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February 27, 2005
MORE ON GUCKERT (or, alternately, MORON GUCKERT)
Of course, the story is dying and the neoconazis in the Congress don't seem at all upset or bothered by this, but don't forget that little story out there about how a prostitute using a false name and with no journalistic credentials whatsoever was repeatedly allowed access to the White House and to the president, placed in press conferences to lob blatantly biased softballs at Bush and McClellan, and given access to classified internal CIA documents that included the name of an underciver agent who was subsequently "outed" (no pun intended). Again, I ask you... had this happened during Clinton's administration, how quickly would Congressional Republicans have jumped on this story and demanded hearings and likely a special investigator?
Before you answer that, take a little comfort in the fact that the pseudo-news organization involved in this has been shut down.
Now... MSNBC did an interview with everybody's favorite male prostitute, James Guckert. The title of their article is, "I asked to come... they allowed me to come." In the words of Skippy the Bush Kangaroo: stop that right now! (Far be it from me to pass up the easy ones... after all, if I passed up the easy ones I'd have no social life at all.)
But beyond the tittering and chuckling over this whole sordid set-up lie some serious questions. Most importantly, who in the White House managed to overrule established security protocols and get a prostitute using a pseudonym into the press room? We know why they did it -- it's all part of this administration's Stalinesque "management" of the news. But the question is who made it happen.
Guckert/Gannon: I go to the gate. I show my driver's license, which I showed you. It has my given name. And that's how I gained entry.
MSNBC: A quick check for a criminal record is all that's required. Gannon avoided the extensive FBI background check most reporters go through for permanent access.
Mudge says: Who inside the White House made this happen?
Gannon: I asked to come. They allowed me to come. And apparently there isn't a very high threshold as far as somebody's personal life to gain access.
Mudge says: Well, hell... if it's that easy, then Mr. Bush, please consider this my formal application to the White House press corps. I'm asking to come to Washington and be allowed into the press conferences, where I will ask blatantly partisan questions. I'd also like access to internal classified CIA documents, please. After all, it's that easy, isn't it? All I have to do is ask to come, and you guys allow it? And I'm not even a prostitute (although I'd consider becoming one if it'll help with my request... what do you think of the name Deuce BigNewLow?)
What do you mean, no? Why not -- Gannon/Guckert did it? Oh... you mean I have to have a specific agenda to support your policies and demonize your enemies in order to get in? I have to be part of your stealth campaign to propagandize the American people?
Aw, nuts.
UPDATE: Thanks to Jillian over at The Snarky Cat, who got it from One Good Move, here's Bill Maher's take on the whole Gannon scandal. He's trying to be funny on some of it, but he raises some legitimate and disturbing points. He interviews Senator Biden at the end, and the Senator is right: if the Democrats had held the White House and this happened, the Republicans would already be investigating. But consistency and actual principles are too much to expect from any conservative.
