Comments on: Howie Kurtz’s Latest Story: Weymouth Defends Pay2Play Scheme

By: DeadLast

DeadLast — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 06:13:46 +0000

Now Rupert Murdoch can buy the Post at a cheap price.

By: fflambeau

fflambeau — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 05:39:31 +0000

Emptywheel, great reporting again. I have a diary up over at Dailykos on the legal implications of what the Washington Post was doing: “Did The Washington Post Violate Lobbying Laws with “Salons”? Please see it at:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/…..ith-Salons

By: rkilowatt

rkilowatt — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 02:39:20 +0000

late edit of above… Fasces symbilized “…to beat or kill at will.”

By: rkilowatt

rkilowatt — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 02:20:46 +0000

czar…need I point out that “czar” and “Tsar” derive as direct translations from Latin “Caesar”, as in tyrant Julius of empire fame…ditto “Kaiser”. Using such terms arguably displays a love of tyranny, or Fascism.
The latter derives from the Roman symbol of fasces, a bundle of rods/sticks wrapped around an axe that symbolized the power of a Roman magistrate to punish or kill at will.[it was carried by a standard bearer ahead of a travelling magistrate to display his offial powers of enforcement.]

By: phred

phred — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:18:04 +0000

Remind me why I’m supposed to look to Obama for hope… ; ) Sigh. Thanks again, EW.

By: PPDCUS

PPDCUS — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:24:30 +0000

Narcissistic Personality Disorder under the Whoroscope

This excuse, that everyone else does it, belies WAPO’s culture. The real takeaway from Kurtz’s latest piece is — We’re the Washinton Post. and we’re entitled.

This is the same pathology as Goldman Sach’s attack against Taibbi in response to his Great American Bubble Machine expose` in Rolling Stone.

When the liars & thieves prosper, we’re to blame for letting them get away with it.

By: emptywheel

emptywheel — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:19:03 +0000

Yeah, you put the people like Larry Summers and DeParle in WH appointments that don’t require Senate confirmation. Not only can’t Congress keep them out, but Congress doesn’t have clear oversight responsibility over them.

By: TarheelDem

TarheelDem — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:14:52 +0000

I still don’t see the market. DeParle and Cooper could go to lunch. Cooper and a Kaiser Permanente representative could go to lunch. DeParle would be prohibited from contact with Kaiser Permanente. Is this last thing the rub? Is this an attempt at an end run around Obama’s restrictions of lobbyists? I thought those restrictions were in policy only and the same old reality was still going on.

By: Mormaer

Mormaer — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:09:51 +0000

The flyer is very slickly and expensively done, of course the in house printers are cheap. But the argument that the marketing shop would produce this thing AND distribute it (my understanding is that a lobbyist who had already been sent one gave it to Politico) without approval and it is supposed to be IN the bosses house is ridiculous. If Pelton had done this without approval every step of the way, he would be out on his ass as we speak. But he didn’t and they need him to cover for her.

Also did I read this thing was only going to have twenty attendees who would receive a “an exclusive opportunity to participate” with those “who will actually get it done”? I think that pretty much explains what was attempted and they will find another way to do it. Perhaps in Vegas.

By: fatster

fatster — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:08:58 +0000

OK, so you win tomorrow’s Big Prize, too!