D.C. Chapter to Hold Demonstration in Support of Jeff Gannon and the First Amendment, 2/18/05

Friday, February 18, 2005 | Kristinn

[kristinn]

All FReepers and lurkers in good standing are invited to join the D.C. Chapter in our demonstration this evening. Details in the following press release:

DEMONSTRATION IN SUPPORT OF JEFF GANNON
&
THE FIRST AMENDMENT

WHEN: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2005, 6 P.M. TO 8 P.M.
WHERE: THE SIDEWALK BY MONICA’S GATE,
AKA THE NORTHWEST VISITORS ENTRANCE
THE WHITE HOUSE, 1600 PENNSYLVANIA AVE., NW, WASHINGTON, D.C.

(Washington) The D.C. Chapter of Free Republic, an independent grassroots organization, will be holding a demonstration at the White House this evening in support of former Talon News White House Correspondent Jeff Gannon and the rights of other reporters to do their jobs without fear of being destroyed by the political establishment.

The group will also be bringing attention to several First Amendment-related issues pertaining to the current imbroglio. Among them are the unconstitutional efforts of Democratic congressmen to determine who is a reporter and efforts by the establishment media to shut out Internet-based news sites from having access to government press conferences.

Kristinn Taylor, Co-Leader of the D.C. Chapter of Free Republic, issued the following statement: “It is common knowledge that Jeff Gannon was singled out for personal destruction for the crime of asking a question of the President of the United States at a press conference that was insulting to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

“The Clintonista slime machine, led by former Clinton White House Chief of Staff John Podesta’s Media Matters for America, went into high gear and made an example of Mr. Gannon to any reporter who might dare to challenge Sen. Clinton’s credibility in her anticipated 2008 presidential candidacy.

“What was done to Mr. Gannon was the Clinton impeachement era Ellen Romesch strategy played out for all concerned parties to see. The D.C. Chapter of Free Republic will be out demonstrating for the rights of Mr. Gannon and all other reporters to exercise their rights without fear of personal destruction.”

[EveningStar]

Tonight I went to the White House with Kristinn. As always the DC Chapter has the advantage to go into the streets and learn. We learned tonight the war is on and it is time to draw the wagons and keep an open mind. Kristinn will post the after action. Pull your heads our of your butt and listen.

I noticed that none other than Nick Danger of FRN also opposed this demonstration (see post #84). Does he too have his head inserted into his rectal cavity?

[Mamzelle]

re: Gannon allegedly wrote something about Kerry being possibly the first "gay president". )))

I think that's kinda funny--no matter what current Gannon runs on. Welcome to FR.

[Neets]

Gannon's articles have been archived :

here

[BillF]

I justify no one's existence nor any of the commercial conduct (i.e., prostitution) alleged, although I really don't believe that is the most important aspect of this.

IMHO, the liberal hounds going after someone for a conservative question, albeit a question poorly phrased by someone with a lot to hide, is the most important part of this.

The individual's misconduct is less a concern to me than the misconduct of the liberal press pack.

I appreciate that you believe that the individual's misconduct is the key issue here.

We'll just have to disagree.

[CyberAnt]

I think you missed the point.

Kristinn isn't expecting the NYT or SeeBS to join in anything related to free speech.

The goal is to LET THEM KNOW WE SEE WHAT THEY ARE UP TO - PERSONAL DESTRUCTION - because Jeff is not in their liberal camp - that's it.

[CyberAnt]

The MSM does believe they have the "right" to determine who is and who isn't a reporter. It's not just their "opinion".

[EveningStar]

This has nothing to do with free speech.

[CyberAnt]

Of course it does! The MSM want to shut down the conservative voice in WH correspondents. The MSM wants to control the questions to their liberal point of view. How dare some conservative come in there and expose their ignorance and stupidity.

[EveningStar]

He exposed his own ignorance and stupidity when he tried to be the conservative Helen Thomas. Like we really need our own Helen Thomas.

[Spiff]

I said this in another thread and I'm going to say it here.

This whole thing is a blatantly obvious attempt to attack and smear President Bush, the RNC, and the current administration. It is a trumped up scandal. Even IF Gannon/Guckert was getting inside information (like that's never happened before) or some sort of special treatment (like that's never happened before either), he has little or no influence, anywhere.

