Radio edit: I'm tired of the he said/she said over the alcohol allegation because I have people I trust telling me both ways (in both e-mail and comments.) Had I known that would be an issue, I'd have skipped the mention because you can judge the video on its other merits, or lack thereof.
Not all of my readers have been with me for the duration of nearly five years I've done my site, but some may recall just how mad I was when a political candidate called bloggers a "cancer." Two years later, that sentiment was repeated by Salisbury mayor Barrie Tilghman.
Every so often I have to be a (self-appointed) blog policeman and call out inappropriate behavior, and in a lot of cases it's because of the same guy. I have pride in my craft and encourage others to be as responsible, but this rant takes the cake for vindictiveness and lack of character.
Okay, you don't like the Brewingtons - we get it. Over the last three months or so it's been an obsession of yours to try and wreck their campaigns (along with the local Americans for Prosperity chapter and anything else they've touched.) Yet the 2,486 votes they received are 2,486 more votes than any campaign of yours picked up, and I applaud them for at least stepping into the fray and attempting to make a difference. If you looked at what they actually stood for rather than the personalities, you may have found their platforms quite agreeable.
I didn't call you Sideshow Bob on a previous post for nothing. Words mean things, and these words are a message for you.
I don't know how many times you've claimed to be turning over a new leaf, but eventually the same old destructive tendencies come through. Is this really an example for a professional journalist to follow? (I use the word professional in the sense that you solicit for and have advertising on your site, not based on the quality of writing.) If I were Bob Ehrlich or any other politician who has sat down with you I'd be embarassed to have spent time in treating you seriously once I saw this video. Maybe Andy Harris learned this lesson the hard way last time?
I'm not going to claim I ever went to "j-school" either but the one thing which has gotten me to the places I've made it to in this second career is integrity. It doesn't seem like too many people back you in your stories anymore and in a case of your word against hers I'm not too sure I'd put a lot of money on your chances given some of the whoppers you've had to retract.
Let's just put it this way: I'm glad I made the decision I did about three years ago to stay away from that mess. I feel no need to build myself up by tearing others down.
But I can understand why most of your contributors wish to go by assumed names. Maybe it's time for them to consider washing their hands of the situation too.
I'm not going to be childish and suggest a boycott of advertisers, but they may want to ask themselves if that space is really worth it.
And to the readers: I find that I get better and more accurate news from other sources.
I'm certainly not the first to describe the site as a "train wreck" and there is an aspect of it which people have to see. But invariably train wrecks destroy lives and that's the sad part of all this. How much of the collateral damage being caused is necessary? (That also goes for some of the "anti" blogs out there.)
Fortunately, the occasional barbs I've received from that direction haven't been fatal and, in all honesty, while we both are local blogs I don't consider him direct competition because I focus on the political side of news. Obviously we cover many of the same political events, but you won't see me covering a car crash because I don't find that sort of writing as interesting. Much of this whole blogging exercise amuses me because I like to be creative.
What I don't like, though, is to have him depicted as a representative of all of us local writers. I link to about 40 local sites and almost to a person they don't care much for you being seen as some sort of spokesperson for us. Maybe it's time for people who really give a damn about the Eastern Shore to start looking at what they have to say.
As you see in the video above, this particular protagonist has little useful to add to the conversation.
Oh, just as an aside: why do you make political contributions from a Maryland address when you live in Delaware? I find that a bit shady.