Just what is Politico, really?

[Stinky The Clown]

They were billed as a bipartisan go-to operation for political insight.

The sugar daddy is a right winger (name escapes me at the moment).

A lot of gentle sounding right wing drivel comes from them.

None of their 'reporters' impress me with integrity .... or even really serious creds.

They went from being a web site to a seeming subsidiary of MSNBC.

Their nooz feed is now featured on Yahoo News, along side AP and Reuters and McLatchy as if it were a legitimate source of actual news. It isn't. Its political gossip. The Beltway equivalent of Entertainment Tonight. Or propaganda catapultation.

They act like a smarter, more subtle Fox news.

So .... just what **is** Politico?

[rocktivity]

1. PLAGARIST!

I've been calling them "Politics' answer to TMZ" for months, LOL!

:headbang:
rocknation

[NNN0LHI]

2. It used to be Talon News

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Gannon

[grasswire]

6. ha!

Very hilarious. Thanks for the laugh.

[LSparkle]

3. Lots of former WSJ reporters work there ...

Probably defections from when Rupert bought WSJ/DJ. I thought the
two co-founders were Jim VanDeHei (who used to work for the WaPo
and did some good work during the Libby trial) and John Harris (he
may be former WSJ). The most sickening Politico hack is Mike Allen
(the Shrubya asskissing toadie who got the scoop about RatBastard
giving up ... gulp ... golf). I don't mind Jeanne Cummins (former
WSJ, now Politico), though ... Basically I think you've characterized
them correctly -- maybe not as far right as Faux but they certainly
lean center-right.

[Stinky The Clown]

4. I think VanDeHei and Harris were their first 'talent' .... not the founders.

I agree, VanDeHei in particular did some good work. But these days ........ not so much.

[mcctatas]

9. VanDeHei is an asshat....

he had no interest in reporting, just money...
plus he puked on me once at a party :puke:

[bluethruandthru]

11. That sounds like a good story!

[Stinky The Clown]

12. "plus he puked on me once at a party"

That's a good reason to dislike him! :hi:

[BlooInBloo]

5. Despite the fact that naive DUers love it, it's a Drudge-related hitjob-laundering operation...

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/03/27/politico/


EDIT: And more: http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=drudge+politico+greenwald&btnG=Google+Search&num=100

EDITEDIT: And here's an overview of the entire hitjob-assembly-line: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/04/18/beltway_wisdom/

[librechik]

7. another arm of the RNC machine disgused as "mainstream journalism"

god how I hate those overpaid hacks. They're just moonlighters from the Wapost and WSJ.

[KoKo]

8. Bush Bots....Check out this post for Background on Bush Family Friend who funded it...

KoKo01 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list Fri Mar-21-08 05:04 PM
Original message
"Inside the Politico"Jim Vandehei his wife Autumn ( a former Tom DeLay Staffer) & Allbritton Family

Edited on Fri Mar-21-08 05:08 PM by KoKo01
Politico Hammers People of Color — Again;
Former Tom Delay Staffer Possibly Involved
Tuesday December 4th, 2007 1:25 PM by BHDC Staff


The multi-million dollar Politico publication, funded by the GOP-leaning Allbritton Communications company, has successfully squashed another competitor via back door bullying. In effect, the publication, well-known for its lack of diversity and conservative leanings, has bullied a small Hispanic upstart publication into changing its name, or to face a mighty lawsuit.

(Every time you read a "Politico" article just remember who funds them and you will understand why Drudge get's so "news" from them.)


“Not content with taking stories that Hispanic journalists have already published and passing them off as exclusive, and THEN sending e-mails to Hispanic journalists …it seems that The Politico now also claims they own the Spanish language…,” according to RedBloguera.net.

The blog notes that the “Politico has forced La Política, an online newsletter dedicated to Hispanic political topics, to change its name because with all their millions they apparently can’t handle the existence of an online magazine that covers topics they completely ignore… even if their name is in Spanish…”

Insiders familiar with the situation say that Jim Vandehei, a top editor at the publication, played a large role in bullying La Política into changing its name to Candidito USA — or face a million dollar legal fight. Sources say, too, that Vandehei’s wife, Autumn Hanna Vandehei, a former Tom Delay staffer, likely played a role in the dealings. In Washington circles, Hanna Vandehei is well-known for opposing diversity initiatives.

In 2000, Vandehei was forced by his former employer The Wall Street Journal to stop covering Delay’s office due to complaints that his relationship with Hanna Vandehei was creating conservative bias in his reporting.

http://bigheaddc.com/2007/12/04/politico-hammers-people...

[Stinky The Clown]

13. :::snap:::: Albritton ..... that's the name I was searching for.

[KoKo]

10. from Glenn Grenwald (Salon) "Who Funds and Runs 'the Poltico'"......

Who funds and runs the Politico?

(Updated below - Update II - Update III - Update IV)

In the middle of an article by The Politico's Mike Allen regarding last night's GOP presidential debate, one finds this paragraph:

She was escorted out of the hall by Frederick J. Ryan Jr., chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Foundation, and president and CEO of The Politico.

So the President and CEO of The Politico, Frederick Ryan, is also the Board Chairman for the Reagan Library. And that makes sense, because Ryan is a long-time, hard-core Reaganite. From a November 1987 Press Release:

Appointment of Frederick J. Ryan, Jr., as Assistant to the President

November 4, 1987

The President today announced the appointment of Frederick J. Ryan, Jr., to be Assistant to the President.

Since February 1985 Mr. Ryan has been responsible for the White House Office of Private Sector Initiatives as well as serving as Director of Presidential Appointments and Scheduling. Mr. Ryan began serving at the White House in February 1982 as Deputy Director of Presidential Appointments and Scheduling. In February 1983 he was appointed Special Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Appointments and Scheduling. Mr. Ryan was previously an attorney with the Los Angeles law firm of Hill, Farrer and Burrill. While engaged in his practice, he published several articles on various aspects of the law.

Mr. Ryan graduated from the University of Southern California (B.A., 1977) and the University of Southern California Law Center (J.D., 1980). He was born April 12, 1955, in Tampa, FL. Mr. Ryan is married and resides in Washington, DC.

So the President and CEO of The Politico worked in multiple positions in the Reagan White House, and was continuously promoted until he rose to the level of Assistant to the President. And his close connection to the Reagan family and the Reagan presidency continues through today.

more at........

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/05/04/politico_funding/

[NNN0LHI]

14. Yep its the replacement for the now defunct Talon News

No surprises there. Thanks for posting.

Don