Letter from Media Matters to WH Press Secretary (Re: Talon News)

[Liberty Belle]

LETTER FROM MEDIA MATTERS TO WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY:

January 31, 2005

Dear Mr. McClellan:

I am writing to ask you to consider revoking the White House press credentials apparently granted to Jeff Gannon of Talon News. Mr. Gannon and Talon News appear to be political activists rather than actual journalists, and as such should not be presented to the public as an independent news agency.
Consider:
· Talon News is virtually indistinguishable from an organization called GOPUSA, which describes itself as "dedicated to promoting conservative ideals." Both are run by Bobby Eberle, and websites for both entities are registered to Mr. Eberle at his home address. The contact information listed for Talon News includes Mr. Eberle's GOPUSA.com email address.

· The staff of Talon News and GOPUSA is comprised almost entirely of Republican activists with no journalism experience whatsoever…

http://mediamatters.org/items/200501310004

[NYC Liberal]

1. That's funny:

"appear to be political activists rather than actual journalists, and as such should not be presented to the public as an independent news agency."

and

"virtually indistinguishable from an organization called GOPUSA, which describes itself as 'dedicated to promoting conservative ideals.'"

That seems to describe most of the MSM...

[papau]

2. LOL :-)

:-)

[Skittles]

10. certainly describes FOX "News"

:o

[wesrose]

29. That's the point I guess.

Basically, that's what it is.

[bear425]

3. It's worth reading the whole letter!

Here's one of the last paragraphs:

Mr. McClellan, the public needs to be confident that your briefings and the president's press conferences are honest, open dialogues with real reporters. Now more than ever, the public needs to be certain that the White House isn't using fake "journalists" to manipulate public opinion. Revoking Mr. Gannon's credentials would be a good first step in that direction.

[NYC Liberal]

4. The Bush WH take a step in the right direction?

LOL! Though I wholeheartedly support revoking this partisan hack's credentials.

[Norquist Nemesis]

36. Stepping in the 'right' direction is all they've been doing

:P

[Liberty Belle]

5. Yes. I like this part, too:

Mr. Gannon wrote in a post on FreeRepublic.com that you are apparently aware of what he will ask you at briefings; in response to a comment about your reaction to a question he asked, Mr. Gannon wrote: "It's hard to say with Scott but he usually knows what he's going to get from me."

Given all of this, it seems that Mr. Gannon serves not as a reporter during press briefings but as a useful lifeline for you to rely on when you get in trouble.

[cthrumatrix]

13. it's called propaganda... just say it

[Stephanie]

17. you said it -

that's right

[theorist]

6. Brock knows that it will never be considered.

Think about it. If Talon gets its credentials revoked, it would be a pretense for going after Faux. It's a beautiful letter, though. Brock is a hero in the fight against the conservative slant in the press.

[tom_paine]

8. Like asking Hitler to remove Der Sturmer's credentials

Not going to happen.

Totalitarian Monsters make their own reality, don't you know?

[arcane1]

14. hell YES Brock is a hero!!!

:loveya:

[KharmaTrain]

22. Brock's Blowing His Big Moment

If there was ever time for a real media watchdog to come along, it's now and a person in a great position to do it is Brock. Sorry, a letter to a regime mouthpiece posted on a website doesn't hack it.

If the shoe were on the other foot...where there was strong evidence that "journalists" were paid to present an opinion contrary to Repugnican "values", you'd see a Larry Klayman or some other hack in court with a civil suit. He'd be diposing journalists right and left...putting them under oath and make them feel really accountable for what they say for once.

Crying wolf is taken by the wingnut media to be "whining" and the sheeple have been programmed to equate that with weakness. I'd support this effort with checkbook in hand, as I'm sure would many other Progressives.

Until we take one of these slime merchants and really expose them...shame them, discredit them...not only force them out of their pundit perch, but constantly use them as an example and then find others. We all know checkbook journalism is running rampant inside the beltway...where's someone with the stones to expose it?

[Liberty Belle]

27. If a suit were planned or in the works, don't you think

it would be a good idea to get the WH press secretary on record for refusing a request to yank Talon's credentials?

That would set up the opportunity to put McCellan on the stand and make him squirm, wouldn't it?

[KharmaTrain]

30. These Thieves Think They Can Get Away With It All

...and with a lapdog, conflicted media, they are. There's really no one out there taking it to them where it really hurts...in the courts and pocketbooks.

Writing letters and going on talk shows is wonderful if that's in addition to having a hammer...right now we have compelling evidence of a major violation of laws and ethics and it's as though this is "business as usual".

The time to unravel this pundit payola is long past...and if someone doesn't really prosecute or set some sort of legal investigation into motion, more will go on and the past payoffs will either be papered over or just plain ignored.

[K-W]

38. Yah im sure getting a lawsuit thrown out by a judge would do alot of good.

Lets all pretend we live in a magic dream world where liberal media critics get to ask tough questions of ANYONE.

