Comments on Advance Indiana™: Jim Shallow Hasn't Changed

IPOPA, I agree. Shella would be doing someone a fa...

2009-07-15T21:24:12.621-05:00

IPOPA, I agree. Shella would be doing someone a favor if he did discourage a candidate from running against Bayh. No one is going to come close to Bayh. It does not matter whether you like him or not.......the election is over!!

Bart Peterson had about a 10-1 cash advantage over...

2009-07-15T19:19:43.131-05:00

Bart Peterson had about a 10-1 cash advantage over Greg Ballard in 2007. If Bayh's opponent can raise $1.2 million, I will be very impressed.

As of right now, nobody running or thinking of running against him has raised enough to even file an FEC report, have they?

I haven't studied Shella's work close enou...

2009-07-15T07:59:40.256-05:00

I haven't studied Shella's work close enough to comment on whether he is a "hit man" or whatever else because I know on his blog, he took great delight in pounding the JLT campaign (of course, who didn't?).

But even if that were true, you can't say it's true with this story. ANYBODY incumbent of any party running for U.S. Senate in a state the size of Indiana with a TWELVE million dollar advantage? There isn't a political consultant in the country who wouldn't say it was over before it began. That's in the abstract. Now add the fact that Bayh has conistently driven to the middle with his votes by putting it in the eye of the President to serve his more conservative constituents' wishes. No way Republicans have a snowflake in this because they'd need somebody spectacular, and nobody spectacular is going to jump in thinking they can play catchup on twleve million. That's lunacy.

Easter, after the hit job Shella put on the Stateh...

2009-07-15T06:49:47.504-05:00

Easter, after the hit job Shella put on the Statehouse rally we had earlier this year, I can't agree. He did not even bother to talk to a single speaker at the event or any organizer. Instead he talked to the leader of a group that was not even speaking at the rally and went out of his way to mock her. He took a clip of one Democrat-leaning speaker's comment, Mark Small, completely out of context to make it look like he was against even having public schools.
It was an atrocious report.

After exchanging emails with Shella, it became really clear why he did what he did. He does not like Gary Welsh and since Gary was a speaker at the rally on the CIB bailout (which Shella clearly supports) we were all targets.

That was unprofessional of Jim Shella. His job is to report, not to use his position to go after people he doesn't like. He clearly abused his position with respect to the reporting on the rally.

I agree with Gary that Shella does little in the way of investigative reporting, prefering to take what is given to him by insiders.

You are correct that there is a pattern that refle...

2009-07-15T06:38:48.695-05:00

You are correct that there is a pattern that reflects lousy reporting. I'm reminded of the Statehouse rally earlier this year where he seized upon some vendors on the floor with unflattering ambush coverage while ignoring the numerous speakers that came from all parts of Indiana to share their grievances. Shella also discounted that event on a show 'Indiana Week in Review' which he hosts. It was so blatant it sparked a flood of emails and phone calls from outraged citizens. There was also the Notre Dame commencement address by Obama, wherein anti-abortion protestors actually numbered 3,000 instead of the 200 he reported. I have the video clips. He also took time to relay his under reporting on his TV show.
Like so many in his field, he looks for a quick soundbite for something to report and considers his job done, albeit with little investigative reporting.

Finally, Shella is a respected political reporter....

2009-07-15T04:23:00.596-05:00

Finally, Shella is a respected political reporter. He's a reporter.

I am not sure if there are any political "reporters" left in this country. I think they are all commentators, always wanting to put some sort of spin on whatever story they "report."

Uuhh, Jim Shella does investigative reporting when...

2009-07-14T21:52:35.772-05:00

Uuhh, Jim Shella does investigative reporting when he wants to damage someone. Look at the nothing scandal he reported on Jon Elrod licking campaign envelopes on the House floor. The Indiana Democrats called him up and he was more than happy to be their tool. Shella could have done a similar story on at least half of the State House lawmakers, but he would never do that on just anyone. The insiders decided Jon Elrod had to be destroyed and he carried out the mission for them. No laws were broken. No ethics rules were violated. It was a phony story to lead off the broadcast to make it appear somebody did something criminal and unethical when no such thing had actually occurred. State legislators regularly raise campaign money while working at the State House, including handing fundraiser invitations to lobbyists in the hallways at the State House. They put out newsletters, thinly-veiled campaign materials, printed and mailed at taxpayers expense and sent out right before an election. Does Shella ever report on those activities? No. If you think he is a good political reporter, you have very low expectations.

AI, Will the Republicans put anyone up worth votin...

2009-07-14T21:34:32.843-05:00

AI,
Will the Republicans put anyone up worth voting for? If not, it won't matter if Bayh raises 50 cents...he wins. I hear John Hostettler may be interested, and he couldn't even get within echo shot of Brad Ellsworth...Bayh's fellow blue dog.

Finally, Shella is a respected political reporter. He's a reporter. The investigation team at channel 8 is the "I TEAM" in the same way that Kevin Rader is the political reporter for Channel 13 while Bob Segall is the investigator.

"Shella the Shill" is nothing but a mout...

2009-07-14T20:21:21.670-05:00

"Shella the Shill" is nothing but a mouthpiece for the democrat party.