If you were pursuing the Gannon story, which angle would you chase?

[WilliamPitt]

Poll question: If you were pursuing the Gannon story, which angle would you chase?

[begin_within]

1. The angle of the dangle equals the heat of the meat.

[hiley]

2. all very interesting

but I want people nailed legally for the Valerie P. outing.

[crispini]

3. Can we choose all of the above?

I honestly think the sex will help get it into the mainstream press... that salacious stuff sells. Esp. if he was gettin' it on with someone in the WH and it can be proven. BUT, the Plame thing, if it goes high enough, could really take some people down....

[noamnety]

4. a combination

The fact that he was on the Plame list (who gave him what access) combined with the fact that McClellan claims he didn't know anything about him or his news organization til he was outed - why wasn't the head press dude aware of the subpoena list? That sounds like gross negligence.

(lies, but can be played as negligence)

[chookie]

43. Agreed

I, and others, have been asking if the info about Plame was pillow talk.

I believe "Gannon" was told about the wife of that pesky Joe Wilson orally. Whether it was told him in his capacity of domination sex escort who talked politics (read what his johns have to say about "BullDog") or as "journalist" is yet unclear.

Was he blackmailing someone in order to further his career as a "journalist? Was he protected and helped along by some enabler inside the WH? How did GOPUSA manage to hire such a shady guy? Is it all such a good ol' boys network that if so and so says, hire this nice boy "Jeff", you'll do it without question? Or is it even more bizarre -- that a group of right wing guys share the same ho and actually really like him a lot as a person that they want to help him out? Is there a "macho" vibe in this WH that really goes for tough guys like "Gannon" and Kerik, so much so they they manage to overlook some pretty seamy and sick stuff because they like the guy's macho image? Or is there a powerful closeted homosexual in the WH who feels drawn to these guys, tries to help them out, and pushes them through without thoroughly examining them -- over and over again, because this stuff makes Bush look BAD!

It's crazy that he made such a high profile for himself at press conferences during the week, and would go off on the following weekend as a rightwing whore. His careers as whore and "journalist" OVERLAPPED in time, which absolutely boggles the mind. Is he so innately unstable psychologically that he just couldn't comprehend that the "good Jeff" and the "slutty Jeff" were the same guy, i.e. him, and that they might join up in some exposee? He seemed to think he was so safe that he TAUNTED investigators to figure out who he was -- THAT turned out to be a tragically bad judgement by him. If being a domination whore wasn't risky enough behavior, balancing this with being an agressive WH "correspondent" in public view sure took a lot of nerve, or maybe just a borderline personality psychosis.

[Penguin31]

5. Poll DEFINITELY Needs an "All of the Above" Option

[janx]

6. I'd begin by trying to ascertain why this guy, from

"Talon News," was around in the first place (admittedly, this might lead nowhere due to denial on the part of the administration). Then I'd move on to Plame.

[two gun sid]

7. I say bang away at all those angles...

and hope one or all of them shock with the American voters. Why just pick one of them?

[bpilgrim]

8. let it all hang out

though i'd certainly play up the white house = fake news angle and use that as the center piece...

conclusion: WH has 0 credibility.

all the rest will be blowin in the wind ;->

peace

[Democrat Dragon]

9. All of the above

he should be exposed as a hypocritical fake reporter who commited treason.

[kohodog]

10. It's Plame and access.

The Gay side of this story is purient and really has no place other than the hypocracy issue in this admin and the fact that it makes it all the more likely that he had special access which may in itself be criminal if he was shown classified documents.

He could just as well be a beer drinking buddy as gay and that'es why I think it is shortsighted to focus on that. The fact is that he seems to have been called on when the going got tough for Scotty and W, and that his loaded softballs served as propaganda. That is the real story, not the secret life of white house staffers and spokespersons.

The Plame angle has the potential to get right to the heart of this corrupt administration and that's where the research needs to go.

[me b zola]

41. Dead on.

Dissemination of classified material IS a criminal offense. Add to that the treasonous act of revealing the identity of a covert operative, and that is more than enough to topple this criminal administration.

This administration is so sick and twisted, it is difficult to untangle the rest. Access & propaganda angles weave webs around each other so that all lines are blurred.

