So says New Times Broward-Palm Beach's Bob Norman, who had hoped that his column last month outing South Florida Republican Congressman Mark Foley (pictured in photo) "would do some good." But things "spiraled out of control," says Norman, after Foley said he wouldn't talk about his sexual orientation and denounced Norman's story and "rumors" about him as "revolting and unforgivable." According to Norman, the mainstream media coverage that followed reduced the debate "to a realpolitikal show, a grand distraction."
New Times Broward-Palm Beach columnist Bob Norman ignited the Internet last week when he revealed what is already common knowledge among "political and media types": That Palm Beach County Republican Congressman Mark Foley (see photo) is gay. The column was immediately posted on at least 20 Web sites, and the story was then picked up by gay newspapers and received a mention in Hotline, a popular inside-the-beltway political fixation. Now even mainstream local papers like the Sun-Sentinel appear to be closing in.
Six AAN member papers in the Southeast picked up 61 percent of the awards in SPJ's Green Eyeshade Awards' print (weekly/monthly) division. SPJ has announced the finalists for the awards, and the order of finish will be announced at the Green Eyeshade Banquet April 5. Creative Loafing Atlanta and New Times Broward-Palm Beach picked up six each, while Miami New Times snagged four. Memphis Flyer has two nominations, and Mountain Xpress and Creative Loafing Charlotte came in with one each.
