
You can't see my hands!
Look, This will be short and sweet. I know Christy brought this up earlier, but I have a modest proposal for the community on this subject. These DC media cocktail weenie people are morally bankrupt. They need to be fired. But in the meantime, they need a bit of their own medicine.
Here's David Broder moaning at his keyboard (emphasis added):
The two sides of Hillary Rodham Clinton -- the opposites that make her potential presidential candidacy such a gamble -- came into sharp focus Tuesday morning at the National Press Club.
For the better part of an hour, the senator from New York held forth in a disquisition on energy policy that was as overwhelming in its detail as it was ambitious in its reach.
But the buzz in the room was not about her speech -- or her striking appearance in a lemon-yellow pantsuit -- but about the lengthy analysis of the state of her marriage to Bill Clinton that was on the front page of that morning's New York Times.
Next up, Slate's Jacob Weisberg uses the occasion of a Hillary speech to serve up this gem:
A low moment in the annals of Clintonism occurred in 1994 at an MTV forum, when the then-president answered a question about whether he wore boxers or briefs. Less well-remembered is Bill Clinton's actual answer. "Usually briefs," he responded, offering a glimpse of the carefully wrought shadings that came to define his political career. Tighty whiteys will play better with these kids and the NASCAR crowd, he might have been thinking. But I don't want to alienate East Coast preppies … Of course, Clinton missed the real trap of the question, which is that the Leader of the Free World shouldn't talk about his underpants in public.
Will somebody please get these guys laid? I mean, I know they're too unappealing to lure in the GWU coeds on AOL chat, but can't we take up a collection for them to get hookers? It seems they feel left out of Foggo's dominatrix parties and need a little action.
Anyone who has sexual information about Broder, Weisberg, Richard Cohen, Tim Russert, Sean Hannity (ick!) or any prominent pundit or GOP politician, send us an email. These guys need some of their own medicine. Maybe we'll start our own FDL Page Six recurring feature. We may or may not verify anything. After all, if it's "out there," we can print it, right Cokie?
For anyone who doesn't get the point, let me spell it out for your perverted stupid ass: grown-ups don't care what their neighbors do in bed with adults. When you speculate, giggle, titter and gossip about all this (particularly in print), you're a pervert. You're morally bankrupt. Now, to teach you a lesson, we may have to get into the sewer with you. Hope you like the company, guys!
Last night I proposed in an email exchange that someone send a stripper to Broder at the WaPo offices. If anyone wants to do it, be my guest. Bring a camera. The nightly cleanup crew will thank you. They hate wiping up his keyboard.
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Fitz!
LeisureGuy!
As long as we’re talking about panty sniffing, I came across this little video. Completely off topic but funny:
http://www.bestweekever.tv/200.....-like-fish
OK, now to read the latest post.
Right on, Pach!
These little fuckwads obviously NEED a taste of their own foul medicine.
FitzRootz!
probably some preemptive damage control for stories about to hit the stands about W and the LauraBot3000 (TM-whateveritisimagainstit). As sad as this is, the most powerful response is to ignore and keep reporting the corruption stories. Let’s face it, this will be a maelstrom of pre-season politics, don’t give the sideshows too much attention.
Atrios has it going already; it’s on Bill Keller’s marriage. Yes, it is high time these motherfuckers got a taste of their own medicine. Enough is enough.
http://atrios.blogspot.com/
The Times is reporting that Fitz may put Cheney on the witness stand…or is this old news?
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05.....nted=print
I hear Linda Tripp and Lucienne Goldberg might be available. Broder-types!
As Atrios says “up against the wall”!
I said this below, but I’d like to see George Washington live up to this video
All posts regarding the sexual perversions of the panty sniffers shall be posted by John or Jane Smith and attributed to anonymous sources.
My source tells me that Hannity was caught sniffing Gannons panties…..
twolf (#2)
How to attain instant immortality!… and we hardly know him! he’s got a sloooow hand…….
We can share information with Atrios. No problem there.
