Did Gannon actually have a hard pass?

One of the DailyKos diarists has just posted an interview with Dana Milbank. Milbank points out that Gannon wore his pass around his neck, on a blue lanyard (it's visible in the TV footage). Apparently the day passes are paper cards that you carry in your pocket. Doesn't prove anything, but it's an interesting observation nonetheless.

Interesting: Ari Fleischer was interviewed by E&P:

http://199.249.170.220/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000807754

"Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer was so concerned about Talon News reporter James Guckert's potential ties to the Republican Party that he stopped calling on him at press briefings for about a week in 2003, Fleischer told E&P today."

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Somehow Steve,

The "Jeff Gannon" - "Talon News" story that's out doesn't add up. I think we must have the story backwards or we are being made to follow a McGuffin.

Briefly, a gay hooker and Bush staff work together to feed questions that are going to be noticed because they are, OBVIOUSLY couched to make Bush look good. Tell me this makes sense? It makes even less sense if you throw the in the espionage charges. Does it make sense to give a gay whore secret documents you want made public? Who gave him the documents? Why? He can't claim fourth admendment rights. Let's try that again, Bush uses a gay hooker, who is a notorious Republican whore, to collude for high stakes, where there is little possible gain, with a high likelihood of being caught, where the penalty for Bush is very high.

It doesn't make sense, the Bush's Gay past theme has come up before, with almost as much regularity as Michel Jackson penchant for little boys. Now if I were Michael's Lawyer, I'd advise Mike to stay away from playgrounds and to tear down the playground he's got in his back yard.

Similarly, Bush being gay is no big deal to Democrats, but a gay Republican is quite a different matter, in particular to the highly Republicanized senior officer corps. of the US Military...who would...based on previous statements, be inclined to resign their commissions rather than serve under a gay Bush Presidency. So it would follow that Bush's handlers would be sensitive to allowing Bush to be identified with gays in any way and yet here they are being as public as they possibly could. What gives?

Now if this somehow is covering a bigger scandal, like say "Jeff Gannon" was spotted with a rope in his hand [or elsewhere], wearing a blue dress in the library with Col. Rove...and then the whole "Talon News" story was created so it draws attention away from what a gay hooker is doing in the White House in the first place, it kinda makes sense.

Now I am not saying a certifiable Republican whore like "Gannon" is giving Rove head...but in all likelihood somebody was getting sexual pleasure from this infamous Republican hooker and that person had to be pretty high up the food chain to use this highly embarrassing story like this one as a cover. And we do know it's a story...because the dates don't match up.

I'll say one thing for this White House, they're willing to keep doubling their bets until they win. It looks like the press, as is typical with Republican Administrations, has already folded with a ace high full house to a pair of deuces.

Somehow this is a bigger story than the Plame angle.

This is interesting. This past summer, I interned for a major news bureau in Washington, DC. I never covered the White House, but it was really very, very, very easy for me to get access to literally everywhere.

Asheesh,

1) In your wanderings, did you use a fake name and credentials? Were you working as a hooker on the side? No? Apples to Oranges perhaps?

2) In addition to being a place of business, the White House is a residence.

3) Asheesh, if you will refer to American textbooks on history, you will note that we in the States have a habit of shooting the president every so often, hence, we spend a lot of time and effort to secure his/her well being. Historically, congress faces a smaller threat, which explains my dismay at your apples an oranges analogy.

4) That said, if people such as yourself keep publicizing how easy it is to attack congressional offices Osama may take you up on it and prove your point. I take it you would get small satisfaction from such an occurrence? Had you forgotton already, the CIA said yesterday that we were training Osama's minions in Iraq for attacks against America?

Yikes, S Brennan! I was just making a casual observation about my very limited experience of the press culture in Washington, DC. There wasn't any political content there at all. I said absolutely nothing controversial- I simply pointed out the reality of what it's like to be a reporter in DC. Yet, you seem to use it as an excuse the jump all over me. Let me address your points, one by one.

1) I never compared Gannon to myself. I simply pointed out that the press is just generally given a lot of access room without many questions asked. Look, I was a friggen' intern. I wasn't even an employee. Yet, I could get in most places, even though my badge had a huge "INTERN" notice on it. This is just the reality of Washington, DC.

