A 'Major' Conflict For Fox's New WH Face? (Barf Alert)

FishbowlDC ^ | Wednesday, July 27, 2005 | Garrett M. Graff

[kristinn]

Fox News has promoted Greg Kelly to be its new White House correspondent. Kelly, by the way, is the son of the NYPD commissioner.

And, unlike his colleague Major Garrett, Kelly is an actual major in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. This, to us, raises an interesting question: Can someone in the military objectively cover his Commander-in-Chief?

In addition to his three years at Fox News, Kelly is a veteran reporter and airman. During nine years as a fighter pilot in the Marines, Kelly racked up 158 aircraft carrier landings and even flew over missions over Iraq enforcing the "No Fly Zone." He currently holds the rank of Major in the Marine Corp Reserves.

And while that military experience certainly came in handy during the Iraq War--Kelly was embedded with the 3rd Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade and was the first report to broadcast pictures of Baghdad's fall--it seems a rather glaring conflict on the White House beat.

How objectively can he do his job when the White House will be constantly making decisions that could bear on whether Kelly is called up for active duty and sent to war? Then there's that little question of since the President is Kelly's supreme commander, will Kelly have to salute the President in certain situations?

Will Kelly offer an on-air disclosure when he covers military matters? Should he? Has Fox discussed this potential conflict with him?

For the historians out there, has an active reservist ever covered the presidency before for a major outlet?

> An emailer adds, how will Kelly handle the next time Bush meets with the reporter's own father? Will he have to say, "Today President Bush met with Mayor Bloomberg and my dad"?

> Another White House scribe chimes in: "Par for the course from Fox. What do you expect? No presumption of objectivity there. At least the conflict of interest is obvious in this case."

[mware]

LOL, can't wait for post #101, and 151, and 201 and......

[conservativebabe]

Here's my contribution

[Cowboy Bob]

And Chelsea Clinton got her job at McKinsey & Co. because she is smart, not because of her parents.

[Mr. Silverback]

Did he definitely do some shooting? Do we know that any reporters engaged in combat in Iraq or any other American conflicts?

If I were a reporter in any of those locals, I would be packing, that's for sure.

[sergeantdave]

Who would I want covering the whitehouse - a Marine or a filthy Marxist rat? Hmmm. Guess I'll need to sit down and consider that for one-tenth of a second.

[longtermmemmory]

but a drugged out hippie love child of the 60's is ok to cover the WH?

How many reporters are democrats? how many gave money to KampKerry?

How many PLAN on giving money to hitlary? vote for hitlary?

Seems like some leftist is either taking too much or too little medication.

[Mr. Silverback]

Somebody needs a trip to the principal's office.

Just gave him one via email. Will Freepmail ya.

[Kewz1]

Whoohoo! A little "eye candy" for us ladies!!

[lexington minuteman 1775]

I noted when I went to see the pic of mr graff, that he had contributed his own picture. Seems the kid is good at promoting himself. So other than putting down a member of the media who actively serves his nation what has this nimrod ever done that protects me and my kids? I THOUGHT NOT.

[MozarkDawg]

I was susceptible of him at first, since he seemed to have been hired for the war coverage in Iraq

"You keep using that word. I do not think it means, what you think it means". Inigo Montoya

Brilliant! Excellent appropriate movie quote!

[retrokitten]

Here's my contribution

And it's a good one!

[Leroy S. Mort]

Ouch! My eyes! are you sure that's not Ellen Degeneres?

[MozarkDawg]

And Chelsea Clinton got her job at McKinsey & Co. because she is smart, not because of her parents.

I'm thinking it was more along the lines of the Monica Lewinsky "How to Get Ahead" instructionals, rather than any relationship to the 'Toons that garnered the post.

[kcvl]

Someone in the military can cover the Commander-in-Chief a hell of a lot better than a "reporter" whose husband/wife worked for the Clinton administration, eg: David Gregory (that list seems to be growing by the day)!

Garrett M. Graff, deputy national press secretary on Howard Dean's presidential campaign and, beginning in 1997, was then-Governor Dean's first webmaster.

[kcvl]

Garrett M. Graff

[jackbill]

Did you catch Inside the Beltway today in the Washington Times:

Smoke these

A cigar bar is set to open on Clinton Avenue in Little Rock, near the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum. The name of the operation, or so we read on the application filed with the Arkansas Secretary of State Business/Commercial Services: "Monica's on Clinton."

[jigsaw]

Pretty Boy Graff

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Here's the media's problem with this.

1) "He wont ask hard hitting questions. If he does, he'll put them forth in an intelligent and respectful manner. This will make us all look bad."

2) "He won't join us in asking the same stupid question twenty different ways that's already been adequately answered the first time. If reporters quit doing that, then we'd all have to start working for a living."

[Lx]

Umm, not the most masculine guy on the world...