Kos says “You know what I’d love to see? The marriage of every b.s. pundit and journalist who brings this crap up scrutinized and aired publicly. Let’s see how many glass houses exist in DC.”
Josh Marshall has set an example with his TPMuckracker blog exposing the DC corruption racket.
Time now for FDL bloggers who would like to get into investigative journalism to dig up the dirt on the marriages and sex lives of the DC media elite. How about exposing Russert, Hannity, John Gibson, Roger Ailes, Rupert Murdoch, Joe Klein, et al.
FDL’s page 6….
All the news thats fixed to fit….
Peterr, I left you a comment last thread.
I seem to remember something about a falafel…
This reminds me of what I heard on AAR yesterday, and I can’t remember who said it, but does Laura Bush smoke? Whoever it was, said she did.
Unfortunately, I’m still a smoker, but I was kinda floored to find that out. I mean, it’s not an ‘end-of-the-world’ kind of thing - it just surprises me. I dunno, I just have a hard time picturing her with a cigarette in her hand, ya know?
zennurse - got it, and replied
fahrender #12 - maybe he wasn’t real — just a fleeting metaphor. He represented the disgruntled voter who has nothing to look forward to because BushCo is teflon coated. Not the possibility that Fitz will deliver us from evil is able to brighten his spirits.
The first bounty needs to go on Matt Drudge.
What a coincidence, the WaPo’s Political Editor, John Harris, is online right now to take any questions or comments you have about David Brodure.
washingtonpost.com’s Daily Politics Discussion
John F. Harris
Washington Post National Political Editor
Thursday, May 25, 2006; 11:00 ET
Enron verdict at 12:00 ET
To Adie and Mark, there was info on the Fitz filing on last night’s late nite thread. Christy will be posting, but jeralyn at talk left has written about it and it’s in the Times and the WaPo, too.
Hey Mark,
Personally, I thought that the ‘Cheney might testify’ was old news. So I’m not quite sure why it’s suddenly being touted now.
Maybe Christy or Jane can shed some light?
Wonder how they would like it if some really sleazy skanks started showing up at their workplace, homes etc……
Someone in the gay community needs to out Rove, Mehlman, Cunningham and whoever else. This whole thing about it being an “open secret” isn’t helping.
Thanks zennurse.
Here’s what I wrote to the esteemed Mr. Broder at
dbroder@washpost.com with a copy to ombudsman@washpost.com
———————
Hello Mr. Broder:
There appears to be a copy-editing problem in the last line of your column about Senator Clinton.
“Other than that, the elephant in the room went unmentioned.”
Surely you meant to write “Other than that, the panties in the room went unsniffed.”
Nice way to catapult the propaganda. Surely you don’t want the New York Times to get ahead of your paper on this major issue of the day: the state of the Clinton marriage. Oh, and Ms. Howell, hope the smelling salts are handy — this entire topic makes me vapor-ish, so I can’t imagine the effect it must be having on your delicate sensibilities.
Really, people, grow up.
———————-
==========
Had enough?
==========
So Bill Keller’s dad was chairman of Chevron? How well did he know Condi? Developing…
I see Mr. Broder has received my email. :)
“Thank you for your e-mail to David Broder. With the popularity of these
columns, we receive upward of 1,000 e-mails a week. We regret that we
cannot respond to all of them. If we did, there would be no column to
e-mail about. But be assured that David Broder or one of his editors will
read every e-mail. If you are responding to one of Mr. Broder’s columns,
we invite you to let us know in which newspaper you read the column (unless
you have already done so in your e-mail) by replying to
davidbroder@washpost.com. Then we will share your e-mail with your local
newspaper editor, who would also appreciate hearing your feedback.
Sincerely,
The Washington Post Writers Group”
So Bill Keller cheated on his wife with the girlfriend of Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, knocked her up — then dumped his journalist wife (booo-ring!!!) and married the rocker chick.
http://atrios.blogspot.com/200.....9070708542
I wonder of Bill Keller and his rocker chick hottie wife do it on his desk at the New Cervix Times — or has he moved on to plowing greener pastures?