[noamnety]

73. gluckert didn't think outing plame was a big deal though

"The sources of leaks are rarely identified and even if discovered are unlikely to be prosecuted." -- Gannon/Gluckert

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:N2ykRAeP5dgJ:www.gopusa.com/news/2003/september/0930_rove_leak.shtml+eberle+rove&hl=en

[me b zola]

91. Good catch

I wonder if he is feeling differently now in light of this mornings court ruling?

[WilliamPitt]

49. VOTE 'ALL OF THE ABOVE' HERE

I apologize for not including the choice.

[slay]

57. Grab public attention with Right Wing Fake Journalist Man Whore,then Plame

All angles should be looked at from a perspective of seeking the truth. Ultimately the whole Gannon problem should be related to the damage it caused from Propaganda, leaking the Plame info, obvious security risk, etc. Seek the truth no matter what it is.

[CTyankee]

63. Wait a minute!

Last time I looked prostitution was illegal, so it's not just an issue of hypocrisy. Also, here's this guy letting it all hang outin pics on the Internet offering his body for cash and posing butt nekkid and he is claiming this is a privacy issue!!! If he wanted privacy, he had a strange way of demonstrating it.

[MrModerate]

11. All of 'em

1) "Prostitute" = criminal (hey, I didn't write the laws) = Talon is clearly bogus = why did this guy have credentials?

2) Fake journalist = propaganda = another cycle of White House lies = Would you want to buy a used war from this guy?

3) Plame = treason, irresponsibility = win at any cost, even to the nation's security = impeachment.

I can dream, can't I?

[MADem]

21. And number 4

4) Curious relationship, seemingly personal, with Scott McClellan, White House Press Secretary. Jimmy-Jeff is called on by Scottie by name, Jimmy-Jeff gratuitously mentions "wedding card" to him at presser, Scottie was a well known patron of gay bars back in Austin....connect those dots, press corps!! It doesn't take a rocket scientist!

[stevedeshazer]

12. Clearly the Valerie Plame angle

How did this unaccredited guy using a false name become one of a handful of people who viewed highly classified material?

[Renew Deal]

19. That makes the fake Journalist angle first.

That's the thing with this. It's a process. Gay hooker, fake journalist, PLAME!

Piece by piece.

[stevedeshazer]

32. Yeah, it's hard to separate them

Dots being connected. BIG fucking dots!

[Clark2008]

13. I find it interesting that there are more people on this weblog

who know what real journalism is about than the MSM.

If any of my former J-School professors were reading this board, they would probably have chosen the Plame connection, as well. These people were reporters and editors back in the days when news was news and entertainment was left up to Hollywood and Broadway.

Oh, how deregulation and 24/7 news has degraded the profession.

[QC]

14. The sex angle is a loser, at least in terms of corporate media.

They still tend to think that any story involving gay sex is too "personal" to run. It's patronizing and homophobic, but most of them really do seem to think that the accusation of gaity is just too awful to level at anyone, so they won't touch it. Honestly, when was the last time you saw the corporate media out anyone? They revel in heterosexual escapades, but when it comes to hot man-on-man action, they get all prissy.

Don't get me wrong--I would love to see the sex angle take off. But I don't think it will happen.

In terms of substance, the fake journalist angle is excellent, because it fits so well with the bigger theme of Bu$h's use of outright propaganda. Pile it in with the fake news stories and the pundit payola and you've got a propaganda machine worthy of Goebbels or Stalin.

[housewolf]

15. Well, a combination

of fake journalist & Valerie Plame

The gay issue is titillating but basically only important as fodder for a dirty scandal. It's fun to dig up dirt on ones opponents but that aspect is not going to move the story forward anywhere outside of the web.

[GainesT1958]

16. Of those choices..

Count 'em down in ranked order: (Distant)3...2...1!

Whatever else Mr. "Gannon" is, he's a TRAITOR first!:mad:

B-)

[Swamp Rat]

17. All of the above ... and Happy Valentine's Day!

Since there were no 'other' or 'all of the above' options, I chose the outting of Valerie Plame.

Order of imporatnce:

1. Plamegate
2. Fake journalist
3. Prostitution/Pornography

The male prostitution angle should be hammered in the tabloids non-stop.

edit: Happy Valentine's Day: :D

[Renew Deal]

18. I'd chase them all.

One part will lead to the next. You need to put together the full story. The gay prostitute stuff is easier to figure out, but the next step is the McClennan angle. Then from there, possibly Plame.

