There's a scandal brewing, my Republican friends, and I submit that this has the potential of exploding into another Watergate. Had it occurred before 9/11 it may not have mattered as much. There's a hole in the veil of security that surrounds the White House. Where are the outraged Republicans demanding thorough investigation? There is something extremely Nixonian going on here. If this was William Jefferson Clinton, there would be rabid calls for a special prosecutor. "I just don't get it. How he got a press pass?... You have to be cleared through the Secret Service to get it... There's something behind this story that has to come out," commented Ms. Stahl, implying that there will be no investigation. That is an issue that Republicans within and outside the Beltway must address. And a note to the fundamentalists — don't make this a gay issue.
ON THE LEFT: Sen. Joe Biden (D-Delaware) asked "how could that happen and nobody had any idea who he was." He said that if Democrats were in charge there would be an investigation and implied that due to the Republican majority there will be none. Biden said that he cannot call for a hearing in that only chairmen of committees can call for a hearing. Respectfully I have to disagree. Here is an opportunity for Democrats in Congress to step up to the plate and make some points with the American people. Granted, under the procedures adopted by this Congress, Democrats have little or no power to do much of anything; however, that does not negate their political responsibility to follow through. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-California) said last week that Democrats will work with new DNC Chair Howard Dean and they expect that Dean will take his directions from the same Congressional Democrats. Ms. Pelosi should be more concerned about building a spirit of bipartisanship and worry less about the everyday operations of the Democratic Party. This Congress has two years remaining and there is much work that needs to be done which cannot be deferred until after the mid-term elections.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Adrian
This is a very good piece. Very well put! I for one am outraged! A prostitute(male or female) in the WH is outrageous! My children have already started askin question...I don't know what to say! I am a republican and this really has my blood boiling. I can't understand why some of my fellow party members are trying to stick up for this man! They are sticking up for male prostitutes? What is going on here?
2 - Elaine
And what about the stained blue jockey shorts Gannon-Guckert is hiding? Are they Bush's or Roves? Check out the photos at:
http://www.bartcop.com/1498.htm So much for family values!
Will the press run this picture 20,000,000 times
like they ran Bill hugging Monica on the rope line?
3 - Marc
"Republicans in Congress and in grassroots America should be outraged by this breach of security."
Sorry there was no breach, he got his "information" from a public source.
"Howard Dean, in his capacity as DNC Chairman, should be pounding his fists on a podium at a press conference demanding complete disclosure by the White House."
Never happen, he's too busy screaming "I hate all things the Republicans stand for." Or some such nonsense, good way to build up a party that has lost 3 elections in a row and if they plan on Hillary in '08 it will be 4 in a row.
"In the end, there are similarities between this embarrassment and the disclosure of Joe Wilson’s wife as a CIA operative."
Sorry that crap don't fly either, that meme was drempt up by the Kossacks
The whole truth and nothing but the truth.
4 - Aaman
The security lapse is the single biggest problem with this entire issue and should be questioned until it is explained.
Nice roundup - ty
5 - Dave Nalle
What security lapse? How much security checking do you think they do on the press? They wanted a couple of blogs represented in the press room so they asked TalonNews to send a reporter. Talon's guy in DC was Jeff Gannon who happens to also be a male prostitute - which Talon certainly wasn't aware of and which is not exactly the kind of thing the Bush security folks would be looking for either. They probably took one look at Gannon/Guckert's military record and decided he was fine. How many Marine reservists are secret terrorists? And truthfully, the fact that he's a male prostitute does NOT make him a security risk in any way as a member of the press corps.
That said, Gannon/Guckert seems more than sufficiently creepy, but I don't see who should be blamed for this incedent or what exactly they're going to be blamed for. There just isn't any scandal here - it's just an amusing incedent.
Dave
6 - Silas Kain
Sorry there was no breach, he got his "information" from a public source.
What information are we talking about? Gannon was a fully credentialed member of the press who had to have been cleared by the FBI and the Secret Service. There most certainly is a breach here.