Does David Broder like poker? Ever played at the Watergate? Ever hung out with Dusty Foggo or Porter Goss or Mitchell Wade or Duke Cunningham or Beltway Entertainment Professionals? Has David Broder ever done anything that will drop the jaws of the kewl kidz — in between cocktail weenies?
Just askin’ . . .
Watched several of the cable news shows yesterday- there was an above average level of discussion of Hillary and Gore. Most of the Hillary discussion was about:
Dems think she can’t win- and they need an alternative. On Gore it was “Isn’t it amazing how he’s found his voice and looks so cool now”.
There’s a strong anti-Hillary message coming out right now from the usual suspects- don’t know what’s behind it. It goes much deeper than the panty sniffing.
Sources tell me Hannity once bragged to a room full of firemen that he enjoyed sniffing his own panties.
David Broder is a friend of mine and you are totally on the wrong track with him. I doubt you’ll find any dirt on him. He’s been married to a progressive goddess for more years than you’ve been alive.
So this is what we do with our newly found clout? Follow them down the slime trail? This is a wrongheaded action and I protest.
Here’s some dirt: I hear old Brodie-boy used to be huge buddies with the late Malcolm Forbes. I think I read that on Drudge or someplace. But it’s a breaking story. We can check out the details later - what’s important now is to keep those breaking stories breaking!
sorry mommybrain, what is good for the goose is good for the gander.
Conservatives have an irrational and mortal fear of the Clenis getting back in the White House- that’s what this is all about- they are trying to head off what they regard as their worst nightmare.
I sent Border a polite but very angry E-mail about his reporting. I suggested that families might be worried by such things as the cost of driving to work, paying ever more for less coverage in their health insurance, and sending their kids to college. I also mentioned the rather spectacular ending of prominent Republican’s marriages, such as Newt and even McCain, than never seems to get reported. The letter was actually pretty good.
His E-mail address is at the bottom of his collumn, might be good for him to hear from a few FDL’ers, if you are as outraged as I am.)
I’m not that much pro Hillary, I don’t want the uproar of her being a candidate, but she sure would make a heck of a better president that what we have now. I wonder if there will be some backlash from this story.
Uhhh . . . Word Press is eating comments; or maybe it’s the NSA . . . or maybe David Broder and Karl Rove in bed, having them for breakfast snacks . . .
And how well did the late David Broder (whoever did the taxidermy to keep him propped up on Washington Week is a real artiste!) know Gwen Awful? And what about the Awful-Condi rumors? No, not those, the other one! Could this be a meange a… oh, dear, I’m losing track?
Developing…
In the off chance that Hillary is elected- buy drug company stocks- especially those companies making blood pressure and anti psychotic medications. As goopers move into homocidal rage- there will be lots of money to be made.
This is a substantiated rumor, not something I am making up. Hannity has a roommate from college who has written that Hannity was, at least in college, a practicing homosexual. I will try to find the link.
John Harris appears to be tardy in starting his online discussion at WaPoO this morning — hope the crew isn’t having the vapors after reading our questions about clenis et. al….
Mommybrain — with all the respect I can gather, would you please ask David Broder why, with all the terrible wrongs being done to our country, with men and women dying for Bush’s personal war with the truth, why he has to talk about the Clinton’s marriage? WHY?
Does he intend to talk about Gingrich’s marriagesssss as he starts he walk back from the brink; or other republican marriages? No, he is a slime distributor of the first rate. Any man who prefers to discuss the marriage of others had better mind his own house.
Correction: Hannity was “college age” but not in college when he was a practicing homosexual. Hannity, of course, did not go to college.
hookay — Word Press eats my comment, then gives the ERROR!!! message that says I’ve already said that — hmmm . . .
Terre says
May 25th, 2006 at 8:04 am
This reminds me of what I heard on AAR yesterday, and I can’t remember who said it, but does Laura Bush smoke? Whoever it was, said she did.