[CornField]

20. It doesn't matter which angle...

We have a criminal who was given access to our nation's highest officials. The next steps in the investigation are the same regardless of any personal theories we have developed:

1) How did a criminal gain access?
a) What's the security process?
b) Who is responsible for any background checks?
c) Were both given and alias names checked?

2) To what information and persons did the criminal have access?
a) Did any close relationships form between the criminal and any individuals on staff?
b) Did any member of staff meet privately with the criminal?
c) At any time was the criminal given access to documents or other information which could potentially be a threat to national security?

And so forth... once the questions are answered, the article and the ending writes itself. That's my advice... head back to the basics of who, what, when, where, how.

[KC21304]

22. The best question so far is from a conservative site.

John at americablog has an article written on The Conservative Voice. The question is how Jimmy/Jeff got access to the White House only FIVE DAYS after Talon News Service was established ?

And then 4 months later he was in the middle of the Plame affair.

[opiate69]

23. My $.02

The Plame angle is obviously the most heinous, however, after the last election it has become clear to me that the average American dolt has no desire to understand anything more complex than "with us or agin' us".. so, I think the sex angle has to be played up as an attention grabber.. the gateway drug of the story, if you will. Also, at this point, that aspect of the story is the only thing that there's any hard evidence for... there's obviously enough circumstantial evidence to warrant several congressional investigations, but these bastards are so adept at obfuscating and spinning, I don't think the Plame angle will resonate just yet.

[deacon]

24. 1) Plame 2) Fraud 3) Gay Prostitution in that order n/t

[AnneD]

98. Amen

The first involves a criminal activity that would result in trial and pressure of prison. Fraud could/could not result in same thing. Gay prostitution will keep the mouth breathers interested and discredit the WH alleged anointed from God image among Conservatives.

[in_cog_ni_to]

25. I chose Plame.

Only because it's the most important, IMO, but I think they ALL should be investigated/chased. They're all connected, somehow.

[Fleshdancer]

26. I chose the fake journalist angle....

only because I don't think he's the only one. The fake journalist story has the possibility to grow into a full blown national conversation about the role of the media, freedom of press, and the abuse of power over something so very important to Democracy.

This WH has a full blown propoganda machine that pays journalists to promote policy and gives WH press passes to any idiot with a conservative website (and I'm curious as to who's idea it was to start a conservative "news" site that suddenly had WH access before the org was even a year old, but that's just my hatred of Rove talking).

[ultraist]

27. I voted Plame but the gayness is relevant.

The 'gay prostitute' component is relevant for two reasons:

*The gay connection will lead to WHO it was that Gannon got the WH pass from. Who usurped the regular process and issued him a pass in a fake name? There are special favors being delivered here or possibly blackmail. Maybe Gannon got in on special favors and then blackmailed them for the Plame info.

*The homophobic Bush klan is hypocrital

[Pithy Cherub]

28. Fake "reporter" access to highly classified information:

2 morphs/turns a hard right into 3...
Who violated their security clearance?
Who under oath may have perjured themselves in the Plame case?
The hypocrisy should be shown to diminish any credibility claims.

[Warpy]

29. None of the above

I'd be leaning on him to find out who got him into the White House, who got him past the FBI and Secret Service with a fake name, and who shared those internal memos with him.

That's the real story.

[DoYouEverWonder]

59. That's the side of the story that is getting ignored

even by the good guys.

Who is behind Gannon? Who signs his paychecks? Who pays his expenses?

Who is Bobby Eberle and the people on the Board of Directors at GOPUSA? One of them, Richard Powell is the Managing Director of Quinn Gillespie and his wife Dina Powell is the Director of Personnel in the Bush WH.

Gannon is just a two bit player in the grand scheme of things. The real story is how GOP Operatives are behind him and most of the other 'scandals' in the 2004 campaign.

[LiberallyInclined]

82. agreed.

in a post-911 D.C., that's the meat of the matter.

[deek]

93. another agreement n/t

.

