Look, if the Seattle Times Editorial Board wants to sycophantically cosplay as a PR firm for Mayor Bruce Harrell and call it “opinion,” that’s their kink. But when the future of the city is on the line, we should at least expect them to deal in facts.
Case in point: Sunday’s most recent Harrell fan-fiction. Written by Carlton Winfrey, who serves on the paper’s editorial board, the piece tries to make the case that Harrell is a man of the people, eager to listen to his constituents, no matter who they are or how deep their pockets are. He doesn’t pack debates with supporters, Winfrey writes, not because he’s unpopular, but because he wants to hear from his dissenters. He touts an ordinary campaign stop at Pike Place Market as a sign he’s engaging with the public. And he points to a video he made with TikToker Chappin Eze, conveniently leaving out that it was part of a series with both candidates.
And then there’s the section on race in the mayoral campaign. If you truly expected a nuanced excavation of how race, class, gender, and political ideology both collide and coexist in this race, well, I envy your meds. Instead, the piece treats race like a stage prop, dusted off just long enough to imply Katie Wilson’s campaign had gone full John McCain circa 2008 presidential election against Barack Obama, in darkening the skin of her mixed race opponent. And there, the Times dutifully reprints the mayor’s claims that a “mailer” from Common Power supporting Katie Wilson “darkened” the mayor’s skin, and the group’s director apologized. Cute story. Except, plot twist, none of that happened.
First, it wasn’t a mailer; it was a social-media graphic. Second, the Canva filter in question didn’t “darken” anyone. It made both candidates slightly orange. Think less “Jim Crow Photoshop,” more “Trump Spice Latte.” And third, the Common Power director, Charles Douglas? Never apologized, at least not publicly. Instead, he was quoted in a press release sent out Sept. 27 by the Katie Wilson for an Affordable Seattle PAC (to every major outlet, maybe the Times’ spam filter has trust issues) saying:
“As a Black man leading an organization primarily run by people of color, I know firsthand the harm caused when racial tropes are weaponized in politics. To suggest that Common Power engaged in such tactics is a sensationalist smear that reeks of desperation from a mayor who has repeatedly contributed to inequality and hurt the very communities he now claims to represent.”
And just for good measure, to ensure that there wasn’t any doubt as to his stance, Common Power sent out its own press release that same day, further quoting Douglas (that again must’ve fallen victim to the Times’ overly aggressive spam filter).
“We are two Black men who help lead an organization alongside other people of color, and we are the ones who created this debate watch advertisement. It made the candidates slightly oranger, not blacker. That’s the way fun filters are used on Instagram,” Douglas said. “Common Power is not a pawn to be used to divide and conquer the Seattle community. We immediately removed the filter from both candidates’ pictures on our posting once we received notice of objections. We’re disappointed in the Harrell campaign’s rushed accusation, as this matter could have easily been solved through basic communications. Good-faith leadership is needed today in America, more than ever.”
Nothing screams “independent press” like conveniently omitting statements that were sent out nearly a month ago. If this were the national press mindlessly regurgitating a sitting elected official’s talking points, people would be foaming at the mouth, and rightfully so. So why should we stomach the same lazy propaganda from the editorial board of the biggest paper in our own backyard?
Now, I’m not here to tell anyone how to do their job, but maybe, just maybe, if the Times had picked up the phone instead of their glazing machine, they might’ve noticed the mayor’s claims were verifiably false, and that this was a manufactured crisis. But who needs truth when you’ve got narrative control, and that narrative favorably fluffs the guy you think should be mayor.
I love it when the Stranger calls another publication “sycophantically cosplay as a PR firm.” And now we return to our regular coverage of Katie Wilson, who at age 41 still gets an allowance from her parents. The New Generation Presents A Leader!
@1 exactly. TS should sit this one out. They are in no position to lecture anyone on biased and misleading reporting.
“But who needs truth
when you’ve got narrative control,
and that narrative favorably fluffs the guy you think should be mayor.”
it is GOOD
when you OWN
the Messenger And
can Control the Narrative.
‘power to the people’?
nah. Power to the
Status fucking Quo.
Pot, meet kettle
Please tell me this is satire.
It’s true, there are few things sadder than a newspaper abandoning even the pretense of journalistic integrity to openly shill for a lackluster candidate..
Carlton Winfrey is a black homosexual. What’s your problem, Marcus? You’re a black homosexual too.
“Look, if the Seattle Times Editorial Board wants to sycophantically cosplay as a PR firm for Mayor Bruce Harrell and call it “opinion,” that’s their kink.”
That’s why it’s in the “opinion” section. Maybe learn how “journalism” [spit] works.
“We are two Black men who help lead an organization alongside other people of color, and we are the ones who created this debate watch advertisement. It made the candidates slightly oranger, not blacker. That’s the way fun filters are used on Instagram,”
I couldn’t make this shit up if I tried, and I’m an eeeeeevil raaaaaacist
@9 – I get the feeling you may be.
So, this whining, crankily picayune hit piece — does it imply the Stranger is losing faith in Wilson’s ability to win? (What, do they somehow suspect she’ll quit right before the end?!?)
As the Mariners have finally packed their bags and gone home already, pitching staff included, Seattle audiences will no longer see any big, fat curve balls hanging juuuuuuust off the corner of the pla–
“But who needs truth when you’ve got narrative control, and that narrative favorably fluffs…”
Hey, Marcus! Please tell us how Trump-pumping Sawant is running for office, fully completely exclusively because she wants to improve life for the working poor!
CRACK!
“Swung on and belted!”
Katie Wilson for the win! I want free housing, free groceries, free transportation. What is wrong with free? As Pramila Jayapal says, “We are the richest nation in the world. We should offer free healthcare and housing for those who need it” And, EVERYONE needs free housing.
Vote Katie Wilson. Free Stuff Matters!!!
I too, am appalled at the obvious favoritism the Seattle Times is showing Harrell. It’s fine to say you adore a candidate and want to suck their toes, but to pretend objectivity in reporting it, is gross.
People who want free groceries are stupid. Guess what happens right after government controls the food supply. Ask the Ukrainians about Holodomor. Or the Chinese about the Chinese Great Famine? These were man made famines that killed millions. Fairly recently. Do you really want to hand such power to a government that is elected by people who choose someone like Trump? Sounds ridiculously stupid to me.
“I too, am appalled at the obvious favoritism the Seattle Times is showing Harrell. It’s fine to say you adore a candidate and want to suck their toes, but to pretend objectivity in reporting it, is gross.”
This is an actual comment on The Stranger’s “Slog” lol
“The Seattle Times Editorial Board Has Joined the Harrell Campaign and Thinks We Didn’t Notice”
Sorry, Stranger. If you think anyone outside your little bubble cares a whit about what you notice or don’t notice, I have bad news for you.
@14 “Guess what happens right after government controls the food supply.”
Guess what happens right after government controls the ability to use violence. No government run grocery stores and no police. Deal?