2) Your second point is out of the blue. Explain it's relevance to anything I said on this thread.

3) See point one.

4) In my previous 38 word comment, I never made a SINGLE reference to Osama bin Laden or attacking congressional offices.

Explain. Or better yet, READ before you react.

Best,

Asheesh

Steve B.
I have seen you post some interesting observations on here before, but your attack on Asheesh was totally out of line. You really should apologize.

Even better: THINK before you react.

Asheesh in reply to your point:

1)"I never compared Gannon to myself." - Neither did I. I said apples to oranges, don't be so sensitive, nobody said you were the same as that Republican hooker, just the opposite, why the sensitivity?

2) "Your second point is out of the blue. Explain it's relevance" - Security varies from place to place, offices tend to be more public, than residences. Sorry you didn't get that. You don't see the difference, then explain it yourself?

3) Poor thinking on top of laziness, does not rate a reply Asheesh.

4) The last point was loose lips sink ships...And you do have loose lips Asheesh, perhaps not as loose as another famous intern, but loose enough to risk American lives for your vanity. If you have a problem with security, you address it in private. Frankly, after reading your original post and then your defense of publicly revealing security gaps...you shouldn't be given a clearance of any kind...you're just not worth the risk.

Please reread your post, you are angry and you are ranting. The point of my post, on how as a legitimate intern, you were compare your access to that of a common whore was...that you were comparing apples to oranges. See below.

" In your wanderings, did you use a fake name and credentials? Were you working as a hooker on the side? No? Apples to Oranges perhaps?"

Marky,

I'm saying there is no comparison, between Asheesh and Gannon. Asheesh is trying to make the connection in his original post. Why?

S Brennan-

I think you've completely misunderstood my point still. Probably willfully, in which case there's not much I can do to change it. You're worse than Bertignac. At least he UNDERSTANDS the other side, even if he disagrees with it.

I'm certainly neither "angry" nor "ranting." My point about Gannon: I'm simply saying that it is really easy for anyone with press credentials to get access anywhere in DC. I did. My intern friends did. Thousands of college students who flock to DC to work for media organizations every summer do. It's just a fact. Here's the difference: none of us are whores (though you certainly seem to prostitute yourself to lunacy). The fundamental fact of Washington media life: it's highly pourous- that's all I'm saying. You can pretend this isn't true, if you wish (and if so, I have some Iraqi weapons of mass destruction I'd like to sell you).

Your fourth point is one of some mild intellectual merit. I believe that the public has the right to know when things aren't secure and when their government fails to protect them. For example, train security in this country stinks. Richard Clarke says so publicly, and has told me so in person when I've asked him- with about 200 other people listening. Port security in this country also stinks. James Carafano of the Heritage Foundation (a conservative, mind you) says so publicly. Are these figures undermining American national security? No. They are exposing problems for policy-makers to address. They're doing us a patriotic service in this regard. They're sparking a debate and a discourse out of which better ideas hopefully will come (as long as we keep folks like you out of the strategy sessions). As a policy-maker himself, I'm sure Steve Clemons can respect that.

"Loose lips?" I'll have to add that to my growing list of right-wing nut jobs who've said hateful, but hilarious speech about me. Thanks for the addition!

By the way, of course the White House is a place of business! What planet are you from?! Mars?! The PEOPLE's business. And Enron's. And Halliburton's. And, during Democratic administrations, the trial lawyers.

Please reread your response to me. You are angry and you are ranting. But you clearly don't know how to read (or, to be more precise, COMPREHEND), so I understand. Tomorrow, don't forget to take your Ritalin :)

Best,

Asheesh

If someone wants to invoke Monica in response to my assertion that "none of us [college students] are whores," please note that Lewinsky was NOT a college STUDENT when she interned in the WH.

Somehow Steve,

The "Jeff Gannon" - "Talon News" story that's out doesn't add up. I think we must have the story backwards or we are being made to follow a McGuffin.

