Is that still news? Argus limps in at the tail end of the Kloucek story, despite being one of the first to have it.

Dave Kranz writes in his column today about the Frank Kloucek e-mail. Despite the fact it went out about a week ago. And it was sent directly to Peter Harriman who had the story in his e-mail box.

But you know, I think the thing that slightly irks me is the way it utterly soft pedals the Kloucek comments, and neuters any and all statements. I mean, isn't this the Argus Leader that's supposed to be fierce about seeking the truth?

I have no doubt that if it was a Republican who had blundered and written the e-mail, it would be printed verbatim. But a Democrat? It's so watered down that a disinterested and new observer would wonder what all the hubbub is about.

From the original e-mail to the Kranz article - Here's what we get:
"Another issue that is very important to me was the fact that sutton continually redirected interns away from helping me for the last 4 years and consistently ordered them not to help me with research constituent replies phone calls help with computer and bill legwork.The list is long. He was in charge of interns and let them out often at 4 pm to go to free liquor room.The repub interns were working pat 6 and working hard and some of ours were getting drunk in the middle of the afternoon. I had to bring up mymarried little old ladies at my own expense to help me."

now becomes...

"Kloucek also offers details about Democratic Party interns at parties where alcohol is used."
Doesn't quite have the same impact, does it? Sutton directed interns getting drunk at 4 in the afternoon in a "free liquor room" is now just a "detail" about parties where alcohol is served.

The only new detail that was provided? Scott Heidepreim's comments:
Heidepriem was not pleased with Kloucek's message, saying that, as their leader, he wants to bring an upbeat attitude to the Senate Democrats.

"We intend in our caucus to be very positive in the upcoming legislative session. Clearly, Sen. Kloucek's e-mail did not meet that standard," Heidepriem said.
Read those here, if you deem it worth the effort. I'm wondering why I bothered.

In fact, I'm thinking it might be time to drop the whole thing here on the War College (although, I may abbreviate the names of those who are no longer involved in the political process).

It might help people understand where the meat is on this issue after trying to digest the soft bones provided by the Argus.

Comments

Anonymous said…
PP -- you are naive about how evil/twisted/partisan the Argus Leader is. They exist as an arm of the Democratic Party. Its function is to attack Republicans, promote Democrats, and make sure anything negative about Democrats is buried/downplayed.
Anonymous said…
Didn't you see all that stuff about how Dave Kranz used to be Tom Daschle's trusted political bedfellow in college? hello!!!???
Anonymous said…
I see the conspiracy theorists are out this morning. Perhaps it is simply because any reporter who has been around longer then 20 minutes knows that Kloucek is crazy and anything he says is not worth printing.
Anonymous said…
WHAT are you guys thinking? It has nothing to do with politics, it has only to do with the shortage of space available in the states leading news publication. An important publication has to make decisions every day on what issues are most important to the public and some intems just get bumped down the priority list.

After all, the Argus had to make room for the SECOND printing of the dinosaur in a Santa hat photo today.
Anonymous said…
forget the Kloucek story for minute and just try to understand that the Argus is a partisan anti-Republican rag and has been for 20 years. The head pro-Democratic cheerleaders are long-time McGovern/Daschle hacks like Kranz, the angry Baldwin dude, Lalley the former Tempest muckraker, and Peter Harriman, who knows what is up with that dude.
Anonymous said…
partisan, maybe. The real issue here is why hasn't the Argus investigated Kloucek, this guy has a history of lobbing hatchets into people's backs, and distorting facts to fit into his "David v Goliath" delusion. If the Argus went after others like they went after Gov. Rounds, Frankie would have to be at the top of the pile
Anonymous said…
Three scandals:

1. Kloucek's e-mail
2. The Argus's five day delay
3. The Argus's inabilty to accurately portray the e-mail

Thank God for the internet and the South Dakota War College in exposing the Argus's delayed and water down news.
The Argus routinely makes news where none exists (the Governor's airplane) and ignores news until forced to publish it (Kloucek).

Why am I not surprised that the Argus is shrinking and will eventually disappear just like the dinosaurs did.
Douglas said…
And I wonder if Frank K. is wondering how come this became news when some of his press releases on serious issues never get into newspapers.