[kentuck]

30. Neither ....it's bribery.

Think about it. How do you think he got into the White House press corps? He wasn't qualified as a journalist. The Congress would not give him a press pass. But someone in the White House or the press office, decided that he could sit in with the "big boys and girls" Why? Because he has the goods on someone. Is it Scott McClellan ? The rumors are that he visited gay bars back in the 80's, but is that the real story? is there more? But would Scotty hang on to his job to protect himself or would he simply resign to "spend more time with his family"? Or is Scotty covering for someone else?

There is more of this story to come. Common sense would tell us that Gannon got into the White House not because of any press credentials but because of what he knows about "someone" or some people? They will go to any length to stop Jeffie from telling what he knows, you can rest assured....and he knows a lot. Perhaps has it documented? The way we will know for sure is if he is 'suicided'...

[Al-CIAda]

31. This is difficult as it is all potentially connected.

The fake/propaganda journalist audio commentary on your site this past weekend was fantastic. Who in the WH orchestrated it is the question.
It seems that along with all the others it is part of a larger network.

re;this case - The prostitution no doubt gives immediate 'sexiness' to the story as does the massive hypocracy of the subject, but is not the major story -unless there is MORE. How did he get access? Who was feeding this guy and why? Did it have something to do with this? How did a male prostitute with no prior training but a 2 day $50 'course' have such access? He had NO credentials. Assumed name? From a human standpoint just out of pure curiosity you have to ask, WTF???

Those questions he asked were way over the top ludicrous. All at interesting moments.
Wilson?
Plame?
Novack?

And...
HANNITY

I noticed you left off the Dan Rather memo story. Any reason?
He has posted on Free Republic that he told Hannity that he had "the scoop"
on the Rather memo and took credit on their message board.
Who fed him this? Was it the same source as the other info?


I didn't vote because I was unable to decide between 2 & 3.
The pattern and extent of paid propaganda has reached crisis levels.
The Plame outing and its perpetrators need to be uncovered.

Tough choice. Government lying or Government wreckless abuse of power.
Both were used to decieve and manipulate 'we the people'.

I'll go with Plame. Then maybe we can get an answer about those 16 words, yellowcake, Prague, and how he trashed Wilson, etc.


Come to think of it, this fucker also trashed Clarke...
Someone is feeding this guy. Who? Expose the network.

[merh]

33. It is not "gay" prostitute, though that ties in with the hypocrisy of the

admin. It is prostitute with no journalism experience being planted as a shill to lob favorable questions to the boy blunder and his stooges.

A former prostitute could not get security clearance for fear that she would be an easy target for blackmail (to keep her past in the past) and thus espionage. Not to mention what she info she could get from officials that had been her clients. How many spies or counter-spies have similar blackmail evidence that they have used to gain access to our WH?

The question that exists is what blackmail evidence does the prostitute have to use against the admin and how did they pay the prostitute to remain silent? Was it with the job and the press pass? Did they give the prostitute the name of a CIA agent and let him be part of the outing?

Whether the prostitute is hetero or gay, the issue remains that this is the admin that promised to bring dignity and moral values back to the WH and the close association with a prostitute, whether gay or straight clearly breaks that promise and makes a mockery of their family values or moral superiority stances.

Lastly, if Gannon-Guckert was questioned by the FBI, did he tell them his name was Gannon or Guckert. Telling a lie to the FBI is a felony, as Martha Stewart will tell you.

How many angles do you need to cover this story?

How many ways is the Gannon story wrong, not just morally, but in a nation security way? Mata Hara (sp) had nothing on this guy!

We have said all along that the only way to get the weed out of office is to get a video of him doing something really awful, well this may be the next best thing.

[H2O Man]

67. Why does anyone

accept the strange sex part of this story on face value? Because in the exact same time period that he has definitely -- without ANY question -- been involved in the Plame case and in manipulating the media, there is an easy-to-find, high profile "cover," even people on DU accept it as real. Sad.

[merh]

69. So you think his sexual hobbies are a covery?

I don't follow.

[H2O Man]

74. I think they are

a distraction. It's possible that they are real, of course; in that case, they are as unimportant as was David Ferrie's sexual practices. But I think it is part of his "legend," created to distract attention should he be, er, exposed.

"In the field of intelligence, a legend is an operational plan for a cover, or a cover itself, depending on the mission." - JJ Angleton, former Chief of Counterintelligence, CIA.