AL FRANKEN mentioned Pickle’s smoking: 2 packs a day, he said. poor lil laura . . .
mommybrain:
I support, completely, standing up for a friend. This stuff stinks and it sucks.
I hope this post and those like it function only as a wake up call and a threat to people like Broder who believe it is fair game to speculate on the conjugal activities of Democratic women in politics to distract the public from the usurpation of the government by totalitarian criminals.
If your friend revises his standard for what is “news,” then I’m sure everyone on our side will be more than eager to get back to real issues. I certainly will. I really hate this stuff, and I absolutely believe in privacy. Consider my post a Swiftain Modest Proposal, or so I intend it to be.
I hope that you and other friends of his can prevail upon him to change his approach to what is news, even to print an apology for his column today. Please, I beg you, use whatever influence you have to help him and others see the light.
Please do not start this kind of war, pachacutec. It is childish and stupid and will become another low moment in the history of political discourse.
The war is inevitable. If Hillary runs, it will be a race to the bottom. By stoking it now, the issue might be tired by ‘08.
This says it all:
“For those who remember the former first lady’s effort at comprehensive health-care reform in 1993-94, the scope of her energy initiative is a throwback to those days. … She offered her proposal with the same self-assurance that she had brought to the health-care debate — a tone that suggested that “if you just listen carefully to all the things I can tell you on the basis of the study I have given this subject, you will know exactly what to do.”
The Hilary bashing has begun in earnest. We can expect the Hilary haters to toss their buckets of Hilary slime relentlessly from now to the election.
Okay, so that’s a fresh pair of ladies’ knickers for Broder and a nice set of tighty whities for Weisberg.
Check.
mommybrain, I’m not a fan of the slime trail either. But I don’t really understand why Broder is climbing on this particular train, either. I don’t agree with him too often and have written him two letters in the past, without response. I think he is sober and thoughtful, I just don’t think he lives outside the box enough. Why do you think he would write a column that moves this meme forward? It’s just cheesy.
Didn’t know he was married to a progressive.
You mean like the nineties, z adura?
ck — Wordpress didn’t eat your comment, it put it into moderation because there was a word in it that triggered our spam filter. And I had to go in and approve it by hand — which I did — so that it is now posted.
Look, gang, please, some patience on the comments thing. We’re trying to moderate as quickly as we can — truly — we’re not holding people’s comments up on purpose. But I’m also trying to manage the blog today, I’m worried about Jane because I haven’t heard from her on Kobe yet, and I’m trying to analyze the latest Fitz filing — all the while balancing a 3 year old home with a fever today and a sick husband.
So a little patience would really go a long, long way with me today. Capice?
First time that there’s been a big story in Washington about politicians NOT screwing- maybe we’re making progress?
Broder, however, all but asserts that the Big Dog’s bangin another woman.
If he thinks that should be on the public record- that it’s significant enough to report- then he oughta come out and SAY it- “Bill Clinton’s putting his erect penis into the vagina of THIS woman- and show a picture- that’s what the respectable tabloids do.
mommybrain @ 34 –
David Broder may be the straightest of straight arrows in his personal life, but he used his position as “Dean of the Washington Press Corpse” to dive head first into Hillary Clinton’s underwear drawer. The issues? Piffle — David Broder is more interested in dry humping Hillary’s yellow pantsuit.
If David Broder wants our respect, he should use his valuable media real estate to shoot down the prurient pundits — instead, he gets in front of the parade.
Maybe he loves his wife and has never cheated on her — but what is their favorite position, and why doesn’t he write it up in the WaPoo?
Seriously — David Broder should be put out to pasture . . .
you go, Pach! Cancel that shill-wad’s free weenie pass, and cancel it like NOW!
Mommybrain in comment 34 says David Broders wife is a progressive goddess
That is so untrue.
I’ve been told by a number of men who knew her on a “fairly regular basis” while in college and even after…. that she is a closetted conservative albeit a rather frigid one.
Mommybrain and z adura — I do understand your sentiments. I think most all of us share ‘em.
