Weller Staffer pushes Mike Flannery on the stairs.
That’ll go over well. Guess the headlines won’t be of a fond remembrance of departing Member of Congress.
Call It A Comeback
Weller Staffer pushes Mike Flannery on the stairs.
That’ll go over well. Guess the headlines won’t be of a fond remembrance of departing Member of Congress.
What a piece of dogshit.
Where are his a-hole defenders now?
The article in the Sun-Times about his resignation said he was going to announce it — at a Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
Interesting choice.
I notice the Sun-Times article neglects to mention the antics of Suge Knight’s -er- Jerry Weller’s entourage.
For more fun, grand old partisan now has two posts at Illinoize quixotically defending Weller’s goons, including one taking CBS to task for neglecting to add “allegedly” to charges that Flannery was shoved down the stairs.
After all, Flannery, who are you going to believe, Weller’s defender, or your own lying eyes?
JonShibleyFan –
It’s standard practice in journalism to preface unproven charges with “alledgedly.” And responsible journalists and news outlets don’t take one man’s account (even if it is one of their employees) as proof in most cases. The video does not show what caused Flannery to fall; and there’s nothing unreasonable about suggesting that, in the midst of the stampede to shove a microphone in Weller’s face, it was something other than a deliberate push.
Now, am I biased? Of course. Are you? Absolutely. The real question here, though, is whether Flannery’s account of the events is enough for a media outlet say the aide pushed him without first qualifying it as an unproven accusation. I say no. You say yes. Can I ask why?
Use of “alleged,” which is, incidentally, considered lazy journalism, would be proper if the facts were in doubt. They aren’t. Flannery and at least his camera operator were there. It isn’t some stranger’s account. It was an eye witness.
If the story leveled a criminal accusation against Dusik (ie. Dusik’s battery against Flannery…), then sure, call it “alleged” battery.
The larger point is this: Weller, under heavy fire for a multitude of ethics complaints, hastily announces his retirement. In his zeal to protect his boss from answering questions, Weller’s aide ALLEGEDLY bullies a couple of reporters.
And in an effort to rush to his defense, you are splitting hairs on CBS 2’s journalistic style points? Really?
Flannery’s own word is all the proof you need to consider something an indisputable fact?
Wow.
I mean…
wow!
And to think, CNN has the nuts to call itself America’s most trusted news source.
BTW, I’m willing to bet that Dusik would dispute the “facts” reported by CBS. And it doesn’t appear that they’ve made ANY attempt to get his side of the story. They’ve decided that what Flannery says is true, and they printed it as such. Whether you think Flannery is telling the truth or not, can’t you at least acknowledge that CBS has handled the story in a less than objective manner?
The building allegedly burned down. The White Sox allegedly won. It is allegedly raining.
You know why you never see headlines like this? Because the scenes described are typically witnessed by the public and multiple members of the media and are not in doubt.
What’s more, use of “allegedly” is lazy journalism, rather than the gold standard you clamor for. If libel is the charge you’re searching for, don’t. This doesn’t come close.
And spare us the feigned indignation because it is absurd.
You get an A for effort for your fanciful, imaginative, but ultimately fruitless efforts to stretch a pitiful argument to divert attention from the ethically-challenged Congressman and his physically-aggressive staff.
Sorry. Allegedly physically aggressive.
I can see the charred remains of a building. But, even if you have interviewed witnesses that say it was, you cannot report it as arson without qualifying it with “allegedly,” or similar language.
Similarly, I can see, from the video, that Mike Flannery fell down on Friday afternoon. But, if all you have to go on is Flannery’s word (which is all we have), you cannot report it as being the result of a push by Weller’s aide without qualifying it with “allegedly.”