Pelosi '(D-Beijing)' Article On Netroots Nation Spiked

UPDATE BELOW

The Austin-American Statesman published a front-page article on Sunday mocking Netroots Nation and calling Rep. Nancy Pelosi "arguably so left-leaning that her parenthetical should be D-Beijing." Editor & Publisher reports that the piece soon disappeared from the paper's website:

Monday: I was back in New York and had turned the page on all this, until I got an email from Michael King, news editor at the Austin Chronicle, the long-running and successful alt-weekly ...

King informed me that the comments from Beach's article had been wiped and it was impossible to find the article on the paper's Web site, though it might still be there somewhere. Perhaps, he mused, "some editor finally looked at the piece and yanked it out of simple embarrassment."

In fact, the editor has issued an apology -- but only for trying to be funny on the front page:

Readers expect front-page stories to speak directly and clearly about events and issues. Eliminating the possibility of misunderstanding from our work is a critical part of our daily newsroom routine. When we communicate in a way that could be misinterpreted, we fail to meet our standards.

Our front-page story Sunday about the Netroots Nation convention included doses of irony and exaggeration. It made assertions (that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi might find herself at home politically in Beijing, for example) and characterizations ("marauding liberals" was one) meant to amuse. For many readers, we failed.

In trying for a humorous take on the Netroots phenomenon without labeling it something other than a straightforward news story, we compromised our standards.

UPDATE: Time has also been forced to correct an article about Netroots Nation. As reported by The Nation, Alex Steed erroneously wrote that Hillary Clinton was booed at a Q & A during last year's conference.

Comments

[raker]

When the Republican consultants get a room full of Goobers to find out what they like and don't like, our fellow Merkins must turn the dial way left when they hear "far-left liberal." It's what everyone in the murderous-torturer-ultra right wing calls every Democrat no matter what their politics. If we had a free press in this country, there might be someone to ask them just what they mean by far-left liberal, but then they might be banished to Siberia with Helen Thomas.

Here's to liberals of every persuasion, the people who civilized America and fight to save our society as the right wing pushes ever harder for authoritarianism and destruction of the American middle class.

[Ides]

Considering how aggressively Pelosi has been talking smack about China lately, I'm a little confused about what they're trying to do.

[hoopesaz]

Dem's are sooo sensitive these days. it was an opinion piece.

[SatinPanties]

Yeah D um-a$$, but it was on the front page no in the editorial section. Can you read?

[BassMent]

Ha. That's funny. I thought "Pelosi (D - Beijing)" referred to her neo-con leanings in the areas of global corporatization, free trade, and mortgaging the USA to the fastest-growing capitalist economic engine on the planet (that would be China). Turns out they were insinuating that she's a commie pinko leftist.

Clearly whoever wrote this article a) knows nothing about Pelosi (center-right, anti-progressive Dem in bed with most all of the same special interests as BushCo), and b) knows nothing about China (CINO = Communist In Name Only... I was there last year, and the orgy of consumerism in the metropolitan areas was almost embarrassing).

A clueless journalist... go figure!

[OsamaBushLadin]

China's is a lot bigger than Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou or other big cities. I wouldn't base any opinions of that extremely limited view of China.

[ThomasMc]

Yeah, Pelosi is such a "leftist" that she has spent her entire time as Speaker protecting Bush's butt. Some leftie. She's about as much a "Democrat" as Lieberman.

[RTIII]

Ya got that right. We need to REMOVE HER.

If you want to help, please donate generously to Cindy Sheehan's campaign: CindyForCongress.org
.

[RoveRoveRoveYourBoat]

Nothing leftist about china anymore. China is a capitalist - fascist - totalitarian hellhole.

[OilWarsDotCom]

Impeachment is off the table - end of nanci pelosi report

[truthyguy]

You said it all. Pelosi should be removed as Speaker.

[RTIII]

You can help by donating generously to Cindy Sheehan's campaign: CindyForCongress.org.
.

[YankeeCanuck]

There's more to her than that. But you just keep repeating what the mass media tells you til you feel better.

[research]

Support Sheehan's run against Pelosi!

[RTIII]

Donate at CindyForCongress.org.
.

[charon]

That isn't funny, it's just sophomoric. I would expect more out of mature adults.

[Retrofuturistic]

If she's so "left-leaning", why can't she impeach Bush and Cheney?

[YankeeCanuck]

Because she is next in the chain of command, and would be perceived as "Macchiavellian " if she actively pursued it.

She is in a damed if you do, damned if you don't position.
The mass media is also partly to blame.

[RTIII]

I don't agree - she should impeach because it's what the nation NEEDS.
.

[mulegino]

Gore Vidal was right on the money when he said that there is only one party in America-with two right wings. I would insert "corporate" after "right", though. There just is no element remaining in government that is responsible to the citizenry, unmediated by corporate interests.
Pelosi took impeachment "off the table" as soon as she ascended to the speakership, an act which in itself was a cowardly abrogation of the duty of congress to abide by the constitution.
In doing so, Pelosi showed her ignorance of that document, as well as her contempt for the people of the United States.
Impeachment was intended, by the founders, to be a perpetual sword of Damocles over the malfeasant and incompetent, as well as a readily available, if seldom used, antidote to the usurpation of unwarranted powers by a would be tyrant. It is enablers, like Pelosi, who share just as great a burden of guilt and shame as Bush and Cheney.

[Retrofuturistic]

You are absolutely correct. In fact, we are now "former" citizens who have deteriorated into "consumers" who are to milked of every last cent. As soon as all of our resources are gone, we will no longer have any value at all. We have no recourse for our dissent, as all three branches of government AND the media have been corrupted.

I especially like your statement that "there is just no element remaining in government that is responsible to the citizenry, unmediated by corporate interests."

[YankeeCanuck]

Yeh, poor us! What if more than 35% of us had turned out to vote in 2006 and gave the Dems a real majority, one they could work with?
THe judiciary would still be in the back pocket of the executive, but heck, that would have been a start.
We the people have to take some responsibility in all this. Even though we have had a criminally bent executive and a compliant media.

[buckbuck11]

Another failed attempt at humor from a right wing nut.

[meanguy]

how about Rep. Nancy Pelosi (R-Damascus)

[JeanPaulSatire]

By any coincidence, is the editor's name "Remnick?"

[Heaphy]

Their front page "joke" failed miserably. You can criticize Pelosi for many things, but anyone familiar with her career knows that she has been a consistent and very tough critic of the Beijing regime.
- Jim Heaphy

[Fenianheart]

Right wing propaganda that is totally untrue as Pelosie is obviously not left enough.

[biglith]

Huh? By the way her named is spelled Pelosi.

[meanguy]

how would pelosi be considered 'left enough"...change her name to 'che pelosi?'

[normalkid0615]

another distraction