CNN, MSNBC, and Fox all did stories of the Kerry girlfriend internet rumor

[NNN0LHI]

Their reasoning was that they just needed to find out the truth. Remember? OK I will buy that. But why won't do the same thing now to either confirm or discredit the Bush being back on the booze rumor? I wonder if they are too scared to bring it up?

Don

[tsuki]

1. Frightened to the door of death. eom

[Vogon_Glory]

2. But Don't You See The Moulting Chicken Feathers When...

But don't you notice the moulting chicken feathers on the floor when the cable news critters so much as even THINK of criticizing Imperious Leader or other members of the Banana Republican Party?

[berni_mccoy]

3. Because silly, it's the LIBERAL media.

:sarcasm:

[acmavm]

4. PSSSSST! Wake up. You must still be asleep because you're

dreaming.

You're really good. You can post in your sleep.

[lectrobyte]

5. They saw what happened to unfriendly media last time. I may be

wearing a tin foil hat, but with Delay, gas prices, approval numbers low, and FEMA standing on its unit, I think more terra is heading our way to distract us from these other issues... I wouldn't want the mail room job at the Enquirer these days for sure. And by "last time" I am referring to the Anthrax attacks.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

6. I don't remember them doing stories on the Kerry rumor. I'm assuming

you're talking about the Polier thing from the primaries.

Links?

I thought the one notable thing about THAT incident was that the "mainstream" media showed restraint where Drudge and RW hate radio did not.

[NNN0LHI]

10. Aaron Brown spent several nights on it. MSNBC asked him about it on air

Drudge also acts as a shadowy entrance ramp to the mainstream highway. During last year's campaign, he billboarded a false rumor that John Kerry was having an affair with a young woman, which was picked by Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and the Web sites of National Review and the Wall Street Journal, forcing Kerry to deny it and the rest of the press to cover it.

Drudge says that while he "got some facts wrong," the charge was "very valid" because "the media were chasing that story. I know my critics say that's a very sneaky way of having it both ways. I never said it was true." Plus, he says, he carried the woman's denials: "One thing about this medium, it's three seconds to a new headline. You can call that reckless. I call it updating."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/24/AR2005042401441.html

[Jacobin]

7. Also, NYT wouldn't do story of Smirk's back hump gizmo

from the debates, even though it confirmed it a couple of days before the sElection

[KharmaTrain]

8. That Story Got Squashed Fast

IIRC, that Drudge put up his little siren on a Friday night...trying to get this to play over the weekend (and I think Kerry was on vacation while this happened) so it would get a couple days of "legs" before it could be refuted.

While I remember seeing it around the net, and I wouldn't be surprised if Faux reported it, I don't remember seeing anything on CNN or MSGOP that story. In fact, this was one of the rare instances where the corporate media didn't swallow this plant and I'll bet you there are a lot of people here who don't remember the story, yet got out into the "mainstream".

That said...on to boy blunder's drinking. That's been an elephant (pardon the pun) in the room for a long time. Just the fact they tested the question "is this a guy you want to have a beer with" describes how little people...especially in his own coven...think what a problem alcoholism or compulsive behavior (the root cause) has done with this boy.

His drinking got a wink and a nod. Be it in his Champagne Brigade days of "youthful indiscredition" to his "epiphany" (Pickles induced) to "give up" drinking when he turned 40. But yet he never spoke about his problem. He never sounded like a reformed drinker...never will you find discussing how bad his problem is or how he really dealt with it other than to claim Billy Graham saved him.

Don...sadly, a blow job still remains a far more serious personal crime/flaw than killing one's brain cells and last synapses and leading a country into a disasterous war while plundering its wealth and treasure. We still chuckle at the "loveable drunk" and rate how "great" one's weekend is by the volume consumed or how wasted one got.

The corporate media...after carrying this boy's water for so long, can't be called upon to make much of Junior's inbibing as much as they didn't of Nixon's (which was very well-known). It compromised itself in building this manchild up and what remaining credibility it believes it has is built in maintaining this charade.

Long answer short: Yes, you're right. They are chickenshits!

[NNN0LHI]

12. It wasn't one of the rare instances where the corporate media didn't...

...swallow this plant. They not only swallowed it they encouraged the rumor.

Don

http://www.mfd2004.us/campaign/smear/

Smear campaigns now spread like a virus from unscrupulous sites on the Internet to the mainstream news media. On Thursday, February 12, conservative rumormonger Matt Drudge released a report alleging an affair between Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and an intern.

Within 24 hours, news organizations including CNN, The Wall Street Journal Online and MSNBC had leapt onto the rumor mill, reporting Kerry's on-air denial, made during an appearance Friday morning on Don Imus's radio talk show. In their estimation, Kerry's denial while not legitimizing the rumor, made the story newsworthy. None of these news organizations went so far as to confirm Drudge's initial allegation.

