Front Pages and the Story of O

Press went wild for Oprah exit today.  Here's just one sample, a gallery here.

Coming Sunday in 'NYT Magazine'

Coming this Sunday in the NYT Magazine, a Q & A with that lone House Republican who voted for the Democrats' health reform plan two weeks ago. Of course, this is Rep. Joseph Cao of Lousiana.   He tells Deborah Solomon that he has been scolded “by Republicans all over the United States…But not at all from the party’s leadership.”  In fact, he says he’d just had lunch with party leder Rep. Eric Cantor down in NOLA and “he was very supportive of who I am and what I have to do to represent the district.”

But Cao claims he voted not to curry favor with his mostly black constituents but on principle, following “the politics of the Gospel.  You have to take care of the poor…help those who can’t help themselves.” He became a Republican only because of their “strong pro-life stance.” 

Cao admits that there is only one other Asian-American among the 177 House Republicans, but doesn't think that's why Cantor and others support him.  He also admits he is only 5-foot-2,  which makes him “look 18, even though I’m 42.”   He also claims that Louisiana might have been a den of corruption in the past but now “we are squeaky clean.” -- Greg Mitchell

Dilbert Gets It

40 Years After: Photos That Helped Turn a War

(AP) A combat photographer whose pictures of a massacre of Vietnamese civilians were published in an Ohio newspaper 40 years ago recalls it was hard for people to believe what U.S. troops had done.

The Plain Dealer of Cleveland helped expose the killings at My Lai (mee ly) when photos taken by Sgt. Ron Haeberle appeared in the newspaper on Nov. 20, 1969. Haeberle had been honorably discharged by the military the previous year and decided to share his pictures with his hometown newspaper.

Haeberle, who's now 68, says he's glad if his action helped bring a turning point in the Vietnam War.

Hundreds of men, women and children died at My Lai in 1968 after frustrated U.S. troops arrived on a "search and destroy" mission, looking for elusive Vietcong guerrillas.

Boston College Student Newspaper Tackles Homophobia

The Boston College student newspaper, The Heights, has taken on the issue this week of homophobia on campus in a series that is somewhat sensitive for the Jesuit university.

But student editors contend it is worthwhile.

"Unlike race, sexual orientation is not immediately visible," the opening story states. "And so homophobia targets traits and behavior considered stereotypically homosexual." -Joe Strupp

Alleged Seattle Arsonist Is Fan Of Alt-Weeklies ‘Stranger’ And ‘Seattle Weekly’

A man arrested for a string of arsons in Seattle has told police he started at least two of them using the rival local alternative weeklies.

On the SeattlePI.com crime blog “Seattle 911,” staff reporter Casey McNerthney writes that the suspected arsonist, Kevin Todd Swalwell, has told detectives that he used copies of the alt-paper the Stranger to start a fire at a convenience store on Nov. 9. According to court documents, that was the third fire Swalwell started in just 10 hours.

“But Swalwell isn't exclusively a Stranger guy,” McNerthney writes. “Police said when he burned a three-story house at 7708 Greenwood Ave. N. -- an Aug. 12 fire Swalwell allegedly admitted setting -- he ignited the blaze by folding a copy of the Seattle Weekly in the rafters.”
--Mark Fitzgerald

Dobbs Gets 'Daily' Rub Down

Lou was greeted by Jon Stewart last night with a mariachi band, and then it got worse for him from there on out. Jon was on the attack so much that Dobbs barely got a few words in -- hence, the show has put an additional 10 minutes or so online. You can watch the whole thing starting below, then click through for the rest. 

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Exclusive - Lou Dobbs Extended Interview Pt. 1
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

'Wash Post' Indexes People in Palin Book--and Some Respond

The Sarah Palin book has no index, so people she might have praised or slammed have to either stand up in a bookstore and skim the whole thing or actually buy it. Now the Washington Post has provided a handy people index, which is searchable, or you can read all the remarks--PLUS comments from some of the people.

Who knew that she was upset that Kid Rock would not show up at a rally just for her--would do it only if McCain there? Also, she calls him the fine type of "common sense conservative." Kid Rock?

And her revelation re: pastor Rick Warren: "Palin mentions talking to and praying with Warren while in the shower, 'in a few inches of water with a shower curtain for a wardrobe.'"

A couple of days ago, when an excerpt related to her SNL appearance surfaced, I wrote that I hope Alec Baldwin would fact-check. Now he has. Here is the Wash Post bit. It relates to Palin's claim that the show unfairly cut her line reminding Baldwin that he had promised to leave the country if John Kerry lost in 2004.

According to EW, Baldwin’s rep says the reason that line was turned down was because the actor never made that claim. "'They nixed the joke because the underlying premise just wasn’t true," Baldwin’s rep, Matt Hiltzik, tells EW on behalf of Baldwin. . . . But once Palin knew that, after telling her [it wasn't true], she said, "Well, let’s say it anyway," like she needed it to be true.'”

ONA Launches Convention City Competition

Do you want the Online News Association to hold its 2011 Conference and Online Journalism Awards Banquet in your city? Then tell them. And it just might happen.

The ONA has launched a competition asking news folks to nominate their city for the group's annual confab. Check it out here. The deadline is Dec. 7.  -Joe Strupp

'Indy Star' Editor Navigates Bermuda Triangle

Apparently navigating his newsroom through budget cuts and Web site demands is not adventurous enough for Dennis Ryerson, editor of The Indianapolis Star.

