Last open thread until Paris wakes up

Gnite

PS I had to post this again, it's just too damn funny. Kudos to Truthout. Follow the link, there are even more.

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Hannity calls Cong. Jim Moran (D-VA) an a-hole, and more

What a nice Christian boy he is. Read More......

GannonGuckert does another interview

I wouldn't normally link to yet another interview of the same old same old, but this time, in addition to the same old lines over and over again, he does say something new:

LLP: Others say you knew about the beginning of Iraqi Freedom 2 hours before the rest of the public/press knew. Is this true? Please describe the events that occurred surrounding the beginning of the war. Where were you when you found out about it? Who was with you? Who did you report it to? What did you do in the 12 hours following the beginning of the campaign?

JG: One person (Dotty Lynch of CBS) says this and she is wrong. I have good instincts and I detect some professional jealousy here. Was the start of the war a big surprise? Well it was to Terry Moran of ABC who ignored hints from the White House that something "big" was going to happen that night. He went home and his network had to put a producer on the air to cover the most important story of the year.

Ok, that's interesting. How does GG know that the White House was hinting that "something big" was going to happen the night of the war? Did GG receive that hint as well, even though he never got an FBI background check?

Possible Lawsuits

LLP: In published statements, you've indicated you might sue people. Why would you sue? Who would you sue? Could you sue for libel or slander?

JG: My team of lawyers is handling this. Someone needs to be held responsible for the purposeful harm to my reputation based on rumor, innuendo and falsehoods.

LLP: I asked if you could sue for libel or slander specifically-do you feel you have been defamed in print media, televised media?

JG: Yes. My lawyers believe that some of the things published and broadcast about me are actionable. We are currently examining course to pursue, if any

LLP: Since Talon News did not fire you and you are writing a book destined to make money off this scandal, how are you going to demonstrate you lost anything of monetary value?

JG: I'm paying my lawyers to worry about that.

Yawn. The truth is an absolute defense. So what falsehoods is he talking about? And I'd love to see GG finally have to speak under oath where perjury gets you jail time.

LLP: You refused to answer two questions in the last interview because they were "hypothetical." I believe I was asking your opinion-not if they applied to you. Please take this opportunity to share your beliefs, even if it is a hypothetical, on the Republican Party, the Conservatives and any possible issues that are irreconcilable.

Again, none of the questions are hypothetical-you do not have to be gay to answer them.

How would you reconcile homosexuality with conservative beliefs? Do you see a conflict?

JG: I don't see any conflict at all. Conservatives believe in equal rights, not special rights. Radical gay activists have a rigid agenda and demand fealty to it. Liberals do the same thing to Blacks and Hispanics who don't walk in lockstep with the Left.

Equal rights, not special rights. Radical gay activists. Yeah, he's not anti-gay at all. Read More......

"Operation Resurrection" - state militia leaders reportedly were ready to "rescue" Terri Schiavo

Good God. Read More......

Open thread

Obviously, I have press club on the brain. Feel free to chat about other things too. Read More......

Jayson Blair not invited to National Press Club but GannonGuckert is?

Gee, not one, but TWO panels on Jayson Blair, the NYT plagiarist and liar, at the National Press Club, and NOT ONCE was Blair himself invited to speak on those panesl. I guess you only get invited to speak at the National Press Club if you're accused of plagiarism AND you're a man-whore:

SUBJECT: National Press Club holds a discussion on "Preference or Prejudice? Jayson Blair and Minorities in the Newsroom..."

LOCATION: National Press Club, Zenger Room, 14th and F Street NW, Washington, D.C. -- June 30, 2003

PARTICIPANTS: Sandra Birdiett, Wayne State University; Mercedes de Uriarte, University of Texas; Catalina Camia, Asian American Journalists Association and Ruby Baily, Detroit Free Press

And then this second event:

HEADLINE: Scandal Involving Former New York Times Reporter Jayson Blair to be Discussed at National Press Club

BODY:
News Advisory:

WHAT:
In "When Journalists Lie: Earning Back the Community's Trust," a cooperative effort between the Newseum and the National Press Club's Professional Affairs Committee, panelists will discuss the recent cases of fabrication and plagiarism involving former New York Times reporter Jayson Blair and the issues regarding newsrooms' diversity that this scandal has raised.