Once again, a political smear that emerged from an Internet gossip site made its way up the media food chain onto the front pages and into the nightly reports of some mainstream media outlets.

http://www.mediaethicsmagazine.com/media/paper655/news/2004/04/04/AnalysesCommentary/Temperance.And.Transparency-688914.shtml

<snip>Others were not so sure. Certainly, the nature of the story had changed with the senator's denial. But how to handle it was less clear. CNN's Aaron Brown opened his Friday night newscast by describing the dilemma:

Here is the question of the night. At what point, if at any point, does rumor become news? ... Yesterday, the net was abuzz about a rumor involving John Kerry, a nasty rumor at that. We didn't get near it. It wasn't news. It lacked facts but it was all over the net. Millions of people read it and hear it. Conservative talk radio ate it up all day, and today the story moved. Mr. Kerry denied it on a national radio program. So does that denial make it news? Is it fair to take the denial and use it to spread the rumor because that's what's happening?

CNN answered its own question by devoting a segment of Brown's hour-long show to a panel discussion of coverage of political rumors-without ever saying exactly what this particular rumor was. Amid this vertiginous attempt to walk an ethical tightrope, though, was insightful commentary by CNN senior analyst Jeff Greenfield, who was among the panelists:

In another time the press would know what to do with this kind of story, run it down, check it out, try to find out who is spreading the rumor and why, maybe even ask if it is true, does it matter? But this is our time, and in this brave new world of instant communications, literally tens of millions of people will know about the story no matter what the networks and top tier newspapers do. The press loves to talk about its gatekeeper function, separating fact from rumor from falsehood, but the truth is this role of the media has been effectively wiped out. As this and countless other stories demonstrate, Aaron, there is no more gate.

[KharmaTrain]

14. Compare That To The Slime Boats...

I'll stand by saying the Kerry affair story never got much play at all. One major reason was the quick response by the young woman involved and the Kerry campaign that disproved this rumor and kept it as a rumor. Yep, hate radio played with it, but they had played with those rumors in the past. This one never made it into the "mainstream" media. It died the death it deserved and never was mentioned again in the campaign.

I think we can compare that to how the lies of the Slime Boaters were allowed to be planted and then the corporate media spread it from being rumor to some sort of conveluted fact. Kerry's lack of response...hoping the facts would come to his rescue never did materialize. That damage was done and his campaign's inability to adequately respond to that sliming set a bad tone that we need not revisit.

I'm curious what advantage exposing or trying to make political capital of asshat's drinking? Yes, the hatred of the person pervades all of us, but my stronger anger is toward the agenda he fronts and the people who use him and he uses to exploit this country. That's not as much the symptom of drinking as much as a compulsive behavior that is what is far more dangerous...actually more dangerous sober than drunk.

The saving grace, or at least I hope so, is the veneer of this regime's lie and spin machine has been exposed to enough people that the effectiveness of their lying, sliming and spinning has far less effectiveness on the overall mindset of the nation today than it did 3 or 6 months or a year ago. Hopefully, those who wanted to ignore the lies, can't any further and those who defend them are tied up in their own conflicts and self destruct.

Cheers...

[NNN0LHI]

16. Its not political capital

When I was a little kid I once had a neighbor who emptied a .38 into a moth while drunk. Drunk drivers are responsible for countless deaths every year. The thought of a drunk...and a mean drunk at that, in charge of our military including nuclear weapons terrifies me.

Don

[KharmaTrain]

17. It's All Politics...Sadly

One of my greatest arguments with Repugnicans in 2000 about boooosh was his drinking. This was even before the initial cocaine stories (and his non-denial) and the other information that came forward. Yes, a drunk is a dangerous person, but a compulsive is even worse.

In the 80's, I worked for a man who had went on drinking binges. While his marriage and personal life went to hell and required several late night interventions from doing some serious harm to himself, he stay away from the business. When he did show, he was so hung over or distracted he didn't really get involved with the actual operation.

He then underwent rehabilitation. When he came back, his compulsion that he once had towards getting drunk and stoned went into making money. He impulsively fired people and made drastic changes to save a couple bucks here or squeeze a couple dollars there. His people skills went way downhill as he spent more time at the business and micromanaged everything...making everyone's life miserable and eventually draining the best talents away from the operation.

I'm more worried about his "cowboy/macho" compulsion...the one I see that replaces his drinking. This is the one that launches wars and plays politics. I'd rather see him hidden in a haze other than the one that messes up our lives.

[NNN0LHI]

19. I bet the guy you worked for didn't have one of these at his disposal

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/systems/nuclear-football.htm

The Football

It follows the President where ever he goes and is never more that a few steps from his side. It is carried by a military officer who must undergo the nation's most rigorous security background check - the "Yankee White". It contains a secure SATCOM radio and handset, the nuclear launch codes known as the "Gold Codes" and the President's Decision Book - the nuclear playbook that the President would rely on if he would ever have to decide to use nuclear weapons. Its real name is unknown but it is popularly known as "the football".

