February 20, 2003
Tongue Lashing
Apparently, this week's Portland Mercury was supposed to have an interview with Commissioner Jim Francesconi, but what they published is an email exchange between Phil Busse and Francesconi staffer Michael Harrison on why Francesconi would not be granting the interview request.
Bottom line? Francesconi doesn't like the way he has been portrayed in recent editions of the Mercury, and so won't speak to them.
Over at Alliance Watch, the Mercury decision to print this email exchange is being called "very amateurish" -- although I would argue that it's even more grossly amateurish for any elected official to refuse to talk to any established newspaper in the city which he serves.
Even at the start, when he was going to answers the questions, he was insisting that the Mercury would not be allowed to ask about his vote on the antiwar resolution. Refusing to answer questions about a vote which was looked upon with great disdain by a great many of his constituents is just not clean pool.
In the end, the message Francesconi is communicating through such a decision is that if you want to talk to him, you'd better toe the line and hold your tongue.