In Wednesday’s Billings Gazette, Lee Newspaper reporter Jennifer McKee did a very nice human-interest story about Montana GOP Executive Director, Bowen Greenwood, and his lifestyle change.

You can read the story HERE.

Greenwood changed his eating habits, stopped smoking, found God, started exercising, lost weight, and he is a lot healthier. Good for him!

All that is very impressive and some may think Greenwood’s lifestyle change is nothing short of a miracle.

Maybe so, but that’s not the miracle I noticed in the story.

In my opinion, the miracle is McKee writing something positive about a Republican. She did not even use Jack Abramoff’s name in this story, which is very unique for her.

Back in 2008, I wrote this about McKee:

My opinion is that McKee is right up (or is it down) there with Mary Clare Jalonick when it comes to reporting on politics, which is at the bottom of the proverbial barrel. McKee and Jalonick can’t seem to write about politics without the name of Jack Abramoff appearing in the story.

Montanans can blame McKee for Jon Tester being elected. We all remember her disgraceful reporting during the 2006 campaign. McKee regularly promoted rumors and lies and was a driving force for the Montana Democratic Party and the Tester campaign’s talking points.

Since one of McKee’s fellow workers recently went to work as the mouthpiece for the Montana Democratic Party (MDP), seasoned observers of politics in Montana probably foresaw this olive branch as a way to make amends for the last 10 or so years of anti-GOP stories from her and her fellow workers. The MDP hired the second best person for their organization from Lee Newspapers.

Any GOP candidate running in 2010 and 2012 should beware: This story was probably just a wolf in sheep’s clothing. One human interest story with some decent reporting about someone on the right does not make a reporter neutral.

In McKee’s case, it would take about 10 years worth.