Latenight Links

Tea Party Poopers? NYT article claims upcoming convention in disarray as another sponsor drops out.

Columnist Bob Herbert hits Obama's "credibility gap," says he "cannot always be trusted," and questions his spending freeze.

Latest on print media hoping for an Apple tablet "payday."

LA Observed blog, citing Westword, says figures on compensation for MediaNews' chief Dean Singleton in the Chapter 11 re-organization were conveniently omitted from AP story published in his Denver Post.

NYT obtained confidential cables from U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan warning that leaders there inadequate and sending more troops may be mistake.

Co-founder Jim VandeHei thanks Politico staffers for "bleeding" for the print and Web news outlet on its 3rd anniversary.

Late Day Links

Wash Post managing ed says they are not going the pay Web route -- yet. But stay tuned.

Key newspaper analyst Allen Mutter thinks MediaNews' problems may lead to
end of JOA and Detroit (at long last) becoming a one-newspaper town.

Often funny WSJ columnist Joe Queenan today draws criticism for comparing Jay Leno to...Hitler?

NYT online piece looks at Twitter as the unemployed's new "best friend" with job listings and reach.

Tracey Ullman makes fun of Rachel Maddow and Arianna H in same scene.

Serpico: The Sequel

Yesterday we featured the great NYT story and video over the weekend catching up with former hero cop (and movie icon) Frank Serpico. It got such wide play that the write, Corey Kilgannon, has just posted a lengthy blog review of the many messages he has received, ranging from cops who say Serpico inspired them to join the department to an ex-cop who disputes one of Serpico's long-running claims. Excerpt:

John Costin, 73, a retired police sergeant who said he took the “officer down” phone call from Mr. Serpico’s partner, disputed Mr. Serpico’s longstanding claim that, while he was in critical condition in the hospital after the shooting, no police officers volunteered to donate blood.

“Right away, there were 35 cops at the hospital willing to give blood,” he said. Mr. Serpico’s colleagues quickly raised a modest bounty of $100, to pay an informer to catch Mr. Serpico’s shooter within hours, Mr. Costin recalled. There were, though, a few few unwell-wishers. “One jerk said, ‘If he needs urine let me know,’” Mr. Costin recalled.

Today's Fun Newspaper Commercial

As some may know, we love fun (sometimes, desperately so) TV spots and video promoting newspapers. What a challenge! Usually the best come from abroad. Here's today's sample:

No Bourbon Street Blues

We're sure you've wondered what it was like on the fabled NOLA party street last night after the Saints made the Super Bowl. Well: no cars turned over or burned. The headline at the Times-Picayune declares that local police found NO violence "before, during or after the game"-- and this after all the trashing for years of NOLA citizens. Here's Times-Picayune video. Only NFL victory celebration ever led by a tuba?

PLUS: Go to Time-Pic main page for dozens of other features, including song tributes. (Photo by G.M.)

UPDATE: McClatchy Bureau Escapes Baghdad Blast That Injured 3 Who Work for 'Post'

A coordinated bomb attack in Baghdad today hit three hotels, including one that is known for housing foreign journalists. One of the hotels, the al-Hamra, is adjacent to a house where The Washington Post bureau is located. In a memo posted at Romenesko, our pal, McClatchy chief in D.C., John Walcott, reveals that his well-respected bureau there had just exited the Hamra three weeks ago.

A Post story confirmed the attack that killed 36 and wounded 71, including three injured Iraqis who worked for the Post. "The windows of the house were shattered in the blast, and much of the bureau is in tatters," the Post story said. "Three Post employees were wounded by flying glass. Two of them sustained head injuries, and a third has broken ribs and a broken arm. All three are conscious, and the injuries do not appear life-threatening." -- Joe Strupp

WH Correspondents Dinner Goes 'Green,' Raises Price, With Leno

Washington’s hottest dinner ticket just became more expensive. Attendees at this year’s White House Correspondents Dinner will have to fork over $225 for the May 1 event, an increase over the previous $200 price tag.

This year, announced last week, Jay Leno will headline the dinner. WHCA President Edwin Chen of Bloomberg said he approached Leno months ago, well before his latest controversy and tussle with Conan O’Brien and NBC. “I approached Jay way before the flap with NBC and he agreed to it,” Chen said. “It was quite a few months ago, back in the fall.”

Chen said Leno made no comment then about any possibility of a shake-up in late night: “I had no clue. I just wanted to know if he would do it and he readily agreed.” Chen said he did not think Leno’s latest situation would boost or hurt attendance, noting the dinner sells out way ahead of time annually: “I don’t think the dinner needs it one way or another.”