Briefly, a gay hooker and Bush staff work together to feed questions that are going to be noticed because they are, OBVIOUSLY couched to make Bush look good. Tell me this makes sense? It makes even less sense if you throw the in the espionage charges. Does it make sense to give a gay whore secret documents you want made public? Who gave him the documents? Why? He can't claim fourth admendment rights. Let's try that again, Bush uses a gay hooker, who is a notorious Republican whore, to collude for high stakes, where there is little possible gain, with a high likelihood of being caught, where the penalty for Bush is very high.

It doesn't make sense, the Bush's Gay past theme has come up before, with almost as much regularity as Michel Jackson penchant for little boys. Now if I were Michael's Lawyer, I'd advise Mike to stay away from playgrounds and to tear down the playground he's got in his back yard.

Similarly, Bush being gay is no big deal to Democrats, but a gay Republican is quite a different matter, in particular to the highly Republicanized senior officer corps. of the US Military...who would...based on previous statements, be inclined to resign their commissions rather than serve under a gay Bush Presidency. So it would follow that Bush's handlers would be sensitive to allowing Bush to be identified with gays in any way and yet here they are being as public as they possibly could. What gives?

Now if this somehow is covering a bigger scandal, like say "Jeff Gannon" was spotted with a rope in his hand [or elsewhere], wearing a blue dress in the library with Col. Rove...and then the whole "Talon News" story was created so it draws attention away from what a gay hooker is doing in the White House in the first place, it kinda makes sense.

Now I am not saying a certifiable Republican whore like "Gannon" is giving Rove head...but in all likelihood somebody was getting sexual pleasure from this infamous Republican hooker and that person had to be pretty high up the food chain to use this highly embarrassing story like this one as a cover. And we do know it's a story...because the dates don't match up.

I'll say one thing for this White House, they're willing to keep doubling their bets until they win. It looks like the press, as is typical with Republican Administrations, has already folded with a ace high full house to a pair of deuces.

Somehow this is a bigger story than the Plame angle.
Posted by S Brennan at February 17, 2005 08:39 PM

Look, anybody could have been hired to throw softball questions at the president who the frig in thier right mind would make it a gay prostitute?

Either Gannon/Guckert was there to provide sex services to someone very high up and his role in the press room was just cover, or Gannon/Guckert has the blackmail goods on someone so tight that he couldn't be killed.

Why does he look so smug all the time?

The issue that he got access is just a distraction from the real question of who put him there and why.

Personally, I think he was there for Bush.

And I am not the the rpess has folded on this one, i think it has just taken a while for everyone to digest the facts. This story has it all.. gay sex, polotics, espionage, the presidency...

Wouldn't it be just the best cup of coffee if a gay sex scandal forced W to resign. The ChristoRepugFascist's would certainly be getting everything they deseve for what they made of Clinton

Dave -

You're right, it doesn't add up. But if your hunches are correct, how likely do you think it is that Gannon/Guckert's (should he decide to spill) would have the credibility to make it stick? A gay prostitute? Doesn't seem likely.

I don't quite follow all of the issues in the exchange between Asheesh and S Brennan -- but the key points are these, as I see them. Asheesh is right that around town here, it is remarkably easy to get a press pass, even easier since politicos now want to chase bloggers -- and bloggers are mostly one-person news/commentary operations. I posted this template of a White House pass request just to show people a piece of the process. I also wanted to make the point that it is easier than this form to get a day pass.

Gannon seemed to have gotten into the White House with some inside help. I fully agree with that. But once he got into the system, and was often recognized, the process of daily fax requests, while cumbersome for him, wasn't that hard. He seemed to have operated under his own name, not the alias, when entering the White House.

What is interesting is that I spoke with a very senior Clinton White House official yesterday who told me that it is not legal for a journalist, or any other party, to enter the White House and operate under an alias -- and this someone at the White House, and presumably Scott McClellan and others had to know.

I think that the story's importance remains the questions of who helped Gannon/Guckert from the inside -- and was this help he was given part of the White House's larger scheme of controlling what was reported about them; and (2) who leaked to Gannon the Valerie Plame information.

Thanks guys for the debate.

Steve Clemons

Steve wrote: "He seemed to have operated under his own name, not the alias, when entering the White House."

