Comments on: An op-ed note, and a super-important correction

By: Adam Schwartzbaum

Adam Schwartzbaum — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:24:44 +0000

Dan, I think you did the right thing.

By: Dan Hirschhorn

Dan Hirschhorn — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:58:28 +0000

Hey Barry,

You are correct that THIS post is indeed on my blog. But the ORIGINAL op-ed was labeled “Opinion” and was placed in the Voices section, which is the equivalent of our op-ed page.

As for my blog, I think it’s important to note that I don’t subscribe to the conventional wisdom that a blog is by definition laced with commentary. Obviously, the majority of pa2010.com’s bloggers traffic in opinion. And yes, when using my
blog to explain editorial decision, as I often do, I offer up my thoughts on the journalistic dynamics at play. But I have been exceedingly careful not to delve into commentary on the actual races or candidates we cover, opting instead for only reported analysis and pontification—an important if admittedly subtle distinction.

But your point about labeling remains a good one, and I’ll explore ways for us to improve on that.

Please feel free to e-mail me anytime at editor@pa2010.com.

Thanks.

Dan Hirschhorn

By: Barry O'Connell

Barry O'Connell — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:46:12 +0000

Hi Dan,
On this page it says “Dan Hirschhorn’s Blog”. So I expect your opinion, maybe I like maybe I don’t but I respect it as opinion. For the record I generally like it. With the Scoles piece I don’t even see “op-ed’ on the page. I suggest that with pieces like that you should label it “Guest Blogger” or Editorial. Scoles was not really reporting it was clearly an advocacy piece.
Best wishes,
Barry O’Connell
Lycoming County

By: HateSestak

HateSestak — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:22:59 +0000

Yes, Toomey will undoubtedly make use of these comments. But Representative Sestak will soon become a far, far, greater liability to the Democratic Party than Senator Specter. Indeed, the trouble-plagued Sestak may prove to be an albatross around the Democratic Party’s collective neck for some time to come. Sestak has adopted a scorched earth approach: if he’s going down (and he is, big time) he’ll take the Dems with him.

By: Dan Hirschhorn

Dan Hirschhorn — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:54:48 +0000

Hey Barry,

With all due respect, the piece was labeled “Opinion” in the same way all of our op-eds are labeled.

But perhaps we should explore ways to make that labeling more clear. I welcome suggestions as to how we could do that.

Dan Hirschhorn

By: Barry OConnell

Barry OConnell — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:37:38 +0000

Hello Dan,
Nice shot pulling a FOX News on us. Maybe Op-Ed pieces should be clearly labeled. I come to your pages for news not hatchet jobs. This piece is not journalism and colors every other story you publish. Now I will wonder each time I read one if it is news or a diatribe by a disgruntled aids case or the like.
Up until now I have really enjoyed your pieces.
Barry OConnell

By: David Diano

David Diano — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:48:46 +0000

At this point, the Sestak campaign is merely an arm of the Toomey campaign.

By: Chet

Chet — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:54:07 +0000

If the R’s want to make it an issue later, they will; but why should Sestak supporters help them by giving them nice quotes from Dems? And the Toomey campaign will probably use Scoles’ original, inaccurate version….