Bottom Line Communications

   BOTTOM LINE: Kansas City Star columnist Lewis Diuguid's days as a columnist have come to an end after 21 years. He will remain in his vice president post at the McClatchy-owned paper.
   It was Diuguid who was widely criticized nationally for his comments during the recent presidential campaign that "socialist is racist code language for black." Rush Limbaugh and other conservative commentators blasted him for his view. Diuguid also predicted Barack Obama would likely lose the election because most voters are racists.     
   Ironically, the announcement (12/3) of the end of Diuguid's columnist days was made on the Web site Maynard Institute (LINK) and NOT in the Kansas City Star. It gives the impression he was not pleased about losing his public forum.   12-06-2008
Lewis Diuguid Column at K.C. Star Ends 21-Year Run
   Lewis DiuguidLewis W. Diuguid, columnist, editorial board member and vice president for community resources at the Kansas City Star, is losing his column as Star Publisher Mark Zieman assigns him more responsibilities elsewhere, Diuguid said on Wednesday.
   "I have about six jobs. I am responsible for The Star's philanthropic efforts in the community, I do more than 200 speaking engagements on behalf of The Star and I am co-chair of the companywide diversity initiative. I will be picking up duties that include staff development and community forums," Diuguid told Journal-isms.
   "I am to remain on the editorial board as its only minority member but with no public voice.
   "I have been writing a column for The Star since June 1987. I got permission to write the column once a week to add perspective to the neighborhood news section that I edited back then. The column grew to twice a week as I took on writing for an additional section, and then in May 1994 the column became a twice a week metro column. I started doing a third column not long afterward by continuing to write for one of neighborhood news sections.
   "In September 1999 I moved to my current position, writing two columns a week. In April 2006 the second column was killed. In the time I have been writing a column, I have never missed an opportunity to write a column � not for holidays, vacations, sicknesses or for deaths in my family.
   "No box has ever run saying my column will return whenever."
   Zieman was on vacation and could not be reached for comment.