Howard Kurtz's take on Jeff Gannon

--from the Washington Post:

Gannon's Poor Memory

Jeff Gannon surfaced Friday at a National Press Club forum, and Editor & Publisher was there:

"The panel had closed with Gannon refusing to say, under repeated questioning, how long it had taken him to get his credentials to the White House, something for which others have had to fight. Another panelist, Matthew Yglesias of The American Prospect, commented: 'I have a hard time believing that you don't have a recollection of how long it took you to get access to the White House.' Gannon replied: 'I guess they felt it was my turn.'

"Although often under attack, Gannon rarely raised his voice, although at one point he boomed, 'I'm not the one who was waving documents at the president saying, "Hey you were not serving your time in the Texas National Guard!" ' "

John Aravosis at Americablog who exposed Gannon/Guckert's X-rated past, says Wonkette carried the day:

"Wow. She blew me away. The woman totally kicked his $200 an hour [butt]. It was incredible theatre. I'm a truly truly truly impressed. . . .

"Not to rehash the entire saga, but there's been some concern among liberal political bloggers that the mainstream media always picks Wonkette to represent serious political blogging at panel discussions, etc., when she's not a serious political blogger, rather she's a raunchy political humorist. A very, VERY funny raunchy political humorist, but still, if you're a serious political commentator, it's understandable that you'd get tired of people always having you represented by a comedienne, even a very funny one. . . .

"Relentless. I think he ticked her off when he started defending Armstrong Williams by saying the administration had to pay him because none of the mainstream media would report fairly on No Child Left Behind. I get the feeling that while she plays one on the Web, this is a woman who tolerates no fools."

Jeff Gannon, for his part, revises and extends some of his remarks, such as:

"Fox News -- 'I really don't consider Fox News to be conservative.' Two points here:
"1. Fox is closer to the middle in terms of stories covered, much to the dismay of its conservative viewers. They'd like more stories about judicial nominees, pro-life issues, tax reform, education, religion and immigration. Fox doesn't really stray too far from the herd in topics, but it certainly approaches them from the right.

"2. Media establishment types like to cast Fox as conservative but would never describe CBS and CNN as liberal. That is simply dishonest."

I somehow doubt that journalists want to be lectured about honesty by a guy who wasn't even using his real name.