Tuesday, March 08, 2005
How To "Write" Like Jeff Gannon: Example #4
On January 27th, Media Matters documented three different examples of ex-non-journalist Jeff Gannon using "Bush administration and Republican National Committee (RNC) documents and releases in his Talon "news reports" verbatim and without attribution" for nearly half the text in two of the "articles": Media Matters.
Mr. Gannon responded to this serious impugnation the next day on his blog: "Just for the record, all material in these articles come from White House PRESS RELEASES, (you know, those things that a PRESS OFFICE puts out for use by the PRESS) and speech transcripts that are attributed to and accurately the position of the President. In many cases I have liberally used the verbiage provided on key aspects of the issue because it is the precise expression of where the White House stands -- free or [sic] any "spin." Its [sic] the ultimate in journalistic honesty -- unvarnished and unfiltered. If only others would be as forthcoming." (Media Matters)
Which brings us to today's lesson, class of hopefully-more-discreet-in=the-future Jeff Gannons.
When copying columns from White House "fact sheets" it's best to incorporate every single word that you can because even a different pronoun can corrupt your "journalistic honesty."
For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary December 8, 2003 Fact Sheet: Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba or "White House Convenes Post-Castro Commission" "by" Jeff Gannon, Talon News, December 10, 2003:
"Our government will establish a Commission for the Assistance to a Free Cuba, to plan for the happy day when Castro's regime is no more and democracy comes to the island."
President George W. Bush, October 10, 2003
Gannon: "In October of this year President Bush set his sights on another dictator when he announced, "Our government will establish a Commission for the Assistance to a Free Cuba, to plan for the happy day when Castro's regime is no more and democracy comes to the island.""
On December 5, 2003, the President's Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba held its inaugural meeting at the White House. The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Mel Martinez. Also in attendance were Secretary of Commerce Don Evans, Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice.
Gannon: "That commission held its inaugural meeting Tuesday and was co-chaired by Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Mel Martinez. Also in attendance were Secretary of Commerce Don Evans, Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice."
United States policy regarding Cuba is clear -- hasten Cuba's peaceful transition to a representative democracy and a free market economy -- ending decades of an oppressive dictatorship. The President created the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba to focus the United States government efforts on achieving this objective.
Gannon: "The stated goal of the commission reflects current United States policy regarding Cuba. The president created the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba to focus the United States government efforts to hasten Cuba's peaceful transition to a representative democracy and a free market economy and ending decades of an oppressive dictatorship."
Specifically, the Commission will:
o identify additional means by which the United States can help the Cuban people bring about an expeditious end of the dictatorship; and
o consider the requirements for United States assistance to a post-dictatorship Cuba.
Gannon: "The broad objectives of the commission will be to identify additional means by which the United States can help the Cuban people bring about an expeditious end of the dictatorship and consider the requirements for United States assistance to a post-dictatorship Cuba. An initial report to President Bush is due on May 1, 2004, regarding the recommended elements of a comprehensive program to assist the Cuban people."
By May 1, 2004, the Commission will provide an initial report to the President regarding the recommended elements of a comprehensive program to assist the Cuban people to:
o bring about a peaceful, near-term end to the dictatorship; o establish democratic institutions, respect for human rights, and the rule of law; o create the core institutions of a free economy; o modernize infrastructure; and o meet basic needs in the areas of health, education, housing, and human services.
Gannon: "More specifically, the goal will be to bring about a peaceful, near-term end to the dictatorship and establish democratic institutions. Respect for human rights and the rule of law are also high-priority aims along with the creation of core institutions of a free economy. Cuba's infrastructure will require modernization and basic needs in the areas of health, education, housing, and human services will need to be met."
The Commission consists of representatives from:
The Departments of State, the Treasury, Defense, Justice, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security, the United States Agency for International Development, National Security Council, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Management and Budget, United States Trade Representative, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Gannon: "The Commission consists of representatives from the Departments of State, the Treasury, Defense, Justice, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security, the United States Agency for International Development, National Security Council, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Management and Budget, United States Trade Representative, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy."
As you can see, class, the White House didn't quite give us enough for a story and it won't play especially well in Peoria especially with that limp ending. Sometimes you gotta fill it out yourself. Perhaps enough background on the subject wasn't provided for the sake of some of our less-than-well-read readers. How's about we throws together a sentence or two by using just what we know about Cuba from off the tops of our heads. It'll work. You'll see:
Gannon: "Fidel Castro came to power in a 1959 guerrilla uprising and established a Communist regime once supported by the Soviet Union. America's relationship with the Castro government has always been contentious, but now Bush is stepping up pressure on it to democratize."
Now, that works. That's a good way to fill white space. But there's still something missing.
We have to try to include what the other side has to say just like a real news organization. But a year before the election is not usually the best time to find a Democrat sticking up for dictators.
Now, the typical Talon News way to end a plagiarized article is to include a caveat such as "Talon News tried to get in touch with such-and-such but it just didn't happen." But since the liberals won't give us nothing, and GOPUSA isn't about to phone up no Commies, how about we just make some shit up and say we got it from some "deep throat." That just might work:
Gannon: "Havana accused the president of pandering to anti-Castro exiles in the key state of Florida, but one political expert suggested Castro should take heed. He said, "Bush's record of regime change is running one per year. This is the fourth year of his term and only three have fallen.""
That works. A political expert; that could be anybody, including yours truly. Who cares if it doesn't make much sense that it was ascribed to an unnamed source? Our readers will recognize our "journalistic honesty."
(NOTE - The three fallen regimes clearly refer to Afghanistan, Iraq and the Third Estate)
(NOTE #2 - Thanks to "Not Jeff Gannon" of the Jeff Gannon Blog for confirming that the Jeff Gannon quote really did originate from the real Jeff Gannon blog. And to further clear things up, "Not Jeff Gannon" has nothing to do with the Talon News Blog or the Knot Jeff Gannon Blog or the Please Don't Call Me Jeff or Gannon Blog or the Jeff Gannon Experience Blog or the Jeff Gannon Is Not My Name Blog or the Not Rich or Jeff Gannon Blog or the Neither Rich or Jeff Gannon Blog or the Jeff Gannon Blog that also isn't really by Jeff Gannon which I linked to a few days ago)
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