Washington Post Coverage

[Anonymous]

The article was grudgingly congratulatory, with a warning that the progress we've seen over the past three years and nine months are about to come to a halt.

Courtland Milloy's rhetoric may have been incendiary, but much of his analysis is spot on. (I'm white and part of the imported middle class)

You do know that there's a difference between news analysis and opinion, right? The editorial board (opinion) endorsed Fenty, so it would be disingenuous for them to turn around and jump for joy about Gray's victory. Their tone here is appropriate: congratulating Gray and wishing him success, but pointing out the difficult road ahead. Now that he's won the office, it's time to acknowledge that hard decisions will have to be made in order to keep the city moving forward. Milloy's piece (also opinion) was about as puerile and asinine as some of the anonymous comments in this forum and not really worth discussion. But hey, at least that point of view is represented in the paper that some people believe only caters to white people west of the park.

I see nothing in the editorial piece (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/15/AR2010091505842.html) that's "a warning that the progress we've seen...are about to come to a halt." Only a hope that Gray can achieve his vision of "One City" without losing the momentum set by Fenty's administration. How he will do that isn't really clear at this time.

To the complaint that there's not enough profiling of the man, I'd say the Post can only serve up what Gray has given them so far. The campaign strategy made an argument of style over substance with not much offered up in the way of policy. Inclusive, collaborative, respectful--these traits got the man where he is. Now it's time for him to show what he's got that will take the city where it needs to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They ran that story yesterday. There are two stories here. How Gray toppled the incumbent. This was an expected outcome. Believe me, if the Post were pro-Gray, they'd be all over Gray as a personality and as a campaigner. My sense is that the Post is spooked because of the race component. (80% whites voted for Fenty, 80% AA voted for Gray.)

How exactly do they know who is white and who is not. I am Black. To the left of my house is a Hispanic family. Two doors down a White family. Two white families across the street and another Hispanic family at the end of the block. The remainder of the homes on my one block are occupied by Black families. Apparently, Asians have not decided to move into the neighborhood yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I think the real story today is how a successful mayor failed to be re-elected.

They have four months before Gray is inaugurated.

Agreed. And the editorial page set a congratulatory tone for Gray, saying that only focusing on Fenty's loss is to underestimate the power of Gray's appeal: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/15/AR2010091505842.html

Coutland Milloy's column was despicable.

Nah! I loved it. It is about damn time.

[Anonymous]

Milloy = Offensive.

I am not sure I can even imagine reading another of his columns. As a black person I just find myself so disgusted by the sentiments expressed. Comparing the peccadilloes of the Fenty administration in any way with antebellum horrors is truly insulting to the ancestors.

I do not know how the Post expects to attract younger readers or retain the ones they have when bloviators like Milloy remain on the payroll.

[Anonymous]

Nah! I loved it. It is about damn time.

Yes, I'm sure you got the mayor you deserve.

[Anonymous]

milloy is an asshole. but the wapo keeps him b/c sadly he is a voice for much of the old guard of the city. if a columnist at a major newspaper like the post had written the same article with the same amount of venom directed at blacks, he or she would be out of a job now. if someone had written, 'choke on it, black folks,' as he did in his barely veiled language to write folks, there'd be, justifiably, a whole lotta noise. anyone taken the wapo to task on it? i cant since i'm a reporter at a competing paper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Milloy = Offensive.

I am not sure I can even imagine reading another of his columns. As a black person I just find myself so disgusted by the sentiments expressed. Comparing the peccadilloes of the Fenty administration in any way with antebellum horrors is truly insulting to the ancestors.

I do not know how the Post expects to attract younger readers or retain the ones they have when bloviators like Milloy remain on the payroll.

Apropos of nothing I suppose, but thank you for using one of my favorite words!