An Example of McClatchy & The Telegraph's Journalism

As we were taking a look at the past conduct of The Macon Telegraph and staff in anticipation of their future conduct approaching the November election we ran across a column by then columnist Charles E. Richardson.

We realize by disagreeing with the now Editorial Page Editor Charles E. Richardson and The Macon Telegraph we will suffer their wrath, the wrath which can be seen in the following video!

The column was an attempt to denigrate the past administration for a number of reasons. This is done by innuendo and film flam. He started with the Valerie Plame affair and the trial of “Scooter” Libby. The Title was “Have we been duped?” – It is all telling and gives us an insight into the bigotry of Richardson and The Telegraph. 


In the second paragraph Richardson tells us that Libby’s “trial may give us a peek into a White House that has been consumed by image and spin, coupled with what seems to be a low regard for the truth.” This is a perfect description of the present administration. 

He goes on to tell us that “I hate to think that my elected representatives, or their staff members, have been feeding the people a line. Many have swallowed that line hook line and sinker attached.”

We hate to think that the one newspaper in middle Georgia would do the same thing to the people of middle Georgia, especially while promoting their selves as "middle Georgia's newspaper". 

Richardson whose bigotry limits his vision to a point approximately 6” beyond his nose goes on to excoriate the Bush administration about the invasion of Iraq and other things. He tells us “…just about every aspect of invading Iraq,  outside of the military domination, has been wrong, clouded by the blurry vision created by an unspoken agenda that may have been built on lies.”

He assures us that “That there are almost too many (lies) to list…” then Richardson goes in to the fact that “It’s 2005 and since that May Day 1,921 of our soldiers have fallen….” We are then told that four days after the war began the fabricated tale of Pfc. Jessica Lynch took flight." He blatantly omits the roll the so-called news media played in this story. Richardson then touches on the tragedy of the Pat Tillman disaster.

From here according to him “If you are counting, add troop strength levels, Abu Ghraib. Guantanamo and secret prisons in other countries to your list."

Richardson wants access to “…the flag-draped caskets as they come home…” and you can be sure Richardson and The Telegraph would be among the very first to exploit these images with a complete disregard for the families. 

We then get a confession according to him “I’m not a peacenik.” But then we know he is an  individual that let the fact that “body bags” were coming home from Viet Nam prevent him from serving his country. He admits it like it is a badge of honor.

After touching on Harriet Miers as a Supreme Court nominee he assures us that “The fingers of responsibility for these missteps have flown in all directions, but eventually they have to point back at the White House.” It is quite different now, thinks to the media nothing points "back at the White House" it always points to the last administration, a tsunami, the Greeks, etc. Now according to Richardson and The Telegraph nothing points "back at the White House". After all they may be a free lunch or future employment for someone wife.   

Richardson wrote the column while a columnist for The Telegraph which was then owned by Knight Ridder. In 2006 McClatchy Newspapers purchased The Telegraph and Charles E. Richardson is now Editorial Page Editor.

He has parlayed this position into a “lousy lunch” – or lunches?  Also we would be negligent if we did not mention the employment for his wife by Bibb BOE (Board of Education) to the tune of “70,000 reasons” (Second paragraph from the bottom) 


We can think Bill Knowles of wearepolitics for this!

As we can see from the editorial by The Telegraph’s President and Publisher George McCanless titled “In The Pocket” and the following video Richardson is surrounded by defenders and enablers.  Note how Visiting Member Kenny Burgamy the ex-banker and “Perfect Republican” begins to ease into the defense of his colleague, then he resorts to more drastic action. 

As far as we know there has been nothing from The Telegraph’s President and Publisher George McCanless about the employment. Who knows, maybe someone else’s wife at The Telegraph needs employment for “70,000 reasons".

After the man they endorsed in 2008 for president was elected to office, they took care of all these problems. They just quit reporting them; you know the old canard out of sight out of mind. Who knows there may be a free lunch or future employment involved.

We have to ask, is this typical of all of the media in "middle Georgia"?

Have a nice day