Sometimes you just have to laugh and order more drinks

In the article that follows from the DSMR Shirley Philips, Sac County's Economic blah blah manages to get quoted referred to as if she's an expert on rural economic viability. The only conclusion I am able to draw is that the reporter that wrote it is messing with us. I speculate that the scene played out something like this:

REPORTER 1: (to REPORTER 2) I'll bet you that I can make the state's seemingly least effective titled county director of economic development give me a quote as if he or she is an expert.

REPORTER 2: You're full of it, (looks at census data) OK, here you go. Pocahontas County. They are freaking BLEEDING people. If you can get that person to make themselves look like an idiot by actually having the gall to give you a quote from the perspective that they are some kind of expert on economic development, I'll give you a hundred bucks!

REPORTER 1: You make a good point. Can I change the bet to one of the bottom five?

REPORTER 2: (looks over list again) Sure, I'll go with that. Number 5, Adams County lost double digits. To be clear, the bet is; You have to get one of the titled economic development directors to actually give you a quote wherein they present themselves as some kind economic development expert, in spite of the fact that they are helming one of the five counties from which people are fleeing in droves.

REPORTER 1: You got it, brother. Drinks if I can't?

REPORTER 2: Drinks either way.

REPORTER 1: You're on.

REPORTER 2: Aren't you afraid your readers will notice that you aren't quoting an economic director from one of the growing counties who obviously HAVE their shit together?

REPORT 1: Are you kidding? These are Des Moines Register readers!

(REPORTER 1 AND REPORTER 2 laugh and order another round of drinks.)


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RAW DATA: Sac County in top five list of Iowa counties with highest percentage of population loss