First order of business: Attack media
`The Quiet Epidemic’ wins Best Feature at UtahDoc Film Festival
By Ken Tingley
In the days after her election, Rep. Elise Stefanik reiterated that her district came first.
“I will always bring the concerns of #NY21 to the highest levels of government,” she wrote in one tweet.
“I am honored to represent the fight for NY families every day,” she wrote in another.
But on the day when she was re-elected House Conference Chair by the Republicans, she sounded like a general about to storm the beaches of a hostile nation.
In a news release she said she will work to “keep our message disciplined, unified and on offense every single day, support our agenda, execute an effective rapid response strategy to push back on the biased mainstream media in real time, elevate all voices of our conference (Republicans) to highlight the extraordinary background talents every member in order to communicate, legislate and win.”
Is there going to be time for any of our concerns here in the 21st Congressional District?
It does not sound like it.
I was especially concerned about Rep. Stefanik’s pledge to “push back on the biased mainstream media in real time.”
She should define who she is talking about.
Who are the mainstream media in the 21st Congressional District that are so “biased?”
Is it the Watertown Daily Times?
The Plattsburgh Press-Republican?
The Albany Times Union?
The Adirondack Daily Enterprise?
North Country Public Radio?
Mountain Lake PBS?
WAMC Roundtable?
The half-dozen or so television stations that serve her constituents?
Is it all of them in some sort of mass conspiracy?
And what are some of the examples of that bias?
We should not forget that Rep. Stefanik balked at multiple televised debates around her district before the election, saying the television stations were all in bed with Matt Castelli without any evidence.
But now we are going to see “rapid response strategy” to the media. From what I hear, most of the people who cover her locally can’t get her to return a phone call. When was the last time there was a town hall meeting in your town?
Bashing newspapers, television and radio stations here at home is unfair and un-American. I think most local people know that about their local newspapers.
Newspapers have a long and distinguished record of working for their community and doing good work. They have a far better reputation than any politician and certainly far better legacy than anything Rep. Stefanik is crafting.
The problems of the 21st Congressional District is the last thing on her mind.
Quiet Epidemic
The Quiet Epidemic, the Lyme Disease documentary that was named best doc at the Adirondack Film Festival in October, was just named best feature at DocUtah International Film Festival in St. George, Utah.
The local filmmakers, Lindsey Keys and Winslow Crane-Murdoch, are on a roll during these awards season. It is another well-deserved honor. Here is the complete list of winners at the DocUtah International Film Festival:
The Enlightenment Award – A Crack in The Mountain
Best Foreign Film – I Am Not
Humanitarian Award – On the Divide
Best Feature- The Quiet Epidemic
Emerging Artist – 10 x 10
Best Short – Heartbreak Country
Distinctive Piece- The Merry Widow
Trailblazer Award- Acting Like Nothing is Wrong
Audience Favorite Short- Centered
Audience Favorite Feature- Jack Has a Plan.
Best review yet
The reader was being honest about my new book and that was refreshing and appreciated.
“I liked the book, but for me, it wasn’t great” the reader wrote.
I learned a long time ago not everyone is going to like what you write, but then I read the rest.
“For one, there was a lot of sadness. Many times I felt myself tearing up, if not crying. I should appreciate it was able to touch me, but the sadness was not comfortable.”
I thanked the reader for their honest assessment. I also said I thought it was one of my best reviews. Anytime you can move someone with your words and stories, you are doing alright.
Next event
I’m looking forward to a trip to New Orleans over Thanksgiving to see my son. I’ve already got tickets to see the New Orleans Pelicans play Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. I hope to see Tulane play, too.
I’d love to check out the horse racing at the Fairgrounds and I suspect I will again spend some time at the World War II Museum where my son now works.
From there, I am off to Denver to speak to the Denver Press Club about “The Last American Newspaper” and journalism. It’s a tough going in the newspaper business these days, so I hope I can leave them with some inspiration.
From there I have a few other events before Christmas:
Dec. 5 - Queensbury Senior Center, 2 p.m.
Dec. 7 - Prestwick Chase at Saratoga, 1:30 p.m.
Dec. 15 - Greenwich Lions Club
More to come in January.
McFarland book sale
My publisher, McFarland Books, is having a sale on all its books leading up to Black Friday.
You can get my book - “The Last American Newspaper” at 40 percent off the retail price ($39.95) if you order before Black Friday.
Click on the link below and search for “The Last American Newspaper” and then type in the code: HOLIDAY22! To get the discount.
Soon to be followed with endless comments on House investigations. Solutions to inflation, energy needs, crime etc will quickly disappear.
very well said. Yes like a commander on the offensive--against all the wrong targets. The Republican strategy is to attack, take revenge, never name the real danger of the attempt to overthrow the last presidential election, to rouse violence, to restrict voting rights, nor the threats and violence of their/her leader Trump to be the autocrat surrounding by loyalists...The right wing always attacks the media (and censors books, restricts education,.names news "faked" and elections "rigged.." That Stefanik has become such an ardent conspiracy theorist is dangerous, as is the fact that our area voted for her. It is not "biased" to analyze, reflect, do reality checks, to quote, to speak what is true. I am thankful for our local newspapers...
thank you, Ken