Yahoo Editor Fired Over Romney Joke

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**Frazzled**

Love it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/wp/2012/08/29/yahoo-editor-fired-over-anti-romney-joke/?tid=pm_pop

Yahoo editor fired over anti-Romney joke
Posted by Rachel Weiner on August 29, 2012 at 2:13 pm

David Chalian, the Yahoo News Washington Bureau chief, has been fired after getting caught on a hot mike telling a fellow host on an live ABC News web show to “feel free to say” that “they” — Mitt Romney and his fellow Republicans — “are happy to have a party with black people drowning.”
The implication: that Republicans’ decision to continue with their convention despite the hurricane hitting New Orleans means they don’t care about black people.

Chalian’s words were first caught by the conservative media criticism site Newsbusters. Yahoo has released a statement apologizing for the comment and announcing that Chalian had been terminated.

“David Chalian’s statement was inappropriate and does not represent the views of Yahoo!.” the statement reads. “He has been terminated effective immediately. We have already reached out to the Romney campaign, and we apologize to Mitt Romney, his staff, their supporters and anyone who was offended.”

Chalian has posted a public apology on his Facebook page, saying his intention was to mock the situation, not Romney. From the brief clip, the context of Chalian’s words is unknown.

“I am profoundly sorry for making an inappropriate and thoughtless joke,” he wrote. “I was commenting on the challenge of staging a convention during a hurricane and about campaign optics. I have apologized to the Romney campaign, and I want to take this opportunity to publicly apologize to Gov. and Mrs. Romney. I also regret causing any distraction from the exceptional coverage of the Republican convention by Yahoo News and ABC News.”

PBS NewsHour host Gwen Ifill tweeted in support of Chalian, who left her show to work for Yahoo.

One mistake does not change this. @davidchalian is God’s gift to political journalism. #IStandwithDavid

— gwen ifill (@pbsgwen) August 29, 2012

So did the New Yorker’s Ryan Lizza:

Terrible, cowardly decision by Yahoo! to fire @davidchalian, 1 of the best and fairest political journalists in this business. RT if you agree

— Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) August 29, 2012

**Jihadin**

Good

**SagesStone**

David Chalian, the Yahoo News Washington Bureau chief, has been fired after getting caught on a hot mike telling a fellow host on an live ABC News web show to “feel free to say” that “they” — Mitt Romney and his fellow Republicans — “are happy to have a party with black people drowning.”
The implication: that Republicans’ decision to continue with their convention despite the hurricane hitting New Orleans means they don’t care about black people.

How the hell is that a joke anyway?

**LordofHats**

Yes. Because the GOP planned their convention a year out to be in TAMPA totally expecting a hurricane to hit New Orleans so they could all party while black people drowned and not cancel a very large and expensive event...

I like a good conspiracy as much as the next hat lord, but really? And as a joke, its not funny at all! Too soon bro, too soon.

And as usual, a special thanks to Yahoo! News for maintaining its high standard of quality

**TheHammer**

And there we see the difference between a mainstream news outlet and one of the ones on the right: accountability.

**reds8n**

LordofHats wrote:
Yes. Because the GOP planned their convention a year out to be in TAMPA totally expecting a hurricane to hit New Orleans

Presumably though this hurricane was also a sign of God's wrath and displeasure like the other natural disasters were yes ?

**Melissia**

God votes Green Party anyway.

**Frazzled**

I want to know the names of the media types heard laughing in the background. Fire them too.

**Melissia**

Also:

@davidchalian is God’s gift to political journalism

No.

Just... no.

**Grimtuff**

I don't get it.

Not the joke (which would fly fine in this country if said on HIGNFY by Ian Hislop or someone), American politics in general and the god botherers that seem to mingle with them. Are you not allowed to rag on politicians over there or something?

**LordofHats**

Grimtuff wrote:
Are you not allowed to rag on politicians over there or something?

No. Politics is serious buzniz

**whembly**

TheHammer wrote:
And there we see the difference between a mainstream news outlet and one of the ones on the right: accountability.

Um... what?

**TheHammer**

Someone in mainstream news says something disagreeable and is then fired.

The right sees this as an example that they are all biased.

Those in right wing media outlets say things that are FAR WORSE with no consequences, because lamestream media?

**LordofHats**

TheHammer wrote:
Someone in mainstream news says something disagreeable and is then fired.

The right sees this as an example that they are all biased.

Those in right wing media outlets say things that are FAR WORSE with no consequences, because lamestream media?

