media
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We Were All Girlfriends: Judy Markey, Much-Loved WGN Radio Personality, Dies At Age 82
In May of 2009, I wrote the following. Last week, on our way to Klein Flowers in Madison, the first thing we did when we got in the car was tune in to “Kathy and Judy” as we went shopping for flower plants. This week, on the way to my parents’ home 90 minutes north,… Continue reading
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Silencing A Statewide Gubernatorial Debate Isn’t Strategy — It’s Cowardice
The ticker crawled during the noon news television broadcast about the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association canceling this fall’s debate between the two gubernatorial candidates. I was taken aback and asked James, who was at the computer, to find out the details. A planned gubernatorial debate hosted by the Wisconsin Broadcasters’ Association is officially canceled. The debate… Continue reading
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Nancy Kassebaum Not Forgotten By Politicos And Readers Of Newspapers
Nancy Kassebaum died last Friday, and unless you’re one of the dwindling Americans who still read newspapers, you might have missed it. Television news, with its breathless devotion to storms with rain or planes that blew a tire, largely shrugged. A former U.S. senator with an amazing history passed away, and the national broadcast networks… Continue reading
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A President’s Exit Should Never Leave the Press Behind; Trump Chose Wrong In Turkey
Donald Trump’s acknowledgment that he was secretly moved off Air Force One in a catering truck at a NATO summit in Turkey last month revealed far more about presidential responsibility than many at first blush might understand. There was a deeper problem that should trouble anyone who cares about journalism, presidential history, or the basic… Continue reading
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Mysogyny Against Female White House Reporters Must End
We have come to the point where we must stop pretending that the degradation of our institutions is just another day at the office. That point arrived the moment Donald Trump again unleashed yet another tirade at a female reporter doing her job. This time, it was ABC News’ Rachel Scott, a strong, confident Black… Continue reading
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Wisconsin Journalist Shelly Kittleson: Truth Tellers Must Not Be Silenced
The news of Wisconsin journalist Shelly Kittleson being kidnapped in Iraq is unacceptable. News reports place her hometown as Monticello, Wisconsin. Her work as a journalist specialising in the Middle East and Afghanistan is published in international, US, and Italian outlets. Iraq’s Ministry of Interior said that security forces have launched an operation to track… Continue reading
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Dean Richards: A Chicago Voice We Counted On
On this blustery Saturday, when a heavy coat is needed when walking outside, I sit at my desk to write what I hope will be a warm column about Dean Richards. This is one of those pieces that are from a list of topics needing a comment or two, but get left behind, given the… Continue reading
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Charles Michelson: The Man Who Saw Hoover Clearly, Lesson For Trump Years
I want to write this column about a newspaperman who understood the times in which he lived and then worked to report on what it meant for the people. He also revolutionized political marketing as the first party official dedicated to media outreach. When reading 1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin, which contains many memorable personalities,… Continue reading
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Local Newspapers Need Our Support
There are a few constant themes that resonate in my writings about politics and society. Strongly encouraging process-driven governing, advocating gun control, standing alongside the Fourth Estate, promoting democracy, and pressing for newspapers to remain a part of a citizens daily routine. It is that last point that I wish to deal with today. This… Continue reading
Caffeinated Politics 