We didn’t mean kill Obama, we just meant...

Posted By Thomas E. Ricks Monday, December 21, 2009 - 4:07 PM Share

On the domestic terrorism front, the Santa Barbara Daily Sound ran an apology insisting that when one of its columnists suggested putting a bounty on the head of President Obama, she wasn't actually offering to pay for his murder.

To be clear, neither [regular political columnist Gina] Perry nor the Daily Sound offered a bounty. And the Daily Sound would never advocate for the assassination of our president or any other person."

Any newspaper editor who has to write that sentence probably should announce his or her resignation in the next.

(HT to Romenesko)

Andi Licious/flickr

EXPLORE:MEDIA, OBAMA ADMINISTRATION

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RUBBER DUCKY

4:14 PM ET

December 21, 2009

Wowzer

Journalistic malpractice of the first order. If it keeps up crap like this, print journalism won't die, it'll commit seppaku first. Un -*******-believable.

CHARLIEFORD

6:02 PM ET

December 21, 2009

Well, really ...

... Rubber Ducky, it's not as if the internets is some kind of oasis of civility. One could argue that, as with network TV and cable, standards for print media are lowering to stay competitive ...

BILL KELLER

4:36 PM ET

December 21, 2009

This is an ethics issue....

No one who is ethical would own, edit or write such irresponsible wordage. If I owned such I'd be concerned about the two edged sword that pandering becomes. An editor or journalist I'd worry that my lack of standards will reduce my opportunities.

ERIC C

9:15 PM ET

December 21, 2009

I used to live in SB, and the

I used to live in SB, and the Daily Sound is/was kind of a joke as a newspaper. The Independet was at least a real paper.

ADMIRAL

11:00 PM ET

December 21, 2009

Journalism Standards?

This opinion article is no different than the garbage and lies printed in the ass wipe rags, NYT and WP. Whats the big deal? Mr. Ricks is making pretend there are standards. Sorry folks, there are no standards. Those days are long gone. Everyone in America knows it. I stopped reading the papers years ago. I got tired of reading lies and made up stories on a daily basis. If there is a standard, it's Jason Blair. We have bloggers now, that sift through the lies of the MSM. The WP and NYT are the purest of scum, and their papers are only good for cleaning up dog and cat shit. Only a fool would believe anything they read in those propaganda rags.

TOM RICKS

4:18 AM ET

December 22, 2009

Admiral's standards

Admiral,
The level of civility in your comment here isn't up to the standard of this blog. Please either elevate it or take it outside.
Best,
Tom

EFRAKER

4:19 AM ET

December 22, 2009

"I stopped reading the papers

"I stopped reading the papers years ago."

Clearly your erudition hasn't suffered a bit.

"We have bloggers now, that sift through the lies of the MSM."

Oh indeed! Nothing like having conflicting ideas filtered out for you by your choice of ideologically pure blogger.

BILL KELLER

10:48 AM ET

December 22, 2009

On leaving the audience...

I find, when a particular line of vitriol, side show barking and pandering start dominating the editorial staff, is is best to stop being exposed to it. Have avoided Fox and all its brothel members, including SideStreet Journal, for over a year. Verizon, which provides me service, has censored MSNBC from the portfolio of "news" sources even though quite enjoyable. I am left offshore...BBC and Financial Times...a very good place to be. They still have manners, don't confuse rudeness for intelligence, and considered our political commentators buffoons equal to their members of parliament. The fashion is also much better. They, probably, don't think a snake on a flag gives anymore thickness to the hull.

Think I need the Union Jack on my house to replace the Don't Give Up the Ship one I often fly.