I go back to check the Oregonian’s coverage of the Kitzhaber story before the election.
The Oregonian newspaper this week called for John Kitzhaber to resign. Once the state’s newspaper of record came to the realization there was gambling at Rick’s, official Oregon began scrambling in a chorus of ‘me-toos’. It would be amusing if it didn’t reveal how morally bankrupt these one party rulers are.
It points out something else. When the Oregonian said jump, the Democrat ruling class hopped-to. That’s a lot of power. What would have happened if the Oregonian had done more due diligence before the election?
The editorial board claimed it called for the resignation because of revelations about his and his “first lady’s” conflicts of interest, appearance of impropriety, apparent illegality and sheer unseemliness, among other things.
So, here’s the question: What changed between now and before the last November’s election?
More details of everything we already knew. Everything mentioned above was true before the election. Indeed, the Kitzhaber Administration, in all of its transparency, engaged in a cover up before the election. But the Zero did not condemn this obvious slow roll of information in order to get past the November election.
What was the response of the Zero? It endorsed him for Governor.
I checked the stories done by the Zero using these search terms ‘kitzhaber cylvia October 2014 oregonlive‘– covering the month of October–mere days before the election–to go over the Zero’s coverage.
Even as Willamette Week was eating the Oregonian’s lunch in coverage of this story, by looking back at these October (please see my comments below on this) stories you get a clear- eyed view of how Oregon’s newspaper of record gave Kitzhaber a pass at the most crucial time of the election cycle. The part of the cycle when the disengaged voters become engaged.
I’ve included the photos and headlines used with the stories. Photos and headlines convey the mood of a piece even when people don’t have time to read the full story.
October 5: One full month before the election, the Oregonian’s editorial board endorses Kitzhaber for reelection.
Headline: Re-elect John Kitzhaber: Editorial Endorsement.
October 9: Cylvia Hayes lied about selling her citizenship in a previous marriage of convenience for $5,000. It’s her third marriage. The Zero used Willamette Week as its source.
Headline: Gov. Kitzhaber’s fiancee Cylvia Hayes confirms third marriage to Ethiopian immigrant, WW reports
Oct 11: The paper does a puff piece on how Kitzhaber is wounded but is a survivor! He’ll win the election. This carries the underlying theme of ‘nothing to worry about. He’s going to win and there’s nothing you can do about it.
Headline: Cylvia Hayes scandal: John Kitzhaber wounded but probably will win
Oct 13: Kitzhaber calls for ethics commission probe on Hayes. The paper only blithely mentions the commission will take until after the election to do its job. It’s clear Kitzhaber is bamboozling the media while playing for time–as in waiting till after the election.
Headline: John Kitzhaber asks for formal state review of Cylvia Hayes contracts, first lady role.
October 16: The paper editorializes how wonderful it is the governor no longer allows his girl friend to do paid work, noting the ‘cascade of increasingly embarrassing’ stories about this relationship. The message: He’s got this covered. Nothing to worry about.
Headline: At last, Kitzhaber tells voters that Cylvia Hayes won’t accept paid work if he is re-elected: Editorial
October 29: Kitzhaber says he won’t release Hayes records until lawyers cull through them. Oct 29
Headline: John Kitzhaber aide says Cylvia Heayes records require ‘rigorous legal review’ before they’re released.
October 29: John Kitzhaber refuses to turn over documents relating to shady dealings between him and Hayes. The cover up is out in the open, but the Oregonian, having already endorsed him, refuses to condemn a man they’ve already previously said will ‘likely win’ the election notwithstanding his and his girlfriend’s financial skullduggery.
Headline: John Kitzhaber slow to release office records on Cylvia Hayes as election nears.
The Oregonian was missing in action.
As a result of the newspaper of record’s dereliction of duty, this state has as its chief executive a man who controls his life with his zipper while his far left activist girlfriend has full reign at Mahonia Hall and the Governor’s office. I must note here the Governor scrubbed her ‘First Lady‘ page from public view as I reported this week.
