A question on the Bohemian Grove, Gergen, and Clinton....

[The Straight Story]

I have been doing some extensive research using government websites (not the alex jones type stuff....) on the bohemian grove and political influence, etc and so on. Not the 'they go there and woship satan' and conspiracy stuff, more focused on it's repug ties and influnce (see bottom for more stuff)

I came across something which caught my interest (bohemian grove is generally a republican thing from what I have seen).

David Gergen:
In the past, Mr. Gergen has served in the White House as an adviser to four Presidents: Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton. Most recently, he served for 18 months in the Clinton administration, first as Counselor to the President and then as Special Adviser to the President and the Secretary of State. He returned to private life in January 1995.

It was not until he served under Clinton we find this:

Q What is this administration's policy? Was he suddenly apprised of it, or was he apprised of it because of Ruth's question?

MS. MYERS: The President -- Mr. Gergen never discussed this with the President. We have no formal policy, but I think that we take actions consistent with the President's commitment to an inclusive and diverse administration, one that reflects America. And I think we'll act consistent with those views.

Q Dee Dee, he said he wasn't going to resign from the Bohemian Grove.

MS. MYERS: I think, though, that in the broader context, I think a lot of people, when they come in, just as sort of -- it's not a policy, but it is a tradition that they resign from a lot of boards and commissions and other organizations in order to avoid even the appearance of impropriety in the future. And I think Mr. Gergen is acting with that tradition.

Q But having worked here in three previous administrations, did he not know that?

Q Why is the Bohemian Grove on that list?

MS. MYERS: Because he resigned from a variety of social and professional organizations. All of them -- all of the ones of which he was a member.

Q Why did he believe it was appropriate to resign from the Bohemian Grove?

MS. MYERS: Because he resigned from all of his social and professional organizations, and in order to be consistent --

Q They don't make policy.

Q He doesn't belong to any other -- he belongs to zero clubs?

MS. MYERS: These are all the organizations of which he's a member, yes. Social, professional -- these are mostly nonprofit organizations. But he resigned from all of them.

Q Dee Dee, on the contrary -- I really want to follow up on this. There is no White House tradition that I'm aware of for people to resign from country clubs, private organizations, all sorts of clubs. And for you to try to link this to resignations from things like the U.S. China thing or the Aspen Institute is really not an honest way of answering the question.

http://www.davidgergen.com/index.php?page=biography

--------------------------------------------------------

So why did he dump his membership under Clinton and not the others?

Other stuff:
It might be interesting to note, on a side issue here, that J Thomas Rosch, of the FCC is also a member and shortly after coming on board to FCC made some rulings which favored Comcast and Time Warner, which were not overly popular at the time.

Another interesting tidbit on the grove:
Sen E Jefferey Wentworth, TX state senator - expenditure reports which show how much he spent on time at Bohemian Grove

Encampment Fee $1850 (2/21/2005)
Lodging $268.19
Flight there $535
Flight back $467
2nd flight there $408
2nd flight back $437
Encampment fee $2390 (9/11/2005)

http://txprod.ethics.state.tx.us/public/299555.pdf#search=%22Bohemian%20Grove%22

Also have links on the birth of nasa and meetings held there, rumsfeld mentioning it:

Now, the truth be told, I've been around so long that I also knew Jimmy Doolittle. I had several opportunities to visit with him. My recollection is it was out at Bohemian Grove where he would attend periodically, and we'd pass and visit. He was always so interested. So I do thank you for this fine award, which bears his distinguished name.

http://www.defenselink.mil/speeches/2003/sp20030513-secdef2023.html


At any rate - seems like the playground and breeding ground for sickos (Have a photo of reagan there in 1967 as well)

------> PART of my point in all this is, we may get a taste of who is up and coming in the repugs by keeping an eye on things like this. Their little pow wows with their buddies could be a window into future 'stars' or alliances.

[eleny]

1. I heard and read that Chris Matthews went there this year

[ShortnFiery]

6. Could explain why he's even more arrogant and spazed out ...

Mathews is with the D.C. elite crowd but still comes across as a wannabe talent. He's beginning to believe his own bullshit. A true legend in his own mind ... his bat shit crazy mind. :crazy:

[Elwood P Dowd]

2. Alex Jones managed to sneak into the Grove and make a video

while some of the elites were there. Might still be available on his site.

[gumby]

3. Real 'conspiracy theory.'

See, when the very wealthy and the very powerful meet to, well.... whatever they do in concert, it is NOT a "conspiracy."

But when anyone else notices those rich and powerful guys (isn't BG all males?) meeting for 'whatever' purposes, that anyone is branded as a "conspiracy theorist."

David Broder being a member of BG tells us much about what we've called the MSM. The media is not 'mainstream' at all. The media in this country is all about class and power and how they can service them.

The few instances where the Class Media has not served this role are exceptions that could indicate the media taking sides in an internal power struggle rather than "journalistic integrity."

David Broder is the "Dean" of Washington reporters and commentators. The only thing he is "Dean" of is servicing the Ruling Class.

[The Straight Story]

4. Some of the most interesting things I found were from Nixon

And his speech there about the state of the world, south america, middle east, etc and so on. Interesting stuff.

[ConsAreLiars]

5. There are many orgs where the privileged elite gather together

for work and play, such as golfing together and bonding rituals like the Bohemian Grove antics. Gergen is a good example. Everything from the very important Council on Foreign Relations to the (Scooter Libby, Judith Miller, etc) Aspen Institute and the US News & World Report. He is a very connected operative for transnational capital, and his recent rebukes toward Chimpy and the PNACers say a lot about why we are hearing a little more about their crimes and incompetence ( although only the latter really matter to the behind-the-scenes monsters like those Gergen speaks for.

(edit because I forgot to use spell check)

[The Straight Story]

7. Sounds almost like he sold his soul to the devil

I liked your post, I will check out more orgs and their relationships. Thanks for the well thought out repsonse. I totally spaced the CFR in all this and Aspen Institute.