August 30th, 2009 
joel Some controversy has been ignited in local cyberspace in recent days regarding the lack of coverage and focus on news events.
The revelation of perceived pressure by Bush Administration cabinet members on then Secretary of Homeland Security and Erie native Tom Ridge in the secretary’s new book created a firestorm inside the beltway and on cable news, but was thought to be treated lightly in the Erie media. To a similar degree, at least one commenter on P&T thinks that the establishment and new media downplayed Dan Galena’s win in court over his First Amendment rights at County Council meetings.
The beauty of Deep Background is that we exercise our rights of free speech and the press here in this open forum.
Please weigh in with your comments in the “comments” field below, or write joel@nataliemedia.com with an email. You can also message us on Twitter @pressandtower.
Embrace the chaos!
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If Tom Ridge is such a moral and pious individual then why didn’t he complain about the politicization of Homeland Security before now??? Answer: He’s is just another politician…looking to cash in with another tell-all book.
I always thought Tom Ridge was cut from a different cloth but I guess when you get “inside the Beltway” that surrounds D.C. something happens to an individual’s common sense.
Maybe an Erie TV Reporter can ask Tom Ridge why he waited until now to write a tell all? Was it the big check? Did he not want to rock the boat? Oh wait! Erie TV stations don’t ask the difficult questions anymore. They might offend Mr. Ridge and be persona non grata at future events Mr. Ridge is at.
Here’s my take on today’s article on Tom Ridge’s forthcoming book in the Times-News as presented in my blog.
The Erie Times News’s much bally-hooed treatment of Tom Ridge’s new book in today’s edition penned by Reporter John Guerriero sets a new standard for mediocrity.
It consists primarily of an interview of Ridge, the first and former secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security in the last Bush administration, Pennsylvania governor and Northwest PA congressman.
One wonders whether the reporter bothered to read the book, of which the Times-News boasted it had received an advance review copy, proclaiming it would present “the first print interview” based on the book, due for release Tuesday.
An enterprising newspaper would have presented a package consisting of a full-blown critical review and a sidebar interview. But no one has ever accused the Times-News of being enterprising.
There’s no independent critical analysis of the book or Ridge’s comments on it, nor any quotes or comments from other political figures or prominent commentators in a position to present informed commentary either critical or supportive of the content of Ridge’s memoirs.
There is only Ridge’s self-serving self-analysis, a simulacrum of a playwright who writes a critique of his own play. Nothing in the “review” complements the book’s bland title, “The Test of Our Times.”
If there’s anything “new” or original in the book, the reporter failed to ferret it out, possibly because he quickly scanned the index and selective passages, rather than reading it in toto, the Cliff Notes approach.
The Times-News had a rare opportunity for a national “scoop,” but blew it on a pandering epistle predictably massaging the inflated Ridge ego.
Headlined “Ridge book offers Beltway insight,” the article consists mostly of hindsight.
Much is made of the already exhausted “buzz” over whether Bush administration officials, including the president, pressured Ridge to raise the color code alarm just prior to the 2004 general election in order to boost his reelection prospects over the Democrat nominee John Kerry.
Ridge denies there was any pressure, according to
the article, although the issue was debated among administration officials, with the consensus, which included Ridge, prevailing against heightening the color code.
Lost in this contrived and politically inspired imbroglio raised by Democrats and liberal media to embarrass the Bush administration is the reality that terroristic threats are always more likely within the context of a national eletions, and proposals to raise the alarm appropos terrorism are fully justified. Check out the recent elections in Iraq and Afghanistan. Terroristic suicide bombings have plagued their electorates.
The reporter writes: “Despite his disagreement with the GOP over the Chambliss campaign commercial and some of his conflicts in the Bush administration, Ridge said he plans to stay involved with the Republican Party. ‘I think I can still offer some advice and support and counsel and be a force within the party. Time will tell,’ he said.”
But Ridge, a faux Republican a la Arlen Specter is more likely to be viewed, at least within the GOP’s conservative wing, as a prospective turncoat, the spy within, given his deprecating comments thereof. His “involvement” may be suspect and unwelcome. So far, he’s been more of a “force” for the opposing party that for the one to which he putatively belongs.
Has anyone else noticed the poor signal quality of 1260 and 1330 AM lately? Seems like both of them reduced their power?
I need help!!!
I have been desperately searching for a local Christmas song from the 1980′s called “Christmas present” by the Rummagers. The only thing that comes up when I Google it is a thread I made on an 80′s forum about it years ago. It was played on WJET 1400 and I have it on an old K-Mart tape. I want it on a 45 or some other “clean”, stereo medium. I would love to play it on my 80′s show this Christmas time.
Please help! I have been searching for decades!!!
Awfully quiet here…wondering if the new format has thrown readers a curve ball. If you wish to comment on any post, just click the post title and scroll down to the “Leave a Reply” box.
Joel – I confess I was a little disoriented by the new format, but I think I’ve got it now.
The hardest part for me was trying to find out how to post. I was looking for the read comments link. I finlly figured out you needed to click the title.
Just a great improvement Joel! I think everybody is enjoying the excellent weather outdoors and not blogging. Thanks Julie, Rob, Tom D., Tom A., Ray and Joey!
Oh hey, look! another blog to voice an opinion other than GlobalErie!
I think one thing everyone is forgetting here is that the focus of the media, be it radio, television, or newspaper, has ultimately come down to money. Its not about facts, or investigations or even news. Its about money and turning a profit.
The only reason circulation numbers, listeners, or rating exist is make a media outlet viable to advertisers. Lose the advertisers, lose the money.
Having said all that, despite it all, Tom Ridge is well liked in this region for being someone who transcended the region and got into the state, then federal political landscape. ETN saying anything negative about him would draw out all the people who like Ridge as they stop buying papers.
It should really come as no surprise the Times is as glowing about him as they can be.
Yeah, Kudos to Star 104 and all the rest of the media folks for their participation in Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. It just goes to show you that it really takes PEOPLE to really care about something, about anything. It takes PEOPLE to take action. And It takes PEOPLE to make a difference in the world.