I disagree. Right wing outlets say worse things with no consequence because their audience likes it when they say those. It speaks less about the news source and more about the people who watch it (news is still business after all) It's all about audience expectations

(and of course positive feedback, escalation, etc). It's a vicious cycle

BTW, if you've ever read the comments to a Yahoo! News Article, you'd know that Yahoo! News is right wing.

**TheHammer**

Most of what I've seen on Yahoo seems to be just picking articles from the AP with a few bits of original content. Never seemed particularly partisan to me, just another neo-liberal outlet that talks about issues that don't matter.

**whembly**

LordofHats wrote:
TheHammer wrote:
Someone in mainstream news says something disagreeable and is then fired.

The right sees this as an example that they are all biased.

Those in right wing media outlets say things that are FAR WORSE with no consequences, because lamestream media?

I disagree. Right wing outlets say worse things with no consequence because their audience likes it when they say those. It speaks less about the news source and more about the people who watch it (news is still business after all) It's all about audience expectations (and of course positive feedback, escalation, etc). It's a vicious cycle

BTW, if you've ever read the comments to a Yahoo! News Article, you'd know that Yahoo! News is right wing.

Yeah... that's why I was confused.

So... who on the right said "worse" things in the media? Just curious...

**Ouze**

While I agree he should have been canned - he made his employer look bad in a really public way - I'd like to point out that if this was the DNC instead of the RNC, and he said that about Obama, and got fired, Fox News would immediately offer him a job while derping loudly about his "first amendment rights".

So yes, as the previous posted said; "accountability".

*Also, not to sidetrack, but out of all the companies that offer mainstream finance coverage and stock tickers, isn't it bizarre that finance.yahoo.com is so first rate? I mean, it's just inexplicable; like seeing a drunk frat buffoon suddenly start reciting flawless Yeats. I mean, it's possible, sure, but you're mostly thinking how the F did we get that? Right? Back me up, OT.

**reds8n**

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/08/29/rush-limbaughs-latest-idiocy-democrats-should-die-audio/

**whembly**

reds8n wrote:
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/08/29/rush-limbaughs-latest-idiocy-democrats-should-die-audio/

Red... there's a difference from owning your own syndicated radio show, versus working for a major corporation.

Rush can say whatever he wants and suffer any consequences (some Advertiser stop working with him remember). [edit, I don't like Rush... too bombastic ]

That Editor made Yahoo look really bad.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Ouze wrote:
While I agree he should have been canned - he made his employer look bad in a really public way - I'd like to point out that if this was the DNC instead of the RNC, and he said that about Obama, and got fired, Fox News would immediately offer him a job while derping loudly about his "first amendment rights".

So yes, as the previous posted said; "accountability".

You're talking about Juan Williams... right?

*Also, not to sidetrack, but out of all the companies that offer mainstream finance coverage and stock tickers, isn't it bizarre that finance.yahoo.com is so first rate? I mean, it's just inexplicable; like seeing a drunk frat buffoon suddenly start reciting flawless Yeats. I mean, it's possible, sure, but you're mostly thinking how the F did we get that? Right? Back me up, OT.

Yup.

**streamdragon**

Rush Limbaugh needs to just have a heart attack and retire already. Between calling the Georgetown student a slut who needs to film her sex life, basically calling Ice-T illiterate by patronizing T's use of the word Tyrant and all the other crap he says I just dont understand how anyone with any sense listens to that arrogant fat bastard.

**d-usa**

whembly wrote:
reds8n wrote:
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/08/29/rush-limbaughs-latest-idiocy-democrats-should-die-audio/

Red... there's a difference from owning your own syndicated radio show, versus working for a major corporate.

Rush can say whatever he wants and suffer any consequences (some Advertiser stop working with him remember).

That Editor made Yahoo look really bad.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Ouze wrote:
While I agree he should have been canned - he made his employer look bad in a really public way - I'd like to point out that if this was the DNC instead of the RNC, and he said that about Obama, and got fired, Fox News would immediately offer him a job while derping loudly about his "first amendment rights".

So yes, as the previous posted said; "accountability".

You're talking about Juan Williams... right?

*Also, not to sidetrack, but out of all the companies that offer mainstream finance coverage and stock tickers, isn't it bizarre that finance.yahoo.com is so first rate? I mean, it's just inexplicable; like seeing a drunk frat buffoon suddenly start reciting flawless Yeats. I mean, it's possible, sure, but you're mostly thinking how the F did we get that? Right? Back me up, OT.

