The Houston Chronicle Editorial Board just published one of the worst pieces of journalism I’ve ever seen in print. The article was an endorsement of the far right-wing Republican candidate for the chief executive/legislative role in Harris County, Texas over the progressive Democratic incumbent. This particular election is one of the most important local government elections in the U.S.
I'm not from this region, and I'm no expert. But simply going off of this article, it sounds as if the editorial board wanted to endorse the progressive judge, made sure to get most of their arguments for her into the editorial, but were under some kind of coercion? What you describe paints a picture in my mind of a hostage video.
As an avid reader of the chronicle, whose high school piece was once featured on its print newspaper, im really disappointed by them this past week. I havent read Alec’s newsletter yet but i just know the Mealer endorsement will be in there---- that decision is absolutely nonsensical, and disgusting. Hidalgo was the obvious choice, Mealer is an existential threat
My friend, who is a national editor at a major newspaper, said there was a huge uproar inside the Chron about this endorsement and that it was rammed through by Falkenberg who has an axe to grind for Hidalgo not showing at one of her panel’s and for retiring Ed Emmett. It’s an abomination of journalistic principles—they all folded like a deck of cards to one person’s grievances.
Lina Hidalgo exists as a foil to our hated statewide leaders. Its incumbent to the GOP here in the state to attack her locally- to trim her growth within the party. Before the indictment of her staffers, she was extremely popular. Now shes just popular, but you wont see people going to bat for her publicly. A year ago it would have been unthinkable that she would even have a strong challenge for re-election.
I am so happy to see this very thorough and succinct take-down of the Chron's totally indefensible and illogical endorsement of Hidalgo's inferior, right-wing, obnoxious opponent for Harris County judge! On my first reading of that piece in the Chron, I was baffled @ how ANY editorial board could allow such contrived drivel to be published. And I still am!
I'm not from this region, and I'm no expert. But simply going off of this article, it sounds as if the editorial board wanted to endorse the progressive judge, made sure to get most of their arguments for her into the editorial, but were under some kind of coercion? What you describe paints a picture in my mind of a hostage video.
As an avid reader of the chronicle, whose high school piece was once featured on its print newspaper, im really disappointed by them this past week. I havent read Alec’s newsletter yet but i just know the Mealer endorsement will be in there---- that decision is absolutely nonsensical, and disgusting. Hidalgo was the obvious choice, Mealer is an existential threat
My friend, who is a national editor at a major newspaper, said there was a huge uproar inside the Chron about this endorsement and that it was rammed through by Falkenberg who has an axe to grind for Hidalgo not showing at one of her panel’s and for retiring Ed Emmett. It’s an abomination of journalistic principles—they all folded like a deck of cards to one person’s grievances.
Lina Hidalgo exists as a foil to our hated statewide leaders. Its incumbent to the GOP here in the state to attack her locally- to trim her growth within the party. Before the indictment of her staffers, she was extremely popular. Now shes just popular, but you wont see people going to bat for her publicly. A year ago it would have been unthinkable that she would even have a strong challenge for re-election.
I am so happy to see this very thorough and succinct take-down of the Chron's totally indefensible and illogical endorsement of Hidalgo's inferior, right-wing, obnoxious opponent for Harris County judge! On my first reading of that piece in the Chron, I was baffled @ how ANY editorial board could allow such contrived drivel to be published. And I still am!
Great piece, I actually just wrote about this on my substack as well. You put it better than I did https://nightclubjitters.substack.com/p/theres-no-room-for-facts-in-the-crime?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2