'Pi-Press' Runs Column By Rep Who Hit 'Anti-Americanism' -- After She Declined to Talk to Paper

By: Joe Strupp With Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann gaining attention for her comments about Barack Obama, and others, having "anti-American views," it made sense for the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press, her local daily paper, to report on the situation today.

So when a front page story about the controversy appeared in print and online, most readers were likely not surprised. It cited Bachmann's views on Obama, as well as the fact that "six Democratic members of Minnesota's congressional delegation ... issued a joint statement denouncing other comments Bachmann made Friday advocating a media investigation into which members of Congress are anti-American."

But what may have seemed odd was the first-person column by Bachmann that the paper ran on an inside page next to the Page One article's jump.

In it, Bachmann defended herself, stating among other things: "What I did was ask legitimate questions that Minnesotans have been asking me: What does Barack Obama mean by change?"

The column seemed even more unusual given the fact that Bachmann did not speak to the paper for the main article, instead having a spokesperson field questions.

So why did the Pioneer Press give space to the congresswoman to spout her views after she declined to comment for a news story on the subject?

According to Editor Thom Fladung, it was a matter of using available resources and, as he puts it, best serving the reader. Fladung said the first-person column was actually provided by Politico, the Washington, D.C.-based news outlet that has a content-sharing arrangement with the Pioneer Press, among other newspapers.

As print deadline loomed Monday night, the Pioneer Press, unable to get comment from Bachmann for its story, came upon the Politico piece at about 8:30 p.m., Fladung recalled.

"At that point, it seemed the better choice for readers was to give them the Bachmann piece and let them decide," he told E&P. "Here it is, unfiltered, and you can decide."

Noting some might see it as letting Bachmann's office off the hook after she declined to comment, Fladung said the paper's approach gives the readers as much information as possible: "Of course, I would always rather talk to the candidate than to the spokesperson. In this case, I would always choose to give the reader more."

The move brought some criticism, such as that from Minnpost.com, which called the move "a bit of weirdness." But Fladung said it drew "virtually no reader complaints at all."

To see her original 'Hardball" comments on video go to our new blog:
www.eandppub.com

The Page One story can be found at:
http://www.twincities.com/ci_10771368

Bachmann's column is at:
http://www.twincities.com/ci_10771378