> For the record, I first met Hess in the late 80s, when I was hired to write
> a media column for the-then young New York Observer. He and I shared an
> office with Doug Ireland (who once kicked my briefcase across the office
> because he didn't like it on the floor), and Hess was to be my editor of
> sorts. He was incredibly literal-minded, and routinely chopped up my work so
> it would sound more like his. Fortunately, I soon left the paper, and Hess,
> and continued my work at FAIR.
It's like abused children become child abusers. John spent several decades at the New York Times fighting fulltime with his editors. He has the largest collection of stupid editor stories I've ever heard.
> ... But then, at
> some FAIR party, Hess and I rated which Third World countries could give the
> US a decent fight. I said that despite its poverty, North Korea wouldn't be
> a pushover the way Iraq was. After all, they fought the US to a draw in the
> 50s. Hess went off and berated me for my stupidity. He was extremely caustic
> and rude. Now, this was dumb party banter. Who really knows if the North
> Koreans would roll over or not? But to Hess it was something bigger. I never
> spoke to him again.
So he drinks; which reporters of his generation don't? You should make up with the old guy & go join him and Karen at Gennaro's on Amsterdam Avenue at 92nd St. (early, like at 6 so you don't have to wait) for a good meal and a couple of bottles of his favorite Montepulciano. I hope he lives another 80 years.
> If Hess is so opposed to Leid, why is he providing her with copy? Why does
> he willingly appear on a hijacked network?
There are still many angry openly anti-Leid progammers at WBAI. For example the excellent Aniruddha Das and friends who produce the Asia Pacific Forum on Wednesday at 9PM. My understanding is that while fundraising is being boycotted, if Leid is tossing people off the air for their dissent then *she* will have to do the dirtywork, no-one is going willingly. But Doug is privy to all this, no? What's going on?
john mage