Planting a stooge in press corps not out of character for Bush

[Kadie]

Sunday, February 20, 2005 - Page updated at 12:00 a.m.


Leonard Pitts Jr. / Syndicated columnist


Weeks later, I'm still waiting for a good explanation of what Jeff Gannon was doing in the White House. And for you to be upset about it.

Gannon is the fellow who made himself memorable during last month's presidential news conference by asking about Democratic pessimism regarding the nation's economy. Specifically, he asked if President Bush could work with "people who seem to have divorced themselves from reality."

The unusually partisan phrasing prompted reporters and liberal groups to ask the same question: Who is this guy? Well, it turns out that Gannon is not really Gannon. James Guckert says he prefers that pseudonym for "commercial" reasons. It also turns out that a company he owns is the registered owner of several sexually suggestive Web addresses. Hotmilitarystud.com, to name just one.

Most curious of all, though, is that it turns out he is not really a reporter, at least not if that term still denotes a disinterested observer of events. Rather, Guckert writes for a Web site, talnonnews.com, which is linked to another site, GOPUSA.com. That site serves, as you might gather, to promote the Republican Party.

Guckert resigned last week, saying he and his family have been threatened and harassed. If true, that is deplorable.

more...
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002184419_pitts20.html

[paineinthearse]

1. Maybe the MSM is not totally at fault?

"...And for you to be upset about it..."

Complacency is a huge part of this as well.

Maybe we need to start buying billboard sign space and displaying some of the pictures to middle america.

Caption: REPUBLICAN VALUES.

[Ready4Change]

2. If I may make a correction?

"Planting a stooge in press corp not out of character for Bush"

should read:

"Planting a stooge not out of character for powers behind Bush"

After all, they planted a stooge at the top of the White House. Why not plant another in the White House press corp?

[Igel]

3. For several years reporters have been arguing that they

specifically are <i>not</i> "disinterested observers of events.</i>

It's always been true they had agendas, but we hoped they squelched them; they're just more open about it now, meaning that they squelch them less.