SHILLING FOR THE POTUS
By Leonard Pitts, Jr.
Detroit Free Press
02-18-05
Three weeks later, I'm still waiting for a good explanation of what Jeff Gannon was doing in the White House. And for you to be upset about it.
Gannon is the fellow who made himself memorable during last month's presidential news conference by asking about Democratic pessimism regarding the nation's economy. Specifically, he asked if President George W. Bush could work with "people who seem to have divorced themselves from reality."
The unusually partisan phrasing prompted reporters and liberal groups to ask the same question: Who is this guy? Well, it turns out that Gannon is not really Gannon. His real name is James Guckert. It also turns out that a company he owns is the registered owner of several sexually suggestive Web addresses.
Most curious of all, though, is that it turns out he is not really a reporter, at least not if that term still denotes a disinterested observer of events. Rather, Guckert writes for a Web site, talonnews.com, which is linked to another site, GOPUSA.com. That site serves, as you might gather, to promote the Republican Party.
Guckert resigned last week, saying he and his family have been threatened and harassed. If true, that is deplorable.
But it's also deplorable that he was ever seated in the White House briefing room. As to how that happened, Bush spokesman Scott McClellan has pleaded ignorance, saying, "In this day and age, when you have a changing media, it's not an easy issue to decide, to try to pick and choose who is a journalist."
Which is patently ridiculous. Contrary to the press secretary's Hamlet-like agonizing, it's not all that hard to know who is and is not a reporter. If an individual reports for a recognized media outlet that observes customary standards of journalistic integrity -- even if it tends to view the world through a conservative or liberal editorial prism -- that person is a reporter. But if the person works for an outlet that simply promotes, or advocates for, one political party or another, then the line between reporter and shill has been well and truly crossed.
It's not brain surgery. So you'll have to forgive me for not extending the benefit of doubt to McClellan. My problem is that he speaks for an administration with a long record of manipulating truth. These are the folks who pay pundits to say nice things about them. The ones who pressure scientists to change science that conflicts with political goals. The ones who ignore their own experts when confronted with information they'd rather not believe. And this is a president whose news conferences occur with only slightly more frequency than ice storms do in Key West.
So planting a party stooge among the real reporters hardly seems out of character.
The thing is, a government that is not scrutinized by an energetic and adversarial press is a government that is not accountable for its actions. A government that is allowed to create its own reality is a government that can get away with anything.
So where is our outrage?
Frankly, the only thing more galling than the brazenness with which the White House abrogates the public's right to know is the sheep-like docility with which we accept it.
When the history of this era is written, people will wonder why we didn't challenge its excesses, why we didn't know the things we should have. If you're still around, remember the uproar you do not hear right this moment and tell them the truth.
Ignorance was easier.
Detroit Free Press
02-18-05
Three weeks later, I'm still waiting for a good explanation of what Jeff Gannon was doing in the White House. And for you to be upset about it.
Gannon is the fellow who made himself memorable during last month's presidential news conference by asking about Democratic pessimism regarding the nation's economy. Specifically, he asked if President George W. Bush could work with "people who seem to have divorced themselves from reality."
The unusually partisan phrasing prompted reporters and liberal groups to ask the same question: Who is this guy? Well, it turns out that Gannon is not really Gannon. His real name is James Guckert. It also turns out that a company he owns is the registered owner of several sexually suggestive Web addresses.
Most curious of all, though, is that it turns out he is not really a reporter, at least not if that term still denotes a disinterested observer of events. Rather, Guckert writes for a Web site, talonnews.com, which is linked to another site, GOPUSA.com. That site serves, as you might gather, to promote the Republican Party.
Guckert resigned last week, saying he and his family have been threatened and harassed. If true, that is deplorable.
But it's also deplorable that he was ever seated in the White House briefing room. As to how that happened, Bush spokesman Scott McClellan has pleaded ignorance, saying, "In this day and age, when you have a changing media, it's not an easy issue to decide, to try to pick and choose who is a journalist."
Which is patently ridiculous. Contrary to the press secretary's Hamlet-like agonizing, it's not all that hard to know who is and is not a reporter. If an individual reports for a recognized media outlet that observes customary standards of journalistic integrity -- even if it tends to view the world through a conservative or liberal editorial prism -- that person is a reporter. But if the person works for an outlet that simply promotes, or advocates for, one political party or another, then the line between reporter and shill has been well and truly crossed.
It's not brain surgery. So you'll have to forgive me for not extending the benefit of doubt to McClellan. My problem is that he speaks for an administration with a long record of manipulating truth. These are the folks who pay pundits to say nice things about them. The ones who pressure scientists to change science that conflicts with political goals. The ones who ignore their own experts when confronted with information they'd rather not believe. And this is a president whose news conferences occur with only slightly more frequency than ice storms do in Key West.
So planting a party stooge among the real reporters hardly seems out of character.
The thing is, a government that is not scrutinized by an energetic and adversarial press is a government that is not accountable for its actions. A government that is allowed to create its own reality is a government that can get away with anything.
So where is our outrage?
Frankly, the only thing more galling than the brazenness with which the White House abrogates the public's right to know is the sheep-like docility with which we accept it.
When the history of this era is written, people will wonder why we didn't challenge its excesses, why we didn't know the things we should have. If you're still around, remember the uproar you do not hear right this moment and tell them the truth.
Ignorance was easier.
3 Comments:
He 100% right.
I guess it's up to us (bloggers) to keep this story alive and keep asking questions.
The lack of outrage and reporting on this in the mainstream press/media speaks volumes. They are weak, bought - or both.
It was the primary reason for me leaving the POTUS pic up so long, hopefully in my tiny, itty bitty way its helping. Lets hope this story reaches critical mass.
Damien, I have loved seeing the POTUS photo up for so long, watching as it keeps getting lots and lots of comments. Of course I look forward to more of your excellent work, but this one... it's worth leaving up front on your site for a while! Heh!
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