Publisher's Note: This article originally appeared in the Beaufort Observer.

    Last week (10-21-11) we published an article in which we asserted that Vice President Joe Biden was being dishonest about why Obama's "Jobs Bill" should be passed. He contended that if the bill did not pass that "...murders, rapes and fires" would increase. We, along with many in the conservative media, challenged both the logic and the data behind Biden's assertion.

    When Biden was asked about his assertions that crime would increase he popped off at the reporter, telling him "...don't screw with me..."

    Over the weekend numerous publications, including Factcheck.org and the Washington Post published stories that showed conclusively that Biden's statistics were wrong. He had contended that crime went up in Flint, Michigan, where he was speaking, after the police force and fire departments were cut back. The evidence show just the opposite. Overall crime has continued a trend downward in Flint.

    Now that Biden has ended up with egg on his face, his staff is trying to punish the reporter. Click here to read that story.

    Commentary

    This story illustrates much about the relationship between big name politicians and the Elite Media in Washington, and for that matter in Raleigh. There exists a set of "rules" that reporters must play by and if you don't play by those rules you get burned. Obama tried it with Fox News, refusing to take questions from that leading network. One rule is: "Don't ask an unexpected question that may embarrass a politician." That is exactly what this story reflects. But what we have noticed is that the same rules do not apply equally. When a conservative reporter sticks it to a politician that is something for retribution. But when an Elite Media reporter tries to trap a Republican presidential candidate about a sign painted on a rock twenty years ago, that the candidate had nothing to do with, that is fair game.

    We suspect the way the game is played will not change because of this incident. And we also suspect that Biden will end up the loser in the pXXXXX contest with the media. He has already look like a whining wimp on this and it is only going to get worse the longer the pot keeps being stirred.

    Biden was wrong. He was wrong factually. His logic was absurd. And his response to the incident was childish. No doubt that his staff thought their attempt to retaliate would not go reported. It's a new day folks.