M.A.P.: Bangor Daily News publishes Op-Ed titled “Ayatollah LePage” then attacks LePage for HIS rhetoric
Outlet: Bangor Daily News Editorials
Date: March 28, 2011 & July 9, 2012
Topic: Political Rhetoric
Author: Published Op-Ed & Editorial
Analysis: Bangor Daily News publishes Op-Ed titled “Ayatollah LePage” then attacks LePage for HIS rhetoric
Bangor – On July 9, 2012, the Bangor Daily News published an editoriali criticizing Governor
Paul LePage for what they termed as “hurtful” and embarrassing rhetoric for statements he made regarding the IRS.
An examination of columns published by the Bangor Daily News, however, shows that the Bangor Daily news, while criticizing the political rhetoric of LePage, has not held themselves to the same standard.
In fact, on March 28, 2011, the Bangor Daily News published an Op-Ed titled “Ayatollah LePage”ii, which made an open comparison between LePage and Iranian Dictator Ayatollah Khomeini.
In the editorial that is critical of LePage’s rhetoric, the BDN makes the case that LePage’s comment is “disturbing” because it wasn’t a “slip-up”, but was included “purposefully.”
However, the BDN committed the same exact offense by purposefully publishing the Op-Ed calling LePage “Ayatollah LePage.”
It would appear from the tact taken by the Bangor Daily News in this situation that what they desire is not really polite, restrained and respectful political rhetoric as they often claim, but instead a situation where they have free reign to fire vicious, unrestrained volleys of political rhetoric at those they disagree with, while hiding behind the hollow pretense that they do not support such rhetoric.
