This morning, The Stranger’s Dominic Holden wrote (my emphasis):
As Attorney General Rob McKenna explains this morning, “The national political debate sometimes oversimplifies and narrowly defines ‘women’s issues.'” That’s according to a press release that he didn’t send to The Stranger (but he did send to other media outlets) as part of his campaign to be Washington’s Republican governor.
So…McKenna is still singling out at least one media source and being an asshole to them.
But, since other media got the press release, The Stranger’s Cienna Madrid showed up as press. After all, it is in the public’s interest to understand the “nuance” of McKenna’s position on “women’s issues” like the Reproductive Parity Act. (Explaining his positions was the purpose of the event.) Here’s what happened:
And I’m sure I stood out in my Pretty-Woman-business-casual attire. Nevertheless, his staff greeted me with polite acceptance when I identified myself as press, so I’d bet other reporters were allowed in the Statewide Women’s Leadership Luncheon, where McKenna was enthusiastically unveiling the “key role” women would play in implementing his “New Direction for Washington State,” should he become our next governor.
But his staff became politely unhelpful as soon as I identified myself as a Stranger reporter.
“This is private event and not for press,” one staffer told me. “You’ll have to move elsewhere.”
Holy fuck! McKenna is either astonishingly petty, bizarrely paranoid, or is just fucking frightened of The Stranger!
That’s just Not Very Gubernatorial.
What would he do as Governor? How would a cowering, frightened Rob McKenna be able to hold a press conference where Cienna, or Eli, or Dominic, or (OH MY GAWD!) GOLDY was present.
He might just pee his pants. And in front of all the “good” press, too!
Mark my words. If Rob McKenna is elected Governor, he will institute a new press credentialing process that will exclude any and all access to his office by sources on his media enemies list. This is why all the media should be outraged and all over McKenna for selectively excluding the press.
For the rest of us, here is some homework: Go to twitter and make the #NotGubernatorial a local trending hash tag. Other tags you might include: #wagov #waelex @robmckenna
Update: In which they “forget” to invite The Stranger again, but Goldy goes anyway.
Let me get this straight – an event open to the PRESS is a private event, from which selected reporters can be excluded??????
Talk about trying to “Control the Message”.
I’m sure lil’ Bobbie would grant press credentials to Jeff “Bulldog” Gannon.
BTW, anybody figure out if Bulldog was doing Turd Blossom or not? I remember that rumor going around…
McKenna’s a dick. Just a dick.
Rob McKenna is demonstrating the reason that he is the worst Attorney General since Slimy Slade Gorton.
No Boy Governors!
God I love Karma….
Stranger owned.
@5 You have a talent for being on the wrong side of every issue. Which means you must be a GOP employee.
@5
Dino Rossi and Mike! McGavic did similar things in their last election campaigns. It didn’t work out very well for them.
Karma is the name of his pet goat.
Do they sell those goats for “$400 billion each”!!!!!11111eleven….
Robbie’s new campaign ad says the state should pay 50% instead of 30% of the cost of higher education. He doesn’t say how he’ll pay for it without raising taxes. I wonder if he comprehends that state funding for higher ed has been cut back for lack of funds?
@9 If I were a goat, which I’m not, but if I were a goat, I wouldn’t be your goat even for $400 billion!!!!! You couldn’t pay me enough to be your goat. There isn’t that much money in the world.
this is a strong indication of how he would govern excluding the groups that do not defer and challenge him.
It would be an ugly term. Scott Walker, Washington style.
@12
which is still a lot better than what the queen’s done during her tenure…
@13 Sooore loooser!
@13 you got examples to back up that whine?
@13 The worst thing Gregoire has done is let revenues plunge and public services deteriorate because she didn’t have the guts to fight for tax reform.
@16
Amen.
have you been asleep for the last 8 years?
a fine example of a D gov and D state legislature at work
golf clap….