12-02-2010 FASHIONS HIMSELF AS KC'S KING MAKER ABOUHALKAH ALMOST COMPLIMENTS FUNKHOUSER Stop the presses!!!! Yael Abouhalkah, editorial board member and columnist at the Kansas City Star----who literally despises Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser---almost complimented Funkhouser in a column today (12/2). The key word is "almost." "Finally, Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser deserves credit for calling on corporate officials to stand up for a regional approach on job creation," wrote Abouhalkah, who has not complimented the Mayor for anything in at least a year. However, Abouhalkah quickly came to his senses and once-again backhanded Funkhouser: "Yet with his lack of credibility in the political and business worlds, Funkhouser can only point fingers and bemoan the situation," he added. Why the ongoing hatred against Funkhouser by Abouhalkah? According to a veteran journalist who has been close to the situation, it is personal. It seems as if Abouhalkah fashions himself as a king maker of sorts in his position at the KC Star (and as a panel member on KCPT's Ruckus program). Abouhalkah had felt he singlehandedly helped Funkhouser get the Star endorsement in 2007. However, after Funkhouser was elected and didn't preside as Abouhalkah wanted, he completely turned on the Mayor. "Oh, yes, you can toss objectivity out the window with Yael when it comes to Funkhouser," said the journalist, who was aware of the Star endorsement process. "Abouhalkah was the one who was responsible for the Funkhouser endorsement with the Editorial Board at the Star, and he now feels like he was betrayed," he added.
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