Why is Karl Rove holding off-the-record dinners with reporters???

[Stephanie]

An interesting tidbit from Froomkin. What's Rove up to and why is the press still in bed with him?

There was a short blurb in the AP a few days ago about Bush's double super secret barbecue with the WH press corps at his Waco Compound. Now remember, George did not appear in public this past week except for one speech on Monday and another on Wednesday. Tuesday he was photographed bicycling and boating with his entourage. Since then Commander Bunnypants has gone back down the rabbit hole.

But who in their right mind is still having super secret meetings with with Karl? WTF? Can we fire the DC press corps and put actual journalists in their place?

Bush's Secret Dinner -- With the Press
By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Friday, August 26, 2005; 12:00 PM

<snip>

The president and the first lady greeted everyone personally in an informal receiving line. Both were dressed casually, Bush in jeans.

The dinner itself was held poolside. The reporters and camera crews were invited to bring swimsuits, but no one opted to strip and swim.

The beer, as usual, was a Texas brew: Shiner Bock.

The topics of conversation included the antiwar protests, the twins, sports, and Bush's summer reading list.

Unlike the event two years ago, there was no tour of the property.

Several senior White House aides attended and also spoke to reporters off the record, including deputy national security adviser J.D. Crouch II and deputy chief of staff Joseph Hagin.

***

Incidentally, Bush isn't the only one holding off-the-record dinners with reporters this summer. I'm told senior adviser Karl Rove has held several in the last month himself.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/08/26/BL2005082600706.html

[Cassandra]

1. I can see why Rove would hold them...

but I'd be interested to know which reporters were stupid enough to attend.

[Stephanie]

2. And what state secrets he's trying to peddle this week.

[Straight Shooter]

4. Not "stupid" enough to attend.

"Unethical."

Journalists? What journalists? I don't see any journalists. Do you see any journalists? All I see is a bunch of stenographers wearing kneepads and bibs to catch the overflow.

[MADem]

5. To issue THREATS, of course

Testify in front of the grand jury, and bad things will happen to you!!!

He's probably giving guidance to the many lazy corporate media shills that he has fed shit to in the past, and warning them that they'd better keep their mouth shut...the list would be interesting to see, because I doubt that many newbies would be on it--it would be shills that he has done business with before.

Karl ain't no Tony Soprano, though...he's just a bullying piglet. He needs to roast in hell with an apple in his mouth.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

3. The Do-As-Your-Told Banquets of 2005

S.O.B.

[TWiley]

6. He is lying to them

He wants to get a story in circulation, but he does not want to be cited as the source of it.

My bet is that they want to draw parallels between Iraq, the war on Terrorism, and the attack on the WTC.

The 9/11 commission flatly stated that there was no link between Iraq and the WTC attack, and no link between Saddam Hussein and Al Queda.

The bushtapo has been pushing this lie (linkage) for a long time, mostly through church media. It is amazing how many fundamentalists really believe that Saddam Hussein was involved in the WTC attacks.

They persist even though brave reporters keep pointing out that they are misspeaking. The latest example I saw was when Anderson Cooper was discussing Cindy Sheehan with a White House spokes-lady.

She kept claiming a relationship between Iraq and 9/11 until Andereson forcefully inserted himself in the conversation. She was making a speech and would not let him in. He finally pointed out that the 9/11 commission found NO link.

She replied "well many muslims believe the same sorts of things, so it really is the same thing."

Anderson should have pounced, but he changed the topic.

[goclark]

7. So who attended?

We need the names of the Secret Media.

[Stephanie]

8. another snippet >

Froomkin:

And in spite of all the recent press demands for senior administration officials to stay on the record more often, the press corps can't resist an offer of face time with the president, pretty much no matter what the conditions.

Nevertheless, I'm told that several reporters expressed squeamishness about last night's event, particularly as the press-pool vans drove by antiwar protester Cindy Sheehan's "Camp Casey" site. And later, a small handful watched askance as the rest fawned over Bush, following him around in packs every time he moved.

[KittyWampus]

11. WP & NYTimes (I think) were NOT invited to Bush's pseudo-cowboy soiree

[meow2u3]

9. Rove's making them an offer they can't refuse

Rove to press: peddle my propaganda and you can have all this (shows journalists a wad of c-notes); tell the truth and you'll get this (flashes his piece in an intimidating manner).

[Drum]

10. Reporters get lightheaded

getting a chance to be close to the flames of Power, so I could foresee their idiotic justification for going, but what of the reporters' bosses?? Shouldn't the editors put down some ground rules about playing footsie with crocodiles like Rove/Bush/Cheney/et al??? Since all is "off-the-record," what justification do they have for their reporters' inclusion? Wouldn't papers be stronger in the long run by isolating the dubious game players, declaring their people would have none of this nonsense?
I just don't get it...have ethics totally disappeared in this politico-press linkage???

[Garbo 2004]

12. Those reporters should take copies of confidentiality waiver forms with

them for signature, just in case. Ya never know.... ;)

[annabanana]

13. LOL...."Who can that be, knockin' at my door?"

Fitzy!

[Beelzebud]

14. Because our news media is now part of the power elite.

They don't even bother hiding it anymore.

[demgrrrll]

15. Has anyone read the "Rotten Elites" rant at Digbysblog? I can

link the blog. Scroll down to the Rotten Elites rant. Pure Gold. He really does understand the dark underbelly of the press.

[demgrrrll]

16. Here is the link.

Here is the link <http://digbysblog.blogspot.com>

[Cleita]

17. About the Shiner Bock beer. It isn't non-alcoholic.

I hope one of the photojournalists gets a picture of him imbibing. I might help to build a case of Bush's alcoholism contributing to his inability to discharge the duties of his office if we are going for impeachment.

I say gather all the evidence, no matter how unimportant. Throw all of it at him and let's see what sticks. It might be the thing to get him to resign. He might go for the lesser charge of alcoholism if a indictment of treason in hanging over him, which could bring a death penalty.