Hypocrisy on parade: Texas newspaper demands apology from Kerry

[Sparkly]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=696&e=2&u=/ap/20040604/ap_on_el_pr/kerry_ad_photos

Paper Seeks Apology From Kerry for Photos

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The Corpus Christi Caller-Times is asking Democrat John Kerry to apologize for what it says was the unauthorized use in a Kerry campaign commercial of photos copyrighted by the newspaper.

(snip)

The newspaper's attorney, Jorge C. Rangel, on Thursday asked Kerry in a letter to stop using the ads and to apologize to the soldiers' families as well as to the Caller-Times.

"As a decorated war veteran yourself, I hope you will join us in disavowing the use of the images of our brave soldiers as political props in this election. Their patriotism should not be politicized," Rangel wrote.

The campaign did apologize, saying they thought they were permitted to use the photos. But what's outrageous is this paper making a public brouhaha about this innocuous photo's copyright, in the name of patriotism, with accusations about "political props." Did they publish a PEEP when the Chimp used images of 9/11, including corpses being taken from bodies, in his ads??

[Sparkly]

1. By the way, if you want to give them some feedback....

http://www.caller2.com/commcentral/

[efhmc]

2. Almost posted this but decided that it was just more rw silliness.

This type of thing will not change anyone's mind, for those who actually have one. Hope this does not sounds like I am belittling your thread. I thought it was interesting but just more embarrassment for me and my fellow Texans.

[Sparkly]

3. It's silly, but it's now a nationally-publicized snit-fit over nothing

blown out of proportion with self-righteous tsk-tsking about "patriotism" and "political props."

I sent something on their feedback site. How dare they malign Kerry yet prop up the AWOL fratboy who exploits troops for photo-ops every chance he gets.

[efhmc]

11. You're right. Typical, we are not going to talk about the important

issues because we will be shown to be the fools we are so we will make a big deal of this.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

4. Kerry needs to tell them they'll get an apology from him

as soon as the US and the world gets an apology from Chucklenuts for being such a huge asshat.

No he shouldn't, but I would love it all the same.

[Eric J in MN]

5. Have they ever heard of "fair use?"

Kerry wasn't selling copies of their photo. He was using in the context of a political argument.

[Booster]

6. I asked them to...

send me a copy of the article they wrote asking for an apology from mr. Bush for using the dead of Sept 11 for his political ads and also their article they MUST have written regarding their outrage over Enron f___king California during one of our worst fires ever. That felt kind of good. hehe

[Still_Loves_John]

7. Ugh, this is my hometown paper...

It was a huge front page story today, they made it look like some gigantic scandal. Kinda funny, from reading their article you would thing an independent group of citizens was upset about the pictures, and not the paper itself. What makes it doubly bizarre is that Corpus is a pretty strongly democratic town (real democrats too, not Dixiecrats or anything) and the Caller Times always gets letters accusing it of a liberal bias.

I think The Kerry camp did the right thing here, though, by apologizing right off the bat. The worst thing to do would be to let it drag out and become a story.

Oh, and hello.

[Sparkly]

8. Hi and welcome to DU

Your hometown paper made national headlines for itself! I think they're piling on after John O'Neill's group made a fuss over Kerry's campaign using images of other swiftboat vets, getting some of those vets to yell about it ... I don't think this is related, except it's the same bandwagon.

I agree the quick apology was best, which shows what a non-issue it is. (As in, "You could have just *told* us...")

[Eric J in MN]

9. yeah, the Kerry campaign might as well just

yeah, the Kerry campaign might as well just say sorry and stop using the photo.

But I think copyright claims regarding photos used in political discourse are bogus.

[Sparkly]

10. Hm, I'm not familiar enough with copyright law to know

You may be right.

[crossroads]

13. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[newyawker99]

15. Hi TexanForKerry!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[crossroads]

12. OMG! How petty!

Silly!!!
:shrug: :kick:

[TexasMexican]

14. Here is the actual article but...

you have to register if you want to see it. :eyes: I hate newspapers that force you to register, but I did since it is my local paper aswell.

http://www.caller.com/ccct/local_news/article/0,1641,CCCT_811_2934833,00.html

FWIW I dont think its right to use pictures of individuals in a political ad without thier permission. So someone in the Kerry campaign fucked up.

Group photos in public are one thing, but individual pictures are another.

[Zolok]

16. What is it with the rightical chic?

They must demand an apology from John Kerry once a God Damned week!!!
Screechy buncha middle school divas aren't they?
WAH WAH I DEMAND AN APOLOGY FOR YOUR LATEST INSULT!!!

One thing I like about JK he never apologises for anything....

www.chimesatmidnight.blogspot.com