David V. Matthews – 11/13/05

This page was last updated on November 13, 2005.

What liberal bias?; David V. Matthews; Beaver County Times; November 13, 2005.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“On Tuesday, The Times printed yet another letter charging the newspaper’s editorials with that most disgusting of qualities - a liberal bias.”

[RWC] The letter to which Mr. Matthews refers claimed only bias. The author never specified liberal bias.

Regarding bias, I don’t have a problem with it as long as it stays in the op-ed pages. My objection is when bias – whether conservative or liberal – spills over into news reporting.

“Did the writer read that newspaper’s ‘Jogging Around’ column three days earlier? There, The Times opined that the absence of ‘moderate Republicans and conservative Democrats’ in Congress has left ‘the hard-liners on both sides in control.’”

[RWC] As I noted in my critique of that Jogging around, the language Mr. Matthews quoted shows a liberal tilt.

“Note The Times did not call for liberal Republicans to counterbalance those conservative Democrats, and thus bring about the political moderation it so often urges in its editorials.”

[RWC] I don’t know what Mr. Matthews means. In any case, why would Mr. Matthews – or any liberal – want the Times to “call for liberal Republicans to counterbalance those conservative Democrats?” Even liberal Republicans tend to be a little more conservative than conservative Democrats.

“How many editorials have ever espoused liberal or left-wing positions? Has The Times ever called for an expanded welfare state? Has The Times ever called for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops in Iraq? Has The Times ever called for the impeachment of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, etc., for starting this war?”

[RWC] The answers to the first two questions are “a lot” and “yes.” Regarding the last two questions, I guess you must be card-carrying MoveOn.org wacko for Mr. Matthews to consider you to be a liberal. Ignoring the liberals in the pockets of organizations like MoveOn.org and the like, most responsible liberals don’t support “the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops in Iraq” or “the impeachment of Bush …”

“Also note that The Times thinks no conservative Democrats exist, and that left-wing congressional ‘hard-liners’ equal right-wing ones in power and influence.”

[RWC] If this is how Mr. Matthews interpreted the editorial, I’d be surprised if he got a decent score on the verbal portion of the SAT if he took it.

“So that explains the Democratic Party’s support for the USA Patriot Act, starting the Iraq War, funding the war and banning gay marriage.”

[RWC] Honestly, I don’t know what Mr. Matthews is trying to tell us in this final sentence.