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When journalists become politicians — the perks and perils for Kirk LaPointe, Michael Valpy, Rene Levesque, Nicole Parton, and more,

July 24th, 2014 · 7 Comments

Got to talk to yet another one of my former bosses, Mel Rothenburger of the once-great Kamloops Daily News, about what it’s like to go from journalist to politician. Do your former colleagues give you the kid-glove treatment? (No) Is it more rewarding than journalism in some ways? (Yes, because you get things done instead of just saying they should be done.) Is it harder than it looks? (Yes)

Here was my story in the Globe last week on this.

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  • Bill Lee

    I like

    But journalists can misunderstand the public mood, just like anyone else, and their colleagues can be very hard on them. Mr. Rothenburger said he was pilloried when he endorsed the local NDP MLA in the run-up to a massive NDP defeat in 2001. “I didn’t think it was big news. What I neglected to understand was that, in this community at that time, people didn’t want their mayor involved in partisan politics.”

    Though Mike Magee probably thinks he knows where his mayor-puppet will go and say, safely in the context of the Vision Vista.

  • Jim McKendrick

    When I was a wee lad, some clever person (probably one of my parents) gave me The Day of the Glorious Revolution by Stanley Burke (with Roy Peterson). I thought it funny at that time, and learned a lot and think of it whenever I hear of a journalist running for office. It’s rarely a good idea.

  • Dr. Frankentower

    “But journalists can misunderstand the public mood, just like anyone else”

    Is that why, as Managing Editor of the Sun, LaPointe pretty much refused to cover BC’s biggest scandal, the sale of BC Rail and the corruption trial surrounding it? Or was that because he has a skewed sense of journalistic integrity and has NOT “devoted my career in journalism to asking the questions you want answered”, as he claimed during his mayoral launch?

    Was promoting noted Fraser Institute lapdog Fazil Milhar to editor of the Op-Ed pages a misunderstanding, or just another desperate attempt to appease his right wing corporate masters?

    A Ryerson Journal profile of LaPointe has a rather interesting quote:

    “he’s a “profound bullshitter…with a profoundly shallow view of a newspaper…. He’s kind of like the Martha Stewart of editors…””

    Ouch!

    And:

    “He’s a good talker,” he adds. “But everybody’s hard-pressed to point out any achievements in his career, other than his personal advancement.”

    Just what we need, a slick Toronto boy who brown-nosed Conrad Black up the Hollinger ladder now telling Vancouverites what is best for us.

    But it is all just a big misunderstanding!?

  • teririch

    @Dr. Frankentower #3:

    Sour grapes much?

    Based on your comment you have an ax to grind for whatever reason, perhaps self satisfaction, who knows. Guessing you don’t like the BC Liberals or the Fraser Institute, or Conrad Black on top of Mr. LaPointe.

    How nice that you can tie them all up in one neat little package.

  • Dr. Frankentower

    Yes, teririch, I have an axe to grind: I am sick to death of deceptive politicians and hack journalists.

    On day one of his Mayoral launch, LaPointe said:

    “I’ve devoted my career in journalism to asking the questions you want answered.”

    “I’ve fought governments that spin and hold secrets.”

    At first, I thought, well, here’s a guy that I might be able to support.

    Then I started Googling to find some of the hard-hitting journalism he claims to have “devoted his career” to. A 30 year body of work, and I couldn’t find anything remotely close to what he is trying to portray himself as. In fact, the exact opposite type of journalist emerged. A bland, accommodating, yes-man for his corporate and political masters.

    Furthermore, he has done virtually nothing to distinguish himself as a civic leader in the 10 years he has been in Vancouver. And suddenly he wants to be mayor?

    Suffice to say, I am forced to agree with the statement quoted in the Ryerson:

    “He’s a profound bullshitter.”

    And it appears he has been bullshitting us since day one of his Mayoral campaign.

    If he can’t even be truthful about himself, why should anyone believe anything else he says regarding policy, openness, transparency, etc.?

  • Threadkiller

    teririch#4:
    “Guessing you don’t like the BC Liberals or the Fraser Institute, or Conrad Black on top of Mr. LaPointe.”

    I don’t understand. You say that as though there was something wrong with that POV.

    Incidentally to you and the incisive Dr. F: Fazhil Milhar is not only a “Fraser Institute lapdog”, he was on the board of directors of the FI during his tenure as Sun op-ed editor. Which would cause any thinking person to naturally regard the Sun’s editorial content as “fair and balanced”… just like Fox News.

  • teririch

    @Threadkiller #6

    RE: Dr. Fazhil Millhar: did he not do a good job at the Sun op-ed editor?

    There are many people that are pulled onto boards because of what they can bring to the table. It doesn’t make them less effective at their day to day tasks.