Say Anything Blog

Jeff Gannon has broken his silence today, speaking to the press for the first time since this scandal broke (via Wizbang).

Wasington Post - Jeff Gannon, the former White House reporter whose naked pictures have appeared on a number of gay escort sites, says that he has "regrets" about his past but that White House officials knew nothing about his salacious activities.

"I've made mistakes in my past," he said yesterday. "Does my past mean I can't have a future? Does it disqualify me from being a journalist?"

Gannon chastised his critics, breaking a silence that began last week when liberal bloggers disclosed his real name, James Dale Guckert, and a Web page, which he paid for, featuring X-rated photos of himself. "Why would they be looking into a person's sexual history? Is that what we're going to do to reporters now? Is there some kind of litmus test for reporters? Is it right to hold someone's sexuality against them?"

Gannon makes some good points.

I don't think this matter will ever be settled to everyone's satisfaction, but it could be satisfied to most people's satisfaction if some simple questions were answered:

1. The White House Press Office issues the press day passes, the type of credential used by Gannon. In order to get it he had to give his real name, address and social security number. The question is, what does the White House Press Office do with that information? What checks do they run? What is the vetting process?



2. What other reporters representing which organizations have received press day passes?

An answer to the first question would settle the accusation that the White House knowlingly allowed a gay prostitute access to the Bush administraton and White House press room. If Gannon's information were simply run through a criminal computer database his gay prostitute activities wouldn't show up. Knowing the vetting process would allow us to say for certain what elements of Gannon's past the White House should or should not have known about.

An answer to the second question would settle the accusation that the White House was trying to plant friendly voices in the press room. I have read earlier that the left-wing Village Voice has received press access to the White House. They are certainly no less partisan in nature than Talon News. Analyzing a full list of day pass recipients would be an easy way to set aside fears of bias in the selection process.

These are two big questions that I have not seen answered anywhere as yet. Frankly, I'm a bit surprised that so many have taken to throwing around assumptions about this scandal without first answering one or both of them.

Update:

I've attempted to contact the White House Press Office at this number: (202) 246-2580. No answer.

Maybe they don't work on Saturdays...