Comments on: Moving on Sadly but Proudly

By: don loepp

don loepp — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 05:34:53 +0000

Good luck in the new job, Jim. I’ll miss the blog. All the best.

By: caphill

caphill — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 05:53:03 +0000

Your voice will be missed, Jim! The University is lucky to have you and I’m sure your gifts will be put to good use for a great cause. Best of luck from your “first family in Denver” (get the hint?).

By: cody54

cody54 — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 07:33:08 +0000

Great work pop.

As I’ve said, your writing is not ending but just entering a new phase. Now you can focus on those book ideas we’ve talked about. You can still die at your desk… only it’ll be your home desk now, working on Romeo’s Remorse or your book about Daddy Grace

I love you and I’m proud of you.

Cody

By: LHKMAN

LHKMAN — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:27:15 +0000

I’ve been where you are, Jim. There is life after journalism. This is particularly so if your new employer is intellectually honest and allows you to use your skill and knowledge to be an advocate without requiring that you sell either your soul or your integrity. Fortunately, there are more employers like that than not. As I watch the continuing decline of the daily newspaper as a medium of communication and information, I find it easier each day to work as an honest advocate than as a second-rate journalist. Perhaps publishers will find their own bliss and figure out how to survive in today’s conditions while still producing a quality product. I wish you nothing but success and contentment as you go forward.

By: Mary

Mary — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:31:19 +0000

Jim, your new position sounds exciting and you can really help an industry that needs it in the area of communications. If you mean communications with patients and family I would love to give you ideas about that. I am a nurse, but more importantly I have experience with family members being in the hospital (generic, not specifically U. Hospital). So if you are looking for customer feedback I am willing to add to your database.
Mary

By: William Dilatush

William Dilatush — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 12:29:18 +0000

Dear Jim,
I am sad to see you are not going to be speaking to me on the issues any longer… I’ve enjoyed and been enlightened by the insight and comment…I have been remise in not saying so before…. all the best in your future at CU .
Bill

By: Eric Zorn

Eric Zorn — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 12:58:28 +0000

Jim,
I can’t tell you how much I admire how hard and how well you tried to make this work. It may well be that you were before your time; that the revenue/promotional models and the technology isn’t quite there for the independent pundit to make a sustainable living online, but it’s coming. I don’t know. But I know that you gave it a real and noble try.
Good luck in the new job. Best to Janice and the boys. I hope our paths cross again one of these days.
Your friend and former Chicago Tribune colleague,
Eric Zorn

By: Steven T. Corneliussen

Steven T. Corneliussen — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:29:42 +0000

One Christmas day, long before Spencer left his columnist post at the newspaper in my region here in Tidewater Virginia, I published an op-ed in our paper that compared him with George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life.” It was my view that if Spencer ever shook the dust of our little town off his feet and went back out into the wider world — where he had actually already been, earlier, at the Chicago Tribune — we’d come to look less like Bedford Falls and mnore like Pottersville. Spencer went to Denver a few years ago. Now we look more like Pottersville. Watch out, Denver.
Steven T. Corneliussen

By: Dave Barnes

Dave Barnes — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:43:51 +0000

Missed, you will be.

By: bobevans

bobevans — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:45:34 +0000

Good luck, Jimbo. And don’t worry. Truth-telling comes in many forms. bob.

By: Carol

Carol — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:57:30 +0000

It is with sadness for me and happiness for you that I send my congratulations. University of Colorado is indeed fortunate to have you. On the other hand, the MANY readers of your column in the Denver Post and online are the losers here. I have never felt so “in tune” with a news columnist as I have with you. I thoroughly enjoyed every single column from Day 1…even on the rare occassions where we disagreed. I wish you challenging and fun times ahead with Plans B, C, D, etc.

By: RASchmidt

RASchmidt — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:58:23 +0000

Thanks for the many years of thoughtful insite you have provided the community. Unfortunatly the 2 new editorial writers the Post has hired are light weights dealing in nonsence. No wonder the government gets away with the things it does when all the true defenders are forced to leave the field.

