Did this headline come from a Max Baucus press release? Nope. Did this headline come from a Denny Rehberg press release? Nope. Or did this headline come from a Jon Tester press release? Nope.

They all like the recently-passed Farm Bill, and they voted for it.

That headline came from the Associated Press. The reporter for the story is Mary Clare Jalonick, who opened the story with this graph:

“It almost didn’t happen at all, but much of the farm bill passed by Congress this week is good for Montana — including disaster aid for farmers, country-of-origin labeling for meats and a provision that could help head off development of privately owned land in western Montana.”

Thank you for your personal opinion about the Farm Bill being so good for Montana, Associated Press. Gee, and I thought the Associated Press is run with this in mind:

“AP’s mission is to be the essential global news network, providing distinctive news services of the highest quality, reliability and objectivity with reports that are accurate, balanced and informed.”

A few Montana newspapers like the in Butte and Bozeman ran the story with the headline, but the Billings Gazette decided to change it in their Sunday edition with the headline: “Farm Bill favorable to Montanans”

Objectivity? Accurate? Balanced? Informed? Highest quality?

Hmmm. Maybe next time this opinion can be placed where it belongs – on the editorial/opinion page.