We were interested to see that The Clarion-Ledger ‘fessed up that a vote for Rep. Chip Pickering in the Third District would not annoy the newspaper. The Pickering campaign, or somebody darned close to it, had been trying to work up a frenzy about the reliable, old Clarion-Ledger being a—eek—liberal newspaper. We told you last issue that the GOP was handing out bumper stickers, proclaiming (wink, wink): “ANNOY The Clarion-Ledger: Vote for Chip Pickering.”
On Sunday, Nov. 3, the newspaper popped that GOP bubble, not only by endorsing Pickering for best representing the interests of his Republican-drawn district, but by playing the “values” card: “Rep. Pickering best represents the values of the constituents of this new district and better understands its economic interests.”
Our favorite part of the out-on-a-limb endorsement was The Clarion-Ledger’s reaction to our favorite bumper sticker: “Despite what the bumper sticker says, it won’t ‘Annoy The Clarion-Ledger.’ We recommend voting for Chip Pickering.’”
We’re glad it’s all straight now.
— Donna Ladd
Recent Immigration Stories
The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippi’s systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.
