THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 10, 1994 TAG: 9408100009
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
Your editorial ``Whitewatergate'' (Aug. 7) further illustrates the apparent conscious decision of your editorial board to eschew balanced, fair editorials in favor of embracing the ideological spin of the extreme right.
Your suggestion that Whitewater is of similar substance, but just lesser degree, to Watergate and Iran-Contra is not just incredible; it is simply absurd.
The suggestion that Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger Altman's ineptitude, naivete and dissembling even approaches the historic and political significance of President Nixon's malicious, petty and corrosive abuse of presidential power or of Oliver North's arrogant, pretentious and duplicitous masking of intentional violations of law taxes credulity.
The use of ``not-so-independent'' to refer to Robert B. Fiske Jr. is not only mean-spirited; it also is pure propaganda.
I know of no legislative or judicial finding challenging the fact of Mr. Fiske's independence. The three-judge panel appointed Kenneth W. Starr to eliminate the appearance of lack of independence, since Mr. Fiske was appointed by Attorney General Janet Reno. The panel did not remove Mr. Fiske for cause, as you imply.
The suggestion that Mr. Altman considered assuring an advantageous outcome in the Madison savings and loan case by delay of civil action until the statute of limitations ran out conveniently fails to report that the very same president ostensibly benefited signed the bill extending this statute.
Editorials of the morning newspaper serving the second largest population in Virginia are apparently to be written not to inform and stimulate responsible debate, but instead only to reinforce the already held views of a political fringe. Ideological segments of the political spectrum are more appropriately served by opinion journals specifically published to strengthen already held biases.
Editorials in newspapers can provide valuable public service only by a balanced discussion of then salient issues. Proselytizing serves only narrow interests at the expense of credibility.
JAMES M. GALLAGHER
Virginia Beach, Aug. 8, 1994 by CNB