I'd bet "Gannon" is connected to one of the administration's inner-agency intel operations.

[merh]

76. I think you give Jimmy-Jeff and the admin too much credit.

They have allowed their power to cloud their judgment. No one in their right mind would have put the male prostitute in such a place, but then again, no one would lie about a war and get away with it the way the weed has. They see themselves as untouchable, nothing can stop them.

How could they know that their sexual hobbies would give the Plame case the attention it deserves? They never planned for that. As far as they were concerned, they had handled it, it was a matter of no import, who cared about it any more? Now, because of Bulldog/Jeff/Jim the case has a huge spotlight shined on it. It will not go away now. Gannon/Gurkett is not a distraction, it is the beginning of the end! Fitz now has a man that lied to the FBI and the grand jury, what a witness that will be!

To quote a blogger from a conservative site:
But this is not surprising: It is an administration made up of the most flawed things on the planet: humans. Not demigods, not "vulcans", not saints walking the earth. Just humans. With the same flaws as the rest of us have. Not the least of which is the flaw of thinking that they are paragons of virtue, for whom the rules are different from the rest of humanity. Remember: one of them said that they were "History's Actors, who defined reality". That is hubris, and after hubris always follows nemesis. Always.

This is the sort of thing that occurs when power is sought for power's sake.

Try to remember this, the next time you meet the urge to bestow upon them an aura of semi-divine infallibility.

http://www.theconservativevoice.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=2952
Its a great read by the way!

[H2O Man]

77. We'll see.

I'll bet you a Gandhi quote against one of your Voltaire quotes. Don't count on my forgetting this little bet, either.

[merh]

78. Okay - what is the bet?

That Gannon will bury Plame (your position) or that Gannon will keep Plame alive and make it the focus (my position)?

[H2O Man]

84. No, no, no!

You are tricky! You think I'm too senile to remember things. You may be right.

The bet: You -- Mr. Or Gannon's sex life is a significant aspect of this story.

H2O Man -- Mr. Or Gannon's sex life is a mere distraction.

[merh]

90. Not aspect - attraction to the story - breaths life into the story!

Actually I believe his sexual enterprises are just the cherry on top of the whip cream!

If it were a female fake journalist working for a fake news agency run by partisan hacks and if that female journalist also happened to have been a professional, paid "escort, who just happened to have porn photos on her escort website, and if said female was given unfettered access to the WH press corps and was given the identity of a covert CIA agent, the story would still be valid as would the public outcry.

Sex and violence sale -- this sexual activities of the schill is not important, but it sure gets attention. So the Plame story gets the attention it deserves and it cannot be covered up!

[H2O Man]

92. "cherry on top of the whip cream"

I'm not going to ask what "whip cream" is .... suppose it's like whipped cream, except different.

You win!

[merh]

94. Now, now, I was speaking figuratively of course!

Can I help it if the metaphor fits so appropriately? :shrug:

;-) We do live in interesting times. I can't help but go to that conservative site and read how they are reacting to this! It does give me a strange sense of pleasure and bolsters my hope that the walls will come crumbling down around the fake monarch.

[Pithy Cherub]

79. Mindblowing

Posse commitatus law issues? jim/jeff used a military theme for his extracurricular unsanctioned activities to spy from inside a White House...

The Plame issue looms even larger!

[Stevious]

34. sex sells

The regressive social direction that these conservatives espouse creates an environment where an opportunist like Jeff Gannon can prosper. Only a closeted Republican gay man could afford to, or would pay $200/hr to be with this jar head.

Somebody apparently decided to trade sex for white house press access. Who was Jeff's client in the White House? Maybe the Plame thing was just pillow talk?

[KharmaTrain]

35. Crack #2 and #1 and #3 Will Follow

The corporate media still treats this scum as a "journalist" and his "publication" as some legitimate part of the media. By investigating his "credentials", how he got them, how he got access, who hired him, who he associated with and then trace those who paid him or used his services and we could crack a lot of scandals...especially Plame.

This isn't a story about "Gannon" and soon we need to stop looking at his mighty-whiteys and focus on people like Eberle, Blackwell and other GOOP operatives who run these "PR" firms that do the Floyd Brown/Lee Atwater dirty work in the campaigns, spreads misinformation through hate radio and is deeply connected with the corporate media.

