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Thursday, October 18, 2007

Ken Blackwell Getting Divorced? Something Is Up If You Believe 'The Whistleblower'

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Of course, you may have to step into an alternate version of reality to understand this snippet of pure gossip. But tomorrow's edition of The Whistleblower is going to have a craftily worded item about a power couple who are headed for Splitsville. It doesn't mention Ken and Rosa Blackwell by their given names, but calls the couple by a sobriquet, the "Buckwheats." For years, The Whistleblower has made fun of former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell by calling him by that name. Blackwell was the Republican candidate for govenor in 2006. Here's the item:

"Whistleblower Gossip Columnist ???? says after many years of wedded bliss, the Buckwheats may finally be getting a divorce. Mr. Buckwheat lost his job in Columbus and had to move back home to Cincinnati with Mrs. Buckwheat. Mrs. Buckwheat soon realized that her man was useless and couldn't help get her jobs any more through his political connections, so she be dumpin' him show nuff."

The item also mentions that the Mrs. still hasn't filled out her retirement papers, and that she's waiting for November board elections to take place before deciding whether to step down from her post. Rosa Blackwell is Cincinnati's school superintendent, and has announced she plans to step down next year. The school board elections in Cincinnati are November 6.

What's The Bellwether's opinion of the gossip item? It's a bit mean-spirited and The Whistleblower may be way off the mark. However, if the Blackwells, er Buckwheats, do wind up in Domestic Relations court it will be one helluva scoop. Ken Blackwell is a family values Republican who is politically aligned with several Christian values groups. Hard to see him dumping a marriage a la Giuliani.

10 comments:

  1. What's notable is that a veteran Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter would publish an item like this and not comment on the obvious racist epithet of calling a black person "Buckwheat."

    The Whistleblower has recently referred to Mayor Mallory as a "darkie" and has referred to Rosa Blackwell as a "mammy."

    The fact that the Whistleblower - who you, Bill Sloat, profiled in a lengthy positive Plain Dealer article - can get public officials like Joe Deters to meet with him is a measure of their degradation.

    Is it newsworthy if the Blackwells may be divorcing? Certainly. But if you're going to quote The Whistleblower, at least respect your readers enough to let them know the context of the item and The Whistleblower's well-documented history of race-baiting which casts doubt on anything he writes about black people.

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  2. Hi Anon --

    You raise some interesting points. And thank-you for raising them. It does appear the Whistleblower writes from the white side of the racial divide. But I know of others who write from the other side of the racial divide, and sometimes they deliver newsworthy nuggets, too.

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  3. This is complete BS, Sloat. You would never reprint such racist crap if it were about a black Democrat. Shame on you for giving a forum to hateful and destructive racist rumors. It says a lot about you personally. Citing the Whistleblower? You have no shred of human decency or self respect, Sloat.

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  4. Amusing that Naugle has suddenly developed scruples!

    His momma must be so proud.

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  5. For the record, using "Buckwheat" is racist, but talking about a prominent African-American "family values" conservative getting divorced is not a "hateful and destructive racist" rumor.

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  6. Modern Esquire:

    So you are cool with this line if he hadn't used Mrs. Buckwheat?

    "Mrs. Buckwheat soon realized that her man was useless and couldn't help get her jobs any more through his political connections, so she be dumpin' him show nuff."

    OK... Imagine he were talking about Mike and Frankie Coleman. I'm sure you would go through the roof.
    Here. Give it a try.

    "Mrs. Coleman soon realized that her man was useless and couldn't help get her jobs any more through his political connections, so she be dumpin' him show nuff."

    It looks like your partisan blinders allow you to condone racism. You suck.

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  7. Regardless of political party or race, this Whistleblower guy shows his true character by seeming to be gleeful about the potential end of a marriage. I hope his rumor is incorrect, but whether it is or not it is not a subject to be happy about. Far too many marriages don't make it to the promise of "til death do we part."

    While the racism is obvious, the post is equally sexist to assume the wife is unable to secure her position without the interference of her husband. This is a women with a very long career in education at many levels/roles. I have no knowledge of the requirements to be a school superintendent or of her specific qualifications and I'd hazard a guess that Whistleblower has no idea either.

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  8. Jerid, go back in your boyfriends ass and stay out of sight please

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  9. The white democrat who wrote that article is an obvious racist, When is the Black community going to finnally realize after 45 years of empty promises the democrat part is a total failure to them?

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  10. Great...another white trash supremicist in Southern Ohio. This whistleblower degenerate who is the information provider for the corruption in HamCo...namely Tom Brinkman, Finney, Deters, Heimlich, DeWine, and let us not forget "if I'm not elected, blacks will move into your neighborhood" Steve Chabot who doesn't take a potty break w/o OK-ing it with that crew.

    Get some real R's in HamCo, preferably with integrity, who don't believe that the ends justify any means in HamCo and perhaps they'll get their "power" back.

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