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Thursday, August 26, 2004
Press Review
From today's edition of NORMAN'S SPECTATOR
US papers continue to focus on Iraq and the fall-out there from—most importantly, in the presidential campaign.
A new poll published by the Los Angeles Times suggests attack ads are having an effect, with President Bush pulling ahead for the first time; the editorial board is standing by its man, John Kerry.
The Washington Post’s editorial board weighs in on prisoner abuse. Over at the New York Times, the editorial board focuses on the theme of holding the Pentagon accountable for both the anti-Muslim statements of a General and for Abu Ghraib. (The Wall Street Journal says Rummy has been vindicated.)
In the UK , the papers are atwitter at the arrest of Mark Thatcher. The French commemorated the 60th anniversary of Paris ’ liberation yesterday.
At home, a Toronto police sharpshooter and a Mississauga MP with a sharp tongue and dull brain command considerable attention—particularly in the home town paper, the Toronto Star, which also has Rosie the day after with Perdita.
In Ottawa , MPs reviewed the appointment of two Supreme Court justices. (The Toronto Star editorial board is enthusiastic about both, down on the Pentagon but has a rare good word for the police.)
Having watered down his legal commitment, Prime Minister Martin is now backing off and backing down on health care--as yours truly suggested was in the cards in Monday’s Globe and today’s Le Devoir. (Don’t be cheap—get an Internet subscription; they need the bucks.)
The Globe and Mail has all of the above--except for Carolyn Parrish, whom Jane Taber stuffs; like her friend Rosie yesterday, Christie gets front-page treatment today to explain why athletes lose.
Elsewhere in the Star, Haroon Siddiqui says the US may be winning the battle of Najaf but has lost the war—tell that to the guy in the rabbit hole. Media critic Antonia Zerbisias comments on coverage of the US presidential campaign; you’d think in a Canadian paper she’d watch her Canadian content colleagues as critically from time to time.
Inside the Globe, John Ibbitson was impressed with MPs review of the Supreme Court appointments; he must have seen something in person that I didn’t on CPAC. The editorial board saw what I saw and didn’t like it one bit; in another editorial, it says Rummy shouldn’t remain in office—which also makes sense, but won’t happen.
William Houston explains how Radio-Canada is saving money in covering the Olympics. On the comment page, Lawrence Martin explains why the US election is critical. Margaret Wente is a friend of Rosie Abella. In letters, the Mayor of Halifax corrects John Ibbitson and a reader scores on Jeff Simpson’s logic.
The National Post and Ottawa Citizen front Parrish’s preachings, along with an Olympic scandal involving one Canadian judge; both papers stuff the two Canadian judges who will matter over the next 15 years or so. The Post also fronts the latest in a series of scare stories on the terrorism and health care fronts.
Doctors migrating to Alberta are good news in today’s Calgary Herald, which also fronts the Calgary Olympic judge who had a harrowing experience in Athens . The editorial board was not impressed with the process for evaluating judicial appointments and promises a second installment of criticism tomorrow.
The Vancouver Sun stuffs the Eastern doctors who are coming to BC, too, where they are much needed, judging from another front-page story on pigs, which don’t fly out here either but might be contracting avian flu. The editorial board says hospitals must be made safer; I'll say. Barbara Yaffe says Stephen Harper should not think it safe to shun the media.
The Citizen’s editorial board says Perdita has nothing to apologize for, but Paul Martin does—specifically, his plan for dealing with cannabis, which it pans. Andrew Cohen says the Olympics prove that Canada has a culture of complacency; he should read the letters to the editor of the Globe.
Over at the National Post, by contrast, William Watson does understand our national character. (Memo to Matthew: You really should get this guy to write more often.) Don Martin has Alberta ’s Environment Minister chortling at David Anderson’s demise and Paul Martin’s back-down on Kyoto .
The editorial board says the pie-throwing Albertan who hit Ralph Klein bulls-eye should have the book thrown at him, and that the CBC should be subject to FOI legislation, with an exemption for protecting news sources. That’s also pretty much on target, as was the Toronto police sharpshooter to whom another editorialist expresses gratitude.
John Ivison documents the bad blood between the Ottawa-embedded media and both Paul Martin and Stephen Harper, which means we can probably count on more buttering-up columns like Ibbitson’s.
The good news at the Montréal Gazette is that Don MacPherson and William Marsden are back in print in the tab masquerading as a broadsheet. The editorial board is pleased the Québec taxman is going after the tobacco industry, but criticizes the Liberal government for strangling English schools.
In the Toronto Sun, Peter Worthington wants Dalton McGuinty to wake up to the dangers of shari’a. In Calgary , Rick Bell is down on Ralph; in Edmonton , Neil Waugh is slightly less cynical about Premier Moneybags. In Winnipeg , Tom Brodbeck says public sports funding is adequate.
TOP STORY
Commons panel to accept judges, but wants stronger vetting process
The Globe and Mail’s KIM LUNMAN AND BRIAN LAGHI report:
“An unprecedented parliamentary committee will reluctantly endorse the appointment of two Supreme Court of Canada nominees amid criticisms that the first-ever hearing into selections of the country's top jurists is a sham.”
(Here’s another article in the Globe and Mail, the story in the Toronto Star and the lead in the National Post.)
Posted by Norman Spector on August 26, 2004 | Permalink
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Comments
Norman I have one question, do you stay up all night to read newspapers??
Posted by: Mike P | 2004-08-26 4:17:03 PM
Professional secret.
Posted by: Norman Spector | 2004-08-26 6:18:38 PM
Top Story,seems the Fed-Liberal fix is in.The two new Supreme court nominees both are to the left on social issues.Also both have made pro homosexual issues judgements.Regarding marriage which originally and Spiritually is a exclusive male/female union-uniting of the two human genders.These two Supreme Court nominees does seems they'll vote pro concerning homosexual marriage.PM Martin and AG Colter got what they wanted.
Posted by: Larry | 2004-08-27 12:23:22 PM
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