It seems some folks at Columbia-Greene Media thought that in my post yesterday, "Hudson's Own Fake News," I was calling their publication "fake news," the way Donald Trump uses the term to dismiss the New York Times, the Washington Post, and all other news media that report things that don't conform with his perception of reality. That is not the case, and I'm sorry about the misunderstanding. I was using the term "fake news" to refer to one specific piece of misinformation they had published on Thursday, August 24, which had been picked up and reported as if it were true by WGXC yesterday. The fake news is that Earl Swanigan is a mayoral candidate.
I was just informed that today, five days after it was originally published, the story has been corrected. The title has been changed to "Mayoral candidate bidder's sentencing postponed," and an Editor's Note has been appended, which reads: "This story corrects an earlier version. Earl Swanigan is not a candidate for the Hudson mayoral seat." Unfortunately, the article still contains this sentence: "Swanigan is up against only one other candidate--Harry "Rick" Rector, a 1st Ward alderman--in the Democratic primary." He's not; there is no Democratic primary for Hudson mayor.
COPYRIGHT 2017 CAROLE OSTERINK
Sorry to be picky about this, but does Swanigan say he's not a candidate or is he just not on the ballot? Those are two different things.
ReplyDeleteI think that's a question you need to ask Earl.
DeletePeter, the Board of Elections says he’s not a candidate. He did not qualify to get on the ballot. Any ballot.
DeleteDear Carole and Virginia, I guess my point was too subtle. Carole states, "The fake news is that Earl Swanigan is a mayoral candidate." Virginia says "he's not a candidate." You both seem to ignore the fact that one can be a mayoral candidate without being on the ballot; thus my question: did you ask Earl. You're conflating "being on the ballot" with "being a candidate." I'm (still living) proof of the fact that not being on the ballot is no bar to electoral success: I won a five-year term on the Hudson City School District School Board with 92 write-in votes -- I think it was 2007. My dear wife didn't even know I was running!
DeleteI hate to add to the confusion but NOT being on the ballot doesn't necessarily preclude you from being a candidate. I presume anyone can run a write-in campaign. I'm not suggesting that's Earl's plan, but he could.
ReplyDeleteExactly. That's my point, signifier.
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