Chilling effects alert!

The usual suspects who are always whining about "chilling effects" are trying to get Boston Globe technology correspondent Hiawatha Bray fired:

Democrats heaped criticism on The Boston Globe yesterday for failing to more aggressively punish technology reporter Hiawatha Bray, who criticized Sen. John F. Kerry's campaign in Internet postings as he covered the race.

Former Georgia Sen. Max Cleland, a close Kerry friend, said in a written statement, ``As someone who has seen what the right wing can do to destroy people and how the media can be complicit, I just can't get over the fact a reporter at a major newspaper was smearing John Kerry [related, bio] and he isn't even held accountable. Why does he have a job?''

Democratic National Committee spokesman Jano Cabrera said Bray's conduct ``merits more than a rebuke.''

Sheesh, he's a technology reporter posting in his personal blog. And someone please get an ice pack for Max Cleland before his brain explodes.

Here's an earlier article with some background:

A Boston Globe reporter who covered aspects of the presidential campaign was rebuked by his editors after criticizing Sen. John F. Kerry [related, bio] and promoting President Bush [related, bio] on Internet Web logs.

Globe editor Martin Baron issued a statement yesterday saying technology reporter Hiawatha Bray had been told in November his postings were ``inappropriate and in violation of our standards.''

Bray's postings were revealed by Media Matters for America, a liberal group which employs ex-Democratic staffers.

Ah, George Soros' butt boys. I thought they were busy outing gays.

Bray, who did not return calls yesterday, wrote a handful of technology-related stories for the Globe - including an August story about hackers altering the online cover of an anti-Kerry book by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth group.

And the problem is what, exactly?

Two weeks later, Bray posted an item under his own name on a blog hosted by the San Jose Mercury News dismissing Kerry's strategy of promoting his Vietnam service record as ``moronic.''

Not an uncommon opinion on all sides of the spectrum.

Bray promoted many of the Swift Boat attacks on Kerry - some of which were proven false.

Must have misspelled "alleged false." Sounds like the author thinks John Kerry was wearing his magic hat in Cambodia on Christmas Eve.

He questioned his own paper's work, dismissing probes of Bush's National Guard service as ``innuendo.''

Proven right again - just ask Dan Rather.

And in another Web forum after the election, Bray identified himself as a ``Bush supporter'' and said he's ``feeling pretty good now.''

Gosh, they actually found a reporter who supported Bush! That'll never do!

The Globe statement said editors learned of the postings in November. Since then, Baron said, Bray hasn't posted politically related items and has not written about either Bush or Kerry.

Sounds like an equitable resolution according to the Globe's rules. But not for the moonbats who don't care what reporters do if they are leftoids.

Bray's blog is apparently at http://www.monitortan.com/ but the archives don't seem to be working.