Unsuck DC Metro: Zimmerman Borrows Palin Tactic

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Zimmerman Borrows Palin Tactic

Taking a page from the Sarah Palin book (pamphlet) on how to bash the media, Chris Zimmerman, Metro Board member from Arlington, takes aim at the press for being part of Metro's problems. Next thing you know, he'll be wheeling out the "lamestream media" line.

Check out this quote from the City Paper:

“It used to be that you could learn a lot about Metro by reading the Post. That’s not what the newspaper is doing anymore,” Zimmerman says. “…The Examiner isn’t interested in Metro getting better, it’s interested in having something to kick. It’s an ideological mission for them. And I think the Post is just looking for a headline that will allow them to sell past the Examiner.”

What sorts of stories would Chris like to see in the press? Should the 6/22 articles have been headlined along the lines of "Hundreds Survive Metro Crash?" Should the Ludwig story be recast as a rider-friendly cost cutting move that saved Metro money? What about all of the willfully dangerous driving/criminal incidents? Should those stories have been spun to say that Metro is committed to the development of its workforce? C'mon!

If anything the press is and has been too soft on Metro. Besides, if Zimmerman wants affirmation for the "great" job he's doing, he knows where to go.

Chris should have followed the advice of an old saying: "Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."

Comments (31)

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+9 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 760 weeks ago

The Washington Post doesn't touch the labor issue AT ALL, and frankly, that is up there among Metro's biggest issues.

+5 Vote up Vote down

Metro User · 760 weeks ago

I'd like to see this man lose his job over this. Instead, I'm sure they'll raise rates again to give him a bonus.

+9 Vote up Vote down

Ever and Anon · 760 weeks ago

Ditto! This past year the Post has been reading like it's in Metro's back pocket. Zimmerman is more out of touch with reality than ever before. The old saying proves true as he has now removed all doubt from this rider as to his natural tendencies as A Fool.

Now I ponder the question Unsuck asked above. New headlines:

"Metro Helps Ailing Former Employee Reach Heaven! St. Peter Says Thanks!"

"Metro On Top of the Obesity Issue - Sweat it out of them via costs and heat!"

"Metro Eyeing Ways to Reduce Overpopulation With Rail Crash Techniques!"

Doctors Laud New Patient Strategies - Metro Sending More Sprains Via Escalator Closures!"

-2 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 760 weeks ago

The saddest part of this is that Zimmerman is probably the best member of the board. Obviously, that's not saying much.

-9 Vote up Vote down

Corresponding Toads · 760 weeks ago

Come on guys, Zimmerman is doing the best he can. I agree with him, these newspapers are in the business of selling trees; they are not fixing metro's problems like they ought to be!

4 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

JJx · 760 weeks ago

Agree that he's probably doing the best that he can, but then again, if you were going to have surgery, would you want someone qualified doing it or would you settle for just anyone doing the best they can?

+10 Vote up Vote down

Matthew · 760 weeks ago

Damn those reporters for not rolling up their sleeves and fixing that escalator themselves. REPORTING THE PROBLEMS IS PART OF FIXING IT! If Metro isn't going to be open and honest about its problems then it is the job of the media to do it.

-3 Vote up Vote down

Corresponding Toads · 760 weeks ago

See, here's where you're wrong, Matthew. Reporting these problems only causes more air pollution. Save your breath and save your fingers the stress... leave it in the responsible hands of Metro to fix everything. If they want your opinion, THEY'LL CALL YOU AND ASK FOR IT!!!

+2 Vote up Vote down

John · 760 weeks ago

*PLANT ALERT*
Its a shame Metro is wasting money employing PLANTS like you as a PR campaign to go posting in articles. Just shows they care more about PR and denial than actually FIXING THE PROBLEMS!

+3 Vote up Vote down

Unsuck Fan! :-) · 760 weeks ago

Does anyone actually READ Wash. Post and/or Dr. Gridlock? I get almost ALL of my WMATA news here and on Twitter (Don’t have an account, but figured out how to read/access tweets without one). I should probably unsubscribe from Metro’s e-alerts as they probably no longer reliable.

Thanks as always, Unsuck!

2 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

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Kat · 760 weeks ago

I read Dr. Gridlock's tweets...

+4 Vote up Vote down

Matthew · 760 weeks ago

I have a Sunday subscription for the coupons.

