The 'Dark Star' Sex Non-Scandal - Keep Al Gore Alive!

Let me throw in two cents on the Rosenbaum "Dark Star" non-scandal.  Despite an absolute absence of evidence I would like to toss Al Gore's hat in the ring:

So I was down in DC this past weekend and happened to run into a well-connected media person, who told me flatly, unequivocally that “everyone knows” The LA Times was sitting on a story, all wrapped up and ready to go about what is a potentially devastating sexual scandal involving a leading Presidential candidate. “Everyone knows” meaning everyone in the DC mainstream media political reporting world. “Sitting on it” because the paper couldn’t decide the complex ethics of whether and when to run it. The way I heard it they’d had it for a while but don’t know what to do. The person who told me )not an LAT person) knows I write and didn’t say “don’t write about this”.

Rosenbaum then delivers a thumbsucker about the media process rather than taking the icy plunge and delivering the dish (hmm, I cannot endorse or embrace my current Metaphor-Masher).  But as to plunges and dish, we have no such compunction!

Lots of reax at Memeorandum: Blog speculators are focusing on Hillary and Huma or Bill and a woman.  But I don't think anyone has mentioned Al Gore, mainly because he is not a declared candidate.  But so what?  Bettors have him trailing only Hillary and Obama in the Dem field; and yet, the "Will he or won't he" stories following his Nobel Prize disappeared almost immediately two weeks ago.  Is he really staying out of the simply because he thinks he can do more to save the planet and a private citizen wielding a Peace Prize?  Maybe! 

But if the guy who is the blindingly obvious alternative to Hillary - experienced, well-known, and a previous Presidential winner (or so Dems say) - is staying out because of a problem with his personal life, well, I can see an ethical dilemma in publishing that.  On the one hand the public arguably has a right to know why the best person to stop the Hillary Juggernaut has gone AWOL.  On the other hand, why should the LA Times slime a private citizen who is not a declared candidate?  Just wondering out loud here.

Meanwhile:

Captain Ed exhorts the media to stick to the high road; his commenters opine that since the high road would be the path less taken of the candidate in question were a Republican, this amounts to unilateral disarmament.  Advantage, commenters!

Patterico gets a denial from Matt Welch (formerly of Reason and now with the LA Times) and believes it.

Ace thinks "Ron Rosenbaum is either being played or is being a dink."  The "played" theory" is articulated in UPDATE 2 by Dave in Texas:

But, given what Rosenbaum has written, I think it more likely that he is being played by someone with a dirtier motive.

In DC media circles, the phrase "everybody knows about it" is often code. Political Operatives with sketchy info try to get a credulous reporter to disseminate their dirt by enhancing it's credibility with those 4 little words. Not only do the words obstensibly add credibility, but they also get the competitive juices flowing. Everyone wants to be first to break the STORY OF THE CENTURY!

Let's see - some blogger (link?) posted the notion that it's Hillary and Huma but no one will ever be able to prove it - Huma is supposed to be with Hillary 24/7, so waddya gonna write if she is spotted leaving Hillary's hotel room at 4 AM?.

CONTINUING...

Comments

[Topsecretk9]

from a coomment at pj blog with author response

We've had close experience of this in Oregon. For something like 17 years, "everybody" knew that Bob Packwood had been periodically groping women, including journalists, across the country. No one told until, coincidentally, a Democratic challenger had been groomed and was ready to take him on. The Washington Post broke the story, and for a long time I saw bumper stickers that said, "If it's important to Oregon, you'll read about it in the Washington Post" (a turn on an Oregonian slogan). More recently, "everybody" knew that Gov. Neil Goldschmidt had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl. But for some reason it was never newsworthy until 30 years later. It seems like a club -- in both senses of a private association and a weapon to be wielded at the right time -- and the media's ethical issues are -- surprise, surprise -- directly related to their trust issues...

Yes! The "club" issue was what I was trying to write about, although after it was picked up it turned into a giant guessing game. ..

[colanut22]

It's very interesting that tim russert and the other candidates all grew 'big ones' and decided at the same time to go after Hitlery. Coincidences very seldom happen in washington. There has to be something swirling somewhere!

[Other Tom]

Even if it's true, and even if it becomes public, she'll still get the nomination and she'll still win in 2008. I hate to say it, but I believe it's true. You heard it here, folks.

[Clarice]

Loved this TM:"Captain Ed exhorts the media to stick to the high road; his commenters opine that since the high road would be the path less taken of the candidate in question were a Republican, this amounts to unilateral disarmament. Advantage, commenters!"

Absolutely so. Capt Ed (and I adore him) is always for unilateral disarmament in this context.

[MayBee]

Yes, I too adore Capt Ed. I fear he is such an honorable man that he never expects dishonor in others. He doesn't just turn the other cheek, he actually seems to present the first cheek and beg his opponents to slap it.

[Clarice]

As for Gore--get serious, Tom. Who puts on weight in the middle of an affair? Really!!

[Clarice]

BigHead has some mock ups for covers should the story ever break out.
Tell all titles

[PeterUK]

"As for Gore--get serious, Tom. Who puts on weight in the middle of an affair? Really!!"

