Paul Burka Banned From Asking Debate Questions
Paul Burka, the dean of Texas political writers, won't be asking questions when the Republican gubernatorial candidates debate next month. He's been banned.
"I didn’t like the idea of it," says Terry Sullivan, campaign manager for candidate Kay Bailey Hutchison. "He's got his mind made up on the race."
Texas Monthly, where Burka works as executive editor, writer, and a popular blogger, was a sponsor of the debate. When the chief sponsor — KERA-TV in Dallas — told the magazine they were welcome to send any panelist except for Burka, the magazine not only declined to substitute someone ...
Comments (11)
Robbie Cooper
As I've noted numerous times over the years -- going back to the Evan Smith days --- Texas Monthly is a left-leaning magazine in general, but on politics it's solidly left. There has never really been any pretense of hiding their liberal biases and preferences, they've just never came right out and admitted it.
When the Texas Monthly admits that Liberal Paul Burka "is the voice of Texas Monthly on politics" it's (finally) admitting their liberal bias. It'd be nice if the Trib would just go ahead and admit theirs too.
txwatcher
Ross, why not a little Google searching on your part. Burka started his blog in 2006. He has done the KERA debates since then in 2008 he also did the KERA senate debate. since when do campaigns dictate who asks the questions and who does not? What a bunch of lies in your report.
"KERA and NPR both have policies against opinion writers" in debates, says Meg Fullwood, a spokeswoman for KERA-TV in Dallas. She said the debate panel would consist solely of "straight reporters" and that Burka, because of some of his writings on the popular BurkaBlog — a part of the magazine's website — didn't qualify."
This is shoddy work not to call KERA on this BS.
Ross Ramsey
A fix: Hutchison and Burka worked for Ed Harris in the 1960s, not the 1970s. And one more: The panelist from Univision will be María Renée Barillas of Dallas. -rr
Ross Ramsey
This move make KBH look petty and/or fearful. Also, anyone reading Burka's blog for long will remember the Perry camp's early complaining that Burka was too fond of KBH.
Saying the KBH's campaign is doing a crummy job isn't "opinion" at this point. It's pretty clear to everyone except the campaign staff..
PicklesS
Don't blame KBH and I would not blame Perry for insisting the same thing. Burka quit being a reporter a long time ago. This is what hapens when reporters quit being neutral observers and think their own poo does not stink.
Not only does Burka like his own smell, he expects all of us to treat it like the latest scent from Estee Lauder. Sorry Burka, you're all toilet water.
Ross Ramsey
Add two sponsors I overlooked: Texas State Networks and the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas are both on the bill, too. -rr
jrj
I have to concur with KERA on this -- Burka seems to me to be a foul blowhard, a conservative twit, and a miserable ideologue -- "Dean of political writers" strikes me as at least a wild overstatement. "Popular blogger" -- ok, fine, give me that and two bucks, I'll go get a cup of coffee, hahaha.
He (and his magazine) have drifted into cute irrelevance 00 did you read Mimi's piece about Ft, Hood? Dreadful, horrid crap.
Colin Coe
Burka didn't realize there would be consequences to becoming an Opinion writer?
Burka argues there is no distinction between reporting and opinion - or in other words, he uses the "fair and balanced" arguement!
Sorry Paul "the Fox" Burka, I read all your post and find it difficult to believe that somehow you could ask questions of the candidates and not have some tendency to try and validate your "opinion." I know Paul is a professional, but that is what all reporter/opinion writers call themselves.
BrooksKXAN
JRJ -
I wouldn't dream of putting words into Ross Ramsey's pen, but I'm going to take a stab at interpreting his "dean of Texas political writers" comment .
"Dean" typically means, "the guy who's been around the longest." In legislative speak, for example, "Dean of the Texas Senate," (as Carlos Truan exhaustively referred to himself every single time he stood up at his desk) doesn't necessarily mean "most distinguished' or "best" or "most popular." It means "been there longer than anyone else."
I'm not making a judgment call on whether Burka is any of those things. But he IS, regarding the actual definition, the dean. That's not a matter of opinion.
However, if you can find a state political writer in Texas who is STILL doing it and who has been around longer than Burka has, I'd love to meet that person.
Until then, he is, technically, the dean of Texas political writers.
Just a little headsup on the terminology. That's how I interpreted that.
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hcookaustin
What do you call Burka being excluded from a televised debate? A good start.