Posts Tagged ‘honor’

The New York Times on Ladd Ehlinger Jr. and his Barney Frank ad for Sean Bielat

Posted: October 20, 2010 by datechguy in congress, elections, short films/interviews
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The NYT has put up its story on Ladd Ehlinger and the Barney Frank ad. One piece of it that I noticed:

Mr. Bielat’s line, to appear at the end of the ad, was supposed to go something like: “I don’t need to dance around the issues. I’m a Marine.” But Mr. Bielat said he did not feel comfortable linking his military service to a political ad in a way that felt “like a non sequitur,” so he improvised.

How honorable is Sean Bielat? He was unwilling to use his Marine service as a prop. How many pols think that way?

Here are a pair of behind the scenes clips first the green screen area

That’s the NYT crew and RS McCain as they cover Ladd

When the ad comes up I’ll put it up with the last three behind the scene clips.

Update: One change since the film was made, it is no longer a “longshot” ah how the news cycle changes

One more perspective on the Prez’s Boston Rally: UPDATE 3000 supported Bussed in!

Posted: October 19, 2010 by datechguy in oddities, special events
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Had a rather hot exchange with my Arch enemy friend Chris back at my post, he got there earlier than me and had a different perspective, check out his comments and the updates.

It’s a good lesson on not judging. I figured he was calling me a liar and he thought I was lowballing numbers. He didn’t know I was counting only crowd members allowed in the main room (6600) and I didn’t know his perspective was ALL the guys in the room including security, the people on stage, the people working the event etc. (a lot more)

See how misunderstandings on motives can come simply from a different perspective? That’s why comments and talking are so important, if he hadn’t questioned me on the blog I wouldn’t have answered and we would have both thought each other couldn’t be trusted.

There is an important lesson there about people with different political perspectives there and getting along. One should always try to assume good faith because apparently both of us saw what we saw at slightly different times.

Update: Chris tell us in comments that he was one of 3000 fans bussed in from all over the state. Well I’m sure that news reinforces the idea that Democrats can generate a crowd for the president in Boston on a Saturday without a problem.

Off the record. Personal honor vs public responsibility and David Brooks

Posted: October 16, 2010 by datechguy in media
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One of the things that I’ve learned since I’ve gotten involved in this business is what the words “off the record” means.

People will tell you things “on background” or “without attribution” meaning that you can use them as long as it is attributed to “a source said” type of thing or as general background information.

“Off the record” is something more blunt. This means you accept information on the condition that you pledge your personal word and honor not to reveal it.

Now if you can get that information from another source that’s different but once you have agreed to “off the record” one’s personal honor and one is obliged to keep that word. That was David Brooks dilemma.

In such a situation he is ethically obliged not to talk (or as Stacy McCain says never burn a source) so I don’t fault him for that…

…BUT it would be interesting to see what his columns about the president looked like after the fact. Did he seem less supportive? Did he give the words of the administration less credence and more doubt? One can’t come out and say “This guy is lying to your face and he told me so!” but you can change the direction of your coverage from admiration to skepticism without breaking your word.

One has an obligation to protect ones source but also to inform the public. Social schedule not withstanding if your priority is to be honorable, you have to find a way to do both.

The Bigots of the 30’s would be so proud of Harvard…

Posted: August 16, 2010 by datechguy in opinion/news
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…moving back to the old Jew Hating days of yesteryear.

There is a pretty clear pattern here–again, assuming that the five nearly-simultaneous sales of shares in Israeli companies were not coincidental. Harvard is happy to do business with oppressors–real oppressors, that is–as long as there is enough money in it. China and Saudi Arabia have, in sheer monetary terms, a lot to offer. But taking a “principled” stand against Israel, still the Middle East’s only democracy (unless you count Iraq, on which the jury is still out) and the only country in the region with a Western human rights sensibility, is cost-free. Sort of like banning military recruiters.

The difference between courage and cravenness is being willing to stand up when it actually costs you something. “Standing up” to Israel costs Harvard on money or reputation among the elites, it risks no anger to among those who shower them with money, yet it allows them to think of themselves as “moral”.

Alas this decision costs nothing of Harvard, except Honor, and it has been a long time since Harvard valued that word.

That fact even more than the disinvestment is the true tragedy here.

Memeorandum thread here.

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