Raleigh NC| The Pen Is Mightier Than The Mansion

Exiting Gov. Easley Clashes With State Press Over “Hatchet Job” Reporting

Gov. Mike Easley’s relationship with the media has rapidly devolved as he nears the end of his second term, and it comes as little surprise, given his approach to dealing with various state outlets. Had his approach been more proactive — something we recommended a couple of weeks ago — the criticism he faces now might have been lessened.

In a recent interview with the Greensboro News & Record, Easley lashed out at what he saw as an unfair portrayal of Correction Secretary Theodis Beck in The News and Observer’s  recent series detailing issues with North Carolina’s probation system. (Check out what we had to say about that series earlier this month.) He went on to lament his general treatment by major outlets in Charlotte and Raleigh.

Predictably, Easley’s comments were met with heated response. His accusations of “hatchet job” reporting seem to recall former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s decrying of “gotcha journalism” during the 2008 campaign, which never took hold, either.

As the top dog in NC — at least for a little while longer — Easley knows that it’s not the press’s role to be nice to him. On the contrary, the probation series was an excellent example of watchdog journalism in action, and a proactive response — like the one we called for — would have avoided the mess Easley faces now.

Perhaps with his gubernatorial role coming to a close, Easley felt he should take another angle. But for a man who at times has been lauded as a major player in the Democratic Party’s future, this was a misstep.

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