Guess Which Party?

It's a reliable convention of print journalism that stories about wrongdoing by Republican politicians mention the party affiliation right up front.   For example, the Democrat and Chronicle's story on the conviction of über-sleazebag Joe Bruno began:

Former Senate Republican Leader Joseph Bruno was found guilty in federal court this afternoon . . .

A different story, of course, when the wrongdoer belongs to the media's party.   We were reminded of this by last week's Democrat and Chronicle piece on über-sleazebag Pedro Espada's most recent difficulties.   It began,

State Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada and 19 current or former executives of his Bronx nonprofit health care company were accused Tuesday of allegedly "siphoning" more than $14 million from the clinic where he serves as president . . .

You had to read well into the story -- beyond the front page in the print edition -- to find reference to Espada's political affiliation.   In its original form, the story made no mention of party affiliation at all.

Rule of thumb:   When you have to guess, because the story doesn't tell you, or if you have to look long and hard -- it's a Democrat.

And speaking of our totally independent, totally impartially hard-hitting local newspaper, you can listen to Gannett Corporation's recent quarterly investor conference call at the company's website.