[Philosophy]

36. Fake journalist, definitely

1. It involves the most people in a sort of conspiracy so it's the hardest for the admin to just deny obvious facts until everyone starts to believe them, like they usually do.
2. The "real" media should be all over it to protect their own credibility. If they won't touch it, it only goes to show just how in cahoots with the admin they are.

[deacon]

42. i agree with that 100%-- the MSM admits white house influence by

not covering the story.

[sandnsea]

54. Yes, it's easy to build on

There's already fake news facts that people know about that this story can be put on top of. Plus more fake news that hasn't been reported much, that could be. Fake news can lead right into Plame because that was a planted news story too.

[Minstrel Boy]

37. Gay prostitution spells blackmail. Don't discount its importance.

The White House (the former Bush White House), the CIA, the FBI have pulled this shit before in Washington. Try telling the suicided Craig Spence it doesn't matter. (http://rigorousintuition.blogspot.com/2005/02/stirring-white-house-honey-pot.html)

Keep your eye on Plame, sure. That's the political story. The parapolitical could be sexual blackmail. And I want to see where that may lead.

[kentuck]

46. I think that may be story, Minstrel Boy.

he blackmailed someone to get into the White House. They did not let him in just because someone "liked" him. he has the goods on someone and he threatened to blackmail them if he did not get his way. The question that I have: Did Scotty have the power or the backbone to go over Congress and put this guy in Helen Thomas's seat without the assistance or pull of someone even higher up??

[Donailin]

60. blackmail? or pure carelessness

isnt that what happens in second terms? The corrupt power structure gets cocky and arrogant and they begin to believe they're untouchable. And that's when they get caught.

[truth2power]

70. You're right, Minstrel Boy. The sex angle is integral

to this whole thing. As I'm reading thru this thread I'm thinking that the sex issue should not be minimized because it's at the base of how Gannon got into the WH in the first place.

If the GOP PTB had wanted a shill to lob softball questions, they could certainly have found someone who could cover their tracks better. Wasn't the inane quality of his questions partially responsible for people saying, "WTF?" and starting to dig in the first place?

No, I think Gannon has something on somebody, and the prostitute issue is key to all of that. Very, very important, IMO. It shouldn't be minimized, at least in the research phase. It could open a whole can of worms that leads right to the top.

[ljm2002]

38. All of the above

Male prostitution, fake journalism, the Valerie Plame affair, and anything else we've got on the bastards. Don't let up in any area. Hypocrisy is an obvious but important facet of the case. And one thing can lead to another, it's way too early to tell which string to pull... pull 'em all!

Why give them any quarter whatsoever???

[johnaries]

39. Does this mean you're thinking about entering the Gannon arena

with both gloves up?

If so, in a shamless act of self-promotion I'd like to bring up some points I tried to bring up in this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3113720&mesg_id=3113720
Actually, I just think we need to be careful how we go forward, and I want people to think about these.

Go, Will!
:yourock:

[Ladyhawk]

52. Yeah, good question. :)

Is Pitt going to investigate Propagannongate...or whatever the hell we're gonna call it?

[Scurrilous]

40. How did...

...Bobby Eberle, big time Texas Republican fixer, hook up with DC area male prostitute 'Jeff Gannon?' Where did these two meet and what other services has 'Jeff' performed for Bobby Eberle (other than being a fake reporter)?

[Lone_Star_Dem]

44. The apex is going to be the Valerie Plame angle

To reach it you may have to climb through some prostitution and fake journalist mud. Keep your eye on the prize, it's well worth the effort.

[Eloriel]

45. The cnspiracy angle

Which could include all of the above esp the Plame thing.

The White House had the opportunity to know everything they wanted to about him, so we have to assume that whoever was responsible for having him in there HAD the inforamtion they wanted/needed.

Who brought him in? Why? When?

Did you know that according to this thread (I think it was this one) he "studied" at the faux journalism school and Rove "taught" at the faux journalism school? Wonder if their time overlapped?

Okay folks start digging
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3112571&mesg_id=3112571&page=

Who else in a position of power knew him? Scott McClellan, who is reported to have frequented gay TX bars?

