Spin Cycle

Mayor Bloomberg has apparently decided he's a journalism expert, lecturing Newsday reporter Michael Frazier on the proper way to ask questions of self-important politicians.

At issue: Frazier, in asking a question about the Sean Bell case, said to Bloomberg "you maintain that you have a dialogue going..." Bloomberg decided that the word "maintain" was not "appropriate" because it "insinuated" that he was lying.

Reporters, of course, are supposed to be skeptical about whether politicians like Bloomberg are telling the truth, and are not required to bow and scrape when they ask questions. "Maintain" is a neutral word. It is not accusatory -- and even if it was, so what? Bloomberg now only takes questions from reporters who show him a deference he deems appropriate?

We have no idea what bee the mayor actually had in his bonnet:

Video via Azi at the Politicker.