My response will follow shortly.
CT Post Spotlights a Chris Shays Republican Intern
by: CaptCT
Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 14:02:51 PM EDT
At a time when young men from Connecticut are losing their lives in the Iraq War, the Connecticut Post brings us some happy news from the land of the Young Republicans. In a story about one of Republican Congressman Chris Shays's interns, we are reminded that the Iraq War doesn't touch a great many Americans:
WASHINGTON - As a self-professed political junkie, Thomas Lambert is in heaven these days.Since the end of August, the native of Fairfield, Conn., has worked as a college intern for Rep. Christopher Shays, R-4, where he has witnessed democracy played out on a daily basis.
"Having an opportunity to work in D.C. for Chris Shays is a dream come true," says Lambert, 20, a sophomore at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif.
Lambert ... has always viewed Shays as a model politician. "He is seen as a maverick, independent guy but if anything he is not marching to his own drum but the drum of the people he represents," Lambert says.
Of course, the story fails to mention that many of Shays' 20-something constituents are marching not to their own drums, but to war drums.
The glaring omissions from this story are these questions: How does Mr. Lambert feel about the Iraq War, which Congressman Shays has consistently supported? And if this intern does support the war -- and, like Chris Shays, feels threatened by "Islamofascists" -- why doesn't he enlist? Has he ever visited Walter Reed hospital, and what were his impressions? (Do interns for Democratic Congressmen, who were not interviewed for this story, feel the same way?) Based on those answers, we can better discern the type of future leaders the Republican Party and Chris Shays are grooming in Washington.
Instead, we find that the intern is escorting Sputnick and meeting the actor Chevy Chase.
"Going to school at Pepperdine, you're supposed to play off meeting actors, but Chevy Chase - the guy was in 'Caddyshack.' He's a hero," says Lambert, who worked as a caddy at The Country Club of Fairfield.This month, Lambert served as an escort for Sputnik, which the Russians launched into space 50 years ago.
Chevy Chase is a hero because he was in the movie Caddyshack? Perhaps Mr. Lambert never heard of Killington's Jason Lantieri, or other CT residents who failed to make it safely back from the war. Perhaps it was just a poor choice of words from a kid wowed by celebrity. Perhaps, if he were asked, Mr. Lambert would have told us how torn he is about this conflict. Maybe he did express such thoughts, but the Post failed to print them. We don't know.
The Post and other CT newspapers would better serve its readers, especially the young ones, by reminding them that there's a war on, and the war comes with a price.
Instead, the Post tells us how great it is to be an intern in Washington and to meet a "hero" like Chevy Chase.
CT Post Spotlights a Chris Shays Republican Intern | 11 commentsI'm sure young Lambert is also well versed (0.00 / 0)on the going-ons of Lilo and Britney.just like his boss.
they focus on WHAT'S IMPORTANT.
*rolls eyes in disgust*
... and therefore I believe the President and Vice President of the United States must be impeached.
He worships Chevy Chase?!? (4.00 / 2)Chase played AT BEST "fourth fiddle" in Caddyshack behind Bill Murray, Ted Knight, and of course, Rodney.Jesus, even his movie heroes are losers!
Connecticut Bob
Indeed (0.00 / 0)While I think you're all reading way too much into a puff piece article that practically writes itself: area student interns for local Congressman. I wholeheartedly agree with your take on Caddyshack - Bill Murray's interactions with the gofer define that movie!
[ Parent ]puff piece (0.00 / 0)I agree that it's a puff piece. But that's the problem with it. It drives home the point that so many Americans think they aren't affected by the war at all. If life is like "heaven" for you, why would you care if the war ends or not?If the role of journalism is to write happy stories about a friend's child, which is what this is, then it's fine. If the role of journalism is to help readers make sense of current events, then the article is a joke.
And if the writer is presenting the story as a "day in the life" of a Congressional intern and allowing readers to draw their own conclusions, then my conclusion is that this 20-year-old kid should think about the sacrifices other kids his age are making.
[ Parent ]Neither Urban nor the intern comes off very well (0.00 / 0)Of course, far be it from Peter Urban to talk about substantive issues (after all, this is the Peter Urban who once wrote that Joe Lieberman "was independently elected as a Democrat." No joke. He really did. If you can write drivel like that, then you can also write about Pepperdine University without revealing what a far-right university it is. Pepperdine is the place that offered Bill Clinton's inquisitor the presidency of its law school- right in the middle of the investigations.And of course, far be it from Peter Urban to ask the young man about his views of the war, about his feelings about Shays' being a major chickenhawk on Iraq when he dodged the draft during Vietnam. No, it seems that except for the rare commentaries from Hugh Bailey (the only resident of Bridgeport, but who couldn't be bothered to vote in the last election), we get mostly puff pieces about our federal representatives. I mean, really! Is this what passes for "news" at Connecticut Post?
Perhaps that's why this state's reporters and pundits read this site so religiously- to get real news and intelligent commentary.
On a more positive note - (0.00 / 0)a beautiful picture of BigDavefromQueens (who also posts, and usually rec'd, at Kos) in the CT Post today. He's wearing his famous Bush mask, holding a sign saying "Ann Coulter Perfected Joe Lieberman and Richetelli" - with his hand on Joe's shoulder, who is cringing.My hero! (Dave, not Joe).
Sue, Connecticut for Lieberman Party Secretary
get a life (2.33 / 3)alright none of you people are going anywhere in life, to criticize someone who is actually doing work in washington to get to the top is absurd, since none of you will ever have his chance. People know the war is going on, its pretty hard to miss if you ever put on cnn or fox news. IF you want to criticize a topic talk about Darfur where the lives of hundreds of thousands are being tortured. This criticism is pointless, and I really hope that this writer becomes enthused enough by my comment to do something worthwhile with his life.Ryan J. Steadly
Some day (0.00 / 0)..if you're lucky, you'll look back at your internship for Shays with the requisite shame it deserves.
Join the Nedheads at YouTube.
[ Parent ]don't you have a CTTEEN column to write (0.00 / 0)and why doenst the connecticut post look a little further than former employees for a story anyway?? ?are they just lazy?
... and therefore I believe the President and Vice President of the United States must be impeached.
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