Words Left Unreported

It is interesting to contrast the coverage given in our local papers of yesterday’s 9/11 memorial ceremony at the State House in Boston, particularly regarding the quotes from the Governor.

The Boston Globe story:

"We meet to honor the lives of the 206 sons and daughters of our community who were lost six years ago," Patrick said, speaking on the State House lawn. "Our tribute is for each of them, and our condolences are with each of you."

The Herald story:

“We miss them not because they are gone, but because they were here,” said Gov. Deval Patrick before lowering the flag on the State House lawn. “Our tribute is for each of them and our condolences are with each of you.”

The Herald editorial:

“Among many other things, 9/11 was a failure of human understanding,” Patrick said. “It was a mean and nasty and bitter attack on the United States. But it was also a failure of human beings to understand each other, to learn to love each other.”

The Herald goes on to ask:

Governor, “mean and nasty” are terms better suited for a political campaign or a junkyard dog. Not for the worst terrorist attack ever on American soil…Unfortunately, the governor’s fuzzy recollection of that terrifying day seems to be in keeping with a certain “blame us” mentality that so many of his supporters embrace, along with a failure to acknowledge the continuing threat of evil that Americans face.

Remember now, that news stories are supposedly for reporting news, but somehow both our dailies omitted this syrupy, flower-child-like comment by the Governor. Jules Crittenden asks for suggestions as to what kind of hat the tabloid Herald should photoshop onto the Governor’s picture. Tie-dyed, probably.