UPDATE:
James has surfaced and is apparently still able to exercise his right to function as a reporter as he posted something on Seacoast online. Also he’s still calling himself a WMUR reporter so we’ll assume he just needed a minor readjustment break after handing Brown his ticket to nowhere.
The political reporter for WMUR the only major New Hampshire commercial television station beautifully laid the bombshell that showed Scott Brown for the clueless carpet-bagger that he was. See video:
James Pindell asked a very rational and obvious question, one that required some knowledge of simple geography of the state and that opened an opportunity to demonstrate some knowledge of the area. Really a typically banal question a debate panelist will throw at a candidate, especially in a local or statewide election. The question related to asking Brown what he thought about the particular challenges of Sullivan County and what he’d do about them. Again, typically an eye closer save for those who live in Sullivan County or close to it.
But the fact is, Scott Brown doesn’t live in New Hampshire and never did. So even though he’s asking people to put faith in him and have him make crucial decisions about their lives and their state, but he can’t even get the geography right. He wouldn’t be able to drive from here to there because he doesn’t know where there is. So he did what all of us would have done if we hadn’t done our homework; he fudged. He answered with general and obviously coached references to Obamacare, electric rates and the ski industry. To anyone with half a brain his half attempt question resembled the half-attempt to lie to the people of New Hampshire. The first consisted of pandering to the GOP line against any form of national healthcare, electric rates were reference to the efforts to get Northern Pass (a large electrical line to feed southern New England from Quebec) and the ski industry was just feel good reference to local business, strong on winter tourism — all in the north country. Not in Sullivan County, save for one small ski resort.
Brown fumbled. He fumbled hard and rolled like a flat rock. Pindell made the reference that possibly he didn’t understand where Sullivan County was and seemed to be referencing the north country when in fact Sullivan County is west. The debate went on but the curtain had been pulled back. The man that failed a run against Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts because he just couldn’t keep up with her intellectual skill had just screwed his second chance to take the crown; 2 for 0, confirmed loser.
What happens next though is what’s astounding; Pindell takes it all on his shoulders. The fumble was his fault and he took it all by going on Twitter shortly after the debate to say Scott Brown was probably referring to Sunapee, yeah that’s the ticket. But he didn’t do that just once, he did it twice, then he went on the air the next day and took the blame again, deflecting the damage as best he could, attempting to throw water on Brown’s burning derriere . Huffington post has more details with Pindell’s apologetic Twitter posts.
Since that debate it has been noted that Mr. Pindell, the sole political reporter for WMUR has been strangely absent. His last Twitter post is November 3rd, his last Facebook post is November 3rd. Of course most telling and curious was his absence during the election results. Wouldn’t a political reporter be the one giving the tallies and the analysis?
Since WMUR has a strong reputation as a slave to the Republican side we’re hoping that he’s possibly decided to hunt for employment elsewhere, that maybe he’s had it with the pressure to compromise his journalistic integrity. The fact is, for whatever its worth, he has a master’s from Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and a good resume of solid experience, you’d think that would empower him with the ability to at least know real news and his obligation to it.
Here’s our message to you Pindell: You did a good job. Some of us up here in New Hampshire have noticed that you slide over to the other side quite a lot and we’ve wondered if you’re just another tool. But we have to hand it to you, you did your job and exposed Brown for the fraud he was and possibly saved New Hampshire from a Koch Brothers take over. Maybe you are in the mountains right now on a vision quest to find truth in yourself and your purpose. Brighter horizons await the truth-tellers. We don’t know where you’ll find that among the big networks, but hey, what’s worth more, truth or lots of money?
Progressive Action New Hampshire 