The Story Nightline Doesn't Have Time To Tell

If you watched the Nightline segment on blogging tonight, you might be interested to read more about how blogs influenced Virginia Delegate John Cosgrove to withdraw HB1677.  Although Nightline interviewed me for the piece for over 90 minutes, they're only able to fit a few minutes of that into their broadcast, so here's the fuller story if you're interested.

Concerns about the bill were first posted here at Democracy for Virginia and in a cross-posted diary on DailyKos.  Both posts resulted in quite a few comments, but opposition to the bill in the blogosphere really took off when the story traveled to the infertility/miscarriage blogosphere through a great post at Chez Miscarriage.  You can get a sense of how the story traveled in the blogosphere by reviewing the "trackbacks" on my original post here and on the first post at Chez Miscarriage. 

Within a day, our site was getting tens of thousand of hits, and I posted an update with additional information on the bill and links to additional research on fetal death reporting for readers in other states who were concerned about how this issue was dealt with in their state.  Many blogs provided incredibly valuable additive research.

Meanwhile, hundreds of concerned men and women had contacted Delegate Cosgrove about this bill.  Although I had written him an email three days before posting my original concerns, I didn't hear from him directly until he had been inundated with concerned emails.  To his credit, Delegate Cosgrove spent many hours that weekend responding to concerned writers.  At his request, I posted his full email response to me here.

By Sunday of that week, newspapers and TV stations around Virginia had picked up the story.  Although Delegate Cosgrove at first acknowledged problems with the bill, his responses soon focused on what he called "misinformation" about the bill.  I wrote about that here.

Soon, the news broke that Del. Cosgrove would withdraw the bill entirely.  Still, Delegate Cosgrove seemed to deflect the genuine citizen concerns about the bill as written by blaming blogs for spreading misinformation, even though he never challenged or disputed the substance of the concerns expressed about the bill itself.  Many of the ordinary people who wrote to him with concerns about this bill were quite insulted by his implication that they were all dupes of a misinformation campaign.  It seemed like Cosgrove wanted to blame the messenger rather than address the message.  I wrote about this here.

All readers of the original story about the bill were invited to be skeptical about my concerns and interpretations.  The great thing about blogs is that readers are empowered to fact-check stories for themselves, and I encourage all readers to do so here.  Thanks for visiting Democracy for Virginia!

Comments

[Waldo Jaquith]

It's sad that Del. Cosgrove continues to claim that this bill had anything to do with mothers abandoning babies in dumpsters. There is no reading of this bill that comes anything close to that. He may as well claim that the bill was intended to "fight terrorism," or "protect our boys in uniform" -- it wouldn't be any more true.

If he really did intend to write a bill regarding abandoned infants, his ability to craft legislation is so poor as to render him unfit to do his job. I prefer the kinder explanation that he'd intended to slip this bill through without anybody noticing -- once you noticed, he panicked, and started denying everything.

[Keri]

Hi! I saw you on Nightline last night. Have to say I was impressed by your professionalism. You came across aa far more of a real journalist than the Nightline journalist. I was irritated enough at how poor a job they did that I posted a rant about it on my Live Journal. This entry:

http://www.livejournal.com/users/ciardhapagan/124675.html

[Ol Cranky]

Maura:

I'm sorry to say I missed you (and the coverage of Chez Miscarriage) on Nightline,though I have read the transcripts. First off, kudos for raising awareness about this legislation and describing it accurately. I was one of the people who posted on forums with direct links to your story & Cosgrove's suggested amendment and sent emails to my old college friends still living in VA; I felt no need to embellish the story as it was horrifying as written (especially when I realized VA incorrectly defines fetus).

For Cosgrove to require approval or advance notice of any "reporting" about him or legislation he sponsors makes me wonder what country he thinks he lives in. Worse yet, for anyone to imply that whatever misinformation that was spread was due the web being the domain in which information was spread is downright ludicrous.

From what I understand, everyone is raving about how well you presented yourself and your position. I think you may find yourself a little higher profile than expected, but I think it's clear you are thorough, accurate and worthy of respect, and definitely someone the media may keep their eyes on to get information.

[Tena]

Maura - I post Action Alerts twice a week at First-Draft. It's a group effort. We posted an Action Alert when this story was new, and sent I don't know how many emails to Cosgrove, between the Action Alert and Atrios' post.

Today he's going to get some more, because that's what the Action Alert is about - we're emailing Cosgrove to let him know that he's a damned legislator, works for the people, and legislation is supposed to be a matter of public record. He doesn't have a leg to stand on to complain about you or about what happened.

[Bpmhalrqxz]

Most people don’t understand subtleties of but those who do - could become successful in finance. See it in details:
Our site offers detail information on next subjects: . More details in those pictures:
This site is devoted to and answering on a question –how to work and earn with . Here we have few themed pictures:
On our site you’ll presented helpful information about More details in those pictures:
Data about are presented on our web site. See it on the following pictures:
Some fresh information about will help to find new ways for self-realization. Here we have few themed pictures:
How often do you need ? You’ll find a lot of advices in our site! All in details on pictures:
Information support of . See it on the following pictures:
You will find detailed answers to all questions concerning to , having visited our portal Besides that, only at our web-site you can find such detailed pictures:
The basic advantage of our site that we collected final information about . Pay attention to pictures on this theme:


http://auto-leave.com/cars3/best-prices-on-saab-auto-parts/mickey-shore-car-audio.html>mickey shore car audio
http://auto-leave.com/cars2/2007-bmw-parts-manual/amica-auto-insurance.html>amica auto insurance
http://auto-leave.com/cars5/1957-ford-pickup-parts/buy-cheap-canadian-car-insurance-quote.html>buy cheap canadian car insurance quote
http://auto-leave.com/cars3/old-ford-parts/australia-car-insurance-online-quote-sports.html>australia car insurance online quote sports
http://auto-leave.com/cars3/old-ford-parts/45-auto.html>45 auto
http://auto-leave.com/cars3/best-prices-on-saab-auto-parts/sitemap10.html>auto site
http://auto-leave.com/cars2/2007-bmw-parts-manual/early-car-built-in-illinois.html>early car built in illinois
http://auto-leave.com/cars2/2007-bmw-parts-manual/sitemap21.html>auto site
http://auto-leave.com/cars3/old-ford-parts/sitemap.html>auto site
http://auto-leave.com/cars5/1957-ford-pickup-parts/sitemap19.html>auto site
korenetorpi981
If you interesting in the actual information about - visit our site. Here we have few themed pictures:
Interesting articles about , we open secrets of Also pictures:
We consider under all corners. More details in those pictures:
Our portal is best in the field of work and knowledge about . More details in those pictures:
The Ussr has broken but and still exist. Those images will help you to understand:
Come to our site, we will tell you about , and even about . See it in details:
On our site you’ll presented helpful information about More details in those pictures:
Who did not hear about , here we have bright example - . See it on the following pictures:
Do you want to learn about for a long time? Then it is a high time to begin at our web-site! Look through the most actual pictures:
and are not problems anymore - will finish care about this. Besides that, only at our web-site you can find such detailed pictures: