Pat Buchanan is ok with "Jeff Gannon" at White House briefiings

[Eric J in MN]

http://www.moveleft.com/moveleft_essay_2005_02_19_lust_the_media_whore_who_literally_was_a_whore_jeff_gannon.asp

Pat Buchanan and Chris Matthews discuss this case

Conservative columnist Pat Buchanan says that admitting James Guckert to White House briefings is "harmless" ("Hardball with Chris Matthews" cable news tv broadcast of Feb. 17, 2005.) He implies that James Guckert being admitted to ask softball questions is no different than when a Democrat attends a Republican politician's townhall meeting in order to ask a tough question.

Chris Matthews disagrees and describes Guckert as a "ringer."

I disagree with Pat Buchanan as well because an experienced journalist should have been using that time to ask serious questions.

[Kerrytravelers]

1. So, for every "hard" question, * gets a softball in return?

WHen I was teaching Special Education, this may be part of an IEP to allow the student to feel successful.

Is * the Special Education president? That's an insult to all the hard working children in Special Education. Can you believe what is going on?

And now Buchanna is ok with a homosexual? Give me a break.

Someone, stop the world, I need a break from all the spinning.

[Spinzonner]

2. He wasn't 'admitted'

he was 'planted'

[Bouncy Ball]

3. I disagree with Pat

because presumably only actual journalists are supposed to be part of the White House press corps and "Gannon" had no journalist credentials.

(Not only that, but apparently this Gannon stuff goes way deeper than just the issue I outlined above.)

So maybe Buchanan is ok with a "doctor" operating on him who just decided two days before that he is going to "be" a "doctor?"

[Warpy]

4. With Gannon/Guckert and more like him clogging up the room

nobody in the Bush administration ever had to worry about fielding a real question from the real press. All they had to do was call on a shill, listen to a right wing talking point which the PRESS NEVER CHALLENGED, EVER, and answer a softball question at the end. It was a propaganda session, where statements were made at length and questions were few.

THAT is what was wrong with it, Pat.

And that's only if he was a regular stooge. Having a man with so much to hide hustled past a background check is VERY RISKY. He was blackmail bait, and it's a good thing bloggers found out about him before foreign agents did.

[Zenlitened]

5. Once again, to help us interpret ol' Pat's ramblings...

... we should ask ourselves:

What would he be saying if this was the Clinton White House?

Buchanan's credibility = 0.

[Snotcicles]

6. They don't allow Democrats in there townhall meetings

They have been screening them, Damn Pat where you been?

[Eric J in MN]

8. In the case of Bush, that's true.

Maybe Pat Buchanan was thinking about a more confident Republican politician who isn't afraid of answering tough question.

[tanyev]

7. Well, thanks, Pat.

I'm gonna fly to D.C. tomorrow and see if I can get in the WH briefings, too. Let's all try!

[spanone]

9. He would.

[blm]

10. So, Pat's on record feeling there is nothing wrong with gay prostitution?

Then why doesn't he petition the lawmakers to legalize it?

[Eric J in MN]

11. He didn't go quite that far, just that

if someone is a male prostitute, it's still ok for him to ask questions at a White House briefing.

[blm]

12. Well, if that's so acceptable to him it should be legal, no?

.