There doesn't have to be anyone else involved,just Al and his expanding ego.

[bgates]

On the other hand, why should the LA Times slime a private citizen who is not a declared candidate?
Because he's an actor who had a role as a white supremacist 15 years ago, and he's a Republican?

[GMax]

Hit:

I maybe incommunicado as tomorrow is a travel day and then a hotel with unknown connectibility and then the game.

If you do make it in, their is a designated parents ( of the players ) sitting area. Look for me there at halftime, I will be the 6 foot redhead with the UNC Womens Soccer hat on. If the weather permits I will also have on a tshirt with # 24 on the back.

Everyone else:

I need someone in my absence to post a link and remind the faithful to vote. She pulled ahead briefly today but then went back to 2nd ( although I think she is back in first as we speak ). You know that means its within a few votes at this point. Give her some cushion please. And as always, thanks a whole bunch.

[PeterUK]

VOTE!!!

[Topsecretk9]

Worth the read!

They’ll tell me that I should have expected it and that I should never have trusted a reporter from the country’s leading left-wing newspaper. But I did expect more, and still do....

...I’m glad that Blackwater has decided to defend itself, even if it means losing contracts. I’m betting the State Department bureaucrat who threatened to ruin them can’t wait to “review” their contracts — another reason why one of the biggest outrages here is the inability to fire incompetent, abusive career civil servants.

[Clarice]

Ah. but we can send them to SiberiaIraq

[hit and run]

Gmax - I'm still gonna try. I started running a fever last night, stayed home from work today, and have barely made it from my bed to the sofa and back. I'm officially downgrading my status to Doubtful, but am holding out hope that I'll wake up chipper tomorrow.

Now, off to vote...

[Kevin B]

Looking at this from Capt Ed's

his commenters opine that since the high road would be the path less taken if the candidate in question were a Republican, this amounts to unilateral disarmament.

And this from the story

Sitting on it because the paper couldn’t decide the complex ethics of whether and when to run it.

If the story were, say, Rudy had a gay affair 20 years ago, the complex ethics of when to run it boil down to "do we run it before the nomination and thus leave the Dems battling the arguably more conservative Fred or Mitt, or after when Rudy has the nomination and thus derail his candidacy."

Added to that is the fact that someone else might scoop them anyway.

The whether part of this complex ethical conundrum might be that if it comes to a Hillary v Rudy matchup, the LAT might find Rudy the more acceptable candidate. They did after all take point on the Hsunami.

[Clarice]

Hit, I'm sorry to hear you are sick. I see Jane's already been by and dropped off her home remedy.Take my friendly advice. Dump it. Here's some chicken soup I made for you.

[Jane]

Where is my home remedy? And more important, what is it?

[Clarice]

Right--try that innocent act elsewhere, sweetie.

[Enigmaticore]

Wouldn't this more likely be what Kaus was talking about a week or two ago? If so, it wasn't Hillary.

[Other Tom]

After reading Matt Welch, I conclude that Rosenbaum was duped and there's nothing there. More's the pity.

[Sue]

The fallout from last night's debate must be more than I thought it would be. Newt has dropped Hillary's chances from 80% to 50% and Bush 41 doesn't even think she'll get the nomination. She must be kicking herself for not being prepared for that question. I would like to volunteer to take over the kicking when she tires.

[Rick Ballard]

"I would like to volunteer to take over the kicking when she tires."

Could we, like, you know, trade off every once in a while? I'll be happy to take graveyard or weekends - even holidays. Anything to get on the team.

[Sue]

Rick,

We can tag team.

[Rick Ballard]

That would be fine. I'll start working on my left foot. Maybe Jessica could give me some tips? The power is OK but my accuracy isn't very good.

[Dave]

I'm guessing that if the Hillary/Huma thing pans out, it will improve her standing within the D party, pulling back over many of the people she lost with her (former) support of the GWOT, and helping her chances to win the nomination.
In the '08 general, I'm not sure.

[Mo]

Rumor has it that John Edwards was screwing Liberace's corpse but Liberace considered Edwards to fucking faggoty.

www.moronsinchapelhill.com

[Sue]

The power is OK but my accuracy isn't very good.

Have you seen that as...mmmm...that wasn't going to be very kind of me. Let me put it this way, you can't miss.

[Neo]

Will al Qaeda members in the USA get their own cards under the Clinton/Spitzer plan ? Proper identification would clearly entitle them to Geneva Convention status that is currently denied.
What about Hamas, Fatah, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah ?
For that matter will there be vanity cards for Sandinistas, Black Panthers, Tupamaros, Basque separatists, Viet Minh, Bosnians, Bohemians, Nihilists, Tamil Tigers, Ulster Unionists, Nazis, neo-Nazis, Dominionists, Communists, Boxers, Janjaweed, Fedayeen, Underground Railroaders, Vegans, Dead Heads, and Earth First-ers ?

Since the comprehensive dhimmi-facation package hasn't been passed by the Congress, the states must step in and take up the matter on their own.

[Topsecretk9]

JMH is my hero!

