Crawford wants newspaper to eat its words

[Gman]

CRAWFORD — Photos of President Bush hugging diners and mugging for the camera adorn the walls of the Crawford Coffee Station, a popular cafe in this small Central Texas town Bush calls home.

Just a few miles from the Bush ranch, the spot is a popular place for locals to gather in the morning for coffee, breakfast and a glance at the day's news.
*
(Jerry Lara / Express-News)
*

W. Leon Smith, publisher of the Lone Star Iconoclast, co-wrote the editorial that blasts George Bush's presidential record and urges voters to elect Democrat John Kerry. He stands by his decision.

But the rack that once held the Lone Star Iconoclast — Crawford's weekly newspaper — now is empty, thanks to a blistering indictment in Tuesday's paper of Bush's presidential record and a call to elect Democrat John Kerry in November.

For a town drenched in Bush, the editorial is practically political heresy.

"Not only is he the president of the United States, he's my neighbor, he's my customer," Coffee Station owner Nick Spanos said. "We're not carrying that paper after today."

The firestorm began Tuesday morning, when readers opened up the newspaper to Page 2 and found an entire half-page criticizing the president for a variety of failings, and calling for the election of Kerry.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA093004.1A.crawford.d0640b14.html (registration required)

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Did anyone expect anything less?

[takumi]

1. Let's Start a Mass Subscription Campaign to the 'Lone Star Iconoclast'!

. . . in support of the paper and in protest to Coffee Station owner Nick Spanos!

[Carolinian]

5. Great idea. Can someone post link for subscription?

[WillyT]

9. Here's The Home Page !!!

Link: http://www.iconoclast-texas.com/

Can't find a subscription link yet, but... you can advertise with it!

Maybe MoveOn or somebody would like to take out an ad???

:shrug:

[demwing]

12. I just wrote them a quick note -

"I live in Utah, and was wondering what your subsciption fees are for out of state readers? I would like to subscribe based on the editorial you wrote endorsing John Kerry."

"Though I may not agree 100% with your opinion, I admire your bravery. You certainly have proven that your paper can live up to its name, and I feel that you should be encouraged to excercise your first
amendment rights."

I wrote that as if I wasn't a Kerry supporter, just to embolden them to stand up to the fascist rightwing. I'll update when they write back.

[Carolinian]

13. Great job! I'll do the same when I get home.

[MsTryska]

I guess they need to tell themselves

something to make themselves feel better.

fact of the matter is, the scathing review of dubya's recored is now a matter of public record.

no amount of spin is gonna change that.

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

2. Perhaps a large rally...

Where the burn copies of the newspaper would be appropriate.

Right after they annex Czechoslovakia, that is.

[sui generis]

3. well . . . .they're republican

it's all about blind allegiance and selfish self interest. Wouldn't want to lose bidness over a bad article.

If they could be rocket scientists, they would be. If everyone was a rocket scientist, no one would have a downtown cafe in Crawford.

[Cha]

4. Wow! I figured tiny crawford had a Democratic

Mayor so it was no big that the paper endorsed Kerry.

This creep who is not carrying the paper that endorsed Kerry is not paying attention to bush's record..just wants the nortoriety of having bush for a customer.

[napi21]

10. Maybe all the customers at the coffee shop are SS and the press?

Poor old coffee shop might go out of business if they didn't respond like this!

In Ga. we scheduled a Dean meetup at a restaurant, and all was ok'd by the manager. The owner found out about it the night of the meetup, and had people standing out in the parking lot, forbidding any Dean supporters to enter! We finally did regroup at another restaurant, but it was quite chaotic for a while. This guy felt all his customers were Pubs, and he wan't about to pi** them off!

[Cha]

15. How dramatic for your

Dean meetup! We had no such drama for our Dean meetups here in New York:)

Dean was on Tavis Smiley last night..making a very good case for John Kerry..I was so proud of both of them!

[napi21]

20. Yea, it was pretty traumatic. We spread the word quickly

so all other organizers made sure they talked to the owner if possible.

The only other problem we had, that I know of, is another restaurant said it was OK to have the meetup there, but we couldn't advertise it anywhere bacause he didn't want the publicity! We only used that place once!

[Cha]

21. You subversives, you!

Thanks for telling all of this ..I had no idea!

It's gonna be so great when Kerry wins! I will be walkin' so proud!

[Norquist Nemesis]

6. Well, Nick

Vote your own interests, dammit!!! Vote Bush and his entire administration out of office! Then you can attract tourists....look at the long range plan here you Bozo!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

7. "he's my neighbor, he's my customer"???

So.... that's reason enough to agree with his idiotic policies?
That man should grow a brain.

[KittyWampus]

16. Anyone Really Believe Jr. Goes There For Dinner?

as for being a neighbor.... after Jr. is out of the WH he'll sell that Pig Farm so fast.

[txindy]

8. I'm sure the coffee shop owner is

very upset about the prospect of losing all of the business he does with reporters and *ies when Kerry takes over in January. He'll restock the paper then to bring in more income. Besides, it's the advertisers that keep the paper going, not the subscriptions. They help, but they're not the main source of income generation for the paper.

The * fan club in Crawford will be even more upset when * decides brush-clearin' ain't no life for him after his defeat. He'll head to Dallas or Houston. Nobody is going to truck all the way out to Crawford to visit an ex-president the way they have to now if they want to see him. He'll go to a big city and hold court for the faithful. And enjoy the nightlife.

[AndyTiedye]

11. The paper's web site, in case you want to send kudos or subscribe

http://www.iconoclast-texas.com/

[Cha]

18. Thanks! That would be so much fun

to help out the paper in Crawford who endorsed Kerry!

They have more sense than the big city papers who will undoubtly endorse bush..

[beyurslf]

14. In Jan, the coffe shop will hopefully be seeing alot more of his neighbor!

[Supersedeas]

17. TX hospitality - check your party affiliation before asking for coffee

[nostalgicaboutmyfutr]

19. first they burn the news

then the newspapers...then the books...then they go after the 'unpatriots'...then.......

[Algorem]

22. That's the Spanos Coffee Station Inc. at 6659 N. Lone Star Parkway,Craw-

ford,Texas,76638,254-486-2561?Owned by Nick Spanos,254-486-2732,228 Spanos Ranch Road,Crawford,Texas,76638,or Nick L. Spanos,254-840-2674,Fm 185,Crawford,Texas,76638?