In addition to Leno, the dinner is also taking on a “green” theme this year, according to a release. Efforts to make the event more environmentally friendly are being put in place. “ ... for the first time in its 96-year history, the association is taking action to reduce the carbon impact of its annual black-tie gala; these include using as much as possible paper products, supplies and services that reduce the threat of global warming, deforestation, toxic wastes, hazardous chemicals and species extinction,” the announcement said.

“This will be the most eco-friendly dinner ever hosted by the association,'' Chen added in the release. “And we encourage our members and guests to join in that effort, such as by car-pooling, using hybrid vehicles and, for long-distance travelers to Washington, buying carbon-offsets.”

But will President Barack Obama agree? Perhaps giving up his gas-guzzling limo for a bicycle to get to the dinner.

As for the price hike: “Costs have gone up and we have upped the scholarship money,” said David Jackson, USA Today reporter and vice president of the White House Correspondents Association. “It had not gone up in years.” Seven years to be exact. It is unlikely the increase will reduce the popularity of the event that regularly sells out. - -Joe Strupp

American Nazis Adopt a Highway

A Denver area, Hitler-loving, National Socialist Party group gets its name on a road sign in an adopt-a-highway drive. It only had six members but is now gaining more. A church group is its partner in promising to pick up trash. Mainstream paper now covering, including Wash Post. USA Today blog has a good update here.

When the Nazi's first applied for the stretch of highway just south of Bromley lane in Brighton, the Colorado Department of Transportation called to say thanks, but no thanks.

But the law, it turns out, was on the Nazi's side.

"Courts around the country have allowed white supremacists to sponsor highway signs," says Anti-Defamation League Director Bruce DeBoskey. So although the Anti-Defamation League couldn't be more opposed to the Nazi movement, it advised the state to put the application through.

Midday Monday Links

Controversy over political ad on front page of Oregonian sparks publisher Chris Anderson to respond, deny he is "rightwing nut."

Times-Picayune printed up and got copies of front page inside the Dome as Saints fans still celebrated. And imagine the mess in the Quarter and elsewhere this morning. PLUS: NYT with dozen great links to fun media commentary on game.

Wash Post: Obama is "constantly online," checks news, blogs, sports "like a normal Internet person."

Texas GOP Gov. Rick Perry says he won't meet with newspaper editorial boards seeking their support in re-election bid.

"Glory Days" That Passed Us By

Here a lengthy piece on the heyday of newspaper comics at Mediaite, with several samples reproduced, going back a century to Mutt & Jeff and before. Excerpt:

This is by no means a comprehensive, academic study – just a taste of what was created in the first half of the 20th Century, before you were likely to have been paying attention.

Kids today can grab a laptop and get online for entertainment (if they even do anything else). But there is something remarkable about having an entire sheet of cartoons delivered to your house every day of your childhood – something that a majority of kids born this decade will probably never experience.

So print these out and give them to some kid, will you?

Going 'Crazy' Over Web vs. Print

Fantastic video of the Fine Grind, a capella choir from Toronto, at Globe & Mail site probing newspaper print vs. Web to tune of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy." They also invite readers to sing out their own complaints. Lyrics here.

A 'Clueless' Op-Ed

We posted first anywhere last night link to (possible NY candidate) Harold Ford Jr.'s op-ed in NYT appearing today. His fellow Times opinion page denizen, Paul Krugman, rips him at his blog just now, saying Ford hit a new high in "cluelessness." Excerpt: "What he says about health care shows that he hasn’t paid any attention to the substance of that discussion, either: he wants us to build a one-legged stool." No Ford in our future, Krugman concludes. -- Greg Mitchell

Saints Fans Got Screaming Tips Online!

You have to love this. Yesterday's Times-Picayune of New Orleans prepared Saints fans for the big NFC Championship game Sunday night in the Superdome with a screaming guide on its Web site, complete with a local opera singer's tips. It must have worked as they beat the Minnesota Vikings, 31-28, and advanced to the Super Bowl. -- Joe Strupp

Early Monday Linkage

Newsday employees soundly reject contract.

New Texas Tribune tops funding goal, raises $4 million (via Romenesko).

Wash Post: Obama is "constantly online," checks news, blogs, sports "like a normal Internet person."

Star-Tribune guild approves "byline strike."

After spending a fortune on Haiti, many news orgs now plan to exit soon.