Never happen, he's too busy screaming "I hate all things the Republicans stand for." Or some such nonsense, good way to build up a party that has lost 3 elections in a row and if they plan on Hillary in '08 it will be 4 in a row.
I can't disagree with you on that one. You're absolutely right, he does hate all things Republican. But, let's be fair. Republicans in positions of power equally hate Democrats. In 2000, Gore had the popular vote. In 2004, Bush won the popular vote by a small margin. The difference between the two parties is organization. If the Republicans applied their organizational abilities to the running of government, we would be a hell of a lot better off today.
Rather than spewing hate toward each other, there has to be a point where reasonable voices on both sides of the aisle come together for the sake of the country. Extremism on either side of the aisle serves us no constructive purpose.
Sorry that crap don't fly either, that meme was drempt up by the Kossacks
The whole truth and nothing but the truth.
I respectfully disagree. The Wilson leak is a very serious matter. Indeed, I want to see the TRUTH, and the WHOLE TRUTH at that.
7 - Eric Olsen
super job on this SK, we have really had some exceptional people join of late!
I somewhat disagree that the security angle is the most troubling for the reasons expressed by Dave and Marc - I find the pattern of press manipulation we have seen with these paid off shills fronting as honest observers, and foot-sucking toadies such as this Gannon turd, to be the more troubling aspect of the story.
Politicians have always sought to manipulate the press, but the level of sophistication, concentration, and success at it achieved by the Bush administration is, I think, unprecedented. They really do have their own network, Fox News (which I actually enjoy in spite of myself some of the time), at their beck and call. This has very troubling ramifications.
8 - Silas Kain
That said, Gannon/Guckert seems more than sufficiently creepy, but I don't see who should be blamed for this incedent or what exactly they're going to be blamed for. There just isn't any scandal here - it's just an amusing incedent.
Maybe I am making a mountain out of a mole hill, Dave. But this incident leads to a bigger question for me. What exactly is the procedure by which the press get credentialed? Leslie Stahl says that White House Press go through a rigorous background check. If that is the case, then where is that background check on Gannon?
Again, I have to ask - what would be the GOP reaction if this were a Clinton White House? I don't think that it is difficult to figure out that there would be a witch hunt in Washington today. The American people are entitled to know that a thorough background check on Mr. Gannon was conducted as it is allegedly conducted for any member of the press. Seems to me there's a lot of cowardice among the White House Press Corps these days and that, in my honest opinion, is another subject for an investigative piece.
9 - Dave Nalle
>>Maybe I am making a mountain out of a mole hill, Dave. <<
More like making a mountain out of nothing at all.
>>But this incident leads to a bigger question for me. What exactly is the procedure by which the press get credentialed? Leslie Stahl says that White House Press go through a rigorous background check. If that is the case, then where is that background check on Gannon?<<
I've been involved in federal background checks when people I know have been getting checked for security clearance or jobs in Washington and it seems to mostly consist of checking their public background and interviewing people they know. I imagine the background checks for the press corps are far less rigorous than security clearance checks because they don't handle sensitive material or have all that much access. Plus they have to set the bar pretty low because some members of the press would never pass a security clearance. I mean really, how much do they need to know about a reporter? So long as he's not likely to shoot the president what more do they care about?
>>Again, I have to ask - what would be the GOP reaction if this were a Clinton White House? <<
I don't think it matters. This just isn't a matter of personal conduct or administration malfeasance. It's trivial - way down on the scale compared to the scandals of the Clinton White House. No administration personnel did anything wrong or benefitted from this incident in any way. You can't have a scandal unless someone did something wrong.
>>I don't think that it is difficult to figure out that there would be a witch hunt in Washington today. <<
I think you're seriously deluded.
>>The American people are entitled to know that a thorough background check on Mr. Gannon was conducted as it is allegedly conducted for any member of the press. <<
I'm not sure it's been alleged that any kind of serious background check is done on members of the press and whatever kind of background check they do is unlikely to have turned up much about the reporter's personal life and even if it did, why would his sexual activities have disqualified him from being a reporter. How are they relevant or a danger?
Dave
10 - kuros
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.
