Lakeland Local

Provincial in Lakeland?

Posted by Chuck Welch on February 29, 2008 4:42 AM | Permalink   | Comments (1)

Writer Larry Thornberry was a reporter for the Ledger when he met William F. Buckley in 1976. Evidently the meeting made some impact...

The interview took place in the living room of the upscale home of the Ledger's publisher, who, with his wife, was big in such limousine liberal circles as existed in Polk County, Florida, in those days. Contrary to the stereotype of the day -- conservative meanie vs. caring n' compassionate liberal nice guys -- Buckley the conservative was the very soul of graciousness, treating a reporter he had just met with all respect and civility, while the publisher treated me like hired help. Which I was, but that's no excuse. The wife and the uniformed maid ignored my existence. -- Buckley in the Provinces

I'm willing to bet there are a couple of more sides to that story. I have no idea who was the publisher for the Ledger in 1976. Thornberry obviously doesn't name him. I plan to stop the library and read that article though. I wonder if Thornberry was able to keep his politics out of the story? Whether he did or not, it is a good reminder that not all reporters are liberal, not all media publishers are conservative, and it doesn't hurt to remind the public of our biases.