I feel sorry for Guckert...

[NervousRex]

...this dude is a punk, and a thug...but for some dumbass reason I feel sorry for someone who had to do this kind of sleazy shit to "make it" in this country. If his involvement with this criminal enterprise sheds light on this rat infested sewer..then so be it. But, honestly, looking through the vile swill that was his life and source of income...I feel pity and sadness...or nauseousness...take your pick.

[Colorado Blue]

1. I feel sad for him too - as a person. NOT as a reporter! nt

[LynneSin]

44. I don't, the dumbass did this to himself

And probably would still be getting away with it had he not done his "Bring it on" mentality to the liberal websites like DU and Media Matters!

[Eloriel]

61. Exactly. If he ever gets to a place where he recognizes his sins

(hypocrisy, lies, fraud, etc., etc.), I might feel sorry for him. In the meantime, I already responded to a similar comment here:

Jeff Gannon- I feel bad
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3139796&mesg_id=3139796

[forintegrity]

2. don't feel too sorry

he'll get promoted soon in the Bush regime...they all do.

[mattclearing]

22. If you start to feel sorry for him, read some of those questions.

You won't feel sorry much longer.

;)

[Technowitch]

26. There are all kinds of 'sorry'

One is where you feel bad that something unfortunate happened to someone.

The thing I feel 'sorry' about is how despicable he clearly is.

Everybody's born with the potential to be good or evil. To live a life where one can point to it with pride and say, "I did that. I was that. I am that." -- or one cloaked in shame, secrecy, and self-loathing.

As I wrote in a post lower on this tree, I believe he's gotten precisely what he deserves.

The thing I'm 'sorry' about is that he chose to deserve it.

To come at this from another angle, I feel 'sorry' for our sociopathic Oedipal unelected fraud of a president. Why? Because one day he -will- go down in history remembered as a war criminal, a failure, and quite possibly as the man who single-handedly destroyed the United States of America.

I find it easier to feel despite and pity for someone than to hate them anyway. More in keeping with my religion.

[Clark2008]

3. That's why I don't want prostitution legalized

It's vile swill.
However, in his case, I don't think he did it to survive like many have on the streets. I think he did it because he was buff and wanted to be rich.
He took an easier way than expanding his mind.
So, no, I don't feel sorry for him. I feel sorry for the thousands of prostitutes who need affordable drug intervention or a decent education to take care of themselves and their dependents.

[benburch]

8. Protitution laws make sexworkers victims.

I am a sexworker's rights activist. If I had a dollar for every time I heard of a corrupt cop shaking down or raping a sexworker, I'd be rich. In every major city there are cops who do this, and the sexworkers don't dare complain. (The cops will do nothing, and worse, you could be killed "resisting arrest".)

Were it legalized, this problem would largely disappear.

[Vladimir]

43. the problem I have with legalisation

is that it institutionalises the notion that human beings (although its mostly women who suffer from this) are just another commodity which you pay for along with your burger and coffee. And its sends a message to those struggling to make ends meet that - oh you know, its aweful being poor, but if you let some rich guy fuck you, you won't have that problem anymore. I don't deny that some individuals want to work as pornstars/prostitutes/strippers/etc. and would choose to do this regardless of the options available to them, but these cases are, IMO, a minority. For most people its an exploitative industry that denigrates and destroys them as human beings.

Far better in my opinion would be to treat the root causes of this, which are the poverty and sexism embedded in our society....

[benburch]

46. When you criminalize sexwork, you allow the state to control their bodies.

You are saying that the State is better able to determine when and why an adult person consents to sex than they are themselves. The is the same attitude that says that the State has a right to compel pregnancy, or that it has a right to criminalize adultery.

I say no. Never. The State does not control my genitals. No adult person is actually free until they have the right to consent to sex, or not, for any reason whatsoever, including payment. Keep your filthy laws OFF my body.

[Vladimir]

48. My point is that it is the state that is compelling people now

into the prostitution and sex industry by not giving them any alternative. In any case, I don't think that it should be a crime to offer or supply sexual services, if you like, only to recieve/pay for them.

And the case is utterly different with pregnancy, or adultery. Abortion is a personal choice for the woman which has nothing to do with anyone else (father included), while the 'decision' to sell your body has a lot to do with your financial situation. It is true that some people want to do it, but the existence of the industry harms the large number of those coerced into it, whether by the state or third parties. Legalisation will just mean that the next time a homeless person asks you for change you can say to them: 'why don't you just fuck people for a living?', and that is exactly what the government will say to those people. And no-one, as far as know, has ever been coerced into screwing behind their parner's back :P.

[benburch]

56. I have friends in the business that would be deeply offended by that.

It might not fit in your view of the world, but a large number of the people in sexwork choose it as a profession, love it (at least as much as you can love a job) and make a good income from it.

