Posted on 06/12/2003 9:18:20 AM PDT by Republican Red
Thursday, June 12, 2003 The Times' Designated Man in the Street
When the New York Times needs to find a man in the street to interview they never have to look very far - they have one on tap suitable for every occasion.
Thanks to a sharp-eyed Ann Coulter, one Greg Packer has been outed as the media's designated man in the street - a role Mr. Packer has played more than 100 times, Coulter discovered.
His latest assignment for the Times was to be the average man in the street in line waiting to buy Mrs. Clinton's newest work of fiction.
Wrote Coulter, author of the forthcoming blockbuster "Treason": "Another average individual eager to get Hillary's book was Greg Packer, who was the centerpiece of the New York Times' "man on the street" interview about Hillary-mania. After being first in line for an autographed book at the Fifth Avenue Barnes & Noble, Packer gushed to the Times: 'I'm a big fan of Hillary and Bill's. I want to change her mind about running for president. I want to be part of her campaign.'
"It was easy," Coulter noted "for the Times to spell Packer's name right because he is apparently the entire media's designated "man on the street" for all articles ever written. He has appeared in news stories more than 100 times as a random member of the public. Packer was quoted on his reaction to military strikes against Iraq; he was quoted at the St. Patrick's Day Parade, the Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Veterans' Day Parade. He was quoted at not one - but two - New Year's Eve celebrations at Times Square. He was quoted at the opening of a new "Star Wars" movie, at the opening of an H&M clothing store on Fifth Avenue and at the opening of the viewing stand at Ground Zero. He has been quoted at Yankees games, Mets games, Jets games - even getting tickets for the Brooklyn Cyclones. He was quoted at a Clinton fund-raiser at Alec Baldwin's house in the Hamptons and the pope's visit to Giants stadium."
If the Times and the rest of the New York media don't pay this guy, he's getting short changed.
Huntington Highway Department jobs were once, and probably still are, political patronage jobs. You were expected to donate time and money to the party in order to maintain employment.
One of the articles says Packer went to meet President Bushafter 9/11. I wonder which party he belongs to. I'm sure there are some FEC records of his campaign contributions.
Huntington Highway Department jobs were once, and probably still are, political patronage jobs. You were expected to donate time and money to the party in order to maintain employment.
One of the articles says Packer went to meet President Bushafter 9/11. I wonder which party he belongs to. I'm sure there are some FEC records of his campaign contributions.
Yep. I was first in line when Free Republic went public. Now I'm at the end of my rope.
Ah! a riddle...
Now I'm at the end of my rope. ??? got caught doing-man-on-the-street-interviews?...such is fame...
Given the rudeness of your comment, I'm truly sorry to see that it appears you are somehow associated with my alma mater.
Well, I can see that you're easily offended -- not a good habit of mind here at FR.
What your original comment so thoroughly missed is that even though Packer has been written about before, the NY Times(!) was the party that failed to discover that Packer was not a "man on the street". The fact that others before Coulter were suspicious enough about this guy to figure out his game doesn't diminish the point that the NY Times was, once again, exposed (at a minimum) as a sloppy amateur act posing as a paper of record.
And since the OTHER phony plant quoted as "man on the street #2" is in fact a democratic operative, Coulter is well in bounds to be suspicious that the "huge crowd" is, in part, a classic dem put-up job intended to kick off Hilary's prez ambitions.
And your post indicated that you missed, to summarize, THE POINT.
And speaking of not telling the truth, the whole PR campaign for Lying History, er, Living History appears to be one lie heaped upon another -- just like the poltical careers of Hillary Clinton and her prevaricating, philandering partner in crime, Bill Clinton. For example, several reports now indicate that the first printing of Living History will be two hundred thousand, not one million, copies. And it now appears that the notorious "leaked" AP excerpt from Hilliary's "tell-all" -- which received so much advance publicity -- came directly from Hilliary and her publisher (should we be surprised?).
And what about all those eager literary fans who lined up all night to get a fresh-minted copy of Hilliary's opus fictional account of her life with Bill. Well, Ann Coulter has an interesting perspective on that much-hyped phenomenon too:
First in line for Hillary's book at Barnes & Noble at Lincoln Center on Sunday night was Charles Greinsky, who told the New York Daily News he rushed out at midnight to get one of the first books because he supported Hillary's health-care plan. A few years ago, the Associated Press identified Greinsky more fully. It turns out he is "a longtime Clinton campaigner" from Staten Island, who has been the Clintons' guest several times both at the White House and at their home in Chappaqua, N.Y.
Could Mr. Greinsky have been a Clinton plant, conveniently located at the front of the Barnes & Noble lineup for the sake of the gullible press? Heavens to Hillary, what a mean and hurtful accusation. Hilliary resorting to such a transparent P.R. fraud? Never! It must have been another nefarious 'dirty trick' perpetuated by that vast right-wing conspiracy that previously tricked Bill into committing adultery, using cigars for, er, unconventional prurient purposes, and pardoning a bevy of hard-core criminals when he left office.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/926091
There was another interview in it from a happy customer, a Bernice Bonillas;
Customer Bernice Bonillas said, "I'm a Hilary Clinton fan. There's been so much hype on the news I just wanted to make sure -- be sure I get one."
A quick search on Google turned up these tidbits:
Kern County Democratic Party Weblog of Democrats Fighting For Working Families Leaders: Bernice Bonillas
Democratic Party Central Committee; County of Kern; Supervisorial District 1 (5 Elected) Bernice A. Bonillas, Democratic .......... 3,347 votes 18.7%
I believe that Bakersfield is in Kern County
As I said in that thread, this could be fun....
Oh, I don't know about a "plot", let's just call it a plan -- because that's what it is. Which is all fine and good, but the NY Times and other media should just be honest about it.
For example, a simple google search of my own hit this as the first article.
http://www.theithacajournal.com/news/stories/20030610/localnews/452075.html
Now interestingly, the first "man on the street" at the head of the line is one Phillip Brice. (What do you want to bet he's a dem activist? Maybe another Freeper can find some info) And what does he have to say?
"I told her I got up at four o'clock this morning to be here and I hope she runs for president," said Brice, who was near the head of the line. "And if she runs, she's got our vote."
And guess who is quoted next -- yes, its "Greg Packer".
BTTT
No way he can top that one, shy of a front row seat at Bush's second inaugeration ceremony, anyway.
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