Should Dent Dis Newspaper That Called Him a Fink?
Congressman Charlie Dent is refusing to participate in an Express-Times debate because of the newspaper's editorial that called him a "fink" for supporting a controversial redistricting map
What do you think of U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent's decision to skip an Express-Times candidate debate because the newspaper ran a front-page editorial calling for the ouster of "fink" politicians who supported gerrymandered redistricting in Pennsylvania?
Tell us in the comments section below.
Dent's campaign manager said the newspaper forum would be biased against the candidate for the 15th congressional district.
Republican Dent and Democratic challenger Rick Daugherty will debate at least twice before the Nov. 6 general election:
- Friday, October 5 at 7 p.m. at the Chrin Community Center in Palmer Township, organized by the Lehigh Valley Tea Party.
- Tuesday, October 16 at 8 p.m. at Public Broadcasting Station channel 39's studios in Bethlehem, sponsored by The Morning Call, PBS39, the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce and Muhlenberg College.
Rich Piotrowski
5:21 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
I would call Charlie worse things then a fink. Like Romney, Dent is a big, really really big Government Republican. He supports bailouts, the NDAA, TARP, the PATRIOT Act, and the list goes on and on. At least Daugherty says he for big government, so at least he scores points for honesty.
Carl W
12:53 am on Thursday, October 25, 2012
My REAL words for "Chuckie Dent" they'd never publish here.
Arthur Joel Katz
8:45 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
To paraphrase Gertrude Stein, a fink is a fink is a fink.
Reaganite
8:48 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
With the way these fish wrappers treat republicans and conservatives in general, Charlie should stay away. Why go to a place where the enemy (libs) have the deck stacked, designed only to generate gotcha nonsense. The paper made it's choice, now live with that choice. Or even better, just report the news as it happens, unbiased. And Rich, I see you really love big gov't, don't be offended if no repuiblicans give a damn about what you think, we will not take advice from those who support a party who thrives on Karl Marx teachings.
Rich Piotrowski
11:44 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
Did you even read what I read or were you so ready to sout off some nonsense to throw out Karl Marx's name that you only bothered to get my name right? Dent Charlie Dent is the lover of Big government, just like Romney just like the Democrats. They ALL love big Government, the only difference between them is the Democrats admit they love big Government. This is why I won;t vote for Dent, I just skip it being there is no one decent running. And for President I'll vote for Gary Johnson.
Scott Alderfer
8:43 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012
Are you implying the the Democratic Party thrives on the teachings of Karl Marx? It sure sounds like you are, and that suggestion is pure, foaming-at-the-mouth garbage. Had the ruthless thug Vladmir Lenin not based his bloddy revolution on Marx's doctrine, Marx would be just another 19th century political philosopher rather than a derogatory epithet. It appears that you likely revere Ronald Reagan, based on the pseudonym you have chosen to use rather than you own name. I doubt that even Ronald Reagan would have been so divisive to derogatorily refer to Democrats as "Libs" or the "enemy." And let's not forgot about Reagan's soaring deficit and sky-high unemployment numbers. If you want to worship a conservative icon, try Barry Goldwater, the last TRUE conservative. He actually loved his country enough to sit down with Senate Democrats and hammer out compromise legislation for the good of our country.
Amend Wun
10:39 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
Having sat at the table with Congressman Dent, I can say that he's a thoughtful individual. I don't necessarily agree with all his stances, and I definitely find fault with the republican base, but he's done a lot for the lehigh valley and is capable of bi partisan cooperation in that regard. Having said that, I think he should have taken the Express-Times up on their offer to debate the issues at hand. Silence serves no one. And there's a huge difference in reporting the news in an unbiased fashion and writing editorial opinion on subject matter.
Carl W
12:57 am on Thursday, October 25, 2012
Charlie only stands to lose. That's why he NEVER debates. The truth would come out.
I'Ve done a lot for the Lehigh Valley, including directly saving lives, and succintly helping municpalities, all for free. AND I wouldn't put constituents in jail, just because they wanted to talk to me!!!
Reaganite
11:03 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
Charlie is a well informed and thoughtful leader in the house. His knowledge of the economy and realtime world events is remarkable. But for a "NEWS" paper to call him a fink, and then take the unusual step of moving that opinion to the front page, changes the overall effect. I do not look for opinion on the front page, I go the EDITORIAL PAGE. Once again I reiterate, this rag has chosen a party to support and it ain't the Tea Party.
Rich Piotrowski
11:45 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
His knowledge of the economy is remarkable. Are you kidding me, how is bailing out the backs, which he voted for after he voted against it, something worthy of being called "remarkable"
Amend Wun
11:20 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
@Kevin- I don't read the Express in print, so I wasnt aware of that editorial being on the front page. Was it the actual opinion piece or the story about Dent declining their invite? Regardless, and my own opinion if the Express aside, I still feel he should attend the debate. If not for his ego (and I don't mean that as a slight), but for his constituents.
Carl W
12:58 am on Thursday, October 25, 2012
A - men!!!!
Andrew Wilt
11:37 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
Is "Dis" an appropriate word for a newspaper headline? I could imagine it in some rap lyrics. Does anyone care about even reasonably proper English anymore? Maybe Patch isn't so worried about dat.
Reaganite
11:48 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
That's really funny..LOL
Reaganite
11:46 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
Amend. Reaganite sums up my philosophy best. The opinion piece was front page. Top of fold left side. If you click the link from the original at the top of this story you can see the front page. The problem is they print this crap, and the middle east chaos (Obama policy) is a small blurb on pg 14. The media think it is a moral imperative to re-elect Obama over reporting the news. I think this election cycle may be the asteroid that finshes off these dinosaurs.
Ben Miller
1:09 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Whether you support Dent or don't support him, what the Express did was wrong. They didn't just print an editorial about the Congressman, they printed it on the front page with a bold headline, tricking unsuspecting readers into believing it was news, rather than opinion.
Newspapers have a long-standing tradition of printing only news on the front page, the most read page in the paper, and reserving opinions for the Op/Ed page. I minored in Journalism/Mass Media in college and it was one of those rules that was hammered in to us. Tags for opinion pieces are fine in a menu bar on the front page, but printing the whole opinion piece under the guise of news is stricty taboo.
GEB
6:53 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
Congressman Dent must be a fink because he doesn't represent his constituents and he always votes uncompromisingly with his party.