"Is you is or is you ain't, my constituency"

Prior to the legislative spring break, Long's spokesperson Brett Funk refused an new media interview request because Billy was going to focus exclusively on district media and constitutents.

OK, so Billy denies an interview request from new media journalist Bob McCarty because Long is going to focus on district press and constituents.

I am a constituent of Billy Long and I write news and commentary for the new media through the Busplunge. I am also a member of the Missouri Press Association AND I live in MO 7, seems to me I meet all of Billy's requirement for to speak with him or at least attend his press briefing.

Wrong.

Long denies me entrance to a press briefing because, according to him and his staff, I am not a member of the press.

But I'm a constituent, Billy!


According to the words and actions of Billy Long and his staffers, new media journalists are not media and, because of that belief, Long and his metro somethings are justified in denying interview requests and in blocking new media's access to the congressman.

Using that Long logic, anyone who doesn't live in Billy's district, anyone who writes for the new media and anyone who isn't a print or television journalist ain't gonna get an interview with Billy Long.

Yesterday an email arrived at the bus garage alerting us that Long had given an interview to Politico:

Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.), one of those freshmen who Huckabee endorsed in a primary last year, was there and said the Arkansan emphasized that he hadn't yet made up his mind on a White House bid.

"He said, 'people that have printed that they definitely know that I am not running do not know what they are talking about and people who have printed that I am running do not know what they're talking about because, quite frankly, I don't know,'" Long and another attendee told POLITICO

Huckabee and his small inner circle very much want to keep buzz about his potential candidacy alive — but also don't want to pump up the possibility so much that executives at Fox, where he has a weekly show, nix his contract.

For his part, Long said he truly thinks Huckabee remains unsure of his plans.

"I do not think he's holding his cards tight to his vest," Long said.

Long also tweeted regarding Mike Huckabee's presidential aspirations.

Billy--- you won't talk to McCarty because, according to your staff, you are focusing on district press and constituents.

You won't talk to me because, according to both your staff and YOU, I'm not media.

Frequent bus riders will remember that not once, but twice you told us that you don't run to microphones everytime one is offered....Remember saying that, Billy? We do.*

Here, I drew some Venn Diagrams----



Ah, Billy get your stories straight, you no longer seem amusing.

*In an interview Long told NPR's Andrea Seabrook that he had to liquidate his third interest in the largest real estate company in town. Long is speaking of the 1/3 interest he owns of Murney and Associates.