WP/Kurtz: Media View Kitty Kelley's Bush Book With Caution

[kskiska]

It is the book that some Republicans have been worrying about for weeks, filled with lurid allegations by a celebrity biographer whose controversial reputation has only boosted her sales.

Kitty Kelley's volume on the Bush family won't be published until next week, but the White House communications director yesterday dismissed the book as "garbage" and a Republican National Committee spokeswoman said journalists should treat it as "fiction." With the author booked for numerous television interviews -- including three straight mornings on NBC's "Today," starting Monday -- "The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty" is certain to generate media attention in the heat of a presidential campaign.

Peter Gethers, vice president of Random House and Kelley's editor, said the publisher's chief counsel and Kelley's own lawyer went over the book "with a fine-toothed comb."

"It was as extensive a legal read as a publisher could give," Gethers said. "Some things didn't make it, and we're 100 percent confident of the things that made it in. We erred on the side of caution because we knew how hard she was going to be hit."

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3665-2004Sep7.html

[frank frankly]

1. well, well, well

i hope these charges are true and i hope that they stick to Shrubya!

[aquart]

10. Personally, I hope they stick and they're not true.

I would love the lying prick to know how it feels.

Some people say J. Edgar Hoover never wore a dress. Do you know how it pleases me to know his memory is wrecked on that image?

Live by the smear, die by the smear.

[Javaman]

34. I'll say it again...

Barbara Bush looks like J. Edgar Hoover...

[Jackpine Radical]

40. Mayge BB IS J Edgar.

That would certainly help explain the dress business.

[jumpstart33]

31. I hope with as much "caution" as the Swiftboat ads against Kerry.

Then all the charges in Kelly's book will stick. If the media will show excerpts and repeat the allegations as much as they did those of the Swiftboaters against Kerry, the entire country will turn against Bush.
Come on media, we want equal scruitny and equal time of Kelly!

[Nite Owl]

2. If it were a Dem they would be right on

the case. It would be all over 24/7 without the least bit of thought as to whether or not it were true. Dems got to bring this up themselves and make it an issue. Not Kerry but others and not sit there and say that it's over the top and this isn't what we need to be talking about it should be issues.

[kskiska]

11. Yeah. Who ever questioned the allegations in Barbara Olsen's

tracts? Did anyone in the media fact check any of the trash she and Coulter spewed about Hillary and Bill?

[Thurston Howe IV]

16. Agreed

Looks like the publisher made an effort to check the allegations out. We should make sure that the media don't bury it -- though it seems like that would be difficult at this point. More likely is to have it portrayed as fiction.

This hits Bush on one of his supposed strengths -- his "character." It is important that the truth about his lack of character come out.

[blm]

3. KNOW THIS: If there was just ONE errant detail, the Bushes would stop it

from being published. That means that Kelley has the evidence to back up the charges.

[Catherine Vincent]

8. She better be careful. The Bushies could have her taken care of

like they did with Hatfield.

[shraby]

14. It's too late for them to "Hatfield"

her. The book will be out and on the shelves.

[arikara]

21. They got Hatfield twice

Once when the book was first published, and his first publisher cowardly recalled the book; and then the final time after another publisher released it.

[Terran]

33. But wait! The book is "garbage".

And the Bushes will be suing Ms. Kelley by the end of the week. Or, um, not.

"Garbage" is actually a very good description for what the Bush family is. Connecticut white trash.

[Rose Siding]

4. I remember how Kurtz warned us that the media was so leery of the SBV

Oh, wait...NOT.

Before the actual allegations and any supporting circumstances surface, Howie's gifting the WH with "garbage" quotes. Fair and balanced. Uh huh.

YeeHawwwww- Newsweek's fat's in the fire. One can only pray that Isokof gets splashed a little. Remember all the Drudge fairy tales he ran without ANY sources?

The WH would destroy Moore, if they could:

snip>
White House Communications Director Dan Bartlett said yesterday: "Kitty Kelley's allegations make Michael Moore look like a factual documentarian."

[The Zanti Regent]

19. Buy a vowel, Whoreward...

B L _ W M _

[Dem2theMax]

22. Isn't this rich?

'White House Communications Director Dan Bartlett said yesterday: "Kitty Kelley's allegations make Michael Moore look like a factual documentarian."

Hahahahaha. Now what was it they said about F 9-11 a MONTH before it came out? Something to do with it being full of lies I think.
Hmmmm, could that be considered a flip flop? :evilgrin:

[Cha]

5. Of course "the media views it with caution"!

It was the swift boat liars they didn't view with caution.

They don't want this to ruin wrong's chances!

We'll see what happens.