â€" Albert Einstein
11 - Josia
Ha ha ha :)) You cracked me up kuros!! But seriously - first of all this is an extremely well written piece - love the punchline! - you should know that we've already been through this in Israel and there is still more to come - as time goes by you're going to see a lot more screw-ups in high places - it's just how should I put it? The universe's way of showing us how little control we really have - and the people in high places in this world have the LEAST control of all - they are maneuvered according to our uncorrected desires. And by the way - guess where American law enforcement agencies and special forces, secret service etc. learn their top security tactics from? That's right - Israel :) Interesting to note how anything that is not solved in Israel spreads to the rest of the world ...
12 - Moses
Re: the "press credentials": "Gannon" was turned down by the org that grants press credentials because the organization he worked for refused to provide information.
He has been granted a DAILY press pass by the White House directly, for the past two years. Daily Press passes are usually only granted if a journalist is in town for only a day. This is how the WH got around Gannon's lack of press credentials.
I think there are many many issues here: important ones. I would like to point out, also, that prostitution is illegal, and doubly illegal in the case of homosexual military personnel.
And as to the security breach-- prostitution, esp. homosexual prostitution, and particulary involving military personnel pose serious security questions, even if he were a journalist, which he was not. He was a male prostitute, placed in the WH under phoney prestense that he was a journalist.
I think also a number of issues converge-- "prostitution" fits this White House, and what it has done to our country-- the hypocrisy and the underlying wierd sexuality of the agenda and the ideology of the members of the Administration and their proponents; the prostitution of our media and "free press": we used to pride ourselves on being the information society: now we are the Big Lie society, the Hype society; and the potential for blackmail and other transactions that serve as a basis of the way this WH operates: extortion and blackmail.
13 - Eric Olsen
interesting if facile symbolism
14 - J. Alec West
At first, this may not seem on-topic. But, bear with me.
President Bush needs to provide additional funding to NASA right now, allowing it to pursue a manned landing on Mars. The demeanor of an entire generation may depend on it. Why?
My Sociology instructor in college said that different generations define themselves by the major news events during their upbringing. Baby boomers, for the most part, were happy and upbeat. This is because the major news event of their day was the manned landing on the moon ... an event that exuded great aspirations. Gen-Xers, however, tended to be melancholy. This is because the major news event of their day was that their President (Clinton) got a 'hummer' in the Oval Office ... an event that exuded great embarassment.
This Gannon/Guckert thing has the potential of being as harmful to our current generation's mindset as the Clinton/Lewinsky encounter. And there's only one way to avoid this dilemma. We must put a man on Mars ASAP. And some might suggest a 'perfect' astronaut for the job ... Bush himself.
15 - Marc
Silas Kain "What information are we talking about? Gannon was a fully credentialed member of the press who had to have been cleared by the FBI and the Secret Service. There most certainly is a breach here."
The security breach refered to was the alleged handing over if classified files to Gannon.
It never happened as pointed out in my two links contained in my original comment.
As far as the Wilson "outing" and the "leak"
Wilsons wife was well known in DC circles as a CIA operative, how do you leak what is already known? When all is said and done the entire affair will be seen as nothing but political bluster.
16 - Silas Kain
Wilsons wife was well known in DC circles as a CIA operative, how do you leak what is already known? When all is said and done the entire affair will be seen as nothing but political bluster.
Thanks for your input, Marc. But I have a question for anyone reading these comments -- and that is the following:
Were Bill Clinton President, or any other Democrat for that matter, would Republicans treat the Jeff Gannon matter differently and how would FOX NEWS handle the situation?
17 - Michael
The major news event for the baby boom generation would have been the assassination of JFK.....
18 - Dave Nalle
>>And as to the security breach-- prostitution, esp. homosexual prostitution, and particulary involving military personnel pose serious security questions, <<
Color me skeptical. I don't see what possible security risks his sexual orientation or willingness to make some cash on the side for sex could possibly pose. The concern with homosexuality in security checks is for government workers who might be blackmailed because of it - as in the Porfumo affair. That's just not an issue with a journalist.