WHO:
Hedrick Smith (moderator), executive producer and correspondent, Hedrick Smith Productions
-- Geneva Overholser, professor, Missouri School of Journalism
-- Jeffrey Dvorkin, ombudsman, National Public Radio
-- Mike Getler, ombudsman, The Washington Post
-- Walter Middlebrook, recruiter, Newsday
-- William McGowan, journalist and author of "Coloring the News: How Political Correctness Has Corrupted American Journalism"
-- Alice Bonner, professor of journalism, University of Maryland

WHEN:
Wednesday, June 4, 6:30 p.m.

WHERE:
National Press Club

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RUMOR: Jeb Bush is calling out the Florida National Guard to get Schiavo

There's a discussion on a Yahoo bulletin board about rumors that Jeb Bush has called up the Florida National Guard to intervene in the Schiavo case tonight. I wouldn't normally post this, since it's unsubstantiated, but in view of the intense interest in the Schiavo story, and the fact that the Miami Herald reported last week that Jeb Bush sent the authorities to nab Schiavo last Thursday - and it almost ended in a shoot out - Bush has put this issue into play. It's worth a journalist at least investigating, and the way we get it investigated, is to put it out there.

Again, this entire rumor could be bogus. But since Jeb Bush DID send out the troops secretly last week, it's worth just putting this out there.

The discussion is here. Read More......

Wonder what the National Press Club's policy is on plagiarists...

From Atrios.

By the way, what is a journalist?


(This is a real photo from "Bulldog's" escort Web site, live on the Internet. The photo was in a larger section of photos used to entice clients to hire him.) Read More......

Open thread

Have at it Read More......

BillMon weighs in on Natl Press Club GannonGuckert fiasco

BillMon.org hits the nail on the head. I also love this photo he put up:

This is from BillMon.org:

No, Guckert is on the panel for the same reason Wonkette is: anal sex. Jeff gets paid to give it and Anna Marie gets paid to talk about it, and the "bottoms" at the National Press Club get paid to . . . well, you know. How anal sex got to be THE ticket to blogging fame and fortune (instead of a giant bottle of Astroglide) I don't fully understand....

But Anna Marie, at least, can write -- a good three or four paragraphs worth when she really gets going. Guckert, on the other hand, needs to get it through his head that his most valuable job skills are on the other end of his torso. And if he's counting on getting by on his notoriety as the world's only conservative gay prostitute journalist with a blog, he'd better watch out -- that's a niche market that could easily be overrun by competitors. For all Jeff knows, Wonkette's owner may already be trolling the second and third-tier talk show hosts, looking for prospects. Some of the guys in the RNC press office might decide to get in on the action, too. After all, when it comes to blogging -- not to mention anal sex -- the barriers to entry are relatively low. There's always a prettier face . . . or whatever . . . willing to take on the established brand names.

Seriously, though, the fact that we're all talking about this ridiculous panel session only shows that Bill Bennett didn't know the half of it when he wrote The Death of Outrage. The idea that a guy who posted naked pictures of himself pissing on the Internet -- and became famous for it -- would be invited to get up in front of an audience at the National Press Club to discuss journalism and blogging with a woman who has made anal sex her signature riff . . . well, The Death of Shame, Intelligence, Good Taste and Sanity makes a better title.

What's next? An interactive NPC panel session on masturbation? A guest lecture on bestiality and blogging? A press conference by the North American Man Boy Love Association? No, wait, the House isn't in session this week.

I hate to sound like a prude here, but this is one of those moments when I start to think the fundamentalist gizmos might just be right. Maybe these ARE the end times -- or at least that point in the movie Westworld where the Roman robot slaves all run amok and start slaughtering the paying orgiasts . . . Read More......

I'm melting, I'm melting... Yes, more on Tom DeLay's imminent self-combustion

From MSNBC Read More......

Best. Photo. Ever.

I'm not gonna steal it. Just click and check it out. Read More......

Open thread

Anything newsworthy? Read More......

Call the Natl Press Club and reserve a spot at the GannonGuckert panel

It could prove useful for us to have a good number of those spots reserved for folks like us. Call the NPC's phone message hotline at (202) 662-7501 and leave a message saying:

- You're a member of the public attending the "Who Is a Journalist?" event, open to the public, on April 8, 2005
- You want one ticket.
- Your name.
- Your phone number.

