Decision ‘08

An Open Letter To Arianna Huffington

Arianna,

Congratulations on the success of the Huffington Post. By all accounts, it has succeeded beyond reasonable expectations. Another feather in your cap, and well-deserved.

Arianna, your biography describes you in these words:

Arianna Huffington is a nationally syndicated columnist, author of ten books and co-founder and editor of the HuffingtonPost.com. She is also co-host of “Left, Right & Center,” public radio’s popular political roundtable program. Her weekly commentary is syndicated in newspapers across the country by Tribune Media Services.

It’s safe to say, then, that you know a little bit about journalism.

Arianna, your name is on your website, so I assume your standards must apply to how that website is run. Currently, a visitor to your website would come across a post by one Jane Hamsher (oh, we’ll get to her) that has a couple of remarkable features.

No, I’m not speaking of the turgid prose, or the incredible lack of sophistication underlying the ‘arguments’. I’m speaking of two things:

(a) a credit for a graphic that doesn’t exist - (Graphic by DarkBlack); and

(b) a number of comments along the lines of the following:

This is shameful. It’s not debate, it’s slander. You have destroyed any credibilty you may have claimed.

Indeed, the majority of these comments seem to be from self-described progressives. What could have made them so angry?

I think you know the answer - but in case you’ve been out spending your wealth or working hard on some no doubt excellent cause and haven’t heard, Ms. Hamsher’s post was accompanied by this photograph. It’s a photograph of Joe Lieberman with Bill Clinton that has been photoshopped so that Lieberman appears in minstrel show blackface.

No doubt you consider yourself a good person, and not a racist, so I can understand why the photo was taken down (and perhaps you might consider better controls to avoid such a mishap in the future. May I suggest severing your relationship with Ms. Hamsher as a start).

But Arianna, there’s a problem. You pulled the picture down, but you didn’t post a correction, or an explanation, or an apology. You greatly offended a large number of people, and then you doctored the historical record (or allowed it to be doctored). And make no mistake, your heavily-visited blog is a part of the public record, just as the NY Times, as an easy example. Would the Times ever pull down part of their story with no explanation whatsoever (wait - bad example - but you get the point)?

What standards of journalism would allow such dishonesty? What person of integrity would try to brush such an incident under the rug, knowing full well that tens or hundreds of thousands of people had seen the evidence?

And why would you associate with progressive bloggers such as Ms. Hamsher, whose foulness and profanity invade every post? One need only look at her day gig at firedoglake to see the proof. Indeed, Ms. Hamsher admits to choosing the graphic, and apologizes for ‘offending’ anyone, but only after being chastised by the Lamont campaign. Associating with such a loose cannon is an accident waiting to happen.

Arianna, you have already faced a doctoring controversy with your dishonest use of George Clooney’s ‘blog’, an incident that no doubt embarrassed you greatly, and one for which you apologized (eventually).

I would expect nothing less from a journalist of your caliber in this instance; that is to say, the posting of a correction and an apology.

I await your response.

Sincerely yours,

Mark Coffey

_________________________________________________

UPDATE 8:20 p.m.: To be clear, this is not an apology or a correction; first, it’s by Jane Hamsher, not Arianna; second, it’s not appended to the regular piece, as a proper correction or explanatory note would be; and third, it’s hardly an apology at all; rather, it’s another anti-Lieberman screed from the obsessive Ms. Hamsher masquerading as an apology…

UPDATE 2 11:14 p.m.: No response or retraction yet (though I did get a form email thanking me for my ‘tip’ from the Huffington Post). However, congrats to Jane on making the news:

This campaign has apparently hit a new low today with something offensive, and that is putting it mildly. The popular Huffington Post blog, which has strongly supported Lamont’s candidacy, posted a picture today depicting President Clinton and Joe Lieberman in an Amos n Andy-type doctored picture obviously taken from the Waterbury rally last Monday. In the picture, Lieberman is drawn in blackface and Clinton is wearing dark sunglasses.

