-mails? What has more impact - a unique comment or one that is signed by dozens or hundreds or even thousands of people who add their names to what amounts to little more than a form letter?

To be fair ... it is possible that people in different parts of the state, country, or world could be communicating telepathically and somehow turn out the same message - word for word. Of course, there's probably a greater chance of two Sea World dolphins colliding in mid-air ... with one of the dolphins being killed in the mishap.

Oops!

- Steve Walsh

Doing the "Denunciation Dance"

As the 2008 political season moves on ... we hear more and more about this group or that group ... this candidate or that candidate ... calling on someone to denounce somebody else. Occasionally we get more than a call to denounce ... we get a call to return campaign contributions donated by a group or individual.

The Missourinet and other news organizations routinely receive these "calls to denounce" from the spin machines set up by the political parties or their surrogates. A recent e-mail I received from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee took offense with an ad being run by the North Carolina Republican Party. The DSCC e-mail sends a message that targets U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) with the caption: "North Carolina deserves better than gutter politics. Tell Senator Dole to stop the offensive ad or return the state party's money."

This DSCC e-mail was only the latest in a long series of "calls to denounce" from both Democratic and Republican operatives. So, I decided to Google these "calls to denounce" and chanced upon "Who Will Denounce the Denouncers?" - a piece written by Jazz Shaw for The Moderate Voice. He invites readers to Google the phrase "Will McCain denounce" and we find McCain is being called on to denounce such people as Rush Limbaugh, Floyd Brown, and Rod Parsley.

Shaw points out that Hillary Clinton is expected to denounce such individuals as Ed Rendell and Mick Jagger.

Barack Obama isn't out of the woods, either, as Shaw indicates Obama is asked to denounce Louis Farrakhan and Ed Schultz.

These "calls for denunciation" come from all over the political spectrum - left and right - and from candidates, parties, publications, and blogs.

And, if you choose to Google further you will learn that this goes beyond the targeting of politicians. We find an example of union workers calling on SEIU activists to denounce the manner in which a union election is being held.

Even the Canadians are part of the "denunciation dance." In September, former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney was called on to "denounce Israeli apartheid."

With a little more than six months to go before Election Day ... we will no doubt be treated to dozens, scores, maybe even hundreds of additional calls from candidates, parties, and special interest groups wanting candidates to denounce the words or actions of others.

At what point does the "call to denounce" lose its impact? Certainly, anyone in the public arena who utters certain comments is fair game for the media, political parties, special interest groups, and so on ... But at what point does guilt by association become too much of a stretch ... even for the True Believers?

Well ... time to get back to reading my e-mail. As a reporter I must try to keep track of the latest target of those calling on politicians to put on a pair of dancing shoes and join the "denunciation dance."

- Steve Walsh

The significance of timeliness ... keeping websites up to date

There is no putting the toothpaste back in the tube. Not only must each political party and candidate have a web presence ... those websites must be kept up to date.

While the Missourinet and other newsrooms across the state and the country still get a lot of information from phone calls and from press releases that are placed in mailboxes, faxed, and sent via e-mail ... there is usually a need for the recipient of the info to find out more.  That information must be available on political websites.

The Constitution Party's website offers a great example of a political site NOT being updated in a timely manner. I found this example on Sunday while engaged in my morning routine of reading stories from newspapers, radio & TV, and blogs.

Steve Kraske's piece in the Kansas City Star's Prime Buzz tells of the Constitution Party National Convention in Kansas City ... and the party faithful's decision to choose Chuck Baldwin over Alan Keyes as the Constitution Party's 2008 presidential candidate.  (In case you were not aware, Keyes - a former Republican presidential hopeful - severed ties with the GOP earlier this month.)

Wanting to learn more about the Constitution Party's selection of its presidential flag-bearer, I journeyed to the party's web page. Lo and behold ... (as of Sunday, April 27th, at 9:30amCT) ... the "Latest News and Commentary" box encouraged supporters to travel to Kansas City the weekend of April 23-26 for the 2008 National Presidential Nominating Convention. One could even find a link to an online registration form. Not a word about what had happened in Kansas City!

Unlike the Republican, Democratic, and Libertarian Parties ... which are considered established parties ... the Constitution Party does not enjoy automatic ballot access in Missouri. Backers of Chuck Baldwin and the Constitution Party will have to collect a sufficient number of valid signatures and present them to the Secretary of State's Office. If that happens Missourians will have the chance to vote for Chuck Baldwin in November.

But if it does happen ... and Baldwin does end up on Missouri's November ballot ... voters probably should not count on learning about it by going to the Constitution Party's website.

- Steve Walsh

Corn ... a-maize-ing or not?

"You call it corn ... we call it maize."

Ah ... the end of another week in the metropolis of Jefferson ... and, if you'll forgive the trip back in time and the borrowing of the line above from a favorite commercial from my childhood, let's return to the present and say it's been a very interesting week in the ongoing discussion of whether ethanol should be given greater consideration as an alternative fuel.