At least three Haitian journalists now confirmed dead due to quake.

Poynter introduces new column on mobile and the media.

Bankruptcy judges ready to give Tribune Co. execs giant bonuses.

'NYT' Raises Question: Were Vikings Robbed?

UPDATE: NYT adds another blog post backing point below -- need to change overtime rules.

There were booth reviews galore in the Saints' single possession in overtime as they marched to a winning field goal vs. the Vikings and won 31-28. But the NYT Fifth Down blog cited two key rulings that Vikings fans may be up in arms over (see comments at blog). Of course, the insane NFL rule not allowing both teams to get the ball in overtime is the real culprit. Here's how the Times put it in asking if refs "bungled" it :

1) The Vikings’ Ben Leber was called for pass interference on the Saints’ David Thomas. It’s not clear Thomas had a play on the ball. And the contact between the players was not egregious — and at least debatable.

3) Shortly after, the Saints’ Robert Meachem bobbled a catch as he fell to the ground at the Vikings’ 22. The ball appeared to hit the ground before he had possession. The catch was upheld upon review. And it put the Saints in field-goal position to send them to the Super Bowl.

Harold Ford Jr. Pens 'NYT' Op-Ed

The former Tennessee congressman has been broadly hinting at an unlikely run for the U.S. Senate in NY -- and now he has written an op-ed for tomorrow's NYT. He wants stripped down health bill, lowering taxes on businesses and paying immediate attention to deficits -- all likely to be seen as "moderate" at best, not liberal views. Oddly, Ford had sat for a Q & A with the Times earlier this month which was widely viewed as embarrassing for him. An excerpt from the Monday op-ed:

To be sure, President Obama has achieved some important successes. His policies prevented the financial system from collapsing, saved America’s auto industry from extinction and avoided a depression. But that extreme crisis is over — what our country needs now is better, not more, government.

A Democratic Party refocused on revitalizing our economy, protecting the United States from terrorism and re-establishing itself as the party for the middle class is what Americans are demanding. If we do this, victory at the polling booths will take care of itself.

Biden Denies Beau Report

It was the rate of inside-D.C. journo circles for awhile today, with claims that VP Joe Biden had said in an interview with home state Deleware paper that his son, Beau, who everyone expects to run for his old Senate seat this year, didn't want to do it. Now the Veep has denied he said any such thing, he was actually referring to someone else, and a check of the transcript shows that indeed he was talking about someone else. Politico has story here. Joe Biden has asked paper for a correction.

Sunday Links

Jay Rosen at one of his blogs hosting even more discussion of NYT metered pay wall idea, which we've covered all week, but some new points/debates here.

Ohio newspapers band together for state polls on governor's race -- find Strickland trailing GOPer Kasich (yet another Fox News vet).

How St. Louis Post-Dispatch put together pop-up videos on the State of the State -- in 12 hours.

Great piece on suffering in Haiti by Palm Beach Post writer. A colleague says, You better hope you don't see worse than this, for that would have to be end of the world.

Mike Allen of Politico tweets that Harold Ford Jr. has op-ed in Monday's NYT on what Dems should do following Mass. defeat.

Don't Call Him Al: Serpico on 'Serpico'

Ever wonder whatever happened to Frank Serpico of NYC cop corruption and Serpico fame? There have been rare sightings and reports over the years, after he fled, lived abroad, journeyed around USA in a camper. NYT tracked him to a one-room cabin in upstate New York for fascinating story today, with photos. Best bit: Frank says he had never watched the classic Al Pacino movie all the way through, so reporter took him to local library where they watched did on his laptop. NYT site has a video. Don't miss that--shows real Serpico watching film and commenting. Trailer for film below:

Obama Pens Letter to Editor

And it wasn't "astro-turf." The letter appears in the Greensboro, North Carolina paper The News-Record and editor John Robinson explains today in a blog post how it came about here: They simply asked him to do it. Or not that simply. Anyway, the subject was apt: the 50th anniversary of the Greensboro sit-ins. Here is Obama's essay/letter, which the paper put on its front page. Excerpt from Robinson:

We assigned the task to Raleigh reporter Mark Binker, who contacted Sen. Kay Hagan's office to ask them to pass the request to the president. We gave her staff a deadline. (I know he's the president, but newspaper deadlines wait for no one.) Every few days, Mark would inquire about the president's progress. Once he was asked how long the essay could be. Mark said something to the effect of "400 to 500 words, but he's the president of the United States...he could go longer if he wanted to."

