Gotta love Lt. Governor Dan Forest. He’s been a straight shooter since day one and continues to be. Even in the face of clear media bias and spin, he refuses to back down.
Forest predicted at the January State Board of Education meeting that the media would use the annual charter school report in a spintastic way.
Dr. Terry Stoops noted that Forest said the report would, “the fuel the media uses for the next year to criticize whatever we’re doing.”
The Lt. Governor’s predication came true. Fast.
The News and Observer’s Lynn Bonner did an article in which the article’s ledes were misleading and the piece displayed the Lt. Governor’s face prominently.
That was not an accident. This was meant to be 2016 election battleground preparation. It’s no secret the Lt. Governor is wildly popular and it’s also no secret the media (specifically the News and Observer) hates him nearly as much as they hate Governor McCrory.
Well, the Lt. Governor isn’t one to take media spin lying down. To borrow a phrase from Instapundit — Forest punched back, twice as hard.
This was my favorite part:
“I also find it unethical for your newspaper to run such a slanted piece (front page, above the fold, no less), mention me by name and include my picture without the courtesy of an interview for my actual thoughts.” – News and Observer, January 11, 2016
I am sure printing this article likely made the editorial board over at the News and Observer ill over having to print, you know, actual facts. N&O probably wishes Forest’s response was a video they could edit like they did with Kay Hagan. Aww. Too bad.
The Lt. Governor sets the record straight, noting that the board hadn’t even had time to properly consider the report, important data was missing from it as well as any positive achievements by charter schools. Also, the report was wrong on racial data.
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