THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, November 6, 1995 TAG: 9511020020
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 36 lines
In my five years in Hampton Roads, I have seen your paper display many cases of editorial bias. But the front-page article on Oct. 19 concerning Gen. Colin Powell was the most blatant display of attempted character assassination that I have seen in many years.
Under the headline ``Powell's Career'' you gave every instance in 30 years of someone questioning General Powell's character. All four instances mentioned were opinions of people with questionable motives in making these statements. Your paper gave the appearance that they were fact.
Instead, isn't it true that all the cases mentioned should be considered hearsay and that your reporting them was not news but Powell-bashing?
The hardest part for me to understand is what your paper gains from such actions. I can't believe that in a region that contains many military members, you are serving your readers by finding it so easy to trivialize a distinguished military career.
I should remind your readers that all of this is coming from a newspaper that a little less than four years ago editorially endorsed a man who was accused of adultery and admitted to smoking marijuana and avoiding the draft.
There is one good thing that came from this. You have informed us where you stand on General Powell and we will know to ignore anything you have to say about him in the future.
DALE DAVIS
Chesapeake, Oct. 20, 1995 by CNB