AP names veteran reporter Sidoti political editor

Source: Associated Press

Liz Sidoti, the chief political writer for The Associated Press who led the news cooperative's coverage of the historic 2008 presidential contest, has been named AP's political editor as the 2012 race heats up between a still-evolving GOP field and President Barack Obama.

The appointment was announced Tuesday by AP's Washington bureau chief, Sally Buzbee.

"Liz's career is steeped in AP's rich tradition of being first with political news; she's a ferocious competitor. Even more remarkable is her ability to push and improve the work of those around her," Buzbee said. "She is a model for how journalists can cut through the political noise and fit the pieces together to explain what is happening in politics and why it matters to people beyond the nation's capital."

In her new role, Sidoti will lead a team of political reporters in Washington as well as guide national coverage by AP's network of journalists in every state capital. A former Ohio statehouse reporter for the AP, she will be responsible for leveraging that unique 50-state resource to ensure the AP breaks political news, conveys the electorate's changing mood and explains issues that matter to voters. Above all, she will ensure that the AP provides clarity during an election that will affect every American.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110531/ap_on_go_ot/us_ap_appointment_sidoti

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September 2008:
http://www.americablog.com/2008/09/time-to-make-donuts-aps-liz-sidoti-and.html

AP's Liz Sidoti and Ron Fournier have delivered donuts to John McCain both literally and figuratively. It's really quite appalling how slanted their reporting has been -- but then again, Fournier did want to work for the McCain campaign.

Today, Sidoti and Fournier team up to deliver Sarah Palin the first of what will probably be many gifts from the Associated Press -- it's an article chock full of McCain spin and pushback. Yet, not surprisingly, it's an article without any comments from anyone on the other side. The AP duo quote three McCain aides (Schimdt, Davis and Eskew) and a McCain ad featuring language from a Wall Street Journal editorial page. But, Sidoti and Fournier do not quote anyone on the Democratic side. Did they even talk to anyone at the Obama campaign? My guess is no.

Sidoti and Fournier were probably too busy trying to figure out which kind of donuts Sarah Palin likes.

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December 2008:
http://mediamatters.org/blog/200812100001

AP reporter Liz Sidoti, fresh off a stint delivering donuts to John McCain, pens an "analysis" of the Blagojevich indictment that begins: "President-elect Barack Obama hasn't even stepped into office and already a scandal is threatening to dog him."

Then, in the very next sentence, Sidoti admits "Obama isn't accused of anything." And that pretty much sets the tone for the "analysis" -- ominous warnings that Obama could be implicated in the scandal, followed by concessions that he, you know ... isn't.

Sidoti writes: "But the fact that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a fellow Democrat, has been charged with trying to sell Obama's now-vacant Senate post gives political opponents an opening to try to link him to the scandal."

... This is nothing short of sleazy. With no evidence whatsoever, Sidoti is suggesting ties between Obama and the scandal that simply do not exist. Whatever this is, it isn't "analysis" and it isn't "journalism."

boy, Ijust hate to hear their radio news snippets. Feel like I am listening to FUX.

In a Faux "News" way.