[Ads-l] Quote: If one side says it's raining and the other side says it is not raining =?UTF-8?Q?=E2=80=A6_?=(Request "Texas Spectator" archive search)

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Several inquiries were sent to me about a saying used by journalists.
Now there is a QI article.

Quote Origin: If One Person Says It’s Raining and Another Says It’s
Not Raining Then the Journalist Should Look Out the Window and Report
the Truth
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2023/11/14/rain-look/

In 1974 journalists Sam Kinch and ‎Stuart Long published a book about
Texas politics. The book credited "Texas Spectator" journalist Hubert
Mewhinney with formulating the didactic tale under examination in the
late 1940s. The tale referred to the two most powerful Texas
politicians during that era.

[ref] 1974, Allan Shivers: The Pied Piper of Texas Politics by Sam
Kinch and ‎Stuart Long, Chapter 24: A Lyndon Johnson Man—Sometimes,
Quote Page 211 and 212, Shoal Creek Publishers Inc., Austin, Texas.
(Verified with hardcopy) [/ref]

[Begin excerpt]
It was designed as a criticism of the then current attitude of Texas
newspapers--that you quote what the man says, and that’s all.

"If Jimmy Allred says it's raining, and W. Lee O'Daniel says it isn't
raining." Mewhinney wrote. "Texas newspapermen quote them both, and
don't look out the window to see which is lying, and to tell the
readers what the truth is at the moment."
[End excerpt]

Mewhinney’s tale clearly suggested that a good journalist should look
out the window and report the truth. I have not been able to find an
archive of the "Texas Spectator" newspaper in the 1940s; hence, I have
not been able to obtain a precise citation in the 1940s. Maybe the
"Texas Spectator" has not been scanned. Ideas for obtaining a citation
would be helpful.

Also, feedback on the article would be welcome.
Garson O’Toole

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