I want you to read the whole thing, but I'll quote a few paragraphs [and add some emphasis]:
WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration has provided White House media credentials to a man who has virtually no journalistic background, asks softball questions to the president and his spokesman in the midst of contentious news conferences, and routinely reprints long passages verbatim from official press releases as original news articles on his website.
It's clear that the president needs a few softball questions every now and then. But even his spokesman? Pathetic! Watch how the truth starts flowing here, and why...
[T]he question of how Gannon gets into White House press conferences is coming under intense scrutiny from critics who contend that Gannon is not a journalist but rather a White House tool to soften media coverage of Bush. The issue was raised by a media watchdog group and picked up by Internet bloggers, who linked Gannon's presence in White House briefings to recent controversies over whether the administration manipulates the flow of information to the public.
That media watchdog group, by the way, is Media Matters, and their recent reports have included this very 'complimentary' portrayal of Mr. Gannon. David Brock wrote a fantastic snarky letter to Press Secretary Scott McLellan a few days ago. The most recent piece at Media Matters concerning Gannon is here.
And the Internet bloggers the article refers to are legion. A few days ago I read a comment on another blog saying [paraphrasing now] "get used to it, this is the new reality, blogging doesn't make any difference."
I beg to differ. It is making a difference. Things are happening now that wouldn't be happening without internet bloggers. OK, OK, they're talking about other bloggers, I'm sure. They are definitely not talking about Winter Patriot. They don't even know about me. Or dozens (or hundreds) (or thousands) of other guys like me. But we're all out there, each doing our bit, and every little bit helps. You read me and I point you to somebody who knows what he's talking about. Or something like that.
But on the other hand, even the lowly [and nearly frozen] Winter Patriot has been muttering about cheap whores recently, in the media and elsewhere. Jeff Gannon is only the latest to be 'outed'.
I wonder how many more we will find. I wonder what they pay him. I wonder whether he earns enough to pay for his own lipstick.
Go ahead, Jeff. Tell us. What's your price?
Please read the newest piece on the so-called reporter, Jeff Gannon, at Media Matters. At the bottom of the page you will find some interesting contact info. Perhaps you could write a letter of encouragement to one or more of the addresses provided. But tell them you read about the whole sad situation at Media Matters. By all means, don't tell them I sent you. They don't even know about me yet. Sneaky internet bloggers...
Here's Joe Jackson:
Sunday Papers
Mother doesn’t go out any more
Just sits at home and rolls her spastic eyes
But every weekend through the door
Come words of wisdom from the world outside
If you want to know about the bishop and the actress
If you want to know how to be a star
If you want to know about the stains on the mattress
You can read it in the sunday papers, sunday papers
Mother’s wheelchair stays out in the hall
Why should she go out when the tv’s on
Whatever moves beyond these walls
She’ll know the facts when sunday comes along
If you want to know about the man gone bonkers
If you want to know how to play guitar
If you want to know about the other suckers
You can read it in the sunday papers, read it in the sunday papers
Sunday papers don’t ask no questions
Sunday papers don’t get no lies
Sunday papers don’t raise objection
Sunday papers don’t got no eyes
Brother’s heading that way now I guess
He just read something made his face turn blue
Well I got nothing against the press
They wouldn’t print it if it wasn’t true
If you want to know about the gay politician
If you want to know how to drive your car
If you want to know about the new sex position
You can read it in the sunday papers, read it in the sunday papers
Sunday papers don’t ask no questions
Sunday papers don’t get no lies
Sunday papers don’t raise objection
Sunday papers don’t got no eyes
Sunday papers don’t ask no questions
Sunday papers don’t get no lies
Sunday papers don’t raise objection
Sunday papers don’t got no eyes
Read all about it, sunday papers