Perhaps, but video of press conferences shows that he's referred to as "Jeff" in the press room. I'm not suggesting there's anything untoward in the use of different names, just acknowledging the fact.

Jon K -- I agree, in the press conferences, he was Jeff. But when he went through the guard shack -- he was John Guckert. He had to have entered under his real name. I don't have the link but Ari Fleischer apparently smelled something was up with Jeff Gannon and would not call on him because he thought he was a party hack. Eberle at Talon had to assure him that GOPUSA was not a Republican entity for Fleischer to begin calling on Gannon then. But the most interesting part of Fleischer's remarks, as I remember them, was that he didn't know Gannon was operating under an alias. He said he is not sure whether Scott McClellan knew. (If I have butchered names here -- I apologize; I'm just not at a place I can double check at the moment.)

Sid Blumenthal shared with me his view that it is not legal for anyone to operate under an alias in the White House. I don't know how to check that out -- but the principle sounds interesting. If there are sleuths who want to dig into that, could be an interesting op-ed or post.

Steve Clemons

Steve,

The NY Times reported on it today. Here's the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/18/politics/18gannon.html

Wow, there are tons of revelations on Americablog today about how Gannon was given other classified information, such as exactly when Shock and Awe would start: he leaked that information 4 hours before the war started.
This is much bigger than Plame, IMO.
I really don't see any other explanation than that he was somebody's boytoy---Rove or Bush, and Bushco thinks they can get away with ANYTHING.

Just found this in the comments on Americablog.
Presumably a link will be forthcoming:

"There are screen caps of gannon in a Nov. 2002 WH press gathering! This is 6 months before talon existed!"

"BOYTOY INTELLIGENCE SCANDAL BRINGS DOWN BUSH WHITE HOUSE." Want to bet?
Geezus. Amazing

I asked Jerry Dolittle at Bad Attitudes http://www.badattitudes.com if he thought this story would take off. Here is his reply:

"I think it's going nowhere, Susan. First off, the Democrats won't have the stomach to push something that could easily be painted as gay-bashing. Second, they don't have the power of subpoena in either house.

None of this, however, should prevent us from paddling around happily with the story in our little cyberpuddle, until they pass Patriot Act III and close down all blogs to the left of G. Gordon Liddy."

If he's right about the gay-bashing part, why can't Barney Franks or Howard Dean lead the charge? Each of these men should be immune to gay bashing charges.

It's not gay bashing. That's so lame.
If the Democrats don't have the spine to tackle this one, we deserve Armageddon.

This url has the screen shots of Gannon from
Nov. 2002
http://www.prwatch.org/forum/showthread.php?t=5358

Susan -- I guess would have to presuppose that the person who thought that critiquing Gannon/Guckert was gay-bashing. That's ridiculous. This is huge news in the gay community and overall, they are villifying Gannon when, in fact, I think we should be lightening up on him and offering a chance at rehabilitation. But this is not a gay issue -- it's a security issue at the White House and a national security issue regarding Plame. It's also a potential part of the White House's somewhat insidious game plan to control media reporting about it. But I don't think that this has anything to do with Gannon being gay.
Steve

Steve,
You probably know this already, but you do know that Michelangelo Signorile is the person who could put you in touch with Gannon, right?
I think you're right on target about rehabilitating Gannon. He's not the villain.

I remain skeptical of where all this will go, but Steve is right about its not involving gay/bashing. Jeff/Jim could just as well have been Jane/Jenny. If it were Jane/Jenny, then pursuing this would not be considered "woman bashing." Gender and sexual orientation/preferences are irrelevant.

Is it really conceivable that the whole WH press corps had this guy in its midst for nearly three years and no one took an interest in what he was doing there? The ever pre-scripted prez takes questions from him, and no one wants to know who he is? Now there's news (americablog) to the effect that he was passing classified info to a major news outlet. No curiosity there either?