We knew we could always cut it.

They did end up editing it slightly.

The Poetry of Newspapers

Austin writer/designer/cartoonist Austin Kleon is coming out with a book of poetry based on taking newspaper stories from the NYT and blacking out words with a magic marker--leaving poems behind. He's been widely covered, including NPR. Don't miss his site. -- Greg Mitchell

Cartoonist Goes From Controversy To Fundraising

Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard drew controversy and threats when he published controversial muslim cartoons back in 2005.

But this past week, another series of watercolors he created to raise money for the Haitian earthquake relief brought in $19,000, according to the Web site Monsters and Critics. -- Joe Strupp

Saturday Night at the Movies

Continuing our picks for greatest newspaper movies, here's clip, with reporter and the newspaper's lawyer, from "Absence of Malice" with Paul Newman and Sally Field. "Democracy is served."

Photos Too Graphic on Haiti?

We've looked at this subject a few times in the past week, and now Clark Hoyt, the NYT public editor, devotes a column to it for tomorrow's paper. A number of readers have complained about allegedly too-graphic photos from Haiti in the the Times, including on the front page. Hoyt talks to staffers and an expert at Poynter and concludes that it was okay. Here's an excerpt with response from the key photog Damon Winter:

“I have had so many people beg me to come to their home and photograph the bodies of their children, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers,” he said. “There are so many times that I have to apologize and say that I cannot, that I have photographed so many bodies already, and I think it breaks their hearts because they so desperately want people to know what has happened to them, what tremendous pain they are in, and that they desperately need help.” Winter said it was important “that I do whatever I can to try and make our readers understand just how dire the situation is here.”

Student Journo Reveals TSA 'Prank' at Airport

It's hard to believe amid the post-Christmas terror hysteria at the airports that someone would plant a plastic bag of white powder in someone's bag at the security check and then call attention to it -- and, get this, the "prankster" was a TSA worker. The victim was a University of Michigan student who has written about it for her campus paper.

''He let me stutter through an explanation for the longest minute of my life,'' Solomon wrote. ''Tears streamed down my face as I pleaded with him to understand that I'd never seen this baggie before.'' Finally the worker admitted it was his. TSA says he no longer works for them but won't say whether he quit or was axed.

Edwards a Dad, 'Enquirer' an Orphan?

Just as it was getting its longshot hopes up for a Pulitzer for its John Edwards probes, the National Enquirer learns that it is probably ineligible -- because it calls itself a "magazine" right on its site and only newspapers (and some online non-magazine news outlets) are allowed, or so says our old friend, Prize administrator Sig Gissler.

Holy Moses: One Tablet Cures Headache?

Rumors about the big Apple treat to be announced this week have flown for days -- along with possible fallout for newspapers, including NYT pay plan -- but NYT's David Pogue is a bit more credible than most, so here are some things he is picking up, all unconfirmed. Here is key statement: "But my gut tells me that, as usual with these overheated Apple hypemonsters, we’re all missing something important. There are some aspects, some angles, that nobody’s guessed. We’re like the blind men who encounter an elephant in the ancient legend, where each guy feels only one part of the beast and nobody puts it all together. Because 'a big iPod touch' wouldn’t really be that interesting, would it?" He adds:

As always with Apple rumors, nobody knows which of the following points are real, and which are speculation, but some of them are probably right on:

* It’s designed for consuming — books, newspapers, movies, photos, music, Web, e-mail — more than creating. There’s no physical keyboard and no camera.

* It will be announced next week, but won’t actually be available until March at the earliest, June at the latest.

* It will have Wi-Fi. It might also be a cellphone like the iPhone (meaning that it would have a monthly fee).

Saturday Afternoon Matinee

One of the great Hollywood flicks about a rogue reporter, Kirk Douglas in Billy Wilder's "Ace in the Hole."

Why Journos Need to Ask Questions

Oregon Tax Vote Prompts 'Spadea' Ad War

The Oregonian today ran a wrap-around spadea ad for a pro-tax group seeking voter approval of two tax measures on an upcoming ballot Tuesday, the paper reported. Its story added that an original ad that was rejected by the paper had included criticism of The Oregonian. Willamette Week, the local alternative, reported Publisher N. Christian Anderson (left) was the target in the previous version and claimed he stepped in to change the approach. The pro-tax spadea followed three previous spadeas the paper ran from an anti-tax group.

When one of those anti-tax ads ran last Sunday, Anderson also published a note to readers explaining it. --Joe Strupp