Black Watch: Today’s Top Stories
The ping-ponging wisdom of the press was once described to me, sensibly I thought, as similar to that of a school of fish. Since each individual fish is primarily interested in eating, reproducing and defecating, they each swim only to keep up with the fish in front. Hence, the school, as such, heads in whatever direction best suits those collective needs. And so it goes in the trial of Conrad Black. When it appeared that David Radler was getting the better of Eddie Greenspan, the press reported one after the other on Black’s grave demeanour in the face of his impending doom. Yesterday, when it was Radler’s turn to take some stick, sure enough Black’s demeanour was reported as positively ebullient, what with the prospect of freedom’s open road stretching out before him. I’m probably as guilty as the next perch, but there are days when the instinct for mocking trumps the instinct for serious contemplation, and this, friends, is one of those days.
Back on earth, Mike Miner, whose always surprising posts at the Chicago Reader put the lie to what I just said, reports the more palatable—even, dare I say, commendable—aspects of David Radler’s character. And this on a day when John Wayne Gacy would get a more respectful hearing.
Beyond that, the quote of the day comes from a civilian attending the trial just for the heck of it (as reported by the Post’s Mary Vallis):
“[Lord Black] has tried so hard to separate himself from the plebs and insulate himself with wealth and influential people,” she said. There is a certain irony, she said, in being “reduced to having your fate decided by people that don’t give a crap about you.”
Greenspan hits his stride [Toronto Star]You’d say anything for deal: defense [Chicago Sun-Times]Defence attacks Radler’s ‘sweetheart deal’ [National Post]Radler denies ‘Club Fed’ deal [National Post]Greenspan tells jury of Radler’s ‘sweetheart’ plea deal [Globe and Mail]Just like summer camp [Chicago Reader]Trial draws Canadian tourists [National Post]
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