[chelsea0011]

7. Revoke credentials. The friggin guy sat dead center a few rows back!

While the Hispanic woman(name?) with a critical question was standing in the back right pinned against a wall.

[cthrumatrix]

12. you know this is the WH MO.... it's all a damn facade

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. If this guy can have WH Press Credentials

then maybe we can demand that someone like Will Pitt be allowed in has well. Truthout and DU are just as legitimate a news source as any of the crap right wing sites.

[Skittles]

11. WHAT IS TO STOP THEM FROM HAVING 5, 10, 20, 50 MOLES

?????????????????????????

[Dr Fate]

15. Top DEMS could go on TV tonight and demand this.

This is not David Brocks job- this is the job of the party leadership to confront these issues.

We will keep losing elections until our "leadership" makes a unified effort to expose media bias.

[Stephanie]

16. It's not even media bias - it's FRAUD

The guy is not even "media." This administration has given White House credentials to a fake "reporter" - it's a dirty trick even Nixon couldn't dream up. Don't like the way the press conferences are going? Just plant a mole and tell him what questions to ask.

[Dr Fate]

18. Who is stopping Hillary, Kerry, Reid, Obama from calling it "fraud?"

And demanding that his credentials be pulled? And saying "Bush needs to stop paying the media to lie for him."

Who is stopping any of them from going on TV and making an issue out of this and other connections that Bush has to the media?

DEMS need to stop giving them free passes and start engaging these criminals.

[Stephanie]

19. We need to make a lot of noise about this -

It's really timely with the paid off journalists scandal - what if we bombard the MSM White House correspondents demanding they look into this?

[Dr Fate]

20. Demand that DEM leaders go on TV and confront them.

We cant expect the media to tell us how corrupt they are- but we CAN preassure our own leaders to start making noise about it.

[Liberty Belle]

28. Who are they? Can you post a list?

[Senator]

33. The thing about Nixon...

...is that he was always worse than is recalled.

Nixon did credential at least one fake (spy) reporter. Be he even placed them on the Dems campaign plane.

It was Clinton-hating elf-hag Lucianne Goldberg.

But among the DC/Media Analstocracy, she gets celebrated not shunned. And her hapless kid continues to collect "stealthfare" as a neofascist propagandist in journalist drag.

---------
www.thedeanpeople.org

[paineinthearse]

21. I suspect Gannon was the offus behind today's WH press faux pas...

see http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1553759

He and the "regulars" on a first name / pet name basis are so tight with McClellan, it's revolting. The one and only exception is Helen Thomas, god bless her.

[Robbien]

23. In the middle of a bunch of WH reporters there is a blogger

posing as a WH correspondent but the WH reporters say nothing?

By saying nothing, is not the whole gaggle of WH reporters in on this fraud?

[GetTheRightVote]

24. simply an insult to the American Public, down with crooks in Media

Perhaps * is paying him as well.

:kick:

[cthrumatrix]

25. where is MSM covering this farce..?

[frictionlessO]

26. I just posted a need for action on this in ER&D.. hopefully

we'll get takers on this all across DU!
heres the link
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x312766

[grasswire]

31. It is time for credentialing authority...

...to be returned to the White House Correspondents Association, where it was prior to the end of WW2 when the WH took that power unto itself.

The notion that a WH can use this authority to punish journalists and plant shills is an affront to democracy itself.

Please join in the effort to remove the credentialing authority from the WH press office.

http://webems.blogspot.com

[Petrushka]

32. "Blogger: 404 - Page not found" --- n/t

[grasswire]

34. sorry

http://webdems.blogspot.com

[flyarm]

35. we need to

blast every media with this and demand accountability!!
we all knew this crap was going on ..but most americans don't ..send this to everyone you know...fly

[frictionlessO]

37. Boston Globe picked it up!! Rumors that Boston NPR might carry it as well

Get out there people keep contacting media and elected officials!!
I smell a scandal of epic proportions being ignited from this, "pressgate", "credentialgate", "propagandate"... its coming now help it get here faster!

new thread on globe article in LBN is here
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1205794#1205918

thread on it in ER&D is here
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x312766

Help us score big for DU and Democracy!

[dqueue]

39. the term...

The term the Kos community has adopted is PropaGannon. It has a nice ring to it!

Please, anyone with interest and time, please lend at a hand at the Kos link above. An immense amount of community effort has gone into this already. Much info has been collected, many leads established, and there's still a need for further volunteers. It's a spidery web that's been woven.

Thanks!

[frictionlessO]

40. an incredibly sticky web at that! This is going to take me a couple days

to get through... heres the link for those interested that
dqueue posted in another thread earlier.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/2/1/233534/4806#115

lotsa info at the Kos!!

[ComerPerro]

41. Reply from McClellan: "We know."

heh.