Semi Truths

Several outlets are buzzing with the news about Stephen Colbert’s Presidential bid. It’s all a big joke, of course, and many are drawing comparisons to Pat Paulsen’s continuing runs for President (in a box somewhere, I’m sure I must still have some “Pat Paulsen for President” pins). Neither, however, were the first comedian to run for U.S. President. In addition to satirical campaigns by Eddie Cantor and Will Rogers, Gracie Allen (of the comic duo Burns and Allen) made quite a splash with her own wildly popular run in 1940, even forming her own “Surprise Party”. A well-written overview can be found here.

Media Matters has published an interesting report documenting that “in paper after paper, state after state, and region after region, conservative syndicated columnists get more space than their progressive counterparts.” The report includes a link to a neat little script where you can plug in your local paper and get the results of their study. My impression has been that our own Daily Progress has actually been pretty well balanced in terms of the types of columnists that they present, and this report seems to bear that out.

My friend Mary Hanna held a press conference to help focus local attention on the efforts of her son, Evan Knappenberger, to bring legal action against the US Army’s Stop-Loss program. You can read more about his efforts at TowerGuard.org.

Evan has released an email explaining his recent actions, reproduced below:
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Mother to make statement in Charlottesville on Friday
For Immediate Release: August 30, 2007

WHAT: Statement by Mary Hanna

WHEN: 10:00 a.m. ET, Friday, August 31, 2007

WHERE: 308 Parkwood Place in Woodbrook (Take 29 N to Woodbrook Drive [Lowes and Kohr Bros]. Turn east on Woodbrook. Go to the stop sign. Turn left on Brookmere. Go to the next stop sign. Turn right on Idlewood. Go two blocks. Turn left on Parkwood. It’s the second house on the right.)

Evan Knappenberger of Charlottesville, Va., a graduate of Albemarle High School and a veteran of the Iraq War, has appeared on national television news shows and in numerous national and international media outlets this week.

On Wednesday, the Washington Post published a lengthy profile that included these lines:
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