Star Tribune stands by Bachmann coverage, reporter's "butthurt" response to criticism

Pusey (right) thinks Brooks (left) is harder on Graves than she has been on Bachmann.

The Star Tribune recently created a stir with coverage of Michele Bachmann's swing through the 6th Congressional District that read more like P.R. than political reporting.

SEE ALSO: Star Tribune blasted for "puff" Michele Bachmann coverage

One of the most outspoken critics of Strib reporter Jennifer Brooks' work has been liberal political blogger Eric Pusey, who writes for the MN Progressive Project. Last week, Pusey criticized Brooks on Twitter, and in response she somewhat curiously sent him a "Butthurt Report Form." So Pusey took it upon himself to email Strib political editor Patricia Lopez to see if she stands behinds Brooks' coverage and her response to criticism.

First, for a bit of context, here's one of the Twitter exchanges between Pusey and Brooks.

Here you go, @eric_pusey.I'm going to need you to get that back to me in triplicate by the morning. bit.ly/10zbLv

-- Jennifer Brooks (@stribrooks) October 2, 2012

If you click on Brooks' link, here's what you get:


Pusey, feeling less than satisfied, addressed the following questions to political editor Lopez in his email: "Is Brooks' juvenile responses [sic] the official response of the Minneapolis Star Tribune to this criticism?" And, "Does the Star Tribune have professional standards for how their journalists are supposed to interact with critics?"

Here's Lopez's response, which Pusey later shared with City Pages:

Mr. Pusey,

Thanks for your email.
Star Tribune journalists are expected to respond with civility even on those occasions when their critics do not subject themselves to the same standard.
Sorry you didn't like the story. We stand by it. Thanks for reading.

Patricia Lopez
Political Editor
Star Tribune

"Even on those occasions when their critics do not subject themselves to the same standard?" Ouch.

Pusey followed up with another email asking Lopez whether she feels Brooks' "butthurt" response meets the Strib's civility standard, but to the best of our knowledge she hasn't replied yet. Meanwhile, Pusey continues to decry the Strib's allegedly soft Bachmann coverage. From earlier this morning:

Wow! @stribrooks fact checks Jim Graves, when will Strib fact check @michelebachmann? ow.ly/ekPRi #stribpol #mnleg #occupymn

-- Eric Pusey (@eric_pusey) October 9, 2012