I wonder if Ellie Light knows Gregory Packer?It took a while for me to find the original threads about him.
From Ann Coulter's "True Grit" [ANN COULTER outs the Times' Designated "Man in the Street"] column (6/11/2003):
...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 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.
Are all reporters writing their stories from Jayson Blair's house?
STUART RAMSON/The Associated Press
Greg Packer of Huntington, N.Y., participates in discussion
during a historic 21st century town hall meeting yesterday
to consider World Trade Center site plans.
