***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** Press release from dKos. Propagate at will DU

[JohnnyCougar]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/2/18/0748/71841

WE ARE THE NEW MEDIA!!!!
Use the media blaster and spread the word!!! Take no prisoners!!!!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Brian Kelly at [e-mail]
Member, DailyKos.com

WHITE HOUSE SCRAMBLES TO EXPLAIN
FAKE REPORTER IN ITS PRESS CORPS

Feb.17, 2005 -Internet researchers have uncovered new evidence that contradicts the Bush Administration's claims about James Guckert, a Republican activist allegedly involved in criminal activities and linked to an incident involving a major breach of national security. Guckert, operating as "Jeff Gannon," was granted daily access to White House press briefings for more than two years as a "reporter" for Talon News.

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan stated that Guckert was granted access in part because he was affiliated with a news organization that "publishes regularly." But yesterday, bloggers discovered video footage suggesting this standard was not applied to Guckert.
Video footage of a Feb. 25, 2003 White House press briefing shows Guckert, apparently unaffiliated with any news organization, asking former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer a question. It is unclear why Guckert was granted any pass at this time, since the Internet-based Talon News did not register its domain name until March 29, 2003.

Maureen Dowd, a Pulitzer Prize winning columnist for the New York Times, reported today she was denied press credentials at the start of the Bush administration in 2001. Yet Guckert, whose only journalistic training was derived from a $50 weekend seminar, was repeatedly granted access.

Despite calls from Congress for the White House to disclose its standards for entrance to the briefing room, the Bush administration has yet to reveal its credentialing standards or details surrounding the scandal, including: specific dates when Guckert was admitted to the briefing room, how many passes he was issued, as well as how he cleared a Secret Service background check while owing the state of Delaware over $20,000 in back taxes (penalties and interest) and possibly engaging in prostitution, as revealed by Americablog.org.

Guckert has also been implicated in a leak of federal classified information that revealed the identity of CIA undercover agent Valerie Plame. Revealing the identity of an undercover agent is a federal crime.

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan has insisted that President Bush will do anything he can to assist the Plame investigation. But the White House has not answered questions about the role of Guckert in the Plame investigation or his inexplicable access to White House Press Corps briefings.

-- ###--

[UL_Approved]

1. Kick

Yes, the Gannon/Guckert thing gets displayed all over the Internet.

And we are the ones responsible.

My only question, how exactly was Gannon found to be Guckert in real life? Was it from theconservativeguy.com? Or were the photos found first? I'm still unclear on that one.

[DulceDecorum]

4. I think the Kossacks over at DKos

went on the rampage and turned over every rock and found a link.
Then John Aravosis over at AMERICAblog.org picked it up.
I also think that the aol page bust it wide open.
Or was it the West Chester U fraternity TKE?

In any case, those two sites seem to be leading the charge
although Atrios, Justin Raimondo and the Nashua Advocate,
among MANY MANY others
are not doing too badly in keeping the info coming.

[UL_Approved]

9. Do you know if Derek Wilson is a familiar name?

I found that name when DNS searching hannity.com. The name seems very familiar to me for some reason. Does it to you?

[DulceDecorum]

12. Derek Wilson of NeoSpire?

Derek Wilson is the CEO and Co-founder of NeoSpire.
http://www.neospire.net/corporate/management.team.php
NeoSpire does business with some heavy hitters.

"Thank you so much for your quick response. This says a lot about your commitment to your customers. You spent the time to analyze our problem, make a great recommendation on a fix, and then did it. GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!
I really enjoy doing business with you and all the folks over there at NeoSpire."
Information Technology Services
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
http://neospire.net/why.choose.neospire/testimonials.php

DALLAS, TX – October 15, 2002 -- NeoSpire, Inc., a leading provider of Managed Hosting Services, announced today that it has been selected by CB Richard Ellis, the largest vertically integrated commercial real estate services firm in the world, to provide managed hosting services for a component of its critical online information system.
http://thetechmag.com/index.php/news/main/152/event=view

[UL_Approved]

18. The reason I ask is due to a DNS search

NeoSpire, Inc., hosts hannity.com. I was wondering if this could be tied to any other groups in question.

[jojo54]

2. WH doesn't want to say anything

'cause Greg Mitchell of Editor and Publisher, suggested that Gannon was a plant. This was on Keith Olbermann last night (2/17/05)

[JohnnyCougar]

3. And if anyone has a link to the DU national media list, please post it...

Here is the local one:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/cu/cu.php?az=blaster

[Roland99]

20. Try this thread for national news organization contact info

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=106x8816

[President Jesus]

5. snore

ok nybri, your 15 minutes are up.

[JohnnyCougar]

6. What's your problem?

[blondeatlast]

14. Thank you for your valuable contribution.

:eyes:

[intheflow]

7. Media Blasters

DU thread with contacts for media

DU thread with media contacts ready for mass emailing

[Old and In the Way]

8. "internet researchers"

Remember this term....it's part of the Open Source journalism that we're seeing and creating.

[nickgutierrez]

10. I've never thought of it that way.

Open Source journalism is really a great way of thinking about the bloggers. Just as Open Source programmers work towards making more open, and eventually better programs, bloggers provide more open, better sourced, and more accurate journalism. It's a great concept.

[Old and In the Way]

11. Can't take credit for it......

But it does explain the phenomenon to a 'T'. And it gives an acceptable description of the process, IMHO. Think about it. Why should there be a media "lock" on journalistic credibility and story "ownership"? I can read and decide what's "news" and what isn't. I can decide what's good content and what's not. I can add a fact or 2 that helps to build a story along the way....I don't need to be responsible for the whole thing....and I don't need to get paid to contribute. I just might like to be part of the process.

I look at DU as one hell news organization. Some are reporters, some are editorialists, some like the sports, some like the gossip. But we have 20,000 people contributing something in real time. The BS gets exposed and repudiated pretty quick, too. News and commentary, as you read, as it happens.

I do think we are seeing an evolutionary change in our media and I thank GWB for helping to expedite the process along.

[John_H]

13. Just a thought: If we're the media, some press pro with time should

build a site with tips on how to write a release. This one, like many of the homemade releases on DU needs to be kicked up a notch if the whores are going to pick it out of the fax machine or email bin.

Scotty's the story not internet research, in this case.

"Washington: New evidence proves President Bush's top spokesperson, Scott McClellan, lied about his role in granting James Guckert, the Republican activist who posed as a reporter under an assumed name, access to White House Press briefings--and to the president himself."

[JohnnyCougar]

17. Good Idea

My old roommate has a degree in journalism, and has crafted press releases for campaigns before. I should ask him to writes us some guidelines.

[no name no slogan]

19. They're pretty easy to do-- just get him to make a boilerplate for you

I've done them a few times for various things. They're fairly easy to do-- you just have to make them the right size. Get your old roommate to do a 'boilerplate' release for you-- something where you don't have to do much but fill in the blanks. Or else Google it and find one for yourself.

Many smaller, local papers will even print your release verbatim, if they have space to fill and not enough copy. Of course, you'll also get it all over the web, too, if you submit it to the proper places.

BTW, this is one of the better ideas I've heard here in a while. Nice Job! :thumbsup:

[Blue_Roses]

15. Kick

:kick:

[JohnnyCougar]

16. Another kick!

:kick: