Politics

Gosh, Here's a Shocker

Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on

"President Bush has nominated as chief of enforcement for the Environmental Protection Agency a partner in a law firm defending W.R. Grace & Co. against criminal charges in a major environmental case," reports Andrew Schneider. "EPA employees were told late Thursday that Bush had nominated Granta Nakayama to lead the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. ... Nakayama, 46, a specialist in environmental law, is a full partner in Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

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Main Source: 
Baltimore Sun, June 25, 2005
Topics: 
Environment
Politics

Labouring Under Illusions

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

Britain's Channel 4 documentary "Undercover in New Labour" includes footage from "a reporter wearing hidden cameras who volunteered to work on the party's election campaign and ended up being drafted to work at its national PR headquarters." The documentary shows Labour staff using "party supporters in key professions from medicine and the law to the armed forces and the police, who were prepared to appear on TV and in the papers and lie through their teeth that their support for this or that policy was entirel

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Main Source: 
Guardian, May 23, 2005
Topics: 
International
Politics
Public Relations

Democracy's Great, but the Elections Are Boring

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

In the lead-up to Thursday's UK national election, the Christian Science Monitor reports on "the growing insinuation of spin and professional marketing into British politics." The Independent publishes a wide-ranging interview with Sir Timothy Bell, the influential owner of

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Main Source: 
The Independent, May 2, 2005
Topics: 
Democracy
Politics
Public Relations

Boston Columnist Beaned

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

Following revelations that columnist Charles Chieppo had a second contract with the Massachusetts state government, in addition to the $60-per-hour environmental affairs position, the Boston Herald "decided to sever" their relationship. Chieppo disclosed the environmental contract to the Herald's editorial page editor, but not his $100-per-hour position with the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority. Chieppo said "it did not occur to him" to alert the paper to his convention center work.

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Main Source: 
Boston Globe, April 9, 2005
Topics: 
Media
Politics

Pundit's Boston Bread Buttered on Both Sides

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

Massachusetts' Executive Office of Environmental Affairs "awarded a $10,000 contract to a Boston Herald op-ed columnist to promote the governor's environmental policies." The contract involves writing op-ed pieces and internal documents "to promote education, awareness, and acceptance of major policy initiatives." Three days after the columnist, Charles Chieppo, applied for the position, he filed a column praising

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Main Source: 
Boston Globe, April 8, 2005
Topics: 
Environment
Media
Politics

Xenophobic Purple People Meters

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

U.S. Republican pollster Frank Luntz traveled to Britain, "to examine the mood of the voters." According to 30 "swing voters" using "people meters," George Bush may be Tony Blair's biggest liability. Luntz wrote, "We showed them the first few moments of the recent White House press conference where President Bush and Mr.

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Main Source: 
Times Online, April 4, 2005
Topics: 
International
Politics
Race / Ethnic Issues

Still in the Movie Business

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

In California, more video news releases produced by the Schwarzenegger administration have been identified. The VNRs tout administration proposals to reduce nursing staff levels in hospitals, to make teachers' pay merit-based, to make tenure more stringent, to lower prescription drug prices, and to end mandatory employee rest breaks.

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Main Source: 
Los Angeles Times, March 10, 2005
Topics: 
Media
Politics

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