I could not find a single fact on the page 1 portion of the article other than the single quote, which was (what else?) an extended criticism (2 out of the first 6 inches of print) by Gray Davis' campaign manager Gary South.
I guess when the media claims it has been unfairly tarred and feathered by the public and right wing authors for being biased, it is amply justified when looked at from the viewpoint of the California Democratic Party headquarters, which is where SJMN writer Gladstone and the editorial staff seem to be coming from these days. "Gosh, bias? Everyone around here thinks we are being reasonable" one can almost hear them say...
And the "ANALYSIS" does appear in light gray in the hardcopy version. I completely missed it on reading and only saw it after viewing the online version.
One of many sentences that jump up and down screaming to be recognized is:
It was impossible to determine the caliber of Simon's business expertise -- one of the major underpinnings of his quest for the state's top elective job.
I have to consider-- what magic wand does an accountant have that a reporter does not?
I thought reporters were born with brains, too.
Apparently, at least as far as selected SJMN and Bloomberg) reporters go, they must get lobotomies when they go to j-school.
Wahhh, we can't understand it! it's too difficult! It contains numbers... big numbers!
Lessee... before the release, Simon was either a "tax cheat" or an "unsuccessful businessman". Now, after the release, it is "impossible to determine"... so I guess that leaves those who depend on the media to become politically informed that... he is still either a "tax cheat" or an "unsuccessful businessman". Ahhh...
And... the academics agree!! at least, all one of the political scientists that the SJMN bothered to query and then convey in print. I guess academia just sees Simon as one big political failure, regardless of his business acumen. Or lack of it. Or both. One can almost imagine that the SJMN and the political scientist whose opinion they chose to highlight have never considered the phrase "damned if he did and damned if he didn't".
---Hey, I just realized that even I could be a journalist. This is just too easy, Republicans wear black hats and Democrats are "moderate", no matter what.
Maybe I should be giving Gary South my fax #, and giving the SJMN a direct deposit slip!
Oh, does Senator Kennedy release his tax forms??
How about Senator Corzine??