Steve, may I suggest that you put in some calls (emails, whatever) to each and every WH journalist you know?

susan,

don't discount the potential value of this scandal before it has had time to germinate...the central principle in poker is to always ensure that you get paid when an opponent gives you the opportunity to develop a hand.

this story has all the ingredients necessary to totally discredit the bush administration with its base supporters (especially the christian right).

i just grabbed the following post from The Conservative Voice (posted six hours ago):

-----------------------------------------------------------
It's great to see a conservative web site where folks are starting to wake up to what's happening here in America.

I'm a moderate Republican (fiscally conservative, socially liberal, and I make no apologies for the latter), and I've voted Republican in every election since I've been allowed to vote, until last year. I voted for Bush in 2000, but after watching how his valiant words completely misrepresented the atrocious behavior of him and his administration over the past four years, I refused to vote for him again.

There is no shame in being a Republican who opposes the Bush administration. The fact is, this administration is not Republican whatsoever (previous posts regarding the basic tenets of the Republican party make this pretty apparent). The neocons are much closer in principle to Fascists than they are Republicans, and the sooner other intelligent Republicans realize this (no matter what your liberal/moderate/conservative leanings), the better.

These people in power are not Republicans, nor are they Christians (anyone who's read Matthew chapters 5-7 would see that). They do not actually practice, represent, or appreciate any of the people or values they so claim to cherish. And they are deceiving the American people and crashing our world standing into the ground, both politically and economically.

For once, both Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals, should be in absolute agreement: that this administration is a pack of liars who represent only themselves, not the public who elected them, and the sooner we can get them out of power, the better not only for ourselves, but the world as a whole.
-----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.theconservativevoice.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=2952&com_id=4532&com_rootid=4532&com_mode=nest&com_order=0#comment4532
-----------------------------------------------------------

cheers
P.

The Dems need to grow a spine. What kind of horseshit is this that we shrink from this kind of winnable fight. The Bush administration is manipulating the news. That is against the law and there is a reason it is against the law. When it happened in Germany we ended up in a World War. We need to be prepared for the right wing to accuse us of comparing Bush to Hitler. Deal with it! So the guy is gay, hypocricy is not illegal. Most of us practice it. When it happened in Germany we ended up in a World War. We are afraid of being labled as Gay bashers. If the Dems policy stand does not immunize them from such a lame attack and we are continually dancing around trying to be everything to everyone then we have learned nothing. Give me a break. If the Repubs can attack Kerry as a traitor and W as a good patriotic American during Vietnam then we need to just stand up even as the mud is thrown. When self loathing gays help fling that mud we need to call them on it. There are lot of bad people out there, they may be gay, they may be woman, they may be Catholics but one does not preclude the other. Republicans know that. They know people will vote for you if most of the stuff they say is attractive to you. You may be gay and we may piss on gay marriage but most of the other stuff we say appeals to you. Security Moms, you may hate that we piss on reproductive rights but we will save your children from the big bad turarist that are coming to get your babies in Podunk Indiana. You really think that most gays and moms are too stupid to not notice when they are being pissed on? We need to stand up and say what needs to be said. Isn't that why eveyone wanted Dean?

What if Jim/Jeff was boytoy for someone at GOPUSA? GOPUSA and WH dirty tricks collude to put ringers in the press room. Boytoy Jim/Jeff gets the sweetheart deal to go on WH beat from sugardaddy at GOPUSA.

Ari finds out that Jim/Jeff works for GOPUSA and tells GOPUSA that he will no longer call on him if he is connected to the GOP. GOPUSA creates Talon to distance Jim/Jeff from GOPUSA and everything is rosy until Jim/Jeff gets caught.

Jim/Jeff has access to insider WH info because it is being fed to sugardaddy at GOPUSA who passes it on to Jim/Jeff. Follow the money. Whose payroll was Jim/Jeff on? That will ID Sugardaddy. The political story is the information going to GOPUSA for WH manipulation of the media.

"I guess would have to presuppose that the person who thought that critiquing Gannon/Guckert was gay-bashing."

Steve,

On the contrary, I think that Dolittle feels that Democrats are so afraid of being labled gay-bashers that we will hesitate to aggressively pursue this story.

Dolittle's a fighter who is completely fed up with cowardly, inert Democrats who let the Republicans frame every issue. By permitting this to be defined as a gay issue, we will find ourselves (and the country) distracted from the important business of exposing this scandal for what it is: a staggering security breach.

