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The Herald’s bizarre hit job on Martha Coakley

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What is up over at One Herald Square?  Here’s today’s Herald’s front page:

Wow!  A “Palin-esque slip” — strong words.  Must’ve been terrible.  And here’s the story:

Rivals blasted the strange foreign policy credentials offered by Attorney General Martha Coakley yesterday after the U.S. Senate candidate – in an answer reminiscent of former vice presidential contender Sarah Palin – counted her sister’s overseas home as part of her own international know-how…. Coakley made the blunder in response to a question about her lack of international experience and her travels abroad during an interview on WCVB’s Channel 5’s “On the Record” program yesterday.  “I have a sister who lives overseas, and she’s been in England and now lives in the Middle East,” Coakley said, adding she has traveled but declining to say where.

The remark struck political observers as a stretch to bolster her credentials – similar to Alaskan Gov. Palin’s widely parodied claim that she had insight into Russian relations because, “you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska.”

Now, I confess that I was initially fooled by the Herald’s story, not having seen the interview.  But, at alert reader LynPB’s suggestion, I went back and watched the whole thing.  (It’s available here – search for “coakley” in the search box to bring up both segments.)

And, as it turns out, the Herald’s “interpretation” is a total hatchet job.  Coakley did mention her sister who lives overseas — but that was in response to Janet Wu’s overly long, multipart question.  Here’s the actual Q&A.  Wu seemed most interested not in “foreign policy experience,” but rather in overseas travel.  And in that context, I think you’ll agree that Coakley’s response was entirely appropriate and not even remotely “Palin-esque.”

So shame on me for assuming that the Herald wrote a legit story.  But really, shame on the Herald for wrenching a single quote entirely out of context and trying to make it into something that it clearly was not.  This episode also doesn’t reflect all that well on Scott Brown, Pagliuca spokesman Will Keyser, and BU prof Bruce Schulman, all of whom bought into the Herald’s take on this — it’s unclear from the article whether any of them actually watched the interview.  (Capuano spokeswoman Alison Mills is also quoted, but she didn’t take the Herald’s bait, instead touting Capuano’s foreign policy experience.)

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Comments

  1. Let me be the first to say that the Herald is one step above the National Enquirer in its reporting. Yes, that individual sentence was a bit awkward, but at the same time, it came in the middle of a great interview for Coakley. She came off as intelligent and commanding, and I would be happy to support her if my candidate does not win.  

  2. Shorter Brown: I have no clue but that’s better than having a relative “over there”.  Emphasis mine:

    <

    p>”To think having a sister who lives overseas gives you experience is naive at the very best,” said state Sen. Scott Brown, a Republican candidate in the U.S. Senate race. “Do I have the best foreign policy experience? No, but I’m always eager to learn and I certainly have more than having a relative who lives there.”

      • I work well in a collaborative environment?  

        <

        p>I expect the compensation is commensurate with the level of responsibility and respectful of my prior experience?

  3. …the name of Sarah Palin could be invoked either for praise or condemnation, depending on the context!

  4. The BOSTON HERALD distorted and misquoted the words of a progressive candidate for public office?

    <

    p>I am shocked and surprised.

  7. “Ice Queen” and the “mean girl”  pathetic and even below their standards. .
    Thanks David for clearing up another Herald mess for us.

    • I just listened to the entire interview.  I am not a fan of Martha Coakley and was sort of dismayed when she threw her hat into the ring.  That being said, there is no way in the world you can compare her to Sarah Palin.  There was no one “you betcha” in the entire interview.  There was no lipstick on a pitbull moment.  What does she think she is doing?  No posing with a gun, no dead moose or bear? She did wear nice shoes though and sounded like she knew what she was talking about.  The clip completely discredits the Herald story I read this morning.  I feel duped by them.  Again!

  9. Do you get your news from the Enquirer, the Daily Sun, the Star? Why are you suprised that it prints lies?

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