A NY Resolution for Brownback

Oh, Guv,

If I could make a resolution for you, it would be this: Stop giving interviews, especially exclusive one-on-ones, with members of the press who hate you. 

It is a tradition for the Kansas Governor to sit down one-on-one with members of the Statehouse press corps at the end of the year. However, just because something has always been done one way that doesn't necessarily mean it has to continue that way forever. By that logic, women would still be whispering in their husbands' ears about whom they should vote.

Anyway, as is the tradition, Brownback sat down individually with reporters trained to hate him. And so between Christmas and New Year's Kansans will get to read a barrage of stories about how the Governor is "standing by failed policies, closing hospitals, and being mean to small children." It's soooo predictable.

This is the first Brownback as Grinch story I've seen, but I know more are coming. The Lawrence Journal World's Peter Hancock begins his story by telling readers that Brownback is "making no apologies for gun policies" that will allow weapons on Kansas college campuses. Um, why would he apologize? Why is this news? Brownback advocated for the policies, which have yet to even go into effect. I guess the expectation from the press corp is that Brownback would see all of their editorials and realize the error of his ways without a shred of evidence that the policy will have any damaging effect? (Other than college kids protesting. We should ALL take seriously the protestations of privileged college kids, obviously.)

I don't understand why Brownback grants these interviews every year -- or at any time, really. Truly, it's confusing to me. It's simply not necessary anymore. Grant interviews to friendlies -- ahem, I'd be happy to set up an appointment -- and lock the gate and throw away the key to so-called journalists intent on making you look bad. If the President can bash Fox News on a daily basis and grant interviews to a woman famous for bathing and eating a tub full of cereal and milk (Pah.uke) then there is no reason Brownback can't slam the door in the LJW's face. Yes, the Governor would get some bad publicity for it, but uh... he's getting bad publicity anyway.