In Friday's Joplin Globe, the newspaper's editorial board, an august group of thumbsuckers if ever one existed, says too much has been made of Sen. Gary Nodler's theater meltdown and that it was just a he said/she said situation.
First, a history lesson. We would not even know about Nodler's rude treatment of a 20-year-old caregiver and remarks about developmentally disabled adults and the caregiver's use of the F-word had it not been for the Globe splashing it across page one.
Part of the reason this story has continued to simmer long after the incident is that quotes from reader comments have remained on the homepage of the Globe's website. Plus, the newspaper has printed follow-up stories.
This is that the Globe editorial writer has penned for tomorrow's edition:
The "incident" has sparked letters, e-mails and telephone calls, mostly from people who are upset with state Sen. Gary Nodler’s handling of what might be best described as a run-in over the noise being made by a group of disabled people in a Joplin theater. What should have been nothing more than a brief vocal exchange between Nodler and a caregiver, Amanda Richardson, for the five disabled clients attending the movie has escalated into a political circus, with critics suggesting that the senator’s comments about the group making too much noise and the appropriateness of people who are disruptive to attend a movie somehow comport with cutting Medicaid and the plight of those with disabilities.
This isn't a Republican and Democrat or liberal and conservative issue or about Medicaid cuts made by the state, although there are many who would like to make it so. Legislative members of both parties voted for reducing Medicaid to bring under control the spending that threatened to take ever-larger chunks out of a resource-limited state budget. The fact that a caregiver thought that Nodler was disrespectful to her clients with his comment about the noise to his brother as they were leaving the theater simply was that person’s opinion. The senator says that the caregiver was rude and used the "f-word" toward him and that he informed the theater manager of the incident involving the alleged obscenity. He did not, he says, request that the group be asked to leave.
Unfortunately, the theater manager has remained quiet. It would be informative if he were to confirm Nodler’s contention that others in the theater asked for refunds because of the noise level. This is a "he-said, she-said" issue that has taken on an undeserving life of its own. It never should have happened and it never should have gotten beyond an "I’m sorry for the misunderstanding" early on.
***
Now, of course there is allegedly a church-state type separation between a newspaper's reporting staff and its editorial board. That may fly with The New York Times. It does not fly with The Joplin Globe.
"The fact that a caregiver thought that Nodler was disrespectful to her clients with his comment about the noise to his brother as they were leaving the theater simply was that person’s opinion." If that's the way the Globe's editors believe, then why was this story written in the first place?
And the Globe's editorial board is dead wrong about this issue not being connected with the Medicare cuts. Both seem to show a disregard for people who do not have the lofty station that Sen. Nodler has reached.
If this story was so unimportant then why did the Globe follow up on Springfield blogger Ron Davis' initial report (later confirmed by Associated Press) on Nodler receiving free movie tickets. It appears that Nodler's powerful friends have exerted some political pressure on The Joplin Globe. The editorial was a slap in the face to the caregiver, the disabled, and to the Joplin Globe reporters who uncovered a very revealing story about one of the most powerful men in the Missouri Senate.
Fortunately, this story appears to have a life of its own and nothing that the cowards who make up the Globe's editorial board do can make it disappear.
This editorial is a disgrace to the profession of journalism. It demonstrates the kow-towing of a newspaper to a political figure sorely to gain his favor. The editorial berates its own news staff and shows no support for those in the newspaper staff who worked to cover the story, to edit it, and to decide where and how to run it. The editorial is inaccurate in stating Medicaid cuts were voted for by both parties; it demonstrates a lack of research and proper understanding of the process of government. The Globe owes its readers an apology for this lack of professionalism. It owes Sen. Nodler a deeper investigation into his previous words and actions on disabled people, on his currying favor with the powerful, and his own attitude on social matters. It does not owe Sen. Nodler an apology unless it misquotes him. But it does owe us an apology for misstating the facts!
ReplyDeleteObviously, the Globe's news staff needs not worry about outside enemies; they seem to be on the Globe's editorial staff! This editorial is absurd! Ed Simpson should be hopping mad and make sure the Nodler story gets a fuller and deeper investigation.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe an editorial writer would do so little research and write such a stupid defense of an incident which has such profound meaning behind it. The attitude of Nodler towards disabled people is the crux of the story--not the incident in the theatre which was only a manifestation of his attitude. The editorial board or the editorial writer must be ignorant of everything that has happened in Jefferson City this year! Certainly he (or she) does not know Nodler.
ReplyDeleteSurely this editorial spells the end of Gary Nodler. It so smacks of political pressure having been applied and has inaccurate statements that the public will see through all this. The Globe just makes matters worse.
ReplyDeleteRandy,
ReplyDeleteGreat job on this. Between you and Ron Davis we are getting the reporting needed. Thanks for your hard work.
One point about the Globe editorial reference to Medicaid cuts: was it not Nodler himself who opined that he may have been "set up" by those upset with his vote? Was it not Nodler who thus first advanced the conspiracy theory connection to Medicaid cuts?
I think what she said was, "Get the f... out of my face," and anyone who knows Gary Nodler knows he has a real habit of getting into people's faces. In fact I am frankly surprised he has not lost his teeth over this habit. Face a fact, this guy is nothing but a minor player who thinks he is a lot more than he will ever be.