Here's GOPUSA.com's Alexa traffic chart:

Here is it compared to Free Republic and CBS:

Talon News is even worse. It drops from a ranking of around 47,000th that GOPUSA has to around 182,000th.

Here's their traffic with comparisons to Free Republic and CBS:

The links between the DNC and many mainstream news outlets, newscasters, anchors, journalists, and websites is far more blatant yet there's no huge scandal there. And those linked are FAR more influential than little old Gannon/Guckert. Which makes this whole faux scandal all the more obvious for what it is.

[Enterprise]

I didn't miss the point, I mischaracterized it.

[CyberAnt]

"ignorance and stupidity"

Do you even know what the question was that Gannon ask the President ..?? Your comment does not encourage me to believe that.

[txradioguy]

Make sure you look to the FReeper to the left and right of you. There's a lurker here who's linked this thread to the Freaks at DU. I was just there and it's on the front page under the title:


"Sign of the Apocalypse: Free Republic Protests For Gannon"


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1345967/posts

All FReepers and lurkers in good standing are invited to join the D.C. Chapter in our demonstration this evening. Details in the following press release:

DEMONSTRATION IN SUPPORT OF JEFF GANNON
&
THE FIRST AMENDMENT

WHEN: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2005, 6 P.M. TO 8 P.M.
WHERE: THE SIDEWALK BY MONICA’S GATE,
AKA THE NORTHWEST VISITORS ENTRANCE
THE WHITE HOUSE, 1600 PENNSYLVANIA AVE., NW, WASHINGTON, D.C.

[txradioguy]

From the DU Thread:


"Silly Freakers,

I wish I was free to be there. Any DC area DUer's plan to make life a little hard on the Freakers? How many Porta-Potties will be wasted on this little freak show.

Might be good for a laugh, but I bet half of the ones that show up will have WH Daily Press Passes."

Again another peek into the minds of America's dead enders.

[DBeers]

Gannon allegedly wrote something about Kerry being possibly the first "gay president".

hkg11 says Gannon said we are really gay gay homosexuals
We say -who cares? Leave us alone hkg11!!!

[L.N. Smithee]

BTW, for all that Gannon's accused of, he's qualified to represent Massachusetts in the House or Senate, given the standards of liberals.

Toooooo-shaaaay!

[L.N. Smithee]

Gov. Arnold did porn in his past. Did it count here? Your statement is wrong.

R-nold didn't do porn. He posed nude. It's not like he was Sylvester Stallone, who actually did a skin flick when he was just another struggling actor.

[Your_Friend_Joe]

Unsubstantiated rumors? Have you seen the news on this guy? The webpages they speak of ARE gannon/guckerts. This isn't rumor. It's fact that this guy was/is a gay prostitute. And, he has no credentials to be in the press corps.

But, yeah, he deserves to be defended.

[cyncooper]

Untwist your panties, Joey.

You are responding to an old thread and an old post that was made before Gannon tacitly admitted the sites were his.

Your chastisement is unwarranted and more than a bit bizarre.

I mean, your first post is to resurrect an old thread. How odd.

(I'll bet you're "saddened" the Gannon story is over, hm? Too bad......LOL)

Oh, did I spell correctly and use proper grammar? I must be sipping Merlot and eating coconut shrimp as I post from RNC headquarters.

~smirk~

[BufordP]

I saw the Freep for Gannon thread late Friday and was able to read about the first 50 posts before I left for the day. I finished reading it this morning. Until my first reading Friday, I had no idea there were allegations that Gannon was (past tense) a male prostitute. Cheese Louise! Guess I've been just too busy at work to notice.

I read your posts. You made some good arguments. But ultimately, conservatives with skeletons cannot put themselves in high profile positions. If you want to sit in on WH briefings and call attention to yourself then you better be squeaky clean. You cannot be fighting important battles all the while throwing your ammunition over the wall to load your enemies' magazines. Then you spend all your time spinning your wheels in defending the indefensible rather than getting the job done. That's the reality whether we like it or not.

Now my previous comments assume the allegations were true. If they're false, then by God, I want some small affirmation from kristinn or Gannon to that affect before I stick up for this guy. It doesn't have to be public. If Gannon/Guckert says "My lawyer said to shut up", then at the very least he should say "We're gonna sue and we're gonna win!"