The concept of the football came about in the aftermath of the Cuban Missile Crisis. President Kennedy was concerned that some Soviet commander in Cuba might launch their missiles without authorization from Moscow. After the crisis, Kennedy ordered a review of the U.S. Nuclear Command and Control system. The result was the highly classified National Security Action Memorandum that created "the football".

The White House Communications Agency which oversees the military unit in charge of "the football", was created with personnel from sections of the Defense Communcations Agency, composed of units from the Defense Communications Operations Unit (responsible for communications and emergency power engineering) and the Defense Communications Support Unit. To work in these units, a candidate must pass a special security investigation, called "Yankee White." The criteria include U.S. citizenship, unquestionable loyalty, and an absolute absense of any foreign influence over the individual, his family, or "persons to whom the individual is closely linked." The aide who carries "the football" comes from the four military branches and are ranked Lt. Colonel, naval Comander, or Marine Major. They must be knowledgeable about all aspects of the overall SIOP, as well as the various options available to the President for implementing the war plan.

[KharmaTrain]

20. Nixon Did...

Pardon my laziness for finding the many stories that discuss Nixon's drinking problems...especially in his last days. He and Pat would hunker down in the living quarters and spend hours on end with Uncle Jack flowing.

There's the wierd stories relayed by Kissinger of Nixon calling him at strange hours of the morning with all kinds of threats and rants. Now that football was nearby...but IIRC isn't it always under some sort of military watch or guard?

Even scarier is thinking about the Russian football...Brezhnev and Yeltsin both had major drinking problems. Putin worries me but for other reasons.

Again...my question is what would exposing booosh's drinking problem? I'm trying to see what positive it would have if this becomes a major issue and how it would advance our common goals?

[NNN0LHI]

21. Those stories are true. I was terrified when Nixon was president too

You don't need to find any articles about it. I was about to be drafted when Nixon resigned.

And them Russians don't make me feel no better either just for the record.

The positive if Bush is back shit-faced again would be for someone to take over the responsibility of being in charge of such world ending devices when the boy is drunk. Don't got to be a Democrat or nothing. Any Republican would do as long as they weren't inebriated too. Burp.

Don

[still_one]

9. remember where that came from

drudge

that says everything, they are NOT looking for the truth

[mainer]

11. National enquirer has the story -- they're not afraid of it

and National Enquirer has more credibility than Drudge. Check out the Enquirer's current issue about Bush back on the booze.

believe me, the mainstream press DOES read the Enquirer, and now that the door has been opened, there'll be more stories coming.

My pal, an ex-Washington Post reporter, says that the Enquirer is quietly respected by the MSM, even if no one will come out and actually admit it.

[lateo]

13. "Pussy"

http://archive.salon.com/politics/feature/2000/09/04/cuss_word/

Maybe the MSM would care to investigate exactly who's pussy Dumbya was talking about. I'm sure he wasn't talking about Laura's.

[DemocracyInaction]

15. Kerry? Who's Kerry?? Never Heard of the Guy

Isn't this pathetic. Most of this nation right now couldn't tell you who our nominee was in '04. Most of them (morons)kept telling us they didn't know who he was then. Thus, with all the shit tumbling down on this administration, isn't it just ever so important that we learn whether Kerry fucked someone or not?? Who cares? It's one thing if it's just Drudge entertaining the knuckledraggers. But it is sooo patently obvious when the mainstream media who can avoid mentioning things like large war protests, thinks this is a real essential story!! Their trying to pit the "corruption" campaign that's started (and about time) against the Repubs with a "sexual perverts" campaign against the Dems. But the public is starting to realize that no one's "dick" caused the price at the pumps or the drownings in NO or the drunken uncontrolled spending put on a credit card in D.C.

[LittleClarkie]

18. As did Drudge, but he was the one who started it

And at least he had the balls to say he was sorry when confronted by the "girlfriend" in question.

The guy from WaPo didn't.

[Mabus]

22. Let's ask Cafferty

He's recently pulled his head out of his nether regions and seems to be itching for a fight.

[Chicago1]

23. The CHICKEN MSM would NEVER EVER report on Idiot's drinking

This bunch????????????????? ARE YOU KIDDING???


THEY WOULDN'T DARE REPORT ON HIS DRINKING.


I can't wait until the Revolution starts. I'M TIRED of this media being a BUNCH OF CHICKENS.

[Dr Fate]

24. Kerry has a "D" behind his name. Bush has a "magic R." n/t

n/t

[newsguyatl]

25. you can have faith

that someone, somewhere, IS working on it.

[NNN0LHI]

26. Why doesn't some brave reporter like David Gregory just ask Bush?

Or ask the question at the WH press briefing? Just to give Bush the opportunity to put the rumor to rest. Then its all over. Seems simple enough to me.

Don