Some of these people are even here on DU, and I'm sure you have read their postings on other matters.

Yes, poverty is a scourge, and yes, many people enter sexwork because of lack of other opportunity that pays as well, but obviously you would rather see them die of starvation, exposure, and disease than have that option. I think this is a fundamentally evil point of view, and I have spent most of my life fighting against it very publicly. (Tracy Quan has even written about my projects on Salon.)

[Vladimir]

58. Where did I deny that some people do it

as a choice? Please, show me. And I don't doubt many of them are paid well. My point was to do with those who don't have the choice, who society conviniently ignores 24/7, i.e. for those who need protection from exploitation (and it may not fit into your view of things, but the sex industry is full of the latter). I would rather they didn't have that 'option' because if it is enforced by circumstance, it is no option at all. Instead of legalising prostitution, their lot could be improved by... oh lets see... building more affordable public housing, increasing training oportunities, increasing benefits, not treating them like shit...

[Eloriel]

64. Nonsense

When you criminalize sexwork you prevent people from being exploited in the world's seamiest, most degrading and humiliating way.

You may indeed know sex workers who "enjoy" what they do and are proud of it. I maintain that they are in massive denial and rationalizing their pain and humiliation.

Prostituting oneself -- willingly or unwillingly (e.g., purely to survive) is NOT an emotionally healthy place to be. You can't make it so. It's the ultimate degradation. Those who choose, or are forced into, prostitution (and most if not all other sex work) have been used and abused as children -- sexually assaulted, incested, raped and otherwise sexually abused. As I said, they are NOT emotionally healthy people and no "decision" they make about choice of careers in the sex industry can possibly be emotionally healthy. Criminalizing sex work prevents the further exploittion of these damaged individuals.

As for your argument about preferring that they starve, etc., nonsense there too. That's a false choice, a forced either/or situation (either they get to be prostitutes or they die of starvation), and it's a debating tactic that is illogic on its face and ought to be beneath you. There ARE other choices -- not necessarily as easy or widely available, but they do exist.

[FreedomAngel82]

32. All you had to do

is look at how he talked about himself in his profiles and whatnot. He was very self-centered and thought he was "hot" and "sexy." :eyes:

[benburch]

4. I hope he is miserable.

He deserves worse.

I refuse to forgive, and I refuse to forget.

And the families of the several dozen "Intelligence Assets" who are now dining with the fishes as a result of this man's actions aren't likely to be very forgiving, either.

[greenbriar]

5. I don't

he can go fuck himself

[Nite Owl]

6. I don't

I have no pity for him. He chose to live a life of hypocrisy and greed. He didn't care if the lies ruined anyone else's life.

[oasis]

7. You're going to feel a lot more sorry for him after we smoke the truth

from out of his sorry ass.

[w13rd0]

9. I've seen no indication...

...he's anything other than an arrogant right-wing prick. No, don't feel in the least bit sorry for him.

[Southsideirish]

10. He didn't have to do anything. He chose to do it.

I work with students (many in middle age) who come to the U.S. from foreign countries, learn English, have 2 and 3 jobs, 'are raising families, and are going to night school to try to better themselves.

Those are the people I sympathize with, and admire very much.

[susanna]

11. He shilled for the party of "personal responsiblity."

You reap what you sow.

I don't feel pity for him, actually. I am compassionate in that I know his life has blown up in his face after multiple bad decisions on his part.

That said, being a hypocrite is living with a particularly aggressive loan shark (they have a funny knack of showing up to collect on the debt). Our Gannon/Guckert is learning that lesson right now. I am not averse to the lesson being taught.

[Catherine Vincent]

12. What I want to know is...

were all those pics taken recent? Or was it years ago?

[ohio_liberal]

53. It had to be a while ago

He's put on quite a few lbs since those pics were taken.

[donheld]

13. I feel sorry for his mother

if he has one.

[FreedomAngel82]

35. Yes

His family. I do feel bad for them. :( Especially his poor mother. :cry:

[Chipper Chat]

14. Do I smell a "made-for-TV" movie in the works?

I'll bet Lifetime, WB, MTV, and Foxx are all salivating.

[tanyev]

49. Or an exclusive book deal with Regnery Publishing.

[indie_voter]

15. Why?

He didn't feel sorry for all the people he trashed on his way to the top. Read what he wrote about Kerry and others. He insulted gays and lesbians, promoted an agenda which hurt people.

He then taunted people to find something on him, he was oh so clean. Well, as the saying goes, if you can't walk the walk....

He was not a victim, he was a player who is now playing victim.

I feel sorry for people who find themselves thrust in the spotlight not by their own actions.

Plame for example. For the rest of her life she will be known as the "outed CIA agent".

I don't feel sorry for people who destroy others than cry crocodile tears when the chickens come home to roost.

