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Somerville Journal Takes a Cheap Shot

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The Somerville Journal citicizes Andrea Silbert for using a pick-up in her state-wide water-borne environmental kayak campaign this weekend. “A lieutenant governor candidate touting her vision for the environment in Somerville last Saturday might have gone against her green policy when she drove away in a gas-guzzling 2000 Dodge Durango pickup,” wrote David L. Harris.

“’She couldn’t have done it by kayak,’” defended Dorie Clark, Silbert’s spokeswoman,” the article continued.

Indeed. Silbert evidently needed to use the truck because of the nature of the event. That’s not gas guzzling, it’s the right tool for the job. Is Mr. Harris going to suggest that the Journal be delivered by Prius because trucks get a lower absolute MPG.

The Journal had a chance to discuss the policy issues raised by Silbert’s tour, which would have been interesting, worthy of discussion, and perhaps even constructive. It also would have required some thought and real reporting. Instead, the paper followed a well rutted journalistic path and chose snark over substance. No wonder more and more people read blogs.

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Comments

  1. That’s like using a jack-hammer to open a can of peanut butter.

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    Look, there are many reasons people have inefficient vehicles such as cost, an ACTUAL need for a larger vehicle (eg-contractors), and others.

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    The Durango, however, ain’t a cheap vehicle and you do not need one in order to carry kayaks.

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    People take on companies and politicians all the time when they “green scam” the public. I seem to recall several dozen articles about a certain CA governor and his hummers. He is now one of the leading environmentalists in large part, I would argue, because he NEEDED to show his enviro credibility.

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    Poor journalism? Yes. Out of bounds? No.

    • Looks like Andy (and his new souped up MassRevNow) has generated some informative comments over at this post.

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      Fisher, a commenter at MRN, asks the all important question here: every try to fit 3 car seats in, and 4 kayaks on, a Prius?

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      Andy may be partially correct when he says that it’s PR gaffe, but it’s really not much of one at all, and in fact if people knew that Andrea’s family has a pickup, that probably helps her more than it hurts her. 

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      But this car issue seems so yesterday.  I remember someone, I can’t remember who, getting creamed for not driving an American made car.  But now, Deval Patrick drives around in a Toyota Highlander (hybrid? I dunno) that was probably made in Indiana or something.

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      Interesting how times change.

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      I don’t think Deb wants to get into a squabble about cars either…

    • There are times when a full-size pickup is “the right tool for the job”.  Carrying a kayak is NOT one of them.  BTW, I am a Somerville resident and the Journal is a LOUSY paper, but in general I don’t have any problem with newspapers calling out politicians for double standards on tranportation/environmental issues.  (i.e. priuses and public transit for us, dodge durangos and lincoln navigators for them.)

  2. Ultimately I came to the same conclusion as you, that the article was a bit of a cheap shot.  But as the commenter before me said this is not an out of bounds observation.  While the reporter didn’t talk about policy there was still a decent question to be asked: how often do politician talk the talk without walking the walk?  I don’t think Silbert fakes her committment to the environment it is just a little disappointing to see her make this PR mistake.  I think that is a fair point.

    • Not exactly a cheap shot.  More like cheap poetry.

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      If she drove off in a Hummer, would it be a cheap shot?  If not, where is the line between a cheap shot and irony?

    • chuck Kayaks?

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      I’d refer back to my earlier comment about using the right tool for the job.

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      If you’ve got 4 kayaks that you’re going to carry around, you don’t want a Prius. If you’re going to town for a gallon of milk, you don’t want a Lincoln Navigator.

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      Anybody know how many kayaks she was actually carrying? Again, poor journalism but not necessarily a cheap shot.

  4. Question isn’t whether she should have used a Prius. Question is, if you’re an environmental candidate, are you using one of the most energy-efficient reasonable tools for the job?

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    Well, actually, I’ve got another question: IS there a Durango 2000 pickup truck? All I can find is a Durango SUV or a DAKOTA pickup.

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    IF it was a Durango SUV, bad call for the Silbert campaign. Check out the EPA’s press release on 2000 model MPGs, Durango SUV was worst in class for 2WD SUVs. But again, I’m not sure that’s the vehicle used.

  5. Guys – have you ever seen a Honda Element?  It’s a hybrid SUV.  And it’s cheaper than a Durango.

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    I’m sorry, but if you set yourself up as an eco-wonderkind, then you are as foolish as Gary Hart taunting the press to follow him if you tool around in an SUV.

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    We won’t even get INTO what you would all say about a GOP in the same situation, except to say that you wouldn’t be issuing apologias.

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    Full disclosure – I drive a tiny compact, 32 MPG HWY, and belong to REP (Republicans for Enviornmental Protection, Theodore Roosevelt IV, Chairman Emeritus).

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