>>even if he were a journalist, which he was not. He was a male prostitute, placed in the WH under phoney prestense that he was a journalist. <<
Well, he did write articles and had been doing so for quite a while. He's certainly as much a journalist as any other blogger who has a day job. I question whether his other activities are really relevant.
Dave
19 - Aaman
Dave, in a post-9/11 world, any security lapse this close to high security people is concerning.
I'm willing to bet if his real name was Mohammed Bin Al'Shibh Al'Fitr we'd have a firestorm on our hands. I hope you appreciate the analogy.
20 - Dave Nalle
>>He has been granted a DAILY press pass by the White House directly, for the past two years. Daily Press passes are usually only granted if a journalist is in town for only a day. This is how the WH got around Gannon's lack of press credentials. <<
If there's a scandal at all in this, it's the fact that the White House went out of its way to get Gannon in there, presumably because he liked to ask sympathetic questions. That's rather self-serving and doesn't reflect well on the administration, but at the same time it's a pretty petty issue.
Dave
21 - Boleslaw Schlabatinskyskya
A male prostitute disgraces the military uniform by appearing in solicitation ads in various states of undress on the net. He does not report the income he receives as a prostitute and does not pay taxes upon the income. Most of his customers are senior miliary officers (see the reviews of his performance at Men4Men.com)visiting the pentagon from out of town. He does not pay his state income taxes. Also, back in his home state, while working as a high school gym teacher and wrestling coach, his part time job is hustling -- he has ads in local gay magazines and then on the internet.
None of these crimes and ethical violations are prosecuted. The man isn't even admonished.
He gets a job with a newly formed internet web site. He and the site are approved for the White House press corps, in just 4 days, even though the site is brand new and has no publications. He's okayed as a reporter, even though he's never written anything.
As part of the White House press corps, using daily passes, he uses an alias. Use of the alias is accepted by the Press Secretary and the White House for nearly two years. What gets most any person working in any white collar occupation fired the same day it is discovered -- using an alias -- is tolerated for two years.
The reporter is shown a confidential cia memo revealed to only 5 other people in the administration and then reveals the info inadvertantly. Nothing happens to him for giving up the name of our secret agent.
As a reporter, he consistently asks gift questions that help the press secretary and the president to be seen in a good light and the opposition in a bad light. He is the "go to" guy when either becomes flustered.
Yet, both the press secretary and the president profess not to know who he is. The president says so even though nine months before, he grabbed the fellow in a hug and rubbed the gentleman's bald pate for "good luck", so to speak. Even though that's the type of affectionate gesture that most politicians remember having done for years after, our president claims he didn't remember who Mr. Gannon (Guckert) was when the president called on him in a press conference, even though remembering that type of interaction is the president's strongest emotional intelligence (and he is superior in that regard to most every politician of national stature since 1900 (yes, 1900) other than Bill Clinton).
Is all this a huge scandal?
Well, not by the Republican Party. They have an extremely flexible definition of right and wrong. After all, lying to the public and the world to send our soldiers to their deaths in Iraq is not perceived by them to have been inappropriate behavior. Ignoring 52 separate incident reports to the FAA in the Spring and Summer of 2001 that a violent highjacking mght occur is not construed to have been an error. So the possibility that Senior level administrators in the White House and the Republican party may have been blackmailed over gay sex, national security secrets revealed, communications regulations and protocol violated, income not reported and taxed, altogether may simply be standard operating procedure for W's administration.
They are Nietzschean Supermen and the rules that apply to you and me and the Democratic Party are not applicable to W and his administration. Both W and his party assert they are acting in good faith to serve the American public. After all, W knows in his heart he has been called by God to serve. He has a mandate to help us all.
God preserve us from his help. All told, though, isn't Gucky a wonderful mandate?
The source of information for most of the essay is:
http://americablog.blogspot.com/200...alled-jeff.html
I liked a liberal reply on The Conservative Voice forum:
"The case against Gannon boiled down to being too pro-Republican."
