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REMEMBER THIS? (December 1, 2001 - Pre-Coup):
"In the ever-escalating revelations about Election 2000, two more potential bombshells ... What appears to be vote tampering in Georgia and an effort by the media to cover up Florida Governor Jeb Bush's and Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris's alleged adulterous affair."
"The Rumor is also worth examining (or at least mentioning) as an index of the way America is still divided into two nations: Media and Media Consumers. Almost everyone in the media I know has heard The Rumor, and yet only one paragraph about it has appeared in print."
"Yet for well over a week, I have been hearing persistent reports, from sources as far-flung as KGO Radio and The New York Observer, that CNN and Newsweek and The New York Times all have the goods, at least in part, pertaining to an alleged sexual relationship between Florida Governor Jeb Bush and his Secretary of State, Katherine Harris -- yet very little has actually made it into print on this matter."
WELL, NOW WE READ THIS:
Jeb Bowing Out? (May 4, 2001 - Post-Coup, Pre-2002)
Well-placed Florida Republicans believe there is a real chance that Gov. Jeb Bush will not seek election to a second term next year.
Bush was an easy winner in 1998, but the bitter Florida presidential recount eroded his popularity. Speculation about 2002 also centers on family troubles experienced by the president's brother. Without Bush running, Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan would be the likely Republican nominee. The strongest Democratic prospect is former Rep. Pete Peterson, who is finishing up as U.S. ambassador to Vietnam.
A footnote: Florida joins the list of major states with a current Republican governor but facing a strong Democratic challenge in 2002: New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan and even Texas.
TODAY'S RANT: A MISSING PERSONS REPORT!
Here is my question: Where are the sex police? You know, all those media moralizers who were "Shocked! Shocked!" to find out that married politicians are no less susceptible to the siren call of extra-curricular nookie than the rest of humanity? The pundits and propagandists who came out all-guns-blazing over Bill Clinton's once-a-month or so transgressions? The same ones who couldn't seem to get it up (in the outrage department) when it came to their heroes -- Newt Gingrich, Bob Livingston, et al. -- getting caught with their pants around their figurative ankles?
Where are all those "Harper Valley PTA" sourpusses and busybodies of yesteryear? Why aren't they disemboweling Jeb Bush with the same passionate zeal they unleashed on Bill Clinton? Why?
Don't tell me it's because they can't be sure. That never stopped them when it came to Clinton. They reported every hint, every rumor, every innuendo, every accusation... They made stars of everyone willing to get in front of a camera and make an allegation against our last democratically elected President. If you had something bad to say about Bill, on or off the record, sourced or unsourced, evidence or no evidence, they ran with it like Forrest Gump.
Don't tell me it's because Jeb is just the Governor of the third most populous state in the Union, and not a President. After coup2k, Jeb has a higher TV-Q than Britney Spears.
Don't tell me it's because the story isn't as juicy. IT'S JUICIER. Not only does this story present the possibility of inter-species intercourse between a snake and a dragon (no offense to snakes and dragons), but between the two most famous players of coup2k. How many Americans could name the Extreme Court Five? How many would recognize them in a police line-up? Not as many as could finger Jeb and Katherine, I'd bet.
This story has been out there, and no secret, for at least five months. FIVE MONTHS! Media inquisitors never gave Clinton a five-minute pass, let alone FIVE MONTHS!
But that was then, and this is now. There's nothing like having a media-picked Resident in the White House, to make the attack dogs flop down for a long nap -- a four-year nap.
TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS:
Call Sen. Toricelli's office today through Wednesday at 1-800-998-0180, and ask him to OPPOSE Bush's Tax Cut and Judicial Nominees.
Read Howard Kurtz' Column; e-mail him at kurtzh@washpost.com with your opinion of Bush (include your name and city).
ARE YOU READY FOR VOTERMARCH, MAY 19?
VOTERMARCH EAST - Washington, DC
VOTERMARCH WEST San Francisco, CA
BUGLIOSI BOOK OFFER - Autographed!
BBBR/COUP2K SHIRTS - Seven New Designs!
FRINGEFOLK IN DC - Meet Up With Fringefolk
SAN FRANCISCO RSVP - Meet The Diva, BBBR'ers
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