The week began with a study conducted by the economic consulting firm LECG and paid for by the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council. It showed there are big economic benefits in Missouri to the mandate that requires each gallon of gasoline to contain a 10 percent ethanol blend.

The next day at the State Capitol, a House hearing was held on HB 2536 - legislation to repeal the E-10 requirement. That bill, which is awaiting further action, is sponsored by Representative Mike Dethrow (R-Alton) who voted for the E-10 mandate but now believes his support was a mistake. He says he's heard from constituents expressing concerns about reduced gas mileage as a result of the ethanol blend.

Other opponents of the E-10 mandate have gone so far as to say the greater demand for ethanol is driving up the price of feed for livestock. And that results in higher costs to consumers when they buy food.

Today the Missouri Corn Growers sent out the organization's weekly e-mail newsletter StalkTalk ... with a link to a Texas study showing oil prices are to blame for higher food costs.

It's hard to tell what's right and what's wrong. Maybe it's not black and white, after all. Perhaps there's quite a bit of gray. But there is no doubt that while legislative efforts to change the E-10 mandate are not likely to go anywhere this year, the debate over ethanol is far from over and we'll be hearing a lot more from both supporters and opponents in the weeks, months, and years to come.

- Steve Walsh

Frankly, I'd rather be watching a ballgame ...

In my effort to keep this week's blogs controversy free ... I just might have inadvertently stumbled onto the most controversial subject that one dares bring up in any workplace in America - Do you or do you not watch what is arguably one of the most popular if not THE most popular show on TV?

It happened as I sauntered from the Missourinet newsroom into the newsroom of the Brownfield Agriculture Network - another member of the Learfield Communications family. Brownfield's Promotion Coordinator Kari McKinney asked me whether I thought David Archuleta is as good as so many people seem to think he is. I confessed I had no knowledge of this David Archuleta person. Kari then responded, in scolding tones, "American Idol!!!"

She saw that I was speechless and took advantage of that to hit me again - figuratively, of course. This time she asked what I thought about a guy named David Cook who is a resident of Blue Springs. Again, I had little to offer ... giving Kari yet another opportunity to pounce. Said young Kari to this cynical, yet fun-loving, news guy: "American Idol!!! ... David Cook turned a Mariah Carey pop-slow song into a rock ballad!  HELLO!!!"

Not accustomed to being snapped at over such trivialities ... and being the introvert that I am ... I immediately recoiled and went into my shell. Okay, the part about being an introvert and going into my shell is not quite accurate ... but it's true that I'm not used to being snapped at.

Anyway, I thought it would be a good idea to use this experience to walk the halls of Learfield to find out whether I'm the only person in the country who doesn't watch American Idol ... or whether it might be a generational thing ... or something else. I learned quickly - to my relief - that I'm not the only person who doesn't care about American Idol. I also learned that while some of the younger Learfield folks don't watch the show ... some of the older folks love it and can't get enough of it.

Granted ... this is a very unscientific poll ... but I was able to learn it is not just young people tuned into what passes for entertainment these days. Just kidding! I'm sure it's a great show and I will do my utmost, at Kari's urging, to try to encourage my Missourinet colleagues Bob Priddy and Brent Martin to tune in next week. As for me ... I'm going to have to make some tough choices next Tuesday and Wednesday. Do I watch the Cardinals hosting Cincinnati or the Royals playing Texas?

- Steve Walsh

Denizens of the Capitol chow down on fish ... Pallid sturgeon not on the menu

For the second day in a row this blog might resemble something you would expect to find on The Food Channel ... and for that, I apologize ... but I can have such fun with this so ... here goes ...

It was a magical day at the State Capitol - not because somebody was giving away free food ... that happens most days. This was the much anticipated Capitol Fish Fry on the south lawn - an annual event sponsored by Missouri's Electric Co-ops. And, as is the case each year, the event was well attended.

What was different this year was a comment or two heard throughout the halls of the Capitol in the days leading up to the event. There were suggestions that the fish of choice should be changed from catfish to the pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) and we've all heard so much about this endangered fish. Said one Senate staffer, jokingly, "We'll tell people we finally found a use for the pallid sturgeon."

This was, of course, a joke and nothing more ... and it would be wrong to laugh at humor that poked fun at somebody's sacred cow ... er ... fish. But it was kind of fun to talk to people at the Fish Fry and ask if they might enjoy "pallid for the palate" in future years ...

Download 042308Pallid1.MP3

Former State Senator David Klindt, now a vice president for the Missouri Electric Cooperatives ... would oppose any change from the current catfish ... even though it would bring a lot of attention.

Download 042308Pallid2.MP3

It appears as though we can assure all those who enjoyed the Fish Fry that next year's fish of choice will not be the pallid sturgeon - which is often called the ugliest fish in North America - and is on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife's endangered species list. Apparently, though, their eggs are great for caviar ...

- Steve Walsh