Papers like conflict before substance. The conflict sort of disappeared when Nesselhoff said he understood and in a spirit of the season more or less said so what.

The Mitchell Daily Republic has the conflict between Frank K. and the SDFU on their front page today.

How much coverage do you want on this petty issue when the President in a press conference after hearing he has support from a whole 17%$ or so of the population and the last election was something of a disaster for the GOP says that people really don't disagree with the war in Iraq, but are just concerned about the tactics or strategy for winning.

The narrow terrorist target has now been expanded to radicalism and extremism. New excuses for an endless war with no measurable objectives.

Frank K. is mighty small potatoes compared to Bush, Inc. failures and gross deception...not to mention the Bush smirk indicating he really thinks he is pulling one on us and the press.

And did anybody notice that Rounds failed to include anything in the budget for necessary high speed broadband internet connections for SD colleges and research sites.

That is a lot more significant than Frank K's pissing match with the SDFU.
Anonymous said…
The question that one day may be asked by South Dakota historians is: Who killed Farmers Union? Was it Dennis Wiese or was it Frank Kloucek?

Not that the answer matters.
Anonymous said…
Either post the whole thing or quit whining.
Anonymous said…
The Argus is a mess. Our subscription is up and not sure we are going to renew. Got called yesterday by the Argus to rewew. Told them instead of their "special price" for 7 days including Sunday, and since our Sunday paper comes on Monday, I'd deduct 52 weeks worth of Sunday papers and just take the six days and pay them the difference. Guess where that idea went?! The Argus just is NOT worth the money anymore, but it seems everyone knows it but the powers that be at the Argus.
Anonymous said…
Think about this:
If Tim Rounds sent out this exact same e-mail (switching Dem and Rep roles), would it have received as little press as this mishap did? Would that situation be a real "non-issue" as the Argus, shown by its actions, believes the Kloucek e-mail is?
Anonymous said…
The Kranz article wasn't published to talk about Kloucek--it was printed to make Heidepriem look like a savior that will rise above all indecencies to save South Dakota and the world. It's all posturing. I'm surprised Kranz did not use some sort of analogy to compare SH to JC.
Anonymous said…
Are you comparing Tim Rounds to F. Kloucek? Well, the look a like, think a like, damn, good comparison.
Anonymous said…
ha! Not quite what I meant. Tim Rounds is no Frankie Kloucek. I think Tim Rounds is a good, common-sense representative who might get a bad rap once in a while. I was getting at the question of if this letter related to the Governor or his family (or other important R's), would the Argus leader give it as much time as, say, the Pheasant Hunt list?

Let's take this to the national level. Imagine if Ted Kennedy sent out a similar e-mail. Would the national press blow it off like the South Dakota media has done?
Anonymous said…
Nah. I just watched some tv, sat on the john and took a shower and on second thought ... Tim Rounds is just as dumb as Frankie Kloucek. In fact, the Rounds family is pretty dumb when you think about the airplane, the airplane vote and then whining about how the people voted on the airplane and wanting to change the will of the people by amending the airplane vote.

Fact is, that's dumber than Frankie. And forget the crap about Ted Kennedy. Al Gore invented the internet and if Teddy sent a stupid email like Frankie, well, Al Gore would have his Internet Police snag the damn thing and it'd be in the trash before anybody knew.

Just a goddamn left wing conspiracy. Forget I said anything at all. And I don't know nothing about the pheasant hunt 'cause I don't make enough bread to get an invite.

Peace out.
Anonymous said…
A Democrat could be caught on videotape having sex with a sheep in the middle of 41st and Louise in Sioux Falls during rush hour and Dave Kranz would write that all the Democrat was trying to do was "show support for agriculture by standing behind livestock producers."
PP said…
OMG! was that funny!
Anonymous said…
o- jezz!!!!!
Anonymous said…
I say print the whole thing or it appears we are covering up like Kranz is accused of doing.
Anonymous said…
5:13 - I've always thought of it as the GOP having Bill Napoli and the Dems having Frank.

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