Gannon attended White House Christmas parties -- but who invited him?

[elehhhhna]

Gannon attended White House Christmas parties -- but who invited him?




http://mediamatters.org/items/200502190003


Former Talon News Washington bureau chief and White House correspondent Jeff Gannon (aka James D. Guckert) attended at least two invitation-only events in Washington, D.C.: the 2003 and 2004 White House press Christmas parties. Gannon has been discredited by numerous charges -- most notably that he is a Republican activist who has reproduced sections of Republican Party and White House materials verbatim in his own "news reports," and not a true news reporter. So the question arises: who invited Gannon to these exclusive events?

In a February 11 interview with Editor and Publisher, Gannon claimed that "The only connection I had with Scott McClellan was when he got married and I sent him a card." McClellan told Editor & Publisher that Gannon was not issued a permanent White House press corps pass, but obtained only daily passes. And according to a February 18 New York Times article, McClellan said that White House "credentialing is all handled at the staff assistant level."

But in past years, the White House press secretary has played a significant role in arranging the guest list for the Christmas parties. As the Washington Post reported on December 9, 1992: "Some national correspondents who cover the president have apparently been unceremoniously axed from the annual White House Christmas party list. ... Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater, who's said to be wielding the ax for the half-dozen gigs, didn't return a call."

[patrice]

1. Whores of the Boy King's Babylon!! = Republican Noise Machinen/t

[WI_DEM]

2. since he had white house press credentials

I guess it wasn't that hard to get an invite to the White House Press Christmas party. No doubt thru Scott or Ari.

[OneMind]

3. lol!

{{And according to a February 18 New York Times article, McClellan said that White House "credentialing is all handled at the staff assistant level."}}

Yeah, and if you believe that, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn that I'd like to sell you.

[tridim]

4. The WH invited him

And "The WH" is Bush. If I have a Christmas party at my house, I'm the invitee, regardless of who made the invitations.

[FreedomAngel82]

5. True

I think all this will lead up to Bush. Just proving it is the hard part. I love a good mystery though. I've been wondering about those parties too. Do press people usually show up at these private invite only parties?