Yup.

So what you are saying is that there is nothing bad about saying that your political opponents should die?

It is only who you work for that makes that statement bad?

**TheHammer**

But Yahoo fired the guy after he made the comment. It isn't like they tried to hide it or otherwise protect him.

And, yes, read the Washington Times. Or the Wall Street Journal. Or the New York Post and you will see things much worse. It's not just Rush.

**reds8n**

whembly wrote:

Red... there's a difference from owning your own syndicated radio show, versus working for a major corporation.

Rush can say whatever he wants and suffer any consequences (some Advertiser stop working with him remember). [edit, I don't like Rush... too bombastic ]

I agree entirely.

But your question was " who on the right said "worse" things in the media? Just curious... "

Which this does answer one would suggest.

One would suggest this is just as terribad a d-list actress who most people didn't recognise at all making a comment on Twitter.

Not least as Rush does have clout amongst the right -- allbeit the insane-in-the-membrane part of it ( and yes, the left has it's fair share of whackos too of course).

Course if we go back further we have Bachmann saying that hurricane Irene and the earthquake not long after it were pretty much warnings from God and it shows how wrong things were going.

.. I'm assuming this hurricane is down to global warming right... ... oh.... err....

**d-usa**

Rush promised he would leave the country if the ACA was declared constitutional. Still waiting on him to pack up, I guess he is a liar after all...

**kronk**

reds8n wrote:
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/08/29/rush-limbaughs-latest-idiocy-democrats-should-die-audio/

Rush is a racist donkey-cave that should have died from a heart attack, gun shot wound, or aids from having unprotected sex with a male hooker years ago.

I'm a Republican Against Rush. RAR, I say!

**LordofHats**

d-usa wrote:
Rush promised he would leave the country if the ACA was declared constitutional. Still waiting on him to pack up, I guess he is a liar after all...

I thought he was a comedian

Nothing like a few good laughs during rush hour (pun intended)

**reds8n**

kronk wrote:
reds8n wrote:
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/08/29/rush-limbaughs-latest-idiocy-democrats-should-die-audio/

Rush is a racist donkey-cave that should have died from a heart attack, gun shot wound, or aids from having unprotected sex with a male hooker years ago.

I'm a Republican Against Rush. RAR, I say!

http://www.dccc.org/content/sorry

**Frazzled**

Grimtuff wrote:
I don't get it.

Not the joke (which would fly fine in this country if said on HIGNFY by Ian Hislop or someone), American politics in general and the god botherers that seem to mingle with them. Are you not allowed to rag on politicians over there or something?

its the joke that reporters are unbiased.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

TheHammer wrote:
Someone in mainstream news says something disagreeable and is then fired.

The right sees this as an example that they are all biased.

Those in right wing media outlets say things that are FAR WORSE with no consequences, because lamestream media?

When? Note he was just a reporter but the editor for Yahoo news. Plus evidently there were other reporters laughing at that. Not only is it stupid, is it in incredibly poor taste (and demonstrably false) its also a partisan hack attack.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

reds8n wrote:
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/08/29/rush-limbaughs-latest-idiocy-democrats-should-die-audio/

Limbaugh is not a reporter, much less the editor for a news service. Seriously.

**AustonT**

kronk wrote:
reds8n wrote:
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/08/29/rush-limbaughs-latest-idiocy-democrats-should-die-audio/

Rush is a racist donkey-cave that should have died from a heart attack, gun shot wound, or aids from having unprotected sex with a male hooker years ago.

I'm a Republican Against Rush. RAR, I say!

Don't hold back Kronk tell us how you really feel.

TheHammer wrote:But Yahoo fired the guy after he made the comment. It isn't like they tried to hide it or otherwise protect him.

And, yes, read the Washington Times. Or the Wall Street Journal. Or the New York Post and you will see things much worse. It's not just Rush.

prove it.

**Frazzled**

TheHammer wrote:
But Yahoo fired the guy after he made the comment. It isn't like they tried to hide it or otherwise protect him.

And, yes, read the Washington Times. Or the Wall Street Journal. Or the New York Post and you will see things much worse. It's not just Rush.

Like what? Pics or it didn't happen.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

d-usa wrote:
Rush promised he would leave the country if the ACA was declared constitutional. Still waiting on him to pack up, I guess he is a liar after all...

Works for me, if he takes Alec Baldwin with him.