I have two questions about the Gannon's connection to Plame
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3114159

RAWSTORY: McClellan seen in gay bars!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3111069
Link: http://rawstory.com/news/2005/index.php?p=73


Finally, and most importantly, is this another example of typical Rove M.O. -- outing Plame by "using" (literally) someone with a shady past who can be thoroughly irtied and sullied (at his own hand) and discredited as a human being (not just a non-journalist) and then cast aside, leaving the real powers in the W.H. intact and unsullied?

I don't know. I'm asking. There is more to this story than we know so far, and it may indeed have to do with Plame.

I just think Gannon got "recruited" by a client/patron during his, um, more colorful years.

[ConsAreLiars]

47. Plame, & others, & "deliberate show of contempt for press and

first amendment." They could have picked anyone from the Con farm teams and grooming mills to be their shill, set them up with some phony "news" website and even used them to pass on the Plame info. But they decided to pick a guy who was a real "pro" when it comes to whoring and stuck him, as one among equals (even a more favored one), in the midst of the other White House Press Whores.

Sure the Plame treason is the core, but we know those Cons are nothing if not contemptuous of the public, and the kind of vindictive pettiness inherent in sticking this two-bit whore in the midst of the press corpse should be emphasized in the early stages. A few of them might still have enough dignity to feel offended.

[LSdemocrat]

48. Other: Another White House attempt to control the news

[Spider Jerusalem]

50. The Plame angle seems the most promising.

But the others are at least a way into the story. Finding out how a prostitute and "journalist" with sketchy to non-existent credentials gained the access he did, and who gave it to him, seems a promising lead for discovering how and from whom he got the Plame information.

[zann725]

51. "Sex" always sells. Sex scandals have brought down many a politician.

Focus on the Sex.

[Dark]

53. Gay Prostitution angle would get the most attention. n/t

[sandnsea]

55. Find 5 dimwits

Women who don't follow politics too closely, but aren't wingnuts either. Ask:

"Did you hear about the gay prostitute getting WH press credentials?"

"Did you hear about the WH letting in a fake reporter for the last 2 years?"

"Did you hear about the fake reporter who got access to CIA documents in the Plame case?"

You'll figure out pretty quickly which is the best way to go for mainstream America.

Good luck on this! In a sane world, all 3 of these angles would have been splattered all over the place. Of if it had been the Clinton white house.

[angel54321]

56. I'd follow the money trail n/t

[Vinca]

58. So I get up this morning and assume I'll hear "the story" on MSM, but

apparently if the sex scandal doesn't involve an intern and a blue dress, they aren't interested. I voted "Plame" because that's the most important aspect of the story and the one that could, ultimately, be the most damaging. The "smarmy web site/prostitute/Bulldog" stuff is important because the MSM has already proven they aren't interested in covering "Plame," a serious matter, so now we must resort to one of their 2 favorite topics, "sex." (If there was some violence to throw in we'd have a regular Scott Peterson feeding frenzy.) To anyone from the MSM who might happen upon this post: ARE YOU FOLKS AWAKE OR WHAT???

[NewJeffCT]

62. the only way this story will make it to the MSM

The only way this story makes it to the mainstream is if Gannon can be tied directly to Bush or somebody else very high up the ladder.

[WLKjr]

61. Definately PLAME

[H2O Man]

64. I would suggest that

the Plame angle is inclusive. It would be interesting to know what "Gannon" has done since graduating high school in 1975. Did he enter the military? What branch? How long was he in?

From there, it might be of minor interest to know if there was any hint of his suddenly high profile "sex life." Or is it as recent as his affair with the White House?

What is of particular interest is what he was doing between 2000 and 2002. I think that this time period will have a cover that is as false as his press credentials. I look forward to reading whatever you uncover about this strange fellow. I'm confident from reading a number of your previous essays on the related issues that you know exactly what direction to go in. On behalf of all of us who would like to see justice served in this case, thank you for your work.

[gollygee]

65. It could be all one story

If his prostitution included a relationship that got him the job and access to the Plame information, then it's all one story. I think that's worth investigating to see if it's the case.

[paineinthearse]

66. 3-2-1, but unfortunately it will be spun 1-2-3 (if at all)

1. The Valerie Plame angle
2. The 'fake journalist' angle
3. The gay prostitution angle

When we we find ourselves in discussions, our responsibility is to educate others about #1. The media spin will certainly be to dodge this angle in an attempt to bury it.

