We’re deep in the middle of the Iowa State Fair, the unofficial start of the next election cycle, and a time when all of us out here in the Midwest are preparing for our short time in the country’s limited attention span. Candidates descend and with them, reporters who are tasked with getting the heartbeat of the “heartland,” one of the many clichés that have been used over … [Read more...] about Opinion: Dear MSM: Some tips for covering the Midwest during the 2020 elections (Hint: Flyover is an F-word)
Opinion
Trump is winning his war on truth
In the third year of President Donald J. Trump’s war on the truth, Trump is winning. When the truth loses, so does democracy and the First Amendment. Consider the past several weeks: During seven hours of congressional hearings in July, a by-the-book special counsel verified episodes showing “substantial” evidence of obstruction of justice by Trump and added the … [Read more...] about Trump is winning his war on truth
‘I learned how to drive this summer’
I was almost 19 during my first newspaper internship in the summer of 1990. I had a driver's license, but I was an extremely inexperienced, fearful driver. For good reason — I was bad at it. I had actually failed my driving test once, which takes some doing. When I was assigned my first story at what was then the Roanoke Times and World-News, I asked, "how will I get there?” … [Read more...] about ‘I learned how to drive this summer’
When should justice be outside public view?
A St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter listens through a closed courthouse door and tweets what he hears. The judge finds the eavesdropping reporter in contempt and orders him to write letters of apology. He is also to “participate in an educational program with court staff” on the First Amendment and right to a fair trial. The case file disappears from Missouri’s … [Read more...] about When should justice be outside public view?
Former Post-Dispatch editor: Joseph Pulitzer set the template for American newspapers
The story of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch is embodied in the ideals of the man who founded it in 1878, said Richard H. Weiss, a former editor at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Weiss introduced a new documentary on Joseph Pulitzer on June 6 at the St. Louis Jewish Film Festival. Known as the “Pulitzer Platform,” the ideals of the first Joseph Pulitzer, who purchased the bankrupt … [Read more...] about Former Post-Dispatch editor: Joseph Pulitzer set the template for American newspapers