Lamont’s campaign manager Tom Swan condemned this, calling it very offensive and said he requested that it be removed. He also said that while blogger Jane Hamsher is a supporter, she is not on the campaign pay-roll.

“It’s extremely offensive,” Lieberman said. “I have been the target of the ‘blogs’ on a lot of really offensive stuff, stuff I consider lies and smears, but this picture of me with Bill Clinton and me having my face blackened is offensive to people of all races and colors and just doesn’t belong.”

We don’t know the motivation for this offensive blog and have been unable to contact Hamsher, but the photo was removed at approximately 4:00 p.m., judging by the comments made by others on the blog.

With friends like this, Lamont doesn’t need enemies…

16 Responses to “An Open Letter To Arianna Huffington”

1 On the Lieberman blackface at politburo diktat 2.0 Says:
August 2nd, 2006 at 6:43 pm
[…] Mark Coffey pens an An Open Letter To Arianna Huffington No doubt you consider yourself a good person, and not a racist, so I can understand why the photo was taken down (and perhaps you might consider better controls to avoid such a mishap in the future. May I suggest severing your relationship with Ms. Hamsher as a start). […]
2 Knemon Says:
August 2nd, 2006 at 7:20 pm
I wouldn’t be holding your breath.
3 SeedFreak Says:
August 2nd, 2006 at 7:42 pm
I’m stunned by Ms. Hamsher’s apparent lack of sensitivity to the African-American community. As stunning as that is, her apparent lack of sensitivity to the Lamont campaign is even more shocking.

It’s so borish, you have to ask if Rage Gurnsey Jane high on her ego or something else? I think professionally the lady is toast. I don’t know how forgiving the blogging community is, but when you look at what happened to Senator Frist, Howard Cosell, or Nick the Greek, for stepping over the line of social decency, you have to wonder if this woman will ever be taken seriously again.

It’s been put into two limericks @ Lieberdem.

There once was a blogger named Jane
Who’s own ego just drove her insane.
She posted blackface
Offending Black race
Lamont should just flog her with cane.

====================

There once was a blog named the Huff,
Writ of Progressive hot air and their fluff.
Along came that Jane,
Who’s name is now bane
As Huff had enough of her stuff.

=====================

All silliness aside, I think that Lamont needs to do some fast talking and do it publicly–Jane Hamster should be excoriated for selection of that picture to illustrate her post, and The Huff needs, as you said above, to publicly sever its relationship with Jane Hamsher.
4 The Anchoress » Ok, so, basically, the left has lost its mind, now, right? Says:
August 2nd, 2006 at 7:48 pm
[…] Also covering: Decision ‘08 notices the blackface picture was taken down without explanation or apology. Classy, as usual. Mark has written an open letter to Arianna Huffington asking her to address the matter forthrightly. Right Wing News Ed Driscoll remembers the “tar baby” gasps. Blue Crab Boulevard Expose the Left […]
5 Jo Says:
August 2nd, 2006 at 7:56 pm
I don’t visit the huffington whatever … my mouse just goes into fits when a liberal website is requested … guess it needs better training; nah - never mind. Great post … it is a very intelligent post and got your point across without having to resort to name calling; ala the looney far lib left. Bravo!
6 topsecretk9 Says:
August 2nd, 2006 at 8:36 pm
I’m telling you, campaigns will be begging and pleading (and willing to pay) Jane Hamsher to stay away from them. She has no self-control or the acumen to be aligned with a campaign, you do not apologize by blaming others…she can never bring herself to admit SHE has made a mistake. The irony of course will be, that the the undisciplined, viscous nut-roots that built him up will be the the very effort that brings him down.
7 Not Black Like I’m Not Either at Blog P.I. (beta) Says:
August 2nd, 2006 at 9:42 pm
[…] Today James Taranto and Michelle Malkin caught Jane Hamsher attaching to her Huffington Post column a Photoshop job of Bill Clinton standing a Joe Lieberman in blackface. Taranto: “Are there no limits to the racism of the ‘progressive’ left?” Malkin: “I am so sure the Congressional Black Caucus and the NAACP and the civil rights brigade will be protesting this disgusting use of blackface in political discourse.” Mark Coffey has an open letter to Arianna. […]
8 KM Says:
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:19 pm
TS9, that is a hell of an observation. She’ll be paid to stay away from campaigns, meriting disclaimers like this:

“Joe Liebermann is a Bushboot-licker Jewboy who has sexual-fantasies in which Saddamy figures prominently (full disclosure: I’ve been paid to stay away from the Lamont campaign).”

