Partisan Press

Some reporters admit the bias in their reactions to the Kerry and Bush
speeches was unacceptable. Kevin

The historic Unity convention in Washington is over but what it is being remembered for, at least in some corners of the media, is not the huge turnout of more than 7,000, but controversy over the alleged partisanship shown by many of the attendees in responding to separate speeches by presidential candidates Bush and Kerry.Commentary on this issue continued over the weekend and into Monday.John Temple, editor of the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, praised the meeting overall and said he was "inspired" by it -- but noted in a column that the partisanship (evidenced by "cheering and whistling" during Kerry's speech) was "something I had never experienced in a crowd of journalists."Helen Ubinas, another attendee, wrote in The Hartford (Conn.) Courant that she was "in the minority, as it were" who acted like "a professional, not a partisan" in responding to Kerry. There was snickering during Bush's address and the crowd rose at the end, "but not for much longer than it took to head to the door." Ubinas' explanation: Kerry connects with the "advocacy side" of Unity journalists. But showing preference for one candidate, she added, "is the ultimate betrayal -- to everyone."Akilah Johnson, a reporter at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in Delray Beach, Fla., told USA Today, "It was a little awkward for me. I guess a lot of people were acting like citizens, not reporters." Unity President Ernest Sotomayer pointed out that many Unity members, including those who were covering the event or planned to report on it later, did not cheer. Those who did, he said, are "people who vote, and they have a right to express themselves" when they're not working. But Seattle Times reporter Florangelea Davila told her paper, "It was so offensive and awful, and I hated it. It was clearly inappropriate. It was ridiculous." Houston Chronicle Suburban Editor Pete McConnell said he was "embarrassed" by the crowd reactions to Bush and Kerry: "As a group we should have kept ourselves in check." Bob Steele, ethics expert at the Poynter Institute, called public outbursts favoring one candidate "unprofessional and unethical." Others pointed out that some of those cheering on Kerry were with his campaign or were attending the convention but were not journalists. And not all journalists at the Unity meeting work for the mainstream media. Some are employed by the alternative and advocacy press. Others are columnists who are paid to express their opinions.