Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Argus Leader Breaks Silence, Admits Daschle Link
Talon News ^ | 06/20/03 | Jeff Gannon

Posted on 06/20/2003 6:27:28 AM PDT by bedolido

WASHINGTON (Talon News) -- After two weeks of stonewalling, Randell Beck, Executive Editor of South Dakota's largest newspaper, the Argus Leader, finally acknowledged the relationship of its political reporter to Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD). Wednesday's admission of David Kranz's 35-year friendship with the Senate Minority Leader came during a Sioux Falls radio talk show hosted by Greg Belfrage on station KELO AM.

Kranz and the Argus Leader have been at the center of a controversy that began when potential Senate candidate Neal Tapio revealed the ties in a press release. Tapio implied that the newspaper's reporting has been excessively favorable to Daschle and the Democrats and unusually harsh to their critics and Republican candidates. The New York Times and Washington-based Roll Call criticized the Argus Leader's biased reporting in the 1990 South Dakota senate race.

Wednesday's interview with Beck came after the resumption of the regular KELO segment called "Argus on the Air." The segment had been abruptly cancelled by Beck two weeks ago due to Tapio's appearance on the program during which he made his allegations about Kranz and Daschle. A meeting on Monday between Beck and KELO management paved the way for the return of "Argus on the Air."

The first caller to the program confronted Beck about the stories that have appeared in the national news and on South Dakota-based web sites that alleged bias and a cover-up of the Kranz-Daschle link. The Argus Leader editor took no other calls as he spoke for nearly 20 minutes defending his publication's reporting and lashing out at its critics.

Beck began by telling the caller that it is not reporters who are "spreading" stories about the Argus Leader, but Neal Tapio and a "cabal" of politically-motivated web site operators. He confirmed the facts that had gone undisclosed for many years about Kranz and Daschle but dismissed the notion that this link was evidence that Kranz's reporting was unduly influenced. Beck said, "He's my guy, and I'm going to defend him."

"He's not in bed with Tom Daschle," Beck continued.

Beck reserved his most strident criticism for Talon News. He likened Talon News's ethics investigation of the Argus Leader to President Lyndon Johnson's attacks on newspapers "when the Vietnam War began to go badly" and Richard Nixon's similar conduct during Watergate.

"It is a well known political ploy, when you have nothing important to say, attack the media," Beck said.

Beck suggested the illegitimacy of the Talon News reports saying, "There is no credibility there, there is no commitment to the facts, there is no sense of fair play."

Ironically, that same day, David Kranz used a quote in a story about judicial nominees from White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer. The quote was a response to a question asked by Talon News's Washington Bureau Chief at Tuesday's White House press briefing.

KELO's Belfrage declined Talon News request for a representative to appear on the program. He wrote, "Midcontinent Radio considers this to be a dispute between Talon News and the Argus Leader." A call to KELO's General Manager Mike Costanzo with the same request was not returned.

Copyright © 2003 Talon News -- All rights reserved.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: South Dakota
KEYWORDS: argus; argusleader; daschle; leader; link
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-35 next last

1 posted on 06/20/2003 6:27:28 AM PDT by bedolido
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: bedolido
He confirmed the facts that had gone undisclosed for many years about Kranz and Daschle

But gave no more info about how it might have affected political coverage.... hmmmm....

2 posted on 06/20/2003 6:33:46 AM PDT by Principled
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bedolido
"He's not in bed with Tom Daschle," Beck continued.

They could have left that quote out of the article. Yuck!

3 posted on 06/20/2003 6:35:22 AM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bedolido
I read the Argus Leader every day --the front page, the editorials and the comics. Most days I can't tell much difference.
4 posted on 06/20/2003 6:40:26 AM PDT by The Great RJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bedolido

5 posted on 06/20/2003 6:46:51 AM PDT by Consort
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bedolido
Talon News appears to be a Republican publication. Are any 'mainstream' publications reporting this?
6 posted on 06/20/2003 7:01:52 AM PDT by RJCogburn (He's a short, feisty fellow with a messed up lower lip.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RedBloodedAmerican
"He's not in bed with Tom Daschle," Beck continued.

It Rat circles, it no longer "goes without saying" (unfortunately).

HF

7 posted on 06/20/2003 7:05:38 AM PDT by holden
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: bedolido
We have a similar problem with our local paper. It's turned into a blog for Carl Levin. The editor has ignored calls to provide a balanced view by including an equivalent representation of Levin's opponents.
8 posted on 06/20/2003 7:07:13 AM PDT by jimkress
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jimkress
Then why not start a blog of your own and do some marketing to get it noticed locally?
9 posted on 06/20/2003 7:15:46 AM PDT by marlon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: jimkress
You should see what the Greensboro News & Record does for John Edwards. You read that rag and you would think that there is no one else running for president. You would never know that Sen. Dole exists. Our vey find Rep. Howard Coble only makes print when someone is attacking him for giving his honest opinion about something.
10 posted on 06/20/2003 7:18:22 AM PDT by Flint
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: RedBloodedAmerican

explains the pink tie...
11 posted on 06/20/2003 7:25:51 AM PDT by adam_az
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]


12 posted on 06/20/2003 7:25:51 AM PDT by Consort
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: bedolido
The New York Times...criticized the Argus Leader's biased reporting in the 1990 South Dakota senate race. "Hello Mr. Kettle. I'm Mr. Pot. You're black."
13 posted on 06/20/2003 7:30:56 AM PDT by Lunatic Fringe (Tip the Pizza guy!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Consort

14 posted on 06/20/2003 7:43:04 AM PDT by GalaxieFiveHundred
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: bedolido
Well that's the long and the shorty of it!
15 posted on 06/20/2003 7:43:57 AM PDT by Young Werther
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GalaxieFiveHundred
What does SoDak lad Tom Brokjaw have to say about all this ?
16 posted on 06/20/2003 7:45:51 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: DakotaGator
Pinging ya.
17 posted on 06/20/2003 7:48:30 AM PDT by Lucy Lake
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: bedolido
"..., but Neal Tapio and a "cabal" of politically-motivated web site operators."

Heh. I love it when the lefties get paranoid. Anything to do with the truth, anytime anyone questions motives or how they "report" something, they use the excuse of, "They are out to get us".

*Sings* Another one bites the dust...
18 posted on 06/20/2003 8:09:18 AM PDT by Teetop (Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bedolido
bump
19 posted on 06/20/2003 8:16:26 AM PDT by VOA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GalaxieFiveHundred
Somehow, no matter what, the people of SD always end up voting for Daschle. Has he every lost a SD election?
20 posted on 06/20/2003 8:30:28 AM PDT by Theodore R.
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-35 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson