Give that man a raise

Props to Willamette Week and investigative reporter Nigel Jaquiss, who won a Pulitzer Prize today for uncovering and reporting the 30-year secret of Neil Goldschmidt's sexual abuse of a teenager while he was mayor Portland.

This must be mildly galling news for the folks down at 1320 SW Broadway, past Pulitzer recipients themselves and a contender this year for its coverage of the current methamphetamine scourge. Since the Goldschmidt scandal broke, evidence has emerged that many city insiders, including some at The O, knew bits and pieces about the sexual abuse but never moved on it, getting scooped by the smaller and more agile Willamette Week. [It's the not the first time The O has dropped the ball; recall the Bob Packwood story?] The fact that The O went on to disgrace itself immediately after the story broke only makes its shame all the more complete.

Interestingly, The O's usually worthless website had the Pulitzer story as its lead article this afternoon. But no, the The O did not send a reporter; it ran wire articles.

As aside: While accessing the online article, one is confronted with an ad for The O's new underwhelming "weekly newspaper. Such a contrast: this or this? [Memo to Sandy: Save yourself the newsprint. No one's biting.]

Comments

[J.D.]

Last night, when I first read about the WW Pulitzer, I was stunned. Stunned, I tell you. I got goosebumps. I have goosebumps now. I called my wife up to look at the story. I'm amazed. Pulitzers go to big reporters at big papers covering big stories, right? I think it's fantastic that a WW reporter earned this award. Outstanding! This is a great story.

[Si Newhouse]

Er, just because Oregonlive didn't have a staff written piece online in the afternoon doesn't mean The O didn't send a reporter. They ran a staff-written article on the front page.

[Michelle]

Wow! That's absolutely amazing. That will add a little feeling of greatness to the er...uh...character I usually feel when I walk by the WW office to catch the MAX. ;-)

[Worldwide Pablo]

Uh, S.I. [..."if that really is your name..." -- never try to fool a journalism graduate],

Less than one half of the O's report was about the actual Pulitzer prize. The other half, if not more, was about the O's failed entry in the same contest. And not just on the front page, but on the editorial page, too. Word is that Columbia Journalism Review noticed this self-centeredness and plans to shame the O for it.

How absolutely typical of the "2001 Pulitzer Prize Winner for Public Service Reporting."

Shame on the O. Just about everything about it is wrong.

Fortunately, nearly everyone but Sandy Rowe knows it.