Online Reporter Quits After Liberals' Expose - Kurtz

[TheWebHead]

The conservative reporter who asked President Bush a loaded question at a news conference last month resigned yesterday after liberal bloggers uncovered his real name and raised questions about his background.

Jeff Gannon, who had been writing for the Web sites Talon News and GOPUSA, is actually James Dale Guckert, 47, and has been linked to online domain addresses with sexually provocative names. He has been under scrutiny since asking Bush how he could work with Senate Democratic leaders "who seem to have divorced themselves from reality." The information about Gannon was posted on the liberal sites Daily Kos, Atrios and World o' Crap.

Under the headline "A Voice of the New Media: The Voice Goes Silent," Gannon wrote on his personal Web page that because of the attention "I find it is no longer possible to effectively be a reporter for Talon News" and that he is quitting "in consideration of the welfare of me and my family." Gannon added in a brief interview that "my family has been victimized" and that he wanted to "put some separation between Talon News and the White House."

Gannon's resignation highlights the no-holds-barred atmosphere of the Web, which both enabled him to function as a reporter -- his stories appeared on a site founded by Texas Republican activist Bobby Eberle -- and produced a swarm of critics determined to expose him.

more...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12640-2005Feb9.html

[Mr_Spock]

1. This Gannon story is so representative of the corruption and graft

of this administration - I wonder why it's taking so long to uncover all the evil-doing of this crew? When are they going to jail anyway - I hope soon.

[GetTheRightVote]

2. dup,I think ???

:kick:

[Pachamama]

3. Wow...its in the Wash Post...shouldn't this be in the LBN?

Or is it already? I heard Randi Rhodes talking about this and I couldnt' stop laughing....then I felt sick knowing that there are plenty of stooges like this guy running around bending over for the Bush administration and getting face time, while anyone credible and with honor can't even get heard if it criticizes this administration.

[Stirk]

4. How about "White House Press Corps Plant Exposed", Howie?

He downplays Gannon's role, of course. He's not a fraudulent White House plant, or a propaganda tool- no, he's just a benign "online reporter".

Howard Kurtz' response to this story is a perfect illustration of the problem highlighted by the story. The media is ridiculously soft on the Bush Administration, and apparently some very visible parts of it are simply paid shills.

I wonder how much the White House is paying Kurtz?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. Typical of Whoreward Kurtz.

Almost as lame as the softballs pitched by "Jeff Gannon" himself. What about his involvement in the Valeria Plame matter, huh? How does a guy who's using an assumed name get WH press credentials in the first place, and how does he get access to CIA memos? Huh? Huh?

[newsguyatl]

5. kurtz misses the fundamental question here

why did he get the credentials?

why the fake name?

who cares about the sex...

[paineinthearse]

7. This and all other Gannon stories......

Are in MEDIA forum. See the Salon story, it rocks.