'Look at how fat our governor is'

Image via Wikipedia

Michael Drewniak and Governor Christie after lying to the media again.

At breakfast this morning, I was looking at a small photo of Governor Christie at the bottom of The Record's front page and said out loud to my wife and son, "Look at how fat our governor is."

"The [horizontal] creases in his pants look like they were pressed in," I went on, drawing a good deal of laughter from both. My wife, who was standing, fell to the floor.

I've been fat all my life, and have gone from defending fat people against media onslaughts to wondering why The Record and other media continue to give Christie a pass during the obesity epidemic, especially in view of his cuts to school nutrition programs.

Laurel and Hardy

The photo of Christie shows him walking next to a much thinner man, who might be Michael Drewniak, the governor's combative spin doctor, trotted out when the GOP bully is tired of lying and refuses to speak with reporters.

The accompanying story by Staff Writer John Reitmeyer of the Trenton Bureau (A-1) is a so-called analysis that clearly shows how he and other reporters refuse to confront Christie on most serious issues -- including taxing the wealthy, obesity, the war on unions and unconscionable cuts in programs for poor women and children.

Hey, Editor Francis Scandale, where's the analysis in what essentially is a rehash? 

Image by DonkeyHotey via Flickr

Christie caricature.

Media delusions

What a hoot. Reitmeyer refers to the media as "restless." Antsy, perhaps. Sheepish, cowardly and afraid to challenge authority -- for sure. 

Most of the stories and editorials in The Record could have been written by the Christie administration.

All Record editors -- fat and thin alike -- have avoided any critical reporting or comment about Christie's apparent inaction on the deadly obesity epidemic, or even questioned why first lady Mary Pat Christie made hunger -- not overeating -- a priority.

Most of A-1 today is taken up by a photo and story on the move of the "Miracle on the Hudson" fuselage to a museum, the second such photo in the paper recently. Is this really front-page news?

Bad hair day

The lead story in Local is on "flood mitigation," a real room-clearer. The terrific standalone photo of a state hairdressers exam on L-1 should have been on A-1, in place of that duplicate "Miracle" photo.

But it's clear the lazy, clueless assignment editors working under Editor Deirdre Sykes didn't have any municipal news for her section, so she had to fill the front with that photo and another of a minor truck-auto collision.

More breaks for wealthy

In Business, a story on Christie's funding  cuts to Urban Enterprise Zones doesn't mention the governor is giving tax breaks to wealthy small-business people instead, without any evidence they will create jobs (B-1). 

In Better Living, The Corner Table restaurant column goes far afield to report on challenges facing country club chefs, but Staff Writer Elisa Ung doesn't  say whether any of those clubs bar blacks, Jews and other undesirables (F-5). 

As a restaurant reviewer and food writer during the obesity epidemic, Ung is a model of irresponsibility -- using her limited expense account to stuff her face with dessert, while avoiding salad, vegetables and fruit.

On the front of Opinion, a note tells readers Columnist Mike Kelly is on assignment -- likely to the nearest toilet seat to come up with fresh ideas.

Klutz on vacation

Travel Editor Jill Schensul's cover story -- "Colombia casting off the shadow of fear" -- won't come as news to the thousands of North Jersey Colombians. The South American country has been a safe destination for at least five years (T-1).

Anyway, who would kidnap that kvetching vegetarian? Barbara Jaeger, her cheap editor, would refuse to pay even $1 in ransom.