by Susan J. Demas December 1, 2008 After years of being a mere policy wonk and politics geek, I’ve somehow made it to pundit status in Lansing. Yes, it’s a glamorous life covering every sigh in the state Senate, writing four stories a day and occasionally appearing on Tim Skubick’s “Off the Record,” where he [...]

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by Susan Demas November 1, 2008 I used to be the last optimist about newspapers, but not anymore. The Christian Science Monitor just announced that it’s essentially becoming an online publication, scaling back its print edition to once a week. The New York Times is bleeding red ink and is rumored to be ripe for [...]

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by Susan Demas October 1, 2008 Sarah Palin has been crowned Miss V.P., flashing her Vaseline-slathered teeth as she glides from one adoring crowd to the next. No questions, please, boys, with President Karzai. Photos only. Just like in Cannes. Or Pyongyang. The Alaska governor has held one semi-press conference and three interviews in the [...]

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by Susan Demas September 1, 2008 You know the story. He was a charming, handsome dad who hit the stump hard, despite the pesky fact that he had impregnated his mistress. Many thought he’d win, even in a bruising primary season. But the media somehow missed the boat and the hottest story of the race. [...]

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by Susan Demas August 1, 2008 The journalistic philosophy of one of my first editors could be summed up in two words: local, local. He would utter them ad nauseam in a nasally tone that was far more hilarious than any of the skilled imitations in the newsroom. During staff meetings, in fact, I was [...]

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by Susan Demas July 6, 2008 Ten minutes before Barack Obama was slated to speak in Flint last month, U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Brighton) hopped on the phone for a media conference call, ostensibly to slam the likely Democratic presidential nominee’s economic policies. In reality, Mike was there to lecture the news media on how [...]

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by Susan Demas June 1, 2008 In Washington, the longstanding joke is never get between U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and a TV camera. Here in Lansing, that maxim is best heeded in regard to Leon Drolet. The former Republican representative turned Recall King has the Capitol press corps on speed dial, always armed with [...]

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