They won't call to confirm your reservation. In order to have them call to confirm you got the reservation, call this number: 202.662.7500

It helps if you're in the DC area, but even if you're not, it still could prove useful. More to come :-)

PS As part of our continuing series on "Who is a journalist?"

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Great new ad about Tom DeLay

From Campaign for America's Future Read More......

Spitzer has fresh red meat on Wall Street

Gee, who would have guessed that AIG was going to come out with bad news? Yes, another improper accounting scandal that is going to keep Eliot Spitzer in the limelight leading up to the NY Gov election. At least somebody out there is taking on this never-ending string of cooked books. Read More......

Open thread

Cool about Dear Mary :-) Read More......

"Dear Mary" gets a plug from the NY Times

Today's NY Times has an article about Mary Cheney's ONE MILLION DOLLAR book deal. Yes, ONE MILLION DOLLARS to tell her "inside" story. John had his take on this whole thing yesterday.

The Times piece did give a plug to www.DearMary.com:

Gay men and lesbians organized "Dear Mary" letter-writing campaigns imploring her to denounce President Bush's call for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

For the record, "Dear Mary" was organized that campaign was our own John Aravosis. He -- like John Kerry -- was roundly criticized for talking about Mary's so-called private life even though she was a professional lesbian who was also one of the managers of the most homophobic campaigns ever. Now, that private life is worth ONE MILLION DOLLARS. Mary is the new Million Dollar Baby.

While I would never pay money for a book written by Mary Cheney and promoted by Mary Matalin, I will want to know how many times she uses the words "gay" or "lesbian." (I actually heard of one author who managed to write a book about their life and never, ever used those words.) And, it will be fun to see if she acknowledges all her other gay pals on the Bush/Cheney campaign. Read More......

EU showing signs of having a spine, prepare for sanctions against Mugabe

The EU often reminds me of the Dem's because all too often they never really do anything and only give mild lip service. Although they are preparing to level sanctions against Mugabe, I somehow cannot forget their shameless exception just a few years ago when they provided Mugabe with a brief window to come to France for a conference. I also have to wonder what kind of sanctions they can really threaten because Zimbabwe is already pretty much shut off from the EU and US. This is a country that is starving its people to death and which used to be the breadbasket of southern Africa. It's time the EU and US puts pressure on fellow African countries who continue to coddle Mugabe.

I am also glad to see the US speaking out against what is happening there but had to laugh when I read the US State Department complaint about Zimbabwe:

"the manipulation of the media, the lack of independent outside observers, the tilting of the playing field in favor of the government..."

Now why does that all sound familiar? Heck, sounds like a bit of jealousy considering what we have witnessed in recent years. Read More......

Like a broken record, thousands more Social Security details lost

Another loss of personal information with Social Security numbers. With all of the recent losses of personal information such as this case at UC Berkeley and just a week or so ago at Boston College, not to mention the other cases where ths information was mistakenly sold, why are consumers not receiving more protections? It is so easy for a consumer to receive negative credit ratings due to such information being abused, why is it taking so long for us to receive proper protection? Why are organizations not forced to properly protect this data? In this Berkeley case, it was on a laptop computer. What the hell kind of protection is that?

This is a serious problem that has not just popped up out of nowhere. It's been around for a while but just has not received much press coverage. We are probably only seeing action in DC because a few politicians lost their own private information because otherwise they would let consumers hang out forever. Read More......

Annan skips past another mess

So far it is looking likely that Kofi Annan will be able to make it through the food-for-oil scandal just as he managed to move beyond his negligence in Rwanda. I have no doubt whatsoever that the US knew what was happening during the food-for-oil debacle and I would like to see some balance by the MSM, pointing out the Americans who also profited from that program but it is high time Kofi Annan moved on. There is a big difference between being "cleared of any wrongdoing" and insufficient evidence and it is high time we start demanding more from the UN and Annan. The wingnuts in Congress must be loving this because Annan just keeps giving them more and more ammunition to work with these days. If Annan gives a damn about the UN, he ought to step down. Read More......