He recently returned from a 10-day trip aboard a 46-foot sailboat through the Caribbean, which included a stint in the Bermuda Triangle.

Ryerson and three pals started in Hampton, Va. on Nov. 2 and navigated to the British Virgin Islands, ending on the morning of Nov. 11, he says. It was a total of 1,500 miles.

"We were confronted with a range of weather and systems issues that prevented us from showering for 10 days," he tells E&P. "That limited sleep, and that provided challenging sailing conditions. I've a new appreciations for astronauts and explorers!'

He adds the name of the boat was My Ananda, which means "My Hope." -Joe Strupp

Newspapers: New Partners In Crime?

Are newspapers unknowingly helping criminals? The Dane County (Wis.) Sheriff's Office seems to think so. A Tuesday media release from the law enforcement office warned that several local break-ins had been tied to newspaper announcements.

WMTV in Madison, Wis., reports that the sheriff's notice stated four burglaries had occurred in the county in the past month involving victims who were at funerals. It later added, "a family came home after an anniversary party that was advertised in the paper to find their patio door smashed by a rock and most of their valuables gone."

The release did not specify which papers had published the announcements. --Joe Strupp

'NYT' Reporter Signs Seven-Figure Deal for Obama Book

New York Times Washington correspondent Jodi Kantor has signed a -- get this -- seven-figure deal this week with Little, Brown to write a book on the Obamas, reports The New York Observer.

Kantor's book concept grew out of her New York Times Magazine cover story (left) on the Obamas’ marriage, which suggested that “the Obamas mix politics and romance in a way that no first couple quite have before.” The Observer reports the 34-year-old Kantor will draw on the three years of reporting she has done since giving up the editorship of the Times’ Arts & Leisure section in 2005. 

It's not known whether Kantor has secured the Obamas’ cooperation for the book, but at seven figures, does it even matter? -- Shawn Moynihan

He Was a Studs, Man

A bunch of FBI files on the late, great Studs Terkel released. Just the usual: tried to prove Chicago radio/print legend was a Communist etc.  Oddly, he tried to get a job with the bureau back in 1934.

Is the 'NYT' Media Desk HBO-Bound?

The New York Times' media desk has become the focus of a possibly HBO-bound film from documentary filmmaker Andrew Rossi.

Rossi, who has produced and directed documentaries such as “Le Cirque: A Table in Heaven” and “Eat This New York,” told the New York Observer that he wanted to take a cinematic look at the Times’ media team because, “Reporting on a lot of bad news must have a sort of negative psychic effect. It makes what these writers are doing now that much more emotionally heart-wrenching.”

Rossi originally intended to follow just media columnist David Carr, but after Carr became uncomfortable with the solo focus, he suggested that Rossi document the experiences of the entire media desk. After gaining approval from Executive Editor Bill Keller, he began trailing the every move of television and digital media reporter Brian Stelter last week and plans to film the entire desk over the course of the next few months.

While the specifics on the documentary aren't available yet, Rossi does currently have a development deal with HBO and told the media desk that the network had expressed interest in the project. However, he cautioned that the project is still not fully developed and could end up not going through
as planned. -- Elaine WIlliams

'New York Post' Memo About Leaking Leaked

Apparently, some orders of silence just don’t take, at the New York Post.

Gawker reveals that a memo to staffers from Editor Col Allan urging them not to discuss a recent lawsuit against the paper by a former Post staffer was leaked to the Web site by four, count 'em, four different sources. Allan urged staffers in the memo not to discuss the lawsuit by former Postie Sandra Guzman, which you may recall included a string of allegations involving managers and some, er, inappropriate conduct.

"While we are in the midst of this litigation, we urge you to do your best to focus on your work and respectfully ask that you not discuss it with fellow employees or people outside the company," Allan's memo stated. "Thank you for your cooperation." Perhaps he thanked some of them too soon. -- Joe Strupp

Port Huron Statement: Woman Threatens to Repeat Fort Hood at Newspaper

A woman who allegedly threatened the Times Herald of Port Huron, Mich., saying she would take a gun to the newspaper and "do what they did at Fort Hood," is being investigated, the paper reports.

The Gannett daily's Web site stated that a call came into a Gannett customer service center in Louisville, Ky., from a 60-year-old unidentified woman last Thursday.

"She was upset about an editorial in Thursday's paper," the Web site reported, adding, "The editorial criticized U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, for participating in a Nov. 5 Capitol rally. Police said the call was made about 11:40 a.m. Thursday."

No charges have been filed in the investigation, the story said.

Earlier, the paper reported: "The police department was provided a recording of the conversation, which happened about 11:40 a.m. An officer went to woman's home and took a statement, Baker said. He declined to say if the woman acknowledged making the threat.

"The editorial that sparked the threat criticized U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, for continuing to participate in a Nov. 5 Capitol rally after it turned nasty.  The rally was organized by Rep. Michele Bachmann to speak out against the government's proposed health care legislation."

The editorial declared:

Rally participants carried a variety of disturbing signs. One placard had a health care message superimposed over dead bodies from Holocaust concentration camps. One referred to President Barack Obama as Sambo. One depicted the president as the evil Joker from Batman movies. One referred to 'Obama and his Marxist buddies.' If Miller truly has signed up with the right-wing fringe -- the bigots, the hate-mongers and the Nazi chanters -- all of us in the Blue Water Area might well need to take another look.