But it’s kinda like Shawshank Redemption. You’ve not only gotta outwit the corrupt “wardens” but sometimes, regrettably, crawl thru the sewer in order to break free and demand that politicians/pundits/media stop sleazifying our national discourse and dumbing down our democracy.
The times demand it.
I personally really admired Hillary for the work she did on healthcare. I admired Bill for asking her to do it, although I have read it was not popular for her to involve herself as First Lady. She set a wonderful example for girls across this country, I thought.
How about a panty-drive for Healey, Broder and Matthews? Thousands of envelopes containing panties to sniff “because you’re so interested…”
z adura 48 - I respectfully disagree! These people have been very successful at portraying Dems as morally corrupt - and themselves as incorruptable.
They have built a powerful movement based on this falsehood. They have done it by digging around in the bedrooms of any public figure they feel threatened by (remember Paula Jones & Gennifer Flowers?) Their hypocrisy deserves to be exposed.
Thanks Christy — the absence of the “your comment is awaiting moderation” thingy is disconcerting . . .
Christy, I can’t believe those two are sick again!! I wish I could come and nurse them for you.
Tell Jane we are with her and Kobe.
Larry, 8:26
Let’s leave his wife out of it. She’s a civilian, not a public figure.
Nice catch at 23,HmblDog, thanks.
“The article, by Patrick Healy, was anything but unsympathetic. It touched only lightly on the former president’s friendship with Canadian politician Belinda Stronach. “
So what’s Broder sayin about the big dog and Belinda? Can anyone figure it out? Does he have evidence that Clinton’s doin Belinda? Why did he bring it up? This is sick.
We must ALWAYS confront their lies and their bullshit. How else will they know their price?
Christy–
My best and everyone here’s best to you and Jane.
Just ignore the screaming and let the kids here play, and we will try not to trash the place too much in your absence.
Grace.
Pac….They and theirs are all fair game.
Remember how they attacked Chelsea?
I have to say- The media stars who are descending into the sewer are opening themselves up to charges of hypocrisy and that needs to be exposed. They are sniffing into things that most people may be guilty of, but are acting as if only dems engage in this behaviour. If they want to go there, we need to bring it. As they say in court, “you opened yourself up to this line of questioning.”
I wonder if Malcolm Forbes passed his hustlers on to Broder to fuck.
Was Broder forced to pay for his own hustlers?
DC has a thriving sex industry. That’s strange for a town its size, isn’t it?. There are many web resources listing what’s available to guys with some extra cash. There must be a couple of thousand active sex workers in the DC area. Just find out which buildings a few of them work at and case the joints. It would be great to catch Santorum going to visit his favorite shemale escort. Maybe some wealthy person would like to buy a few of these folks off and get them to name names. Talk about ripping this town wide open.
Zen at 66 — I think it is one of those things when your child goes to preschool, she starts bringing home everything that’s going around. We knew we’d have to go through it eventually. And considering my decided lack of sleep at the moment, I’m amazed I haven’t caught it myself. (Maybe the coffee is keeping it at bay…) It just makes legal doc analysis a bit tough, that’s all, since it’s not exactly quiet here at the moment, and I sent dad back up to bed.
The stinkfinger press is at it again.
Pach, GrandmaJ xyz and others:
Thank you for your comments. I suppose I should have ridden out the flush of adrenaline at my friend being attacked, although I completely and totally agree with the point of the post.
He HAS been inside the beltway too long. I almost never agree with his columns. But I know him as a loving husband, father and generous friend who is in ill health and I forgive him when he transgresses my personal politics.
Just, if you find out he had an affair with my mom, let me know before you print it, ‘k?
The Clinton marriage brouhaha may just be a welcomed diversion (by the Clintons themselves) from the fact that things are not going like clockwork for Hillary’s presidential bid. Bill “I’m running for Nobel Prize” Clinton gave a speech at the Democracy Alliance where he blew up at a questioner who dared to ask about Hillary’s stand on the Iraq war–and then blew up at the whole audience. And in Gore’s Tennesee where 200 were expected to show up for a draft Hillary event, only 20 actually showed.
ck
I think Keller’s wife, Gilbey, started banging David Gilmour, and dumped her then boyfriend John Kerry.
