Instapundit has a big roundup of links to the Bob Woodward story.
You know, the last time a paranoid socialist president with an enemies list crossed swords with Woodward, it didn’t end well for him. And the media’s hackery/flackery in the service of The One has never been more fully on display.
[Update a while later]
I do have to say that I find Woodward’s naivety in thinking that the president wouldn’t approve of this a little disquieting.
[Update a few minutes later]
That noted right winger Ron Fournier got similar treatment. At some point, the floodgates might open, at least for those few reporters who still imagine themselves to have any integrity whatsoever. I’ll be there are a lot of stories like this out there. And I have to say, I’m not really surprised that it’s Gene Sperling. He always strikes me as a little weasel whenever I see him spinning.
[Update a while later]
A dissenting view from Kevin Hassett: Gene Sperling is no thug.
I wonder who Fournier’s interactions were with? Certainly Plouffe hasn’t covered himself in glory here.
[Update a while later]
Fournier expands on his previous account. It’s still ambiguous, at least to me, whether he’s saying that this is the same WH official who “threatened” Woodward. But I just find this kind of thing mind blowing:
Reporting by Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncovered Watergate misdeeds and led to the resignation of President Nixon. My tweet was not intended to compare Nixon to Obama (there is no reason to doubt Obama’s integrity — period) but rather to compare the attack to the press strategies of all the presidents’ men.
…This can’t be what Obama wants. He must not know how thin-skinned and close-minded his staff can be to criticism. “I have the greatest respect and admiration for what you do,” Obama told reporters a year ago. “I know sometimes you like to give me a hard time, and I certainly like to return the favor, but I never forget that our country depends on you.”
Emphasis mine.
“…no reason to doubt Obama’s integrity”? Really? No reason at all?
“This can’t be what Obama wants”? Really?
The fish rots from the head down, Ron.
[Update a while later]
Heh: “Washington is the only place on earth where Gene Sperling and Rahm Emanuel can successfully bully people.”