[Kinkistyle]

16. What exactly is the "vile swill" you are referring to?

The sex-whoring or the media-whoring?

I don't feel an ounce of pity either way. Maybe he actually liked prostitution as a job.

As for media-whoring, he is a punk who facilitates GOP bigotry and warfare and I think he is someone who actually BUYS INTO the repuke theology and just happened to get lucky with the WH access.

[Technowitch]

20. Doesn't scan

You can't 'buy into' the Republican theology and still be a gay male, a 100% top with an 8" uncut 'weapon', as he wrote on his trolling websites and personal profiles -- and then actually mean it when you write all kinds of vile things about gay people.

Not unless you really, really hate yourself and believe you're going to hell already.

In which case, it makes no difference.

[Kinkistyle]

21. Log Cabin Republicans

Its surprising how much Greed/Selfishness/Bloodthirst will trump all other personal beliefs.

How else do you explain African American, Atheist and Log Cabin repugs?

[Technowitch]

23. Good point.

Frankly, I have to vote 'greed and selfishness' -- because as we all know, he wrote truly vile things about gays & lesbians. Along with the rest of that lovely Repug agenda.

[mitchum]

30. The puppetmasters of the republican party are NOT homophobic...

and the LCR know this. It is just an issue used to sway the slack-jawed yahoos. You have to use some method to get people to vote against their economic best interests. And this one works.

[FreedomAngel82]

37. He's not even a punk

All he is is a manwhore who will do anything for money. If he was a punk he'd be against the government. ;) All he is is a manwhore who is a hypocrite.

[Technowitch]

17. I feel only pity for him

Most people who live a life as hypocritical and vile as his get to live it in near perfect anonymity. They can spend their days, unknown and unnoticed -- while simultaneously doing things and being the kind of person they are utterly ashamed of being.

Now he's exposed, and his whole sorry, pathetic excuse for a life is held up for all to despise. His former 'friends' among the right-wing radical conservatives will never again want anything to do with him. He's a washed-up has-been, his body long gone to seed, that buff young hunk only a memory -- and he'll likely be paying for sex from this point out.

His life consists of getting booted out of the military under less-than-honorable circumstances. A career as a pornographer and gay male prostitute. He left multiple trails of personal details about himself and his sexual preferences all over the web, in blatantly desperate attempts to find relationships, blind to how he was sowing his own doom. During the process, somewhere in there, he ended up owing tens of thousands of dollars in back taxes to the state of Delaware -- and who knows who else? Somehow landing powerful friends in high places -- and then having to whore himself even more to fit in with these deeply closeted Repugs. So he runs off to get a two-day certificate so he can pretend to be a Real Journalist. And then spend his days writing horrid pieces in favor of oppressing people JUST LIKE HIMSELF.

Did he believe his own words? The messages of intolerance that he cribbed directly from the GOP's talking points? Did he intend to ask the kinds of questions at WH press conferences that even the partisan media whores at places like Faux News won't even ask? Maybe, we won't ever know. He was a suck-up, a toady, and now everybody knows he was a fake, too, and a liar and hypocrite.

What has happened is this man's whole life has been held up as a shining example of how not to be. As I said -- we hated him before for being a right-wing propaganda tool. Now his former 'friends' hate him for how he ACTUALLY lived his life, peddling smut and being a "male escort." It's all over, and his shame is there for EVERYONE to see.

And that's why he has my pity. Because he had a life, and probably a chance at a good one a long time ago -- but he wasted it in the worst ways imaginable.

In closing though, I will say this: Sometimes the Universe visits upon us PRECISELY what we deserve.

I think Guckert's getting his karmic payout. With interest.

[jdj]

18. Bless your heart. Let me help you with that.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/user-posts?name=jeff%20gannon

read through his posts here, and read the arrogant fuck's crack about the stain on the blue dress a couple of times.

It'll fix you right up, no more crocodile tears.

edit: it doesn't look like he feels sorry for us.

"John O'Neill media blitz continues

Posted by Jeff Gannon to Interesting Times
On News/Activism 04/23/2004 12:30:38 PM PDT · 69 of 70

Kerry has the additional problem that his rabid Democrat base supported VVAW and think well of him because of it.

Many of them dominate the elite media. The NYT called his activities "principled dissent." Most Americans call is treason.

It's a long way to November."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/user-posts?name=jeff%20gannon

[mitchum]

19. Fuck that shaved piece of barely human garbage

[Bluebear]

59. WORD

[Rockerdem]

24. I always have hope for his sake that he might be the next David Brock

but until then, sorry.

[Skittles]

25. I do not feel sorry for ANYONE who WHORES FOR BUSH

NOT AT ALL

[underseasurveyor]

27. He knowingly chose the path he did

for his own self-serving, greedy gains and everyone else be damned. I feel absolutely no pity what so ever for the shit-ass.
Flush......
SwirlSwirlSwirl......