[stevedeshazer]

6. Seems as though Ms. Kelley has her ducks lined up nicely

The media sure didn't approach the Swift Boat Liars with similar caution.

[City Lights]

7. rnc says media should treat it as "fiction."

DesertDem says media should treat it as gospel.

[KC21304]

9. And when Kerry is asked to denounce this book

he should say he denounces all books that are full of lies like the Swiftliars for Bush book.

[goodboy]

12. Isn't the media just "preparing" the public for a general acceptance

of their decision to discredit this book even before it comes out?

just wondering...

[Davis_X_Machina]

13. BushCo...

...successfully suppressed James Hatfield's Fortunate Son -- strongarmed St Martins Press into pulling it from stores.

If they had had a chance on Kelley's book, they would have done likewise, unless:

-- they want it to blow over quietly. Now why would you do that if it wasn't anything to be afraid of?

-- there wasn't anything in it to worry about.

Silence speaks louder than words, sometimes.

I'm hoping for 1, dreading #2 above.

[Judi Lynn]

25. She's been in the public eye so long, she'd be much harder to bring down

than Hatfield, whom they appear to have been able to terrorize a bit.

People are REALLY acquainted with her name, and if something happened to her it would draw far more attention to the book than they could afford.

I'll bet a writer who gets after people so earnestly already has realized her personal history has to be impeccable to be able to resist coercion.

[truthisfreedom]

30. remember Hatfield was caught in a lie to his publisher concerning his past

that was his first downfall. Kitty doesn't have this problem. she has credentials!

[Nordic]

15. the media proves they are scumbags by focusing on this book and not

the crimes of this administration.

The biggest political scandals in the history of our country, and the media chooses to focus on a Kitty Kelley book.

Good God.

[goclark]

17. It takes a KKelly to make my day!

It is just beautiful!

She has nothing to do with this election.

She is not like Russ Limbaugh and his CNN girlfriend.

Kerry is probably so upset that this terrible book is going to come out. I feel his pain because he would never want anything negative to be said about the village idiot,coke snorter etc. etc.

[Supersedeas]

38. The Media has other priorities--Michael Powell agrees. (eom)

[scared]

18. Yea, kind of like the Vince Foster story.........

Real cautious on that one, weren't they?

[bagnana]

20. unbelievable discussions of "caution"

when they were quoting O'Neil and others, and investigating later. What disgusting liars these people are.

[Judi Lynn]

27. Anyone who would question W is a dangerous lunatic, a subversive,

or a simple criminal as they manage to portray them to and through their media. Sometimes the writers will unexpectedly recognize their own unworthiness and simply pop a cap in their own @$$e$.

Too bad they all can't be as apparently holy as _Bush.

[Rageneau]

23. I can't believe the networks are giving Kelley air time.

Probably only because the charges are new and so the Bush Media Crushing Machine is still in the garage. They'll fire it up soon and roll it over Ms. Kelley for having the temerity to tell the truth about them.

[JSJ]

26. here today, gone tomorrow

She'll be given a brief platform on big media for the sensationalist aspects of her book, then she won't even be arrestable. Mark.

[Zorra]

24. But they sure embraced the Swiftboat Liars with open arms. n/t

[cthrumatrix]

28. bingo...free speech...if she is wrong she will be sued...

just like Michael Moore who still hasn't been sued..so I guess he's right.

Kitty Kelly is not looking for lawsuits ...the story is the repug/corporated owned media shelving the story.

[dbt]

29. Caution in the media, my shiny metal ass!

This would be the same caution that the Whore Nets showed for twelve goddamn YEARS about the Clinton Stories, wouldn't it?

:argh:
dbt

[johnfunk]

32. Preemptive Bushit from Howie the Whore Kurtz

His wife is a big-time Republican operative and he's her sock puppet.

[Blecht]

35. Fuck Howie Kurtz

[dryan]

36. Kitty Kelley....

say what you will but the woman checks, double checks, and triple checks everything. The notes for her book on Nancy Reagan was almost as long as the book itself.

[AspenRose]

37. Hypocrites

"...the White House communications director yesterday dismissed the book as "garbage" and a Republican National Committee spokeswoman said journalists should treat it as "fiction."

Yeah, like those SBV ads. :puke:

[pkanalyst]

39. James Baaker

Does anyone think that the timing of Bushco bringing on James B. is related to this book?

[Red State Rebel]

41. Newsweek is refusing to do a story on it - says resources not credible.

Yet the today show has her scheduled for 3 straight days to promote the book.

Seems they just can't make up their minds....

[daleo]

42. Ms. Kelley best put on her flack jacket

It will be heavy going for her, over the next couple of weeks.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

43. Howie the Ho Kurtz can kiss my A**!

Where was the "caution" reguarding the Swiftboat smears???