Newspaper disputes debate 'winner' headline

Los Angeles city attorney candidate Jack Weiss’ campaign placed its own flattering headline Tuesday over a Los Angeles Times story posted on the campaign website, making it appear that the paper had declared Weiss the winner of the debate.

The Times story reported onthe combative debate between Weiss, a Westside city councilman, and attorney Carmen "Nuch" Trutanich that was held Saturday in Hollywood. The headline over the Times story in Sunday’s paper read, “City attorney candidates trade some pointed jabs.’’ The headline on Weiss’ website read: “Jack Weiss Wins First Debate.’’

At the request of The Times, the Weiss campaign removed the headline Tuesday afternoon.

Weiss’ campaign manager, Ace Smith, said the headline was meant to summarize the Times story, two others stories about the debate and some blog items on the candidate’s website, jackweiss09.blogspot.com.

He said there was never any attempt to rewrite the Times headline or misrepresent the content of the the Times story.

 “The headline was a blog headline over all the articles on the debates," Smith said.

-- Phil Willon

Comments

[David Berger]

Excuse me for saying that it's hardy surprising that Jack Weiss tried to misrepresent himself as the 'winner' of the debate. After all, the debate did not go to plan, at least not the Weiss plan.

Even before the debate started, Weiss had placed a large inflatable rat outside the hall. The rat was named 'Tru' and a sign accused Carmen Trutanich of being anti-union. Regardless of the fact that the issue of unionization is irrelevant to the City Attorney race, the cheap shot was harbinger of the 'Weiss plan' for the day.

Weiss had recently courted the Los Angeles County Young Democrats as partisan supporters for his campaign. Judging by the otherwise inexplicable number of young people holding pro-Weiss signs, LACYD (and the rat) were there to cheer for Weiss without regard for whatever Weiss said.

Once the debate got underway, however, the LACYD cheers appeared to fade as Carmen Trutanich deftly countered Weiss's "Vote for my opponent if you like guns" attacks.

Weiss made frequent reference to the recent acts of gun violence in Oakland and New York, to promote himself as the ant-gun candidate. However, Trutanich countered with the fact the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the LAPD Union, had endorsed Trutanich the day after the New York massacre and well past the slaying of four Oakland police officers. Clearly the 10,000 officers on the streets of Los Angeles feel more comfortable with Trutanich than Weiss.

Trutanich's responses were deft because they laid open Weiss's woeful record. There was a palpable hush in the crowded meeting room when Trutanich revealed Weiss's lack of experience; When Trutanich stated that Weiss had only conducted 2 jury trials in his entire career, Weiss did not dispute that fact even though Weiss previously claimed to have tried 'about 8' jury trials. The "Go Jack Weiss" signs remained still as their holders pondered the record of their hero; Weiss the self proclaimed 'experienced prosecutor.'

Yet more damning evidence of Weiss's inadequacies were visited on the LACYD when Weiss challenged Trutanich's claim that he (Weiss) had been absent from 33% of City Hall 33% meetings. Weiss said that Trutanich was wrong and should check his facts. Trutanich then produced a print-out of Weiss's attendance at City Hall meetings, including the Public Safety Committee that Weiss chairs. Trutanich offered Weiss a pair of reading glasses and suggested Weiss look at the figures. Oh, and Trutanich also apologized for being wrong on the figures; Weiss was absent 38% of the time, not 33%!

Weiss can hardly claim to have won the debate, unless he considers having his own supporters starting to have doubts a victory. Oh, and the rat? Most of the regular attendees at the LA Coalition of Neighborhood Councils thought the inflatable rodent more akin to Weiss - full of hot air.

The fact that Weiss now has to resort to 'Big Lie' tactics to try to convince the uninformed of the merits of his candidacy shows the weakness in his campaign.

The problem for Weiss is that Carmen Trutanich seems to have the facts at his fingertips to not only challenge but refute Weiss's claim to be 'the experienced prosecutor.' Indeed, Trutanich's claim that Weiss is a 'novice' went substantively unchallenged.