The Anchorage Press has it wrong. There's been no shortage of praise for Ted Stevens in the ADN over the years.

I like Brendan Joel Kelley and I consider him to be a friend, but his most recent piece in The Anchorage Press regarding my "Community Voices" column on Ted Stevens is way off the mark.

It's not completely his fault. It just shows that he doesn't know the history of the multi-decade "dance" between ADN and "Uncle Ted."

I'll never forget the most memorable use of of that "endearment." It was between 12 and 15 years ago when now-Democratic-State-Legislator, Mike Doogan was my favorite columnist. He wrote a piece on how he wanted to know when Ted Stevens was going to retire because he was leaving Alaska...the state's income would dry up and blow away.

Everyone laughed because we agreed it was probably true. Ted could do no wrong back then.

However, in the last 10 years, things have changed. I don't know if Ted's faculties have been slipping (watching his decline on video is downright painful) or if all these years have given him such a sense of entitlement he doesn't feel like he has to try anymore. At the very least, he tells fairy stories and the media sucks it up like pablum:

- "Once upon a time, Uncle Ted took good care of Veterans!" (He's voted against funding the VA system over 26 times since 1990...I will happily email the 26 links to anyone who wants proof.)

- "Uncle Ted was responsible in part for the success of the 2001 GI Bill" (He was against it before he was for it before he was against it before he was for it again.)

- "Uncle Ted has taken good care of his constituents." (Ted Stevens has consistently approved tax cuts for the wealthy and has repeatedly voted against tax relief for Alaskan families...again, I will happily email the info to anyone who wishes.)

The part that most disappointed me was the fact that Brendan totally bought the myth that "The ADN only prints bad stuff about Ted Stevens."

First off, all one has to do is go to the online ADN "Local Columnists" link under "Opinion" to find Dan Fagan's June 28th rah, rah article on Ted Stevens' accomplishments. Contrary to Mr. Crawford's claim, had they posted his Compass piece when he wished, it would have seemed a veritable Stevens love-fest.

Secondly, there has NEVER been ANY story written by a Daily News reporter specifically focusing on any of the issues I mention above...never. Like John McCain, the press seems to give Ted a pass.

Thirdly, on the issue I brought up in my column--of Ted Stevens touting Mark Steyn's book of prejudice, there was NOT ONE DAILY NEWS STORY written on this other than to mention it on the Alaska Politics blog and in "Alaska Newsreader" in passing and point them to Phil Munger's and my blogs. There was also NOT ONE MENTION ON ALASKA TELEVISION NEWS of this issue AT ALL.

This was not an "I hate Ted Stevens" story...this was a damn "Holy crap, what is my Senator doing?" story. If anything, the Daily News used me to get the story out.
If it had been a controversial book suggested by Barack Obama or any other Democrat, we'd still see it every waking moment discussed ad nauseum on the cable news channels.

Also, Brendan, comparing the "Community Voices" columns vs. the "Compass" pieces is NOT a subtle difference. I had to apply for the Community Voices position and was selected from a number of applicants as were my other four "Community Voices" compadres. We hold our positions for six months, where we get approximately six columns of our own. Compass pieces (which I have also had published before) are longer versions of Letters to the Editor. One submits them and hopes they get picked.

If Mr. Crawford wants a little more leeway in his writing, he should apply for the next round of "Community Voices" selections which I believe will be in September.

I look forward to reading his columns.

Community Voices column on Ted Stevens is Out--Anchorage Press picks up the Stevens "America Alone" story with a twist

Here is the link on ADN.

Brendan Joel Kelley reported on the story, crediting Phil's and my blog:

When questioned about the Patriot Act and Real ID, Stevens defended his votes for them, and referenced the book America Alone by neocon author Mark Steyn. “Read that book… and decide if we want to become France,” Stevens said at the conference. Steyn’s book is a controversial look at the possibility of an Islamic Europe and has been embraced by many right-wingers and hawks. On the left, Steyn’s considered a bigot and Islamophobe, and the lefty blogs around Alaska like Progressive Alaska and Celtic Diva’s Blue Oasis pounced on Stevens’ endorsement of the book.

Steyn, a Canadian citizen who lives in New Hampshire and is a prolific conservative commentator published in several newspapers and magazines, has come under fire for using the words “Japs,” “Chinks,” “gooks,” and “wogs” (a British pejorative for Indians), as well as calling Muslims “sheep-shaggers,” in his “journalism.” He was one of the first to perpetuate the rumor—in the Chicago Sun-Times—that Barack Obama is a Muslim and “was raised in an Indonesian madrassah by radical imams.” (This is, of course, not true.)

Flashlight isn’t sure this is the best strategery for Uncle Ted (to borrow a term from Dubya); perhaps he’s unaware of Steyn’s looseness with racial slurs— Flashlight got an email from his office saying that the liberal bloggers’ bitching about Stevens referencing the book didn’t warrant a response; “consider the source,” it said.

Woot!!!! I've been dissed by Ted Stevens!!!!

Speaking of Phil Munger, he posted an excellent piece on "Ted Steven's Nuttery" for Daily Kos.

To Dan Fagan and Sharon Leighow: Karma is a bitch and sometimes it's REALLY EXPENSIVE

My friend Rishi Maharaj has been through hell the last two years thanks to those two and a few others at Anchorage Media Group. It's been torture not to be able to scream about it from the rooftops until now.

However, I'm glad Brenden Joel Kelley at Anchorage Press wrote the first real article on the entire story. It's excellent; he painted an accurate portrayal of what really happened and how Rishi and all of us felt.

Well almost...

He didn't print the diatribe I spewed about the people responsible for trashing Rishi's career for two years, but that's because he's a good journalist and it wasn't appropriate.

That's why I have a blog.

There aren't really many people I despise. And I suppose, in the grand scheme of things, I don't HATE Dan Fagan or Sharon Leighow because I'd actually call 911...eventually...if either of them was hit by a car and lying in the middle of the road. Hell, Dan is friends with some of my family and his presence wouldn't chase me away. However, he's got a wall of bad Karma a mile high waiting for him and a lot of folks feel it's only justice if he gets flattened by that wall very publicly.

He just might.

First, read the article linked above.

Second, over at the Court site you can find Civil Superior Court 3AN-08-06160CI Maharaj, Rishi vs. Anchorage Media Group et al. Peruse the list of folks being sued.

Third, listen to THIS so you understand why. Fagan pretends like he can't pronounce Rishi's name and the first thing he asks about is Rishi's ethnicity. (Think of the insinuating emails about Obama.) Leighow and Fagan work the conversation so they are repeatedly emphasizing that Rishi should have been fired...that he shouldn't be employed until he's "cleared." In a number of subtle and not-so-subtle ways they insinuate that he's guilty. They report many inaccuracies as fact though they had complete access to the correct information.

I went to several of Rishi's court appearances. The only folks there were his friends...and Sharon...the only media rep. It was almost like she was stalking him. It was creepy.

It's hard to believe this was just a few months before Leighow was hired by the Governor Palin.

It's one of the curious aspects of this whole thing. The fact that it was obvious from the start that the DA had nothing. The fact that this dragged-out for two years and then when the Prosecution had run out of delays, the case was dropped. It always made me curious who might be putting the pressure on the Prosecution?

What person could possibly be connected enough to keep pressure on the Prosecution, especially if a walk for Rishi meant the good chance of a successful lawsuit?

I guess we'll never know.