The Birth of the ‘Breck Girl’ Story Line

The New York Times ^ | April 23, 2007 | ADAM NAGOURNEY

[presidio9]

The tale of John Edwards’ $400 haircuts may have ended – or at least his campaign hopes it ended – when Mr. Edwards told Iowans on Friday that he was embarrassed by the episode. It arguably began four years ago this weekend with a story in The New York Times about the White House’s strategy for dealing with prospective Democratic challengers to President Bush.

In the last paragraph of that story, which I wrote with a colleague, Richard W. Stevenson, an unnamed “Bush associate” was quoted as referring to Mr. Edwards as “the Breck Girl of politics.” Another Bush adviser, again unnamed, was quoted as saying of Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, “he looks French.”

In both instances, we were attempting to flesh out for readers the White House’s plans for discrediting prospective Democratic opponents. Both people quoted were at the senior levels of the Bush political operation. And in both cases – as Mr. Kerry and Mr. Edwards could certainly attest by

[dead]

Bush’s fault!

[nctexan]

The Hillary crowd is alive and well at the NYT.

[ElkGroveDan]

Both people quoted were at the senior levels of the Bush political operation.

Good for them. That's their job.

[NeoCaveman]

Ridicule is highly effective.

[ClearCase_guy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AE847UXu3Q

[JohnnyZ]

an unnamed