Star’s unabashed Republican support featured in two articles and an irony

by David Safier

Now that we're drawing close to the general, expect The Star to morph from mere Obama bashing to blatant Republican cheerleading.

Today's cases in point.

Republicans want to make an issue of unions supporting an SB1070 boycott. Clever political ploy. (Hear that, union members, teachers and Hispanics? Republicans hate you. Get out and vote!)

And it deserves coverage as a political ploy in the paper, somewhere in the middle of the paper amidst other political news. No problem.

But a gigantic front page, top, center story? That's what the Star gave it. Pure, blatant, unabashed politicking.

The irony comes in the Political Notebook, whose headline is, "For Brewer, SB1070 is the law that just keeps giving." And why, may I ask, does it keep giving? The notebook refers to Brewer going on Fox. But look at the Star, that blasts more SB1070 faux news on its front page. The Star is a happy participant in the feeding frenzy.

Then there's today's editorial. It's a big, sloppy kiss for Tom Horne, complete with a campaign head shot.

An editorial dedicated to giving a candidate face and name recognition? You got that right.

It's all about Horne winning big in Pima County. The editorial bashes Thomas for his legal problems, deservedly, but there is no mention of Horne's problems that Thomas spotlighted.

And then there is this I-can't-believe-I-read-it-in-a-newspaper line:

Pima County Republicans supported Horne over Thomas despite Horne's years-long battle to force the Tucson Unified School District to eliminate its ethnic-studies programs, Mexican-American/Raza Studies.

Rs supported Horne despite his anti-Ethnic Studies battles? Unbelievable! That's exactly why Horne spent so much time down here bashing the program. He was drumming up Republican support. Does the Star actually believe Republicans are pro-Ethnic Studies? The answer is, obviously, No. Un-be-lieve-able.

I suspect, without any verification, that the right-leaning head honchos at the Star have begun to take a bigger part in the editorials than they do during the non-election seasons. And they will make sure any semblance of balance in the choice and placement of articles will be history until the elections are over.

I will be delighted to have Tucson's paper of record prove me wrong and provide balanced election coverage, but I'm not holding my breath.