Thursday, August 30, 2007

The Pot Calls the Kettle Prieto


Beneath the feigned hurt and indignation, Val Prieto is probably celebrating this evening. It's not every day that Babalú — his "humble blog," his "lowly blog" — is featured in El Nuevo Herald much less accused of being so unhumble and unlowly as to be able to fuel mass hysteria in Miami with last Friday's "Breaking News: Fidel Castro Is Dead" post, and even, which Cossio does not mention, compel the White House to disavow the rumor.

Cossio also blames blogger PerezHilton, but this seems hardly fair since his stock in trade is gossip-mongering and one would have to be stupid to credit anything he says. Babalú, on the other hand, aspires at least to be respectable, although if it continues to wave the bloody shirt it may find itself classed with PerezHilton and the other the scandal blogs forever.

Cossio labels Babalú "irresponsible," which is rather a mild criticism given the level of its deception. The possibility that it may have been self-deception as well does not excuse the enormity of reporting Castro's death as a fact when Babalú had nothing to back it up with but fantastical scenarios of its own invention.

One would wish that Babalu's "editor-in-chief," as Val Prieto now styles himself, would acknowledge his responsibility and take his lumps as a man. But, no such luck. Unrepentent and unchastened, we can only expect more of the same from him.

Sad but not unexpected.

Never unexpected.

http://www.elnuevoherald.com/noticias/mundo/columnas_de_opinion/story/83514.html

2 comments:

Vana said...

Manuel:
He should have apologized to his readers, that is the right thing to do, reckon he thinks he's to big to apologize, pretty soon Babalu that is Val, will be as believed as the boy who cried wolf,

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Vana:

Val has cried "wolf" so many times already that no one — absolutely no one — should give any credence to him now. But hope springs eternal in souls thirsty for their country's redemption, and I am convinced that were he to pull the same stunt tomorrow, he would be rewarded in similar measure. This will work till Fidel actually dies, then will follow a few more years of prognosticating Raúl's demise to a packed house. At last, Val will have to rely on analysis and penetration to sustain interest on his blog, and that is the day the galleries will empty.