Ricardo Pimentel Discusses "Growing Metro Milwaukee"

This was an online chat gone completely awry.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial page Editor Ricardo Pimentel was going to answer questions about "the launch Sunday of the newspaper's 'Agenda '08: Growing Metro Milwaukee' yearlong campaign, in which the Editorial Board will focus on combating key problems harming the region's ability to compete."

Questioners had other issues on their minds and Pimentel obliged them.

"We'll entertain question [sic] on other editorial board matters as well."

Pimentel answered a grand total of five questions, not much of a chat.

Of the five questions only one could have been considered remotely connected to "Growing Metro Milwaukee" and economic issues.

If you had an idea of how to fix SS that you believed was better than what you've heard so far, and inexpensive to implement, how would you go about getting it heard when politicians have no interest in anyone without lobbyist money?

Pimentel didn't have an answer.

The other questions:

What qualifications does Patrick McIlheran have to be granted a column in your newspaper? What are his credentials and did they advantage him more than any other?

Why does the paper call Frank Jude bi-racial and Obama black?

Are republicans born evil? Or, is that just what you and your editorial staff would like everyone to believe?

do you see obama naming hillary as his running mate if he wins the nomination?

Good questions.

You can decide the merits of his answers.

Pimentel's responses are here.

One very brief but notable answer, to the evil Republican question: "We are under no such delusions."

I think that's the problem with the Editorial Board.

The first step is admitting that you have a problem.

Pimentel and the Editorial Board aren't there yet.