Clinton in Q-Town
The phone rang Tuesday in the West Reading office of LaVoz and Westside Weekly.
It was Patti Paul controller here at Berks-Mont Newspapers coming to the rescue again.
"How often does Bill Clinton come to Quakertown?" Patti told me by way of explanation.
She had called Journal Register Company, the corporation that owns our little newspaper chain, and asked to roll back deadline for The Free Press, our Quakertown weekly, to give editor David P. Anderson chance to cover the former President's visit to Quakertown Community High School in support of his wife U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, (R-NY) and her bid for the Democratic nomination for President.
The decision meant pushing deadline back to 5:45 p.m. and a half hour drive to our Boyertown office where Boyertown Area Times editor Matthew Reichl and I awaited Dave's copy and photos (like the one above) fitting them together with earlier interviews on the visit to create a finished page.
It's another example of how small weeklies are still capable of excellent journalism often as excellent as what is being created by the dailies.
The key?
The willingness to always reach to do better.
The willingness and commitment of both the editorial and business sides to create a better news product for readers than we had the week before.
Sure it would have been easier to sit back; to say, no that will make us late; to say, hey, we're a weekly, we can wait to get that until next week.
But it's better to say we're planning to do all we can, to be the best no matter what our limitations.
19 Comments:
You guys are the best. Thanks for thinking of us readers! Clinton was actually in Allentown years ago and stopped by the Charcoal Drive-in. He drank froma cup of coffee and they placed it (and the napkin he used) in a plastic case and framed it on the wall. Pretty cool!
Please!!! Clinton coming to Quakertown is news??? What false promises did she make in that town...that everyone would get 30% off any purchase at Q-Mart if they vote for her. Vote for a change...vote Obama!
Didn't you clowns hear that Obama wants to raise the capital gains tax to 28%?!?! maybe the rest of you cornhuskers earn less than $200 large a year, but for us few rich folks in this dump of a county, it affects us! Don't believe the hype people... it's going to bite you in your Democratic asses.
I understand you wanted to pat yourself on the back for the Clinton coverage, but didn't this make the front page of every area paper? Enjoy him now folks, once the primary is over Clinton won't be able to find our state on a map!!
I just saw that Obama has a 13% lead right now over Hillary. I plead to the dozens of readers of the Berks Mont papers to join me in helping Clinton in making a change. If you're a woman, you owe it to her to use this as a chance to show men that we are just as smart and strong. Eggs over tadpoles, ladies!!!
Anyone want to bet Betty above me thinks the GOP is racist and sexist? And yet, she advocated voting for the Hilla-Monster just because she a woman...nothing sexist there.
McCain in 08! This man is a true hero and he's got a strong woman behind him too, so you get the best of both worlds if you're voting for Clinton because she's a chick. This blog needs to address all sides, or has Berks Mont announced that they already endorse Clinton? I remember hearing about who the Times backed, but I must have missed who Berks Mont backed... did they announce it on CNN?
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Rich,
We endorse no candidate. We've covered Obama on visits and will, of course, cover McCain as well if he comes to Berks/Bucks/Lehigh/Northampton/Montgomery Counties. Our election guide running in all papers this week included all Presidential candidates on the ballot.
You guys are all drinking Kool-Aid! McCain is just Bush with anger problems, Clinton tells more lies then her husband, and Obama is just an empty suit. If you want real change the ONLY person you need to vote for is Ron Paul!
You only get one vote, don't waste it!
That's terrific to hear, Mr. Hessinger. Even though I would prefer all lehgih Valley and surrounding area residents to vote McCain, I'd rather have you stay neutral than lean lefty.
It's so refreshing to have a sounding board such as this. No one listens to me down at the barber shop about this stuff. Please start other forums if possible.
Hey Debbie, is it true that the napkin Clinton used at the Charcoal was later used to test for DNA with that blue dress?
Think about that before you pull the lever for another Clinton!!
I'm registered Democrat, but I want to write in Bloomberg. Can I do that? Does anyone know how that works?
The fact that Clinton once chose to visit The Charcoal Pit while bypassing Yocco's, one of the Lehigh Valley's finest eating establishments, tells you all you need to know about this guy and his wife!
With the polls getting closer to completion, it looks like Clinton's visit to Quakertown has proven to be the calalyst her campiagn needed to push her over the top in PA. I live in Radnor and many people think we don't exist because we're not Philly or harrisburg or Pittsburgh and such. But it's our little towns that add up to make a difference and Hillary knows this. That's why she took the time in these smaller towns (like Scranton today) and it's paying off.
Hey Agnes, try to google an electoral map of Pa from the last election and see what impact all those small communities have on the outcome. Bush won nearly every county between Philly and Pittsburgh and Kerry still won the state! Why? Too many "voters" near those big cities. If Clinton does win tomorrow and will be because she takes both towns and some of the small burgs too.
I'll bet you feel pretty stupid now, Pvt Ray. The polls are in and Hillary won! Hillary in 2008!!!
Agnes to even read what I write, or are you just posting for the thrill of seeing your name on the internet?
I never said Hillary would lose, I just tried to explain how she would win.
Nevermind, go back to playing Bridge.
Don't worry ray. Despite your bitterness and incredibly haughty, all-knowing attitude, there's still a place for you in this world and Hillary knows that. Your adversity only makes her stronger.
I think that once she wins and you see these changes for yourself and are affected by them personally, then over time, you'll grow to see what I already have. Obama and McCain are just hoping to change this nation...but Hillary WILL change this nation. God Bless.
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