Buh Bye Jeffie:hurts: going back from whence he came :evilgrin:

[ComerPerro]

28. The only reason he "had" to do this is because he is a hack

he has no marketable skills. Obviously he is a lousy journalist.

[CoffeeCat]

29. I feel sorry for him, because he's been majorly used...

Guckert has been used like an object, by BushCo.

They used him to further their agenda--knowing that if he was exposed--they would remain unscathed. This administration has no problem sucking the life force out of someone, then leaving their rotting corpse to shrivel up and die on its own.

It's sad, because Guckert prostituted and objectified himself with his "escort activities" and it appears that the administration prostituted and objectified him in the same manner.

My guess, is that BushCo spied the victim inside Guckert, and exploited that for their own personal gain.

In that way, I do feel sorry for him.

[progressivebydesign]

38. No.. a guy like that doesn't get used. He's much richer for it.. n/t

[FreedomAngel82]

39. He obviously agreed to it

Maybe he was blackmailed but couldn't he have gone to the police or something? :shrug: Or wouldn't he come clean? Or something?

[FreedomAngel82]

31. I don't

He did this himself I think. He still had his website's up promoting his sex service. If he was serious about journalism he wouldn't have kept it up I think. I know I wouldn't.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[AuntiBush]

34. I'll opt for "nauseousness!"

[progressivebydesign]

36. I feel nothing but total disdain for him.

He should be looking at jail time... he would be if the Democrats were in power. The story is much, much, deeper than is being presented. NO so-called reporter is given access to the President like that, with a false identity. You have to have a freakin' background check to go to one of their rallies during the campaign. Aka Jeff, as I like to call him, is just the tip of the iceberg. He deserves NO pity. None. He's a two bit hustler being paid to play a part.. and god knows what else.

[FreedomAngel82]

40. Good points

How is it that us regular folks have to go through background checks and loyalty oaths to see the president who is hired by the people and he works for the people when this so-called "journalist" gets in with all this dealing with his past/current life and this fake newspaper. It just isn't right.

[BigBearJohn]

41. The only thing I feel sorry about is that they didn't catch him sooner

[KG]

42. hope you get over it soon.

nobody did anything to the asshat. he's gettng exactly whats coming to him.

[Vinca]

45. Boo hoo???? Get a grip!!!!

Lots of people struggle to "make it" in this country. It wouldn't hurt my budget to have a few $1200 nights, but you won't find spread eagle photos of Vinca anywhere online and although I love to write, it's unlikely you'd spot me among the White House Press Corps. using an alias, either.

[Thtwudbeme]

47. That's odd...because NONE of the people my husband and I know

had to prostitute themselves sexually to "make it."

Whatever...he chose the wrong team--being gay and republican is stupid. Period.

[BuyingThyme]

50. There's no difference between JimJeff and an enemy spy...

The guy's mission was to destroy our fourth estate from within. It's that simple.

He, like Armstrong Williams and the others, should be seen as nothing less than an enemy of the American people.

[SmokingJacket]

51. Clearly the sleaze doesn't bother him at all.

I have a natural instinct to feel sorry for prostitutes, too -- I know that I would have to be in a pretty desperate state to do anything like that.

But I get the feeling he doesn't feel the same way. He's someone who'd do anything for money/power/whatever.

That's not pitiable... that's gross.

[DefenseLawyer]

52. You feel pity, you feel uncomfortable,

you feel some tinge of remorse perhaps? Maybe we are bad for "ruining this guy's life"? Damn, Karl wins again. Don't believe the hype. Go back and read some of this ass clown's "stories" and his rantings on Free Republic. He was and is a willing member of the team, pushing their crackpot agenda. Fuck him. Ever thus to hypocrites, Lebowski.

[UTUSN]

54. He Doesn't Feel Sorry for You (Us) n/t

[rodeodance]

55. He did not "have" to do this sort of thing!!

[mainer]

57. He's just a cog in the wheel -- a minor player who got used up

and now will get tossed aside by whoever placed him there.

[fresnobill314]

60. Guckert belongs in jail.

Prostitution is a criminal act. So is solicitation. Lock up Guckert along with everyone he topped.

[raysr]

62. Feel sorry for

him, not me. This is right out of Rove's playbook. Don't just out someone, destroy them! The Dems are going to have to adopt this policy to survive with these sharks!

[shance]

63. You bring up a good point. How difficult it is to "make it" without

the connections and background to already have a seat at the table.

I agree. This is a good example of looking at how people gain 'access' to inner circles and just how difficult (or easy depending on what you use to get there)it is to play by the rules.

Am not sure a rulebook applies, atleast in this case.