Some Grassroots Action Needed to Get This New Scandal Story In Print

By: PM
Published On: 10/1/2006 11:11:08 AM

Gang, hereGÇÖs a small grassroots job for your sunny Sunday.  A write on Kos has written two diaries about getting spit at by George Allen.
http://www.dailykos....  I find the stories compelling, but the story has appeared only in one small circulation newspaper.

Here is part of the tale of this young reporter:

I followed along as the governor walked, waiting to hear him say something about jobs. The situation began to look as if I would have to return to the newspaper office without hearing him say anything about "our fine workers." I didn't understand; I had to ask a question.

I stepped near the governor and smiled, told him my name and that I wrote for the local newspaper. Then I asked him a softball question, what some reporters call a "set-up."

"Does Southwest Virginia need these jobs?" I asked.

He stopped and looked straight at me. He had to look down at me, because he stood so tall in those cowboy boots. I thought I spotted a twinkle in his eye, and for a moment, I suspected he might give a humorous, light-hearted answer. Then he leaned forward and looked all the way down at the pavement. I figured he was planning a perfectly crafted answer to my question. I put pen to paper, ready to take it down. His lips puckered as if he might speak.

Then, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia gathered up a glob of tobacco-laced saliva. He used his lips to squirt it out, as if he had practiced. The spit landed just at the tip of my shoe. He grinned, but didn't say a word. Then he walked into the building.

http://www.dailykos.... 
The original story has been published in a very small paper in SW Virginia, but the story has not been put up on the paperGÇÖs website.  She says the
GÇ£story was published in The Smyth County News & Messenger on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2006, Page A4, below the fold, under the headline, "Different ways for different people."

HERE'S HOW YOU CAN HELP
She points out:  GÇ£Any Media General news outlet can pick up the column I wrote, via the corporation's news/article sharing system. If you would like to see the story printed in your local or regional Media General publication, you can contact the editor and tell him/her where and when the column published, and the print headline.GÇ¥

We can urge that this story be spread.  Here is a page that lists the Media General papers:
http://mediageneral....  By clicking on the logo of the individual papers, you can access the paperGÇÖs website.  Then go to the Contact link and find out how to e-mail the paper.

You can see quite a few for Virginia, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch:
Description: Send in news releases, events listings, announcements and notices. Discuss any news story or article with the editor.
(804) 649-6990 / (804) 649-6331 news@timesdispatch.com.

HereGÇÖs the contact page for the Charlottesville Daily Progress:
http://www.dailyprog...

HereGÇÖs the contact page for the News Advance in Lynchburg:

http://www.newsadvan...

The Danville Register & Bee: http://www.registerb...

There are others on the logo page as well.

[to ask that the Smyth County paper put it on its own website]
Smyth County News & Messenger
119 S Sheffey St
PO Box 640
Marion VA  24354
Fax (276) 783-9713
Phone: (276) 783-5121 or (800) 655-1411

News Department
Managing Editor: Stephanie Porter-Nichols: sportern@wythenews.com , ext. 13

You might point out that there are several other Allen spitting stories out there: http://www.swingstat...

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