By D. Jefferson Bean / Staff / Editorial Board Member

Repeat exposure to the political class leaves one expecting a certain degree of petulance, vindictiveness, and a sense of entitlement. Whether antisocial personalities actively seek power over others, or as Lord Acton observed, "All power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely," the result is the same. The rise of "messianic" politics and the "cult of personality" during the twentieth century have yielded an unholy union:" that of the narcissist/sociopath career politician and Eric Hoffer's "true believer." In this environment, one imagines that even the best eventually succumb to pressure and temptation, emerging from the "circle of mirrors" chrysalis as moths of an altogether nasty sort.

Heavy stuff, I suppose -- but maneuvering around inattentive, mouth-breathing cretins on a sweltering afternoon isn't conducive to happy, "feel good" thoughts. By the time I reached GA 400's Abernathy Road exit; it occurred to me that Yeats was absolutely right: the worst are filled with passionate intensity -- and an alarming number of them also have drivers" licenses and cell phones. And I, diehard Luddite that I am, was also saddled with one of the infernal devices, the better to cover former secretary of state Karen Handel's victory celebration for Beacon Broadcast Network's Political Insighter live election broadcast on July 20.

I'll admit that in the main, I neither like nor trust politicians. Having endured LBJ, Nixon, Carter, Clinton, both Bush's and now Obama (Ford was a nonentity, and I still have a modicum of grudging respect for Reagan) in my forty-two years, my suspicion and hostility towards the breed are justified. As far as I'm concerned, public servants exist to serve the public. They work for us, not the other way around. I don't elect my representatives to lead me, but rather to see to the business for which I have no time. To employ a business analogy:" we, the citizens, own the company. The government is simply a management team, to be hired or fired as our trust in their competence and integrity warrants.

Many of our employees, however, believe otherwise. To some, public office is a divinely bestowed privilege, a birthright to which they're unconditionally entitled. The rise of media as disseminators of ideology rather than information, and of "embedded" journalism in particular, has only reinforced this sense of entitlement, in that many of them expect support from the media. If a given candidate wants positive coverage, he/she should conduct him/herself accordingly -- or purchase an ad.

As serious journalists, our business is informing the public, not king-making.

Initially, I hadn't wanted to include Karen Handel among the ranks of the entitlement minded, but after last Tuesday's election night coverage, I have no choice. Despite Handel's feelings to the contrary, The Beacon has always treated her fairly. Arguably, its coverage has been too positive. Handel appeared on the cover of the October 18, 2009 edition, and received a two-page feature best described as "glowing."" Nathan Deal, on the other hand, was taken to task (and rightly so) by this newspaper over allegations that he'd used his influence to line his pockets. Handel appeared again in the July 11, 2010 edition, in the closest thing to a "puff piece" this reporter has ever written, as I was dispatched to cover her Roswell rally. Granted, the Beacon covered the "Gay-gate" scandal in an earlier edition, but examined Deal's and Oxendine's alleged unethical conduct on the same page. In short, the Beacon's coverage, far from being anti-Handel, was even-handed, and to reiterate, perhaps overly positive. Apparently, this wasn't enough for her. Handel apparently thinks that because we cover North Fulton, we are her "local paper," and as such, she's "entitled."

Neither Oxendine or Deal ever "retaliated" for any perceived "slight," and despite the Beacon's conservative readership, even Democrat governor nominee Roy Barnes treated the Beacon correspondent assigned to cover him with courtesy and professionalism, even though this newspaper skewered him in an Op-ed piece over his refusal to participate in a debate.

Ms. Handel, in sharp contrast, apparently mistook the Westin Perimeter for the White House Travel Office and herself for Hillary Clinton.

My first indication that something was amiss came when security redirected me from the main parking lot to the deck despite my press badge. When I located Handel's campaign manager, Dan McLagan, he informed me that our July 18 cover story, "Dark Horse: Eric Johnson Prepares for Furious Stretch Run" had displeased the Handel camp. Never mind that Johnson's meteoric rise in the polls was noteworthy, to say the least. Never mind that The Beacon doesn't endorse political candidates. Apparently, Handel and Co. considered our temerity in covering a rival an act of betrayal, as if we'd somehow stolen what was rightfully theirs. To employ an Irish expression: this effectively banjaxed my prospects of receiving an interview.

To his credit, McLagan wasn't overtly boorish, and one imagines that to one of Handel's lofty station, smaller newspapers should be content with whatever crumbs she chooses to toss them. Apparently, other prominent North Fultonites (whom I'll do the courtesy leaving unnamed) are of like mind. In keeping with my faith, I strive to turn the other cheek, but after a metaphoric slap on each -- and a kidney punch for good measure -- my patience wears thin. Handel's fawning before the mainstream media (hardly a bastion of conservatism) simply added insult to injury. Ultimately, I could only compose a brief synopsis of the evening's events, and wonder about such petty vindictiveness in a candidate for the state's highest elected office.

I won't claim that The Beacon's coverage influenced the vote either way. In this reporter's opinion she owes us nothing -- and the debt is mutual. Common courtesy, though, is an essential thread in the fabric of a truly civilized society. It's also, in part, the measure of a man -- or woman: Her everyday conduct indicates how she'll govern herself when entrusted with power.

On Tuesday, July 20, 2010, Karen Handel conclusively demonstrated how she governs herself -- and how she'll govern Georgia " by retaliation, intimidation and retribution, no doubt.

Ironically, it was Adlai Stevenson, a Democrat, who once opined, "In a democracy, people get the government they deserve." In this reporter's opinion, Georgia deserves better.