Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Joe Lieberman returned a contribution from Wal-Mart's PAC earlier this year, the retailing giant confirmed to me this afternoon (see this post for background). There are two points I'd like to make about this:

1. Ned Lamont's most ardent supporters in the blogosphere are not covering this campaign as journalists, but rather as active participants in the campaign. I don't think this comes as a shock to anyone, nor do I think these bloggers would deny it. But it's an important fact to keep in mind, and their "reports from the field" should be taken with handfuls of salt. They are in "shoot first, fact-check later" mode.
   

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Local politicians usually love it when Wal-Mart builds in their jurisdictions, and New Haven Mayor John DeStefano was no different. Here's what DeStefano had to say about the opening of a new Wal-Mart in New Haven in 2004:

The New Haven Wal-Mart will employ 340 full and part-time workers. Wal-Mart and three Sam’s Clubs, a subsidiary of Wal-Mart, employ 8,340 in the state.

“We’re glad the space is filled, it’s a great location,” said Mayor John DeStefano Jr. “We think the store is going to be successful there. We’re taking something that was empty and filling it with more jobs and tax revenue.” (New Haven Register, 7/20/04; free reg. req’d)

Needless to say, now that DeStefano is a Democratic candidate for governor here in Connecticut, he was right there with Lieberman and Lamont* at today's anti-Wal-Mart rally. How quickly things change when there's pandering to do.

Later that same day:

* CORRECTION: 09:29 p.m.: From today's Connecticut Post:

Another candidate for governor, New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr., who since earlier this year has been critical of Wal-Mart, cancelled his planned appearance Wednesday after a shooting in his city.

I left after Lamont spoke because it was blazing hot, and I assumed that DeStefano made his appearance as planned. I apologize for the error. Nevertheless, as the article points out, DeStefano planned to appear, and he's been critical of Wal-Mart since earlier this year.

Summarizing Spruiell: I said that DeStefano was there but he really wasn't and neither was I but that didn't stop me from stating that as a fact which is nothing like those partisan bloggers who shoot first and....um.....fuck...I'm kinda busted, aren't I?