Nonsense. The case against Gannon/Guckert boiled down to:
* misrepresenting his employer (Talon News) as a news organization;
* misrepresenting himself as a journalist;
* getting access to classified CIA documents and outing a CIA field agent (Valerie Plame), putting her life in danger;
* setting up several gay prostitution websites, and then lying about them on CNN and trying to claim that he set the sites up for someone else;
* offering his 'services' at $200/hour or $1200/weekend on these same websites - ie, being a male hooker;
* being cleared by Secret Service to have privileged access to the President of the United States of America, in spite of all the above warning signs.
"The standard of the liberal thought police is evidently that someone's private life should be protected?except when the accused is a conservative"
Also nonsense. This wasn't Gannon's private life; he was apparently a professional hooker. As as for private - you are conveniently forgetting several key points. No one took clandestine photos of him; he provided the photos HIMSELF and posted them all over the internet for the ENTIRE WORLD to see. And this isn't about being gay; we don't even know if Gannon/Guckert is gay in the first place. He could be a straight man selling himself to gay men for income. So this isn't about Gannon/Guckert's private life. No, my pathetic misguided friend, this is about hypocrisy, lying, and getting caught
22 - Dave Nalle
Hey Bole - who cares? It's still trivial. But by all means keep trying to blow it up into some sort of meaningful scandal - I know you're starved for something to hang on the administration.
What it comes down to is this - no one gives a rats ass who the reporters are at these press conferences - not us, not the administration, not the secret service. If they don't have criminal records and can fake up some sort of resume they get in. It's a free-for-all. No one researches their websites, or reads their prior work, or cares if they write under a pseudonym. I admit it's a chaotic mess, but I certainly understand why it's done this way.
I bet if they decided to do some actual research on the rest of the reporters they'd find all sorts of unsavory things in their past. Another good example of why 'don't ask, don't tell' is a good policy.
As for Guckert's illegal activities with sex and money, that's an entirely different issue and he should face appropriate punishment from the military, the IRS and whoever else cares. But remember, it's prostitution, which really shouldn't be a crime in the first place, which everyone one in Washington knows even if they'd never admit it to their constituents.
BTW, no one has mentioned Barney Frank yet in all of this - remember when his boyfriend was running a gay prostitution service out of Congressman Frank's apartment. Guess how much people cared? Guess who's still in office?
No one in Washington wants a lot of probing into their sexlife and consequently no one wants to probe too much into anyone else's either.
Dave
23 - Mike Kole
I think concern about the security clearances of the press is an extremely valid point to raise in light of an Administration that has made security the place to hang its' hat.
It did occur to me that it was strange that this item hasn't gotten more mainstream press attention. I could almost buy the complaints of "if this was happening in the Clinton Administration, it would be all over the press" if the object of the scandal wasn't a writer.
For now, I'll leave alone whether or not he is a 'real journalist'. That it is a matter of debate leads me to believe that there is some hesitancy on the part of the press to aggressively pursue this item. After all:
1. Most journalists have it as their first instinct to protect their own.
2. No journalist wants to urge the White House to hyper-scrutinize the press and their credentials. That would mean opening themselves up to that scrutiny.
3. Most journalists have it as their second instinct to destroy one of their own once it is beyond a shadow of a doubt that the scandal-object journalist is 'guilty', and the other journalists are innocent. Such destruction isolates one tainted journalist and saves the rest from any super-scrutiny.
24 - Nathaniel Winn
Is the complaint only that he was a reporter with a big sleazy streak, and that the sleaziness was ignored because he was a simpering toad?
Or am I hearing a suggestion that he was a sleaze and was known to be one, and they prentended he was a reporter because they wanted male hooker around?
Which possibility strikes you worse could depend on your point of view, but I'd say these are two very different complaints.
25 - Dave Nalle
Nathaniel, the actuall complaint appears to be that he was a reporter with questionable credentials who also happens to have a completely irrelevant sleazy streak. There's no suggestion anyone wanted a male hooker around.
And as I've said before, this is a perfect story for John Stewart, because it's amusing. But it's not really news because there's just not that much to it. Some editorialists may feed off of it for a few days, but there just isn't enough here for a sustained scandal.
Dave