Posted on 10/30/2007 6:09:13 PM PDT by jimboster
So I was down in DC this past weekend and happened to run into a well-connected media person, who told me flatly, unequivocally that “everyone knows” The LA Times was sitting on a story, all wrapped up and ready to go about what is a potentially devastating sexual scandal involving a leading Presidential candidate. “Everyone knows” meaning everyone in the DC mainstream media political reporting world. “Sitting on it” because the paper couldn’t decide the complex ethics of whether and when to run it. The way I heard it they’d had it for a while but don’t know what to do. The person who told me )not an LAT person) knows I write and didn’t say “don’t write about this”.
If it’s true, I don’t envy the LAT. I respect their hesitation, their dilemma, deciding to run or not to run it raises a lot of difficult journalism ethics questions and they’re likely to be attacked, when it comes out—the story or their suppression of the story—whatever they do.
I’ve been sensing hints that something’s going on, something’s going unspoken in certain insider coverage of the campaign (and by the way this rumor the LA Times is supposedly sitting on is one I never heard in this specific form before. By the way, t’s not the Edwards rumor, it’s something else.
And when my source said “everyone in Washington”, knows about it he means everyone in the elite Mainstream media, not just the LA Times, but everyone regularly writing about the Presdidential campaign knows about it and doesn’t know what to do with it. And I must admit it really is was juicy if true. But I don’t know if it’s true and I can’t decide if I think it’s relevant. But the fact that “everyone” in the elite media knew about it and was keeping silent about it, is, itself, news. But you can’t report the “news” without reporting the thing itself. Troubling!
It raises all sorts of ethical questions. What about private sexual behavior is relevant? What about a marriage belongs in the coverage of a presidential campaign? Does it go to the judgment of the candidate in question? Didn’t we all have a national nervous breakdown over these questions nearly a decade ago?
Now, as I say it’s a rumor; I haven’t seen the supporting evidence. But the person who told me said it offhandedly as if everyone in his world knew about it. And if you look close enough you can find hints of something impending, something potentially derailing to this candidate in the reporting of the campaign. Which could mean that something unspoken, unwritten about is influencing what is written, what we read.
Why are well wired media elite keeping silent about it? Because they think we can’t handle the truth? Because they think it’s substantively irrelevant? What standards of judgment are they using? Are they afraid that to print it will bring on opprobrium. Are they afraid not printing it will bring on opprobrium? Or both?
But alas if it leaks out from less “responsible” sources. then all their contextual protectiveness of us will have been wasted.
And what about timing? They, meaning the DC elite media, must know if it comes out before the parties select their primary winners and eventual nominees, voters would have the ability to decide how important they felt it to the narrative of the candidate in question. Aren’t they, in delaying and not letting the pieces fall where they potentially may, not refusing to act but acting in a different way—taking it upon themselves to decide the Presidential election by their silence?
If they waited until the nominees were chosen wouldn’t that be unfair because, arguably, it could sink the candidacy of one of the potential nominees after the nomination was finalized? And doesn’t the fact that they “all” know something’s there but can’t say affect their campaign coverage in a subterranean, subconscious way that their readers are excluded from?
I just don’t know the answer. I’m glad in a situation like this, if there is in fact truth to it, that I wouldn’t have to be the “decider”. I wouldn’t want to be in a position of having to make that choice. But it’s a choice that may well decide a crucial turning point in history. Or maybe not: Maybe voters will decide they don’t think it’s important, however juicy. But should it be their choice or the choice of the media elites? It illustrates the fact that there are still two cultures at war within our political culture, insiders and outsiders. As a relative outsider I have to admit I was shocked not just by this but by several other things “everyone” down there knows.
There seem to be two conflicting imperatives here. The new media, Web 2.0 anti-elitist preference for transparency and immediacy and the traditional elitist preference for reflection, judgment and standards—their reflection, their small-group judgment and standards. Their civic duty to “protect” us from knowing too much.
I feel a little uneasy reporting this. No matter how well “nailed” they think they have it, it may turn out to be untrue. What I’m really reporting on is the unreported persistence of a schism between the DC media elites and their inside knowlede and the public that is kept in the dark. For their own good? Maybe they’d dismiss it as irrelevant, but shouldn’t they know?
I don’t know.
“In another e-mail, she writes: “Last night and this a.m., he actually has amazed me. He is a great man. My heart is loud and my head is silenced.” “
LOL! What the heck does that mean? Only a lib could say something like that!
Bill told his victims he was sterile, so to me the only remaining question about Webb’s paternity would be: coitus or turkey baster?
You know, if it were Fred, that would be a real shame, because his wife is easy on the eyes and part of the fun of watching his team.
It does look like we’re about to enter a vicious contest. No one’s going to be happy.
This sort of “laying the groundwork” is pretty common in PR, go back a ways and look at how Dean Kaman promoted the Segway. Months of hints from people (who mostly were investors) about a revolutionary way to move people, a new “people mover”, and so forth.
Or an Apple release, or Microsoft update- there is lots of ink spent on hints and rumors in advance of the main PR campaign (Win 95 was even mentioned by the weathermen pre-release).
Might even boost his ratings. Nothing else has.
My guess is its Hillary.
And she is not a lesbian.
It most likely is Hillary and Sandy Burglar.
Hillary and Bill rarely sleep in the same house anymore.
Flynt only floats scandals on Republicans, not Democrats but if it is a current Senator, a Republican and a presidential candidate, that means McCain. Unless he’s mistaken that Thompson is still a senator or that Brownback is still a candidate.
If it were a Republican, the social values party, the person would be a hypocrite, and the story would have been 3 inch headlines a month ago.
Since it’s a Democrat, THE NO VALUES PARTY, they have nothing to live up to, and thus the dilemma as to whether to report!
Because Edwards is running a poor 3rd, there’e be no impact.
Because Obama’s wife is ever-present and very supportive, he’s not a likely suspect.
The Clinton’s are ALWAYS SUSPECT, and per Occam’s Razor, the guilty party or parties.
Was Der Schlickmeister caught with his pants down...again?
I think if everyone in the business knew, Drudge would have posted it by now.
Nahhh, they said ‘front runner.’
If the female (Huma?) in question dies suddenly in an ‘accident’ you can bet she was having an affair with the Rodham rodent. The female is still alive with the story pending so no, she isn’t the story.
Her Presidential campaign title is “traveling chief of staff.”
Her real title is “Handler of HRC for Arabian Aristocracy”
This thing is on a short fuse. I give it less than 24 hours to leak.
If it was a Pubbie it would already be old news.
BTW, what’s the Edwards rumor? Is he confirmed gay?
His cover was blown when they showed him ATTEMPTING to dance with Ellen DeGeneris.
Gary
What Flynt does or exposes is of no concern to me except that the drive bys will run with it and cause damage...to the rest of the good people in the REPUBLICAN party.
I am well aware that the Soros et al funded Dean managed dirt machines will be going full blast in the next 12 or so months...republicans beware. Desm will do ANYTHING to get the WH.
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