I like the suggestion that Gannon should be regarded as a pawn. Now that's a point of view that most Dems could not only understand but also embrace.

(Darn,I wish I could write like Max!)

Susan,
I'd be afraid of writing like Max---I'm afraid my screen would dissolve from the acid.

Marky,

Maybe so, but I'm still laughing over his evisceration of poor Berti. Oh, to be able to do that with words!

Marky,

Atrios has just posted more on Gannon/CBS...

Atrios wants to know how Jim/Jeff got Mapes story? Easy, from GOPUSA, part of the GOP dirty tricks squad. Nixon got caught running his own dirty tricks operation. The Bush's have always had other un-connectable groups doing their dirty tricks for them (GOPUSA, Swifty Boats, Willie Horton, etc.) They are organized into cells so they are hard to connect. Bush was never directly connected to the Swifties or to the anti-McCain push polls in SC but we all know he was behind them.

Who would have known that Scaife was funneling money to Whitewater witness, David Hale through the American Spectator in an operation directed by Ted Olsen if insiders had not blown the whistle?

I am convinced that one of the reasons why so many Americans thought Bush was good for "War on Terror" is his willingness to play dirty. At least that is true for the Fuck Yeah faction.

"Nixon got caught running his own dirty tricks operation."

Heck, many of the principals in the G.W. Bush administration were also in the Nixon ad. Didn't these guys learn ANYTHING?

This may be shaping up to be a tragedy (for them, not for us)of Shakespearean porportions: Their fatal flaws (hubris) doomed them yet again. (I've got my fingers crossed!)

Steve - All,

I sure we don't see eye to eye on why I think James Guckert[AKA Jeff "this is easier to pronounce" Gannon] is scum at every level, but this guy, John Aravosis, seems to be hitting 'em outta the park one after another. He's got a swing worth watching:

http://www.americablog.org/

Brennan, All,

Like Steve, Aravosis has an impressive background
See www.wiredstrategies.com/aravosis.htm

Impressive? Boy, is he ever!

Thanks, Linda

Thanks Linda,

I like the Madeline Albright chit, she redeemed Clinton's foreign policy.

So how did a UofI grad wind up working for Ted Stevens?

CBS is now reporting on Jim/Jeff work as a politico in the SoDak Senate race that defeated Daschle:

"Daschle aides told Roll Call, "This guy (Gannon) became the dumping ground for opposition research." The connections are so strong that there is an FEC challenge which could be a test case on the limits of the use of the Internet in federal campaigns.

Gannon also had Thune on his radio show "Jeff Gannon's Washington," and the White House correspondent for Talon became touted as the "resident D.C. expert on South Dakota politics" by the bloggers. Thune and Wadham (who has been hired by aspiring White House Republican Sen. George Allen) have become go-to guys on the use of blogs in campaigns. Thune was cited in The New York Times as introducing "Senators to the meaning of 'blogging,' explaining the basics of self-published online political commentary and arguing that it can affect public opinion."

This week Democrats, who have serious case of Rove envy, went a little nuts and started sending around information and graphic pictures of Gannon and his porn Web sites. But it is the more routine part of Gannon's life that deserves serious scrutiny. Planting or even just sanctioning a political operative in the WH press room is a dangerous precedent and Karl Rove's hope to become a respected policymaker will be hampered if the dirty tricks from his political past are more apparent than his desire to spread liberty around the globe. "

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/18/opinion/lynch/main675050.shtml

Definately worth a read. Confirms my suspicion that GOPUSA was an outlet to funnel GOP opposition research into the mainstream media. Jim/Jeff was at press gaggles asking questions before Talon. Ari says he cut off Jim/Jeff because he thought he might be a GOP operative. Was this just before Talon was created? If so, then Ari was worried about getting dragged into the scam and demanded better deniability. Creating Talon gave Ari enough cover to go back to letting Jim/Jeff ask questions. What better way to run an oppo research funnel than to set up your own conduit and give them legitimacy by letting them into the gaggles. Of course Jim/Jeff was coming in the back door, but the rest of the gaggle would not know that. The Plame material was GOP oppo research against Wilson so naturally, GOPUSA would have received it, explaining how Jim/Jeff would get access. This would also explain Jim/Jeff access to Mapes info and the Rather sting operation. Was GOPUSA/Talon the only such operation or are there others? The GOP has really perfected this technique of funneling their oppo research.