Keep in mind that a federal grand jury is investigating this (see post from yesterday in the "greatest" area that quoted a NY Newsday list of subpoenaed witnesses).

[ChairOne]

68. The If-It-Were-Clinton angle...

... cuz repubs will be responding to the sex stuff with veiled why-are-you-anti-gay retorts... idiotic, but then take into account their audience (Americans).

[Walt Starr]

71. Actually, I'd meld all threee with emphasis on Plame

A fake reporter and manwhore was given access to highly classified CIA information about an agent who was outted, causing extreme damage to the nation's antit-erorist activities where WMDs are concerned.

And I'd definitely use the term "Manwhore" to describe guckert while referring to the entire scandal as "Mangate". Using terminology like that plays on the fears of the right and if you turn the right against themselves, you win.

[Stephanie]

72. Fake journalist. Who HIRED him, who CLEARED him, who KNEW that he was fake

He was planted there to pull dirty tricks (Plame) and do ask planted questions at PC's. Follow the money. Who chose THIS guy? Who put him in place? Who PAID him? How was he able to evade the security background check? What did Scotty know and when did he know it?

[goodboy]

75. Plame of course...the Jerry Springer shit is just a BONUS! nm

[babylonsister]

80. I picked the fake journalist angle, but

all of the above. Haven't read this long-g-g thread, but if no one knew anything about this guy, what would have prevented him from going into that press room with ulterior motives, like blowing the place sky high? I cannot believe no one knew anything about him. So, I'm real interested in how he came to be in the WH and who he's connected to.

[realFedUp]

81. Connecting the dots would be darn interesting...

and some of those dots seem to be
connected at the hips...

[realFedUp]

83. Is prostitution legal in DC or wherever he lives and does business?

and does he use Visa or cash? Are military
funds being used for this kind of recreation?
How far does it go to the top of the military?
Are drugs used?

A few questions to tease out.

[mattclearing]

86. Only on 14th or K streets.

I kill me.

:D

[realFedUp]

88. lol

drum roll please.

[hootinholler]

96. I thought 14th & K were cleaned up?

I thought the new Ho Central was anicostia.

Do you remember "The Great Ho Roundup?" 15 or so years ago the DC police literally herded street hookers into Virgina. The AM rush hour was totally fucked the next day.

-Hoot

[mattclearing]

97. Yeah, but they're back, and have been since Bush came back.

They went away for the Clinton years, but Bush brought them back.

Swear to God.

I guess there was an upsurge in target market: Desperate rich guys.

I live in the neighborhood, and girls in thongs are walking around K Street/15th near the Washington Post building from midnight to five AM.

[mattclearing]

85. No option for all of the above?

I'd think the whole is more than the sum of its parts.

[NashVegas]

87. If It Will Take Only a Sex Scandal to Expose These Crooks

Bring it on!

So far, what else has been working?

Follow the money, babe.

[Hugin]

89. Don't forget The CBS Memos Exclusive Angle. n/t

[applegrove]

95. You told him to lie about the memo: who told him what to say? n/t

[TrustingDog]

99. none of the above, but this one:

http://www.voxfux.com/features/bush_child_sex_coverup/franklin.htm



Gannon replaced Craig Spence?

[fob]

100. The fake journo angle! Because once his veneer thin journo protection

is erased, he'll have to squawk about others to save his own $200/hr ass.

[ScreamingMeemie]

101. I am surprised so many have voted for the Valerie Plame angle.

I am frightened that the WH kept Mr. Gannon on hand for just this specific purpose: the scapegoat. And that somehow they'll be able to wriggle out...yet again.

[merh]

102. How do they wriggle out of it?

Someone with top secret clearance in the WH leaked the story. That does not change with the existence of JimmyJeff. JimmyJeff gives a different perspective on the "leaking". Did he blackmail someone with photos and more? Is that why he was provided the info on Plame?

JimmyJeff does not change things, it just makes them more interesting. (imho)

[ScreamingMeemie]

103. How did they wriggle out of Halliburton? How have the wriggled out

of 9/11 (so far). Just what happened to that spy in the Pentagon and the imminent arrest taking place back in the fall? I'm just saying I'll believe something good will come out of this when I see it.