AZ BlueMeanie

The Blue Meanie is an Arizona citizen who wishes, for professional reasons, to remain anonymous when blogging about politics. Armed with a deep knowledge of the law, politics and public policy, as well as pen filled with all the colors stolen from Pepperland, the Blue Meanie’s mission is to pursue and prosecute the hypocrites, liars, and fools of politics and the media – which, in practical terms, is nearly all of them. Don’t even try to unmask him or he’ll seal you in a music-proof bubble and rendition you to Pepperland for a good face-stomping.

Who is AzBlueMeanie?

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Posted by: AZBlueMeanie If I told you it would destroy the mystery and wonder, now wouldn’t it?  That would be like telling a child that Santa Claus doesn’t exist to ruin his or her Christmas. I can say that I am a lawyer whose employer instructs that I not use my name in postings to … Read more

McCain gets a pass from Arizona news media

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Blue_meanie Posted by: AzBlueMeanie

While serious newspapers like the Washington Post and New York Times continue to do in-depth investigative news reports into Sen. John McCain, our local yokel newspapers the Daily Star and Tucson Citizen continue to ignore these excellent investigative reports by not publishing even a news service abridged version, or referencing the articles in an editorial.  I strongly encourage them to do so.

Why the news blackout?  Are the local papers protecting their favorite son Saint John from public scrutiny?  Or protecting their advertising revenue bottom line by not upsetting McCain’s campaign contributors who also happen to purchase substantial amounts of advertising in their newspapers?  They would not allow revenue to affect their professional journalistic judgment, now would they?

The Sunday Washington Post ran a front page lead story by Michael Leahy on the volcanic temper of Sen. McCain.  McCain: A Question of Temperament  Leahy provides the details of several confrontations McCain has had with fellow Senators, other politicians and even a campaign staff member over the years.

Here is a sampling of the report…

Fact Checking John Munger

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Blue_meanie Posted by: AZBlueMeanie

How many readers actually watch the monthly "Face Off" segment between John Munger and Vince Rabago on Arizona Illustrated on KUAT?  Yeah, that’s what I thought.  Just a handful of political junkies.  In case you missed the April segment, you can catch it on line at http://tv.azpm.org/kuat/segments/2008/4/14/kuat-the-face-off/

I feel oddly compelled to watch Arizona Illustrated just to see how my tax dollars are at work at PBS.  I am also curious to see what the legendary host Bill Buckmaster deems to be the most important political topics of the day.  I am often disappointed.

It has become difficult to watch the "Face Off" segment because of the disingenuous responses of John Munger and the physically hyperactive antics he engages in while ticking off the GOP talking points of the day that he has barely memorized well enough to do the segment.  Sometimes it looks as if his head is going to explode when he really gets agitated.  Calm down and take a deep breath, John.  You are demonstrating to the viewers that you lack the right temperament and emotional stability to serve as our next governor.

Munger habitually ticks off the GOP talking points of the day and self-proclaims them to be "just the facts."  Since no one knows in advance what wild-eyed craziness Munger is going to say before he actually says it, both Bill Buckmaster and Vince Rabago are at a disadvantage to challenge him on his alleged "facts" in real time. Munger’s antics have undermined the intended purpose of the "Face Off" segment, i.e., a thoughtful and intelligent discussion of the political issues of the day.  The viewers are left misled or confused by the bogus "facts" cited in the disingenuous responses of Munger.

So as a public service to the political junkies who actually watch the "Face Off" segment, I will endeavor to provide you with a fact check of John Munger after each monthly segment.

Let’s go to the video…