Once again thank you and I wish you the very best in your new career.

By: Paula49

Paula49 — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:10:03 +0000

Jim: This saddens me beyond belief but I am excited for you to have new challenges. I still remember your first column in the Post. I knew you would be a kindred spirit from that very first day. What makes you so special is your ability to look at an issue with humanity and compassion and shine a bright light on those who can only use nastiness and derision to make a point. By giving them a forum here, you let them reveal the weaknesses of their arguments. You have been a beacon in a sea of reactionary noise and you will be sorely missed by everyone, whether they agree with you or not. Good luck in your new endeavor. I will miss you terribly. You will always have a special place in my heart.

By: Dave-in-Aurora

Dave-in-Aurora — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:34:58 +0000

Jim - - good luck with your new and critically important career venture. You’ll do very well there. We’ll miss your fine commentary from your site just as we missed it from the increasingly “thin” Denver Post.

Dave

By: Wildflower

Wildflower — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:48:30 +0000

Congratulations, I hope you finally have health insurance again! Thank you for the wonderful columns you gave us and the forum of expression you afforded us with Spencer Speaks.I enjoyed it. One does not often get the chance of discourse with such eloquent, interesting people.
You are a journalist deep in your soul. But life is an adventure, a book, and you are merely turning the page to the next chapter.
Good luck on the second half of your life, wherever that may take you.

By: urthpigg

urthpigg — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:56:49 +0000

I wish you luck and happiness in your new job.

By: Plaisance

Plaisance — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 17:13:49 +0000

Mister Jim! This country is losing one of the finest ‘reporter’s columnists’ I know, and it has made me sick since your DP departure. But sounds like you’ve landed in a great place worthy of a new chapter for both you & Janis. Congratulations (I’m also glad to hear you’ll be sticking around — you haven’t met Simone yet, remember).
Hope to see you both soon.

-plp.

By: no idea

no idea — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 17:48:09 +0000

Good luck Jim. You will be missed. I wish you the very best in the future.

Go Nuggets!!! Although they need to get their act together if they want to accomplish anything this year.

By: LHKMAN

LHKMAN — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 18:39:51 +0000

This has nothing directly to do with Jim Spencer, but readers may want to know that the Denver Post is ending its free-standing business news section Monday-Friday, choosing to fold it into the A section and Denver & The West. No formal or public announcement yet, but the news was confirmed by the Post to a Forbes journalism blog. Of course, the current business section was a shameless piece of garbage that wasn’t even the six pages it appeared to be, as they buried obits in it. The Post, like so many papers, still tries to cut its way to prosperity, which never has been done successfully. Jim, it seems, was just one of the early casualties of an industry that never has reinvested in its own properties and finds it easier to curse the darkness of the Internet than to make itself relevant. Somehow, reading a computer screen over breakfast won’t be at all satisfying, especially not to my wife. It appears, now that Jim is going off into the world of “corporate communications” (it used to be called PR) he’s going to have to learn a whole new way of communicating. Newspapers are abdicating their role in our society.

By: usersuz

usersuz — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:23:19 +0000

We’ll miss your voice, Jim, but you’ll feel a lot better when you can enjoy some job security, have medical benefits, a regular paycheck, all that jazz! If you find you still have the itch, well, write a book or something! Hasta la vista, baby!

By: Russ Brown

Russ Brown — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:09:57 +0000

It’s been great and you are among the greatest! Thanks for the honest and factual journalism you have provided. I will Miss it.

I know that you will be successful whatever you do. I wish you the very best with your new job. Your superior journalistic skills have provided us all with so many insightful stories. Alas, we all move forward. Good luck!

Sincerely,

Russell A. Brown

By: Russ Brown

Russ Brown — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:17:09 +0000

Best of Luck!

By: clj

clj — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 21:28:49 +0000

Jim: Sorry to see you go. You were one of the voices for the progressive side. We have enough Harsanies and his ilk. Come back Molly

By: Les

Les — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 21:34:40 +0000

Jim, You will be missed from my in-box. But good wishes in your new endeavor with CU Medicine! I’m sure you will continue to bring your best to the table. Keep up the good work.