Somehow she got pregnant and Keller left her, presumably because it wasn’t his kid.
The articles make no sense. Am I missing something?
Like Digby wrote yesterday, Broder is a sick creep.
mommybrain– that was an incredibly gracious and thoughtful post @ 75. really nice, ;)
Christy, your request for patience is of course right on target. With all due respect for Jane, Kobe, your sick 3 year old, and your sick husband, I suspect that the “leave me alone so I can digest Fitz’s latest” might be the hook that gets us to back off with the “what happened to my post?” stuff.
Gotta get our habits fed, after all. :-)
The address dbroder@washpost.com appears only to work when clicking on Mr. Broder’s byline while reading his column. I emailed the address directly from my personal email account and it bounced back.
eeeeeew, “clicking on Mr. Broder’s byline.” I need a shower now.
timewarp, is there any other way to expose the hypocrisy besides turning into them? Sending panties is just an opportunity for them to point at us and scream “fever swamp!!!”. I agree that their keyhole peeking is inappropriate, but I would rather point out that it debases them more than it illuminates the public, and find a more subtle and cheeky way to expose thier pecadilloes. (I’ve always wanted to use that word)
Pach–
Good topic. I got the satirical tone, though you run the risk of the literal interpretation that is fomented. Suffice to say that for every Clinton marriage there is a Bush marriage or child in trouble, a Guliani history to discuss or a Mehlman deserving special deleivery to the press. We don’t really need to dig for dirt; it’s there for the mentioning. A simple “you don’t really want to go there when there are so many questions about…” should be all the rebuttal needed.
The additional affront caused by the moral transgressions of the right, though–perhaps the only really relevant one–is the hypocrisy of sanctimony regarding intimate relations. On that score, some outrage and some outing may be occasionally appropriate.
There is no excuse for what Broder and the rest of the lap dogs are doing. Mommybrain-you need to give your acquaintence an earful and forget about arguing with the folks here who are outraged. It wouldn’t take 24 hours of concentrated effort to uncover the pecadillos of those who scream loudest on the right, so it’s no drain on our resources. It’s time for us to stop bringing our knives to a gunfight.
This is a VERY bad idea
The whole point of the “reality based community” is that it sticks to facts. After getting a good deal of (sometimes grudging) praise for being cautious on the Rove indictment story, and making slow, incremental progress in other areas, the last thing we need to do is “sink to their level” on an issue like this, especially inviting the good guys to start untrue (or at least unfact checked) swiftboating.
It may feel good to vent like this, but it hurts us far, far, more than it hurts them.
Please, please update this post and repudiate the suggestion that liberal bloggers start trafficking in lies to “teach them a lesson.”
If we’re going to teach them anything, it will be by discovering and remembering the truth, constantly checking our facts and our assumptions, and relentlessly refusing to be fooled by lies–not by “getting into the sewer with them” spreading “anti-lies.”
–MarkusQ
Thank you for that comment, mommybrain. You have illustrated vividly here the illness of the politics of personal destruction, by defending your friend. The Clintons have friends, a child, and each other — all of whom must have desperately hurt by that widely distributed NYT smut.
It’s yet another application of the Golden Rule, I suppose, except it appears revoked for Democrats.
Speaking of panties, I wouldn’t want to sniff Lay’s or Skilling’s right about now…..
angie,
i agree. thanks for your gracious response mommybrain. it is difficult when these issues have an impact on those who are close to us. i think we agree on the larger point that pach is making here. the time has come and gone for us to stand by while the other side attacks our leaders and heroes with prurient garbage. The battle has been joined, not because we want to, but because we have been forced.