Also, loving the rich tasty irony of a bunch of lefties bitching about bad reviews being made without reading the book, and desperate pleas not to do so...I guess it takes fascist book burners to think they know fascist book burning.

[Elliott]

Tops:

The Amazon reviewer in your link is called JHM so I don't think that's JMH.

[Rick Ballard]

Vote Jmax

Vote Climate Audit while you're at it. (Free carbon credits to the first 50,000 voters)

[Bill in AZ]

As long as you're all voting don't miss Vote JustOneMinute! Can't believe JOM isn't in one of the other categories.

[Jane]

Jess has pulled ahead!

(about bloody time)

[Neo]

The only thing that JMH left out was this statement from a letter by Joe Wilson to the Senate Intelligence Committee: "I never claimed to have "debunked" the allegation that Iraq was seeking uranium from Africa. I claimed only that the transaction described in the documents that turned out to be forgeries could not have occurred and did not occur."

Of course, the "forgeries" part undermined his credibility.

[Tomf]

Here at the office everybody knows that it's Fred. He was helping Britney with the custody thing, she suggested a dip in the ocean and ...

[PeterUK]

How can you b so dismissive about Hil's rear end some people sing songs about it

[Rick Ballard]

Kaus again.

The thing that I don't like about this (he said, carefully adjusting his Vizzini hat) is that it gives Miz Clinton a nice excuse to drop HamaHamaHama without giving the girl a reason to make a pile off of the expose story. Hama is going to suffer Sox's fate (at least she'll be spared Buddy's) and Clinton's patented "Crodile Tears About Mean Republicans" will flow like the Nile.

At the same time, the Clinton Scum Team (hi, Sid!) will use this as the rationale for opening up a few of Rudy's closets.

Without pictures or Huma's sworn statement, this can't go much farther than innuendo and it ain't like anybody could be surprised if Miz Clinton showed up on a Harley wearing a long sleeved wool shirt and red suspenders.

She's an incompetent, graceless, whiny shrew without a single accomplishment worth mention - why not stick with that rather than contemplating her abuse of position by enslaving interns as sex toys? Hammering on Bubba for being a pervert and rapist actually cost seats in '98.

Why would this be different?

[Porchlight]

True, Rick. You are right that it would be much more preferable to hammer her on the issues and expose her rotten personality in the process. I was thinking that the media would be more or less forced to cover a Hillary sex scandal (as opposed to the campaign finance scandals they've mostly ignored thus far).

But the beating she's taking on Spitzer and the drivers' licenses, and her poor response, is encouraging. I was beginning to think no one could pierce that forcefield.

[Sue]

I was beginning to think no one could pierce that forcefield.

They can pierce it they just have no desire to pierce it. What's left if she goes down? They want the WH.

[Jane]

And for today's succint award:

She's an incompetent, graceless, whiny shrew without a single accomplishment worth mention

I say let the liberal media report the story and have the conservative media stay out of it. We can just sit here and laugh about it.

[Porchlight]

Sue, I was thinking that the forcefield = Hillary + media. The illegal immigration arrow seems to be one of the few that consistently makes it through despite MSM spin in the other direction. I hope and pray the GOP is paying attention...

[Clarice]

John Fund has a good piece today linking the drivers license plan by Spitzer with vote fraud.(Spitzer earlier ordered that the MVD stop requiring Soc Sec cards to get licenses..ergo............)

[Sue]

How long before Bubba shows up to correct what Hillary said in the debate? I read somewhere that Hillary tried a Bubba but she ain't no Bubba and shouldn't try to be Bubba.

[hit and run]

Sue:
but she ain't no Bubba and shouldn't try to be Bubba.

But if Hill is getting some Huma on the side, maybe she's got a little Bubba in her after all?

[Clarice]

She can sling it but she can't take it--Ladies First in Hillaryland! In that children's thing "Free to Be You and Me" starring Marlo Thomas, there's a cute song about a nasty girl who always insisted ,"Ladies First" and then came upon a hungry croc--her companions insisted "Ladies First" and she was eaten up. This could be a good UTube bit starring her highness.

[kim]

It's a metaphor for her whole campaign. First a gang of men Democrats, then a gang of men Republicans, last a gang of men voters. Ooh, the scars may be lustrous.
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[Porchlight]

That Fund piece was grim, but this was a bright light:

While states such as New York are increasing the risk of such fraud, a half-dozen states have recently adopted laws requiring voters to offer proof of identity or citizenship before casting a ballot. A federal commission, co-chaired by former President Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker, gave such laws a big boost in 2005 when it called for a nationwide policy requiring a photo ID before voting.

I had to read the Jimmy Carter part twice, I couldn't believe he had done anything I agreed with.

'This Will Make Voter Fraud Easier'

[kim]

Dang, may they be lysistrous. Too bad, it'll be so sad.
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[kim]

Schumer's war with Gonzales wasn't about torture, it was about voter fraud.
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[Sue]

Sue: but she ain't no Bubba and shouldn't try to be Bubba.

But if Hill is getting some Huma on the side, maybe she's got a little Bubba in her after all?

Posted by: hit and run | November 02, 2007 at 11:32 AM

::horror::

::grin::