By: mathew clark

mathew clark — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:07:03 +0000

James, Being a reader of the Denver Post for 35 yrs I felt safe from the right wing extreemeist when you were adding a “voice of reason” in your Denver Post colinm. Make no mastake, the owner/publisher of the Post is following the trail that Rupert murdock blaised. I was pissed when you were fired for your “liberal” writings. Now, I’m crushed. There is nothing but silence in this dark landscape called Colorado journalism. You will be missed. I wish you well. Matt

By: kujack

kujack — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:12:31 +0000

Jim,
I know I, and many, many people will miss your insight and wisdom. Best of luck to you, and thank you for your years of service. You have been as valuable as any soldier, and more valuable than 99.999% of all politicians and people in power.

By: Sasha

Sasha — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:19:07 +0000

I’m happy for you that you’ve found employment that fits your talents. But you’ll leave a big hole in this spot just as you’ve left an even bigger one at the Denver Post. I wish you all good things in your new position, and will continue to pray that your life goes the way it’s supposed to. Good luck and God bless.

By: littleor0

littleor0 — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:02:52 +0000

All the best to you, Jim, and hopes for your new career.

I have appreciated all your writing, your care, your concern.

May the new job satisfy you as much as this one has.

By: VirginiaSquire

VirginiaSquire — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:50:50 +0000

Jim,

Good luck to you and the family in years to come. I reside in Poquoson, the town you left when you went to Colorado. Although we were usually on the opposite sides of the majority of editorials, I nonetheless admire your principals. Again, good luck and happy trails.

By: emamond

emamond — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 02:21:29 +0000

Good Luck Jim. Thank you for caring and writing about the important issues of our time. Thank you for standing up to the powerful. I wish you well. You will be fine.

By: Mike Littwin

Mike Littwin — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 04:30:25 +0000

Jimbo,

This is wrong in so many ways. What happened to you is indicative of every bad decision being made in our business, a business that seems to be making only bad decisions. Denver loses an important voice. The only solace that I can take is that I get to keep a friend.

Mike

By: Keith

Keith — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:41:06 +0000

Good luck Jim, on a real job. I’m sure it pays better than this one! We all have to move on and sometimes it’s not the kind of work we “want,” but the salary we “need.” I’m sure the Republican-owned and managed Denver Post - who endorsed Hillary (because the Repubs know they have a chance to beat her over Obama), and Romney, because he’s more “conservative” than McCain - are a lesser factor in this metro area with your loss, and Harsanyi’s promotion. We’ll keep hope alive, you enjoy the new job.

Keith

By: Rick Rogers

Rick Rogers — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:05:00 +0000

It is indeed a sad day for journalism when Jimbo Spencer can’t find a decent job in the profession that he loves and has servered so well. I once told Jim shortly after his forced exile from The Denver Post, where he won more column-writing awards than any other columnist there, that if there was no room for him in journalism, the rest of us were all screwed. Well, that day has come, and I feel more strongly about my comment then ever. At the exact moment of the greatest need for Jim, he has been silenced. God, save us all.

By: Stu Brann

Stu Brann — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:38:42 +0000

Jim, I’m not too surprised that you had to give up the good fight and get a steady job; I was surprised it lasted as long as it did, always hoping you could make the blogging world turn enough of a profit (hah) to keep you going. But, the job you have taken is a worthy one. I held the same kind of job a number of times and with the right employer –and I think this is one– can be very rewarding.
I can say I’ll miss your insights on the local scene, and must say things have goe downhill since you left the Post. I hope the Right is savoring its oh so temporary triumph over journalism, as it will not be allowed to last.
Vaya con, or as we Irish say, Slan Lait.

By: dfrazi

dfrazi — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 03:36:43 +0000

Jim:
You’ve made me laugh and you’ve made me cry.
You’ve enlightened me and you’ve made me stretch my mind.
Thanks for always being you.
I hope you’re able to use the full range of your talents in the future.
There’s always after retirement…