Bakho,

I'm sure there are lot of other Republicans out there that are not certifiable whores
and could do as good as job as "Jeff"

None...and I mean none of this makes sense, unless, somebody indisposable is a
client of James Guckert[AKA Jeff "this is easier to pronounce" Gannon].

Who else besides Rove? Bush?

Billmon asked a good question on an Americablog thread: did Guckert travel with the White House press corps at all? According to Billmon (and as I suspected), it's much harder to get to travel with Bush than to get a pass at the White House.
Supposing he was traveling with the Bush press corps, then you really have to think it's Bush or Rove, hard as that is to believe, at least in the case of Bush.

One thing for sure---if this sort of speculation is anywhere close to the truth, this is very dangerous ground... not for stupid anonymous commenters like me, but for people who get close to the story.

"...this is very dangerous ground... not for stupid anonymous commenters like me, but for people who get close to the story."

How about being dangerous for Gannon? Hopefully someone is covering his back.

Of course it's dangerous for Gannon.
And he's got to be terrified for his life, even if he hasn't gotten any threats at all.
The Bush's have a reputation for ruthlessness that, even from the outside, is scary---but he's not on the outside.

I hope Steve has a good lawyer for Gannon to talk to. Maybe it would be a good idea to get a gay lawyer, since he was comfortable talking to Signorile last weekend.
You can bet that he's on TV now because of marching orders from the top, and not because he wants to be there. He needs an advocate who can make him feel safe and give him better advice too.

Marky,

I find it strange he's so willing to dig his own grave.

His handlers made him look like a guy who might take his
own life...or fall fatally ill overnight.

That...how would they describe it to him...scared puppy bit,
just made him look unhinged.

He better correct that image before it takes hold.

Truth be told Marky, he's got no friends, if he died this week,
both sides would breath a sigh of relief.

Being a gay Republican whore has got to be the most pathetic profession on earth.

Who is the real connection between Nixon and Bush 43?

Karl Rove.

The others are from the FORD Administration.

Alex:

Cheney went to Washington in 1969 to serve as special assistant to Donald Rumsfeld (President George W. Bush's secretary of defense) in the Office of Economic Opportunity in the Nixon administration.

did you guys watch that video clip of bill maher as posted by s brennan, this is some gorgeous shit...

http://www.americablog.org/

when is the last time you have heard anyone truly mocking the current adminstration (beyond the standard bushism stuff), without fear, and really taking the issue of incompetence right into their face.

this scandal is gathering steam...it is germinating.

bring it on folks, get paid !

cheers
P.

The homophobia on the left around this is surreal!

and since it seems like conspiracy theories are "de rigeur" here's one for y'all:

John W. Hinkley Sr, the father of Ronald Reagan's would-be assassin. was president of the board for World Vision. World Vision served, in the words of John Judge's words, as a "penetration force" for the CIA. (The Hinkleys and the Bushes had known each other for decades. In the sixties, when Hinkley's oil company was failing, it was bailed out by Bush's Zapata Oil.) World Vision was financed during the Vietnam War by the Agency and given the use of military equipment. According to Judge, the mission ran the Cuban and Thai refugee camps in the United States. Reportedly there were beatings and abuses, and the camps were staffed by Alpha 66 and Omega 7 people, the virulently anti-Castro assets, who were looking for like-minded anti-communists to recruit for intelligence gathering and counter-insurgency. And as if we haven't had enough already, here's another kick in the head: Mark David Chapman, who eventually shot John Lennon, worked at World Vision's Thai refugee camps in Arkansas. (That both Hinkley and Chapman were fixated upon Catcher in the Rye has suggested to some that the book was used as a trigger for "Manchurian"-like assassin mind control programming.)

Brennan:
"Now I am not saying a certifiable Republican whore like "Gannon" is giving Rove head"
If it ain't either your cock or your mouth, then it's none of your damn business. No exceptions!

