Wayne Dumond–a bad story made worse by ABC

As most of you well know, there is a lot of controversy being stirred up about the Wayne Dumond case and the role Mike Huckabee did or did not play in his release from prison.  There is no doubt, the man should not have received parole.  No matter who’s fault it was, it is a great tragedy and it ended in a murder.  It is something everyone involved will have to live with, including Mike Huckabee.  I am not here to put a spin on the facts and to try to gloss over any part Huckabee may have had in the release of Dumond.  I do, however, take exception to the way the media is portraying the entire situation.

This morning, ABC’s Good Morning America ran a segment that was filled with inaccuracies and from what I can tell bordered on an outright lie.  They were, of course, giving the details of the case and Huckabee’s involvement.  What bothers me most is the bottom part of the screen read “Huckabee’s Pardon: Rapist Struck Again After Release.”  That is simply not true.  Mike Huckabee did not pardon Wayne Dumond.  He also did not commute his sentence.  Lt. Governor Jim Guy Tucker, who was acting as Governor, while Bill Clinton was out of the state, campaigning for his first term as President is the one who commuted the sentence.  That made Dumond eligible for parole.  ABC could at least have the professionalism to use a headline that is not so obviously untrue.  You can not convince me they did not know Huckabee did not pardon the man.  It seems to me they have deliberately tried to make it look as if Huckabee actually granted Wayne Dumond a pardon and that is simply not the case.  You can read a transcript of Huckabee’s response to the Dumond incident here and judge for yourself.

Let me say again, this entire incident is a great tragedy.  Wayne Dumond should have been left in prison, that much is plain to see and as Mike Huckabee has stated, nothing he can say or do can change what has happened and I think he realizes he made a mistake.  That being said, I will continue to support him as he campaigns for President.  After all, he is only human.

That’s my take!

Larry