+4 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 760 weeks ago

Chris Zimmerman's constant kicking of journalism for the sake of getting votes is doing NOTHING to help the sorry state of journalism! He has no interest in making it better.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

unsuckdcmetro 92p · 760 weeks ago

Good one.

-3 Vote up Vote down

Nolan · 760 weeks ago

Chris Zimmerman is actually a pretty solid public servant and a great advocate for making Metro better.

I mean, isn't existence of this site proof that the Metro is under-covered by our local media?

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

Matthew · 760 weeks ago

I agree. How many stories has unsuck covered that the Post ignores? Stories that we all seem to think are pretty big deals.

+2 Vote up Vote down

anonymous · 760 weeks ago

Most of the Examiner is pure right wing garbage, but their Metro coverage is actually pretty good. It's still nowhere near critical enough.

0 Vote up Vote down

Ever and Anon · 760 weeks ago

Irony abounds. I have been trying to unsubscribe from the Post's breaking news alerts for 2 days. The "submit" button isn't working. Now, if they cannot fix that button, I bemoan the woes until they fix the metro escalators, and the air conditioning, and the broken doors. Really Post. Get it together now.

+2 Vote up Vote down

dan · 760 weeks ago

Yeah, not even the Examiner will touch (for the most part) the labor issues.

So long as WMATA continues to receive guarenteed federal, state, and local funding it will plod along in its hamfisted attempts to right itself.

What is the incentive to improve if they know they can't be shut down, or at least privatized?

0 Vote up Vote down

DCgrl · 760 weeks ago

I actually read this CITY PAPER article. that alpert dude comes across as a little icky. he and zimmerman appear to be friends

+3 Vote up Vote down

king friday 13 · 760 weeks ago

Metro has a serious "culture of arrogance" problem.

-1 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 760 weeks ago

What a stupid thing to say.

0 Vote up Vote down

Fedupwithwhining · 760 weeks ago

I liked this blog so much better when it seemed to be: 1-geared towards finding solutions to many of Metro's problems instead of Metro-bashing, and 2-when the occasional funny story was posted. Lately, it's looking more like a far left/bleeding heart-fest where most bloggers act like they want Metro to go away instead of discussing ways to improve it!

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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Guest · 759 weeks ago

Far left? Ha! You must be from the Gingrich camp. Bye.

+5 Vote up Vote down

unsuckdcmetro 92p · 759 weeks ago

And what are your suggestions?

2 replies · active 759 weeks ago

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Fedupwithwhining · 759 weeks ago

Less negativity and politics, more posts like the "Tourists Guide to Metro" that are both informative and entertaining and engage more bloggers in conversation. Perhaps readers could throw in the occasional example of things that had been bad previously but improved (thus "unsucking" the system). For example, it's been about 6 weeks since I was stuck on a non-air conditioned train, so it seems like Metro has improved the air conditioning at least trains running on the Yellow line. My previous post wasn't ill-intended, I'm just kind of missing the good ole days when posts seemed to be more informative and focused on helping matters, not more like doing away with the whole system! :-D

+6 Vote up Vote down

unsuckdcmetro 92p · 759 weeks ago

Write something up. If it's good, it'll be posted. Send an idea--anything. This blog is for you. Positive, constructive posts are MORE THAN WELCOME, just don't get a lot of those. If you see something getting better or have another idea for something like the tourist guide, send it! All ears/eyes. unsuuckdcmetro{at]yahoo[dot]com.

Don't think anyone writing into the blog has ever advocated doing away with the whole system. It's fair to say most want a system that works.

+1 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 759 weeks ago

My feeling is that Unsuck publishes any opinion that is interesting. If you've got an interesting story to tell, tell it. Go Unsuck!!

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Arlington Man · 759 weeks ago

What an arrogant bastard! Seriously. What a cynic. How does he know the Examiner doesn't want Metro to get better? 99% of Examiner readers TAKE Metro. Someone please mount a campaign against this elitist.

+1 Vote up Vote down

DCist · 759 weeks ago

When I hear the name Chris Zimmerman, my face instantly takes on the scowl of the woman behind him in the photo.

+2 Vote up Vote down

anonyousmoderate · 759 weeks ago

A Palin dig. Super original and funny! Derp derp derp.

Lefty drones might be 90%+ of DC, but that doesn't mean only the libertarians and conservatives don't want your opinions shoved down our throats.