Over this weekend, I was less than thrilled to see the semi-hatchet job done on me by the Los Feliz Ledger editor Allison C. Ferraro. However, I wasn't surprised, either. This is just what the media does... it distorts things for their own personal entertainment. It is just part of the hassle of being involved in politics. I acknowledge this and I accept it.
In my previous runs for office, I had always responded to requests for interviews with professional courtesy.
I appreciated the fact that a certain media venue (whether a newspaper, TV or radio station) was willing to give me some airtime to contact voters and spread my message.
I think I have since learned a valuable lesson that these media sources are not always interested in facts.
Billionaire Warren Buffett once commented on his refusal to do interviews that "the most dangerous person, outside of a professional assassin, is a reporter."
In the future I will probably be refusing all interview requests.
It is easier to get a clear, undistorted message out from the internet through Facebook, Twitter, or other social networking sites.
Ms. Ferraro can criticize my wearing a suit to the interview, but what would she prefer I wear, a swimsuit?
Ms. Ferraro was lazy and unprofessional. She scheduled an interview at a restaurant conveniently located only 100 yards from her office, yet still couldn't be on time for the meeting.
She didn't record the interview, and took very few notes. I guess this is why she made so many errors. Memory will only get you so far. 80% of what she said is correct, but that also means that 20% was wrong.
She did get a few things right, however.
Jan Perry is "The Hamburglar" for stealing the freedom of 9th District residents to enjoy fast food.
Paul Koretz is "The Cat Whisperer" for his nonsensical ban on declawing cats in Los Angeles.
"The Dark Lord" or "Voldemort" is Councilman Paul Krekorian.
No explanation necessary.
I don't remember saying about Tomas O'Grady: "O'Grady, I am not interested in your Eco-Warrior views!"
Although to be honest, it isn't too far off from my actual feelings about that type of stuff.
Ms. Ferraro revealed herself during the interview to be somewhat of a fan of the above-mentioned Eco -Warrior Tomas O'Grady. She made several pro-green and pro-environment comments during the interview.
She criticized Tom La Bonges plans for growth in Griffith Park, which let me know that she was a NIMBY, too.
I also didn't like a few other things. She had some type of strange need to practically call out my address in the article. Luckily, she forgot to let burglars know exactly when I wasn't going to be home.
After I decided to drop out of the race over the signatures issue, she called me in a bit of a mood letting me know that I had messed up her paper. The print issue had my story on the front page.
In her online follow-up to the story, she quoted several things that I think were inaccurate. She also never asked for permission to use that information, which she received over the phone.
And to top it off, the first comments were from loony local stalker Mary Cummins. Nice.
The Los Feliz Ledger has been nicknamed the "Los Feliz Liar" by some of the others in the blogosphere.
Ms. Ferraro let me know that she doesn't care for that nickname, but now I see why she got it.
Her newspaper is free, yet most people are not interested.
Kind of like her writing.
