The Star Tribune’s big page-one story on Obama’s stop in the Twin Cities today reads mostly like a campaign press release, with a detour to vent the complaints of advocates of “severely mentally disturbed homeless veterans in Los Angeles.” The story sports the joint byline of Jennifer Bjorhus and Susan Feyder.
One reporter is not enough to handle this press release. It takes two Star Tribune reporters to bury the news that Obama’s public appearance in Minneapolis was just another excuse to raise money on the public dime, with six fundraisers in Minneapolis and Chicago today (three in Minneapolis, three in Chicago).
The two Star Tribune reporters note, somewhere in the middle of the story, that “Obama’s address comes on a day filled with fundraising. He’s holding three fundraisers in Minnesota…” But that’s okay: “Political scientists noted that while Obama appears to be sincerely committed to veterans’ issues, the address at Honeywell offers a suitable, patriotic cause for a campaign visit.” What does that mean? The two reporters do not pause to explain.
By contrast with the Star Tribune’s double team, it takes only one ABC News reporter to note that Obama’s fundraising expedition to Minneapolis is on the pretext of “official business” — the scare quotes actually supplied by the gimlet eyed Devin Dwyer. Thank you, Mr. Dwyer.
It also takes two Star Tribune reporters covering Obama’s local stop to omit the observation that Obama is bypassing Wisconsin on his trips to Minneapolis and Chicago today. Hmmmm. Why might that be?
The Star Tribune is a pitiful excuse for a newspaper.
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