Christy, I just feel guilty because at 50, I can stay in my pj’s all day, sit in my bed and read blogs if I want. But I have had two in diapers and I clearly remember, that’s why I always like to send a little backrub your way. ;-)
I’ve highlighted the modest proposal aspect of this post up top, hopefully to clarify matters for all.
Children are insufferable. If they came with warning labels- no one would have one.
MarkusQ, I don’t think we have to sink to the level of swift-liars- the truth is bad enough. To leave purient charges unanswered and unchallenged will get us exactly nothing. To weild a big stick in ordet to teach those who traffic in such dirt could actually stop this madness.
David Broder Stroker Ace
they need porn names, but bad porn names that highlight their, um, shortcomings
and never underestimate the power of vanity - my e mail to the Teen of the Washington Press Corps chastised his ass for doing things neither Drew Pearson or Jack Anderson would have done on their worst days
and there’s always the smack of likening these puffed up clowns to “catty old women”
Groan-a Barrett
Louella Parsing
Hedda Handjob
‘Sin’dy Adams
Anyone notice that some of the numbered posts don’t correspond with the names?
I think its ’cause they get hung in the spam filter.
The time stamp might be a better reference.
T-
God forbid anyone should have both boxers and briefs in their wardrobe but still prefer one to the other.
Well, I sent a comment similar to Markus’ without the bold, but I guess the NSA is reading it. The panties and revenge response I can’t support, it doesn’t convey any message other than we are just like them, and we aren’t, we can’t be. My choice is to change the subject for the moment and not allow this to ferment. We have a hundred issues to face and this is just the reaction Ken Mehlman had in mind, Look, what’s that shiny thing.
This kind of stuff is cheap. I’m a big fan of dignity.
In coming up with epithets for Mr. Broder, let’s avoid the recently explored Americablog-swamp of mysogyny, folks. There’s plenty of bad things to say about the “Teen of the Washington Press Corps” that don’t demean women.
There is no high road in political war. Only victory.
And that my friends is what we are engaged in… like it or not…this is a war for the heart and soul of our great country and all its promise and all that it has always stood for.
When invited to a knife fight ….bring a gun. Sure the sewer stinks…but if at times your enemy insists on doing battle from there then you better be prepared to jump in….but only if you want to win.
I think The Onion has outdone Broder and Co.
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/48757
What’s the over/under on the time of Christy’s latest Fitz Filing post?
I’d peg it at 1 EST.
OT…
The verdicts on Skilling and Lay are due out in a few minutes.
I agree that this is a very unfortunate thing — but David Broder has joined the ranks of Beltway Slime Merchants, and unless we teach him and his kind a lesson, they will continue to smear Democrats with impunity.
Can someone live blog the Enron verdict?
I have to say that I do not like the tone of all this. I think the Broder article is just another example of how corporate media doesn’t report the news, how out of touch they are, and how unprofessional they have become. That is what we should be concentrating our attention. In an article with 15 paragraphs (albeit some quite short), Broder speaks about Hillary’s ideas on energy in 3 and not until the 7th paragraph. Needless to say, even where he does speak about energy it is without any analysis or detail. He describes her talk as wonkish as if using facts and discussing serious issues seriously is somehow just not the done thing.
I wonder why it is that so many reporters, columnists, and pundits have given up on what most of us I think are the basics of their profession. Broder is one of the “senior” news reporters but his piece reads like not very good infotainment.
I also wonder if these guys were always this bad and it just took the blogosphere with its resources and ideas to shine a bright light upon them and show them for the hacks they are certainly are or have become. I remember when I thought Washington Week where many of these types hang out was actually pretty good. Now I wince to watch the David Broders and Martha Raddatzs regurgitate the Bush spin without embarrassment and with only the most minor of signs of stomach upset.
TeddySF,
your point about women is well taken. I used the silly names above to highlight the very last comparison Broder would want - catty gossip maven
Here’s the letter I sent Huffington Post on this subject, but many a community blogger site could do — though Arianna’s place seems to have a lot of insiders who could readily dig dirt to contribute:
Dear Huffington Post:
In response to the NYTimes’ front-page tabloid piece on the Clintons’ marriage the other day, Atrios has posted a brief sketch of the circumstances of Times editor Bill Keller’s 1999 marriage to Emma Gilbey.