Asheesh:
Don't let Brennan get you bent out of shape. I suspect latent homosexual tendencies, or maybe even a secret life, that he can't come to terms with. And for all of you, stop pretending that liberals are so open about homosexuality. Probably most of you would shit a brick if in your living room you had a gay couple petting on the couch during a little party.

A challenge to the liberals on the block vis-a-vis this discussion. Who has the balls to come out and say that they are gay, if, of course, they are. I just wanna hear a little truth.

susan:
I came on the threat late, but again you are hallucinating. I don't remember being "eviscerated", yet if I had been I think I would remember.

I guess it took a while for the Freeper talking points to get shipped to France.

Are progressives open minded – or can you only stomach reading articles which you agree with? Let me raise a view which is contrary to most readers:

http://powerlineblog.com/archives/2005_02.php#009616

I dare liberals to read the post and coherently argue against the hypocrisy evident thorough out the left on Gannon. You too Steve. At a minimum (if you can't stomach reading Powerline), read David Corn's piece:

www.thenation.com/capitalgames/index.mhtml?bid=3&pid=2196

I don't need to read that idiot Hindrocket.
Where is the hypocrisy? Do you think the left would be any less interested if a buxom young female prostitute was working as an operative for the White House in the press room? Do you think we wouldn't be saying things like "Who is she screwing?" and "DId she suck rove?"?
Of course we would! The right just doesn't want to talk about homosexuality at all, except from the point of view that any mention of it is totally heinous.
Yeah, I see hypocrisy all right---from the right.

Sean,
One serious error that Hindrocket makes is that he refers to Guckert's escort work as pre-dating his "journalism" career.
That is false. He has active escort web sites on the web, and judging from the reviews on his site, he was still flesh-whoring (as opposed to media-whoring) after he started covering the White House.

marky:
His sexually is off-limits, or should be ... period! And all I see, in fact, is the left digging in the dirt hoping to hurt someone, and having no sense of common decency. Hypocrisy as usual.

Bert -

There's nothing personal about posting nude photos of onesself on the internet, especially when those sites are selling prostitution.

No doubt the "right" would exercise every restraint if the situation were reversed.

B.
He made his privates public in his professional life. Why on earth are you excusing his criminal behavior?

"Why on earth are you excusing his criminal behavior?"

Marky,

Don't feed the troll; he just gets fatter.

you guys just love the titillation ... but, might as well forget about this story actually going anywhere ... gee susan, i'm still waiting to hear something intelligent ... forget intelligent, how about amusing or interesting ... from you:)

Bert wrote: "you guys just love the titillation"

Uh, no. Have you seen "Jeff Gannon?"

Bert, I'm curious:
1) How do you think "Gannon" got access to the WH before he was affiliated with any news entity?
2) Why was Ari Fleischer wary of him?
3) Is it coincidence that Gannon got access to the WH under the circumstances mentioned above, got inside information on several high-profile items before everyone else and typically asked loaded, partisan questions when he was called upon?
4) Does asking loaded questions of elected officials or their spokespeople well serve a democratic system of government?

Jon K
Frankly, this isn't worth the energy yours or mine ... be careful or you might become Mort Saul reincarnated:)

Bert -

Nice copout.

Jon

bert,
I think Saul was in the Bible and Sahl somewhere in America. I guess you have as much right at canonization as anyone, except you are supposed to wait until he passes. Can we get a prayer cloth, too?

The Raw Story has revealed that "Jeff Gannon"'s articles were largely plagiarized from other stories---http://rawstory.com
Gannon couldn't even recall when his first Talon byline appeared. He probably didn't do any writing at all. This really makes it look like he was in the White House for sex, and the reporter's job was an afterthought, or cover.

anyone wanna buy some photos:) marky, you innarested?

yahaddasayit:
Ah, Saul, Schmahl ...

bert-
So no prayer cloth? How about a washcloth with a JG monogram? Man, throw us a bone(so to speak).

yahaddasayi:
I think I saw some soiled html code on ebay. How long do you think this truffle hunt is going to last?