I’ve got to get me a gig like this, maybe with the DSCC.
9 Hang Right Politics - Archives » The True Face of the Democrat Party Says:
August 3rd, 2006 at 6:25 am
[…] Captain’s Quarters, Tom Maguire, Michelle Malkin, Hot Air, Mark Coffey and Hugh Hewitt have much more. Filed in: Election, Loony Left, Blogging Friends, Racism, Democrats by Falcon at 07:55 on Aug 3rd, 2006 | No Comments » […]
10 Inoperable Terran » Yeah, because conservatives and libertarians are the racists Says:
August 3rd, 2006 at 7:10 am
[…] Here’s an open letter to La Arianna after the mentally questionable Jane Hamsher posted on the HuffPo yesterday with a Photoshop of Bill Clinton and Joe Lieberman doctored to make them look like Amos and Andy, complete with blackface. With help like this and the Kos Kommercial I don’t think Ned Lamont needs enemies. Posted by Ian S. in […]
11 Decision ‘08 » Blog Archive » Lamont Lies About Association With Hamsher, Huffington A-OK With Blackface Picture Says:
August 3rd, 2006 at 8:00 am
[…] In an open letter to Arianna Huffington that has gone unanswered (but see below), I suggested she sever her tries with Hamsher. Joe Lieberman is demanding the same of Ned Lamont: The bitter Democratic Senate primary in Connecticut erupted in fresh controversy Wednesday over a doctored photo of Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.) in blackface that was posted by a blogger who has been an influential promoter of challenger Ned Lamont. […]
12 Fen Says:
August 3rd, 2006 at 10:23 am
Be patient with Arianna. All will be revealed…in 24 business hours.
13 Dennis Says:
August 3rd, 2006 at 11:21 am
You know, we’ve probably all known someone who is just plain nuts when it comes to his or her opinions on politics. Uncle Harry at the family reunion, the twitchy guy at the end of the bar, the lady who starts chatting with you while waiting in line at the movies. You get sucked into a conversation, and you start to realize the speaker is just bonkers with rage toward some political opponent. The issues and the politics are soon eclipsed, the conversation becomes a monologue, and you figure out a pleasant way to bug out.

The strange thing about the Internet is it gives those folks a chance to spread their incoherent rage all around. And it gives other boors who lack some rhetorical skills a place to congregate and issue “Attaboys!” to the chief boor. The natural checks on crazy behavior - “Hey, nobody will listen to me anymore” - are completely reversed - “Hey, the wilder I get, the more they love me!”

I guess the one thing is the bigger you get, the more sane people will start to notice you and recoil. But it’s a shame to see the well poisoned so easily.
14 Iowa Voice Says:
August 3rd, 2006 at 12:27 pm
Ned Lamont And The Left Wing Nutjobs

Ned Lamont claims “he doesn’t know anything about blogs.” Michelle asks “really?” Hot Air has the gist of what this is all about, but it’s a perfect case of how the nutroots is being played by the Lamont campaign…and vice versa.

In related…
15 megapotamus Says:
August 3rd, 2006 at 1:46 pm
I wonder if Hamsher even gave this much thought frankly. If you read the DarkMage or whomever the actual, um, artist was and try to divine the meaning; well, incoherent doesn’t really cover it. It seems Hamsher, like a mad robot, was just keening about looking for any bit of furniture that could be wrapped around Joe’s head. Let this be a lesson for others as, obviously, it shall never be for Jane.
16 Decision ‘08 » Blog Archive » Color Me Shocked! Says:
August 3rd, 2006 at 9:52 pm
[…] …that Arianna never responded to my open letter… […]