Shocking Inside DC Scandal Rumor: A Media Ethics Dilemma

Ron Rosenbaum.com ^ | 10/29/07 | Ron Rosenbaum

[woofie]

Bill Clinton had a baby with a black woman?

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

I doubt it. Obama is sinking fast under his own power. There is no need for any help from others. Remember that the author said that this could sink the campaign of one of the candidates.

I'd guess either Rudy or Hillary would be the most logical possibilities here.

[TornadoAlley3]

“involving a leading Presidential candidate. “

Rudy or Clinton.

[jimboster]

I think you may have it. Just cheating isn’t enough.
It’s gotta be homosexual cheating.

[Babsig]

Ron Paul’s alien abduction was sexual?

[Izzy Dunne]

this rumor the LA Times is supposedly sitting on is one I never heard in this specific form before

Interesting little clue, there.

[Enchante]

"I'm betting it's Obama"

That would seem to be the best bet - the article specifically says it's not the Edwards rumor (unless there's ANOTHER Edwards story and the author is just throwing people off the scent), and the chances are slim that the MSM would bother to publish if it's a 'lesser' candidate than Hillary-Obama-Edwards. Of course it goes without saying that it's not a Republican, else the LA Times would not be agonizing over any such dilemma. Without any real info to go on, I'd bet on Obama too, for why else would the LA Times agonize about it? Maybe they'd also agonize over a new Clinton scandal, but probably not as much.

[GaryLee1990]

No...Bill Clinton had a baby with an alien. Not the illegal ones neither.

Gary

WatchingHillary.com

[Jim Noble]

Bill Clinton had a baby with a black woman?

He's not running.

Give it up.

[Babsig]

Well we know two things about Rudy that are facts:
1. his former roomate was gay
2. he has dressed in drag

Think about it.

[SampleMan]

Since the LA Times is actually debating whether to release the story or not, I'm betting it's Obama

The ethical dilemma for liberals could be trying to decide whether to run it now against a Republican hopeful, or sit on it in hopes of slaying the Republican Presidential Candidate. Sort of like CBS's ethical dilemma about when to release stories they had (or pretended they had) on Bush.

[sionnsar]

Why are well wired media elite keeping silent about it?

One answer: They're dishonest. It's not like the "well wired media elite" (sic) have been completely honest with us and many of us know it.

[Izzy Dunne]

everyone regularly writing about the Presidential campaign knows about it and doesn’t know what to do with it

Hard to believe that, withe all the reporters covering the campaigns, EVERYONE keeps their lips shut...

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

It raises all sorts of ethical questions.

What about private sexual behavior is relevant?

Anything concerning a Republican, nothing concerning a Democrat.

What about a marriage belongs in the coverage of a presidential campaign?

Anything that acts to the advantage of a Democrat or embarrassment of a Republican.

Does it go to the judgment of the candidate in question?

Trick question, right? Correct answer: it depends, class altogether, on whether said candidate is a Republican or a Democrat.

Didn’t we all have a national nervous breakdown over these questions nearly a decade ago?

I don't know about you, but was fine. Clinton embarrassed himself so thoroughly that even the MSM couldn't cover up for him.

Just call me Professor of Journalistic Ethics. You can play along at home, kids.

[Jeff Head]

I feel a little uneasy reporting this

He never reported anything. Just went on and on about a rumor and hearsay. Bunch of talk with no real subtance. Lots of inuendo, but no meat to anything said.

Nothing but teasers IMHO and the way I see it, he should either come out and say directly what it is he is talking about, or don't write about it at all.

[Anti-Bubba182]

OK

[woofie]

Bill Richardson has a lot going on in the sex department but who cares?

[Capt. Tom]

Obviously fiction. Journalists don’t encounter ethical or moral dilemmas.

Kind of like an ethics problem like this: A and B go into business and decide to split all the profit 50/50.

One day a client comes in and overpays his bill to A.

The ethics problem is: should A keep the overpayment for himself, or split it with his partner B. - Tom

[Holicheese]

Not Obama. Its Hillary and 3 or the 4 woman on The View!

[wimpycat]

LOL! You’re right.

This could be about a Republican, you know. Let’s see. Giuliani? Thompson? Romney? Huckabee? McCain?

If he says it’s “juicy” if true, then look at the squeaky-cleanest Republicans, which in this context would be Romney and Huckabee.