I think this is a fantastic idea. David Broder says the Clintons’ marriage will be a hot topic in 2008 if she runs, but I think that hotness will be a manufactured one. Sure, people like juicy gossip, but ordinary folks aren’t clammering for ever more on the Clintons; it’s been done.
What we could really use is fresh meat, so here’s what I propose.
Arianna’s certainly had her own marriage disected, so she knows the approach. And she and many of her fellow commentors and journalists at Huffington Post have insider connections.
What better way to serve the public’s thirst for gossip while doing the country a good turn than to put together a bestseller about the private lives of the media types and pols who thrive on keeping puerile interest in the Clinton marriage alive?
It shouldn’t be hard for the Huffington Post to find 50 folks with tidbits to share on the likes of Tim Russert, Chris Matthews, various publishers and media CEOs, etc. Heck, I’ll bet Broder himself has a few none-too-well-buried personal/family/marital secrets you could share.
Huffington Post can begin it’s media, politics and marriage (MPM) gossip reports on its website, then compile the best in a hotly hyped campaign-season book that can shout for attention from all those big chain bookstore endcaps and table displays.
I envision a tabloid-like cover to attract buyer attention, with lots of lurid headlines and dirt-praising blurbs, wrapped up in a large paperback format that mimics the Enquirer and Weekly World News.
Hey, you might even go for a distribution deal that includes checkout lines and news rack displays.
Really, the possibilities for fun are endless; think of the book tours and interviews.
And maybe, just maybe, some of these ersatz journos, pundits and teleprompter readers with “correspondent” after their names will learn a thing or two (even so late in the game) by walking in the other guys shoes through the stew of their own juice for a change.
I’m serious.
A reader and fan,
xxxx
I said it over at Eschaton, I’ll say it again here….the only way to make this stop is to put the fear of God into these fools. I don’t like Hillary. If she’s the nominee, I’ll vote for her, but that’s it. Having said that - Healy’s column and Broder and Matthew’s follow-ups are just the first shot across our bow. They won’t stop if we ask them politely. They won’t stop if we demand it and stamp our feet and wave our fists. They’ll only stop if we scare them, but good. Please, I beg several of the big bloggers to get together, put out a call for funds, and hire a private investigator to look into the life of ONE journalist who has started in with this nonsense. It’s important that ONE of them be made into an example of what happens when they start in with this crap. Do not dilute the effort by targeting more than one of them - Healy, Keller, Sulzberger, it makes no difference. Tell him/her that if they want to listen at keyholes and publish innuendo, so will we. Tell him/her that they are about to be subjected to an investigation that will make a trip to his/her proctologist seem like a day at the beach. Keep it on the up-and-up, hire a licensed investigator who will stay within legal bounds when surveilling, interviewing witnesses and reviewing records. Then publish the results, with documentation, simultaneously on every participating blog. They’ll squeal like stuck pigs, but I guarantee the nudge,nudge, wink, wink coverage will stop.
The essential problem is that the press has contempt for us. They may hate Republicans, but they fear them, so they don’t try this shit with Giuliani, McCain, etc. It’s like kids shaking down weaklings for their lunch money - the first time you kick them in the nads, they look for another mark. Kick them hard, and this will stop.
The only way we can battle these guys and break through the MSM wall is by insulting them (nice panty sniffing pundits meme) or by producing a poll that shows americans don’t give a fuck about this shit.
at all
they didn’t care during monica
and they don’t care now
so let them run with this, it only lets hilary look a victim which will help us in the long run
no if we want her or not, thats a whole nother question
Lay and Skilling verdict coming out now…..hope they fry.
We don’t have to report sexual stories, but we can do something like sending David Broder a box full of panties. It would be a protest about the story he wrote.
Guilty! YES, Martha, there is justice!
Lay - 6 charges all guilty