ReplyDeleteThe Joplin Globe stated today that "Legislative members of both
ReplyDeleteparties voted for reducing Medicaid..." Check out all the Democrats
who voted to cut Medicaid:
Senate Vote on SB 539
YEAS—Senators
Bartle (R) Cauthorn (R) Champion (R) Clemens (R)
Crowell (R) Dolan (R) Gibbons (R) Griesheimer (R)
Gross (R) Klindt (R) Koster (R) Loudon (R)
Nodler (R) Purgason (R) Ridgeway (R) Scott (R)
Shields (R) Stouffer (R) Taylor (R) Vogel—20 (R)
House vote on SB 539
AYES: 089
Avery (R) Baker 123 (R) Bearden (R) Behnen (R)
Bivins (R)
Brown 30 (R) Bruns (R) Byrd (R) Chinn (R)
Cooper 120 (R)
Cooper 155 (R) Cooper 158 (R) Cunningham 145 (R)
Cunningham 86 (R) Davis (R)
Day (R) Deeken (R) Dempsey (R) Denison (R)
Dethrow (R)
Dixon (R) Dusenberg (R) Emery (R) Ervin (R)
Faith (R)
Fares (R) Fisher (R) Flook (R) Franz (R)
Goodman (R)
Guest (R) Hobbs (R) Hunter (R) Icet (R)
Jackson (R)
Johnson 47 (R) Jones (R) Kelly (R) Kingery (R)
Lager (R)
Lembke (R) Lipke (R) Loehner (R) May (R)
McGhee (R)
Moore (R) Munzlinger (R) Muschany (R) Myers (R)
Nieves (R)
Nolte (R) Parson (R) Pearce (R) Phillips (R)
Pollock (R)
Portwood (R) Pratt (R) Quinn (R) Rector (R)
Richard (R)
Roark (R) Robb (R) Ruestman (R) Rupp (R)
Sander (R)
Sater (R) Schaaf (R) Schad (R) Schlottach (R)
Self (R)
Smith 118 (R) Smith 14 (R) Stefanick (R) St. Onge (R)
Sutherland (R)
Threlkeld (R) Tilley (R) Viebrock (R) Wallace (R)
Wasson (R)
Wells (R) Weter (R) Wilson 119 (R) Wilson 130
(R) Wood (R)
Wright 137 (R) Wright 159 (R) Yates (R) Mr
Speaker (R)
http://www.house.mo.gov/bills051/jrn/jrn050.htm
House vote on HB 11
AYES: 089
Avery (R) Baker 123 (R) Bearden (R) Behnen (R)
Bivins (R)
Brown 30 (R) Byrd (R) Chinn (R) Cooper 120 (R)
Cooper 155 (R)
Cooper 158 (R) Cunningham 145 (R) Cunningham 86 (R)
Davis (R) Day (R)
Dempsey (R) Denison (R) Dethrow (R) Dixon (R)
Dusenberg (R)
Emery (R) Ervin (R) Faith (R) Fares (R)
Fisher (R)
Flook (R) Franz (R) Goodman (R) Guest (R)
Hobbs (R)
Hunter (R) Icet (R) Jackson (R) Johnson 47 (R)
Jones (R)
Kelly (R) Kingery (R) Kraus (R) Lager (R)
Lembke (R)
Lipke (R) Loehner (R) May (R) McGhee (R) Munzlinger
(R)
Muschany (R) Myers (R) Nance (R) Nieves (R)
Nolte (R)
Parson (R) Pearce (R) Phillips (R) Pollock (R)
Portwood (R)
Pratt (R) Quinn (R) Rector (R) Richard (R)
Roark (R)
Robb (R) Ruestman (R) Rupp (R) Sater (R)
Schaaf (R)
Schad (R) Schlottach (R) Self (R) Silvey (R)
Smith 14 (R)
Smith 118 (R) Stefanick (R) Stevenson (R) St. Onge (R)
Sutherland (R)
Threlkeld (R) Tilley (R) Viebrock (R) Wallace (R)
Wasson (R)
Wells (R) Weter (R) Wilson 119 (R) Wilson 130 (R) Wood
(R)
Wright 137 (R) Wright 159 (R) Yates (R) Mr Speaker (R)
http://www.house.state.mo.us/bills051/jrn/jrn069.htm
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteSB 539 is not the bill that cut Medicaid. SB 539 funded Medicad to appropriated levels. HB 11 is the appropriation that cut Medicaid. If you check the record you will find that Republicans and Democrats both voted for it.
ReplyDeleteHere is the voting I believe... first house, then senate. Do you see any "D" that voted yes? I see several "R" that voted no though...
ReplyDeleteCCS HB 11
3rd reading of the final conference committee version of the Social Services Department budget that includes cuts in Medicaid coverage.
Yes=89 No=71 Abstain=1 Not voting=2
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N - Aull, Joe: D-Marshall (26)
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Y - Shields, Charlie: R-St. Joseph (34)
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Y - Taylor, Larry Gene: R-Shell Knob (29)
Y - Vogel, Carl: R-Jefferson City (6)
N - Wheeler, Charles: D-Jackson County (10)
N - Wilson, Yvonne: D-Jackson County (9)
Check all the votes, including committee votes. You will find that some democrtats voted differently at different times in the process.
ReplyDeleteI posted the final votes and the fact that there were no Dems that voted for the bill. SB 539 did cut Medicaid: "This act reduces income levels for eligibility and eliminates some optional services." http://www.senate.mo.gov/05info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=22520
ReplyDelete"This act lowers the income level for parents of uninsured children in the CHIPS program that are required to pay a premium from two hundred and twenty-six percent of the federal poverty level to one hundred and fifty-one percent of the federal poverty level (Section 208.640)." SB 539 Modifies provisions in various health care and social services programs. Ibid
ReplyDelete"to replace the current state Medicaid system, which will sunset on June 30, 2008." Removing the program is a rather drastic form of a cut.
ReplyDelete