News vet Laura MacCallum quit her job at KKOB Thursday, Feb. 29, after her boss pulled a story from station’s website. Background: In mid-February, New Mexico’s Republican Party held a primary to nominate delegates to the statewide convention on March 15. These delegates would decide between Rep. Heather Wilson and Sheriff Darren White as the Republican who would run for Domenici’s soon-to-be vacated Senate seat. The pulled story: Reporter MacCallum says people at this convention were paid to show up by the campaigns of Wilson and White and vote for certain delegates. KKOB’s news director yanked the report after Wilson’s people called to complain.Then former Alibi News Editor Dennis Domrzalski re- broke the story , including the bit about MacCallum quitting, on his blog. Local bloggers begin telling and retelling the tale. Including this one, this one, this one and this one. National blogs picked it up. The Democratic Party of New Mexico sent out a news release about it. But one writer, a former political reporter turned blogger named Heath Haussamen, refused to report it. He says there isn’t a story here just yet. His discussion of why is eloquent.Just goes to show a lie (or, in this case, a possible inaccuracy) can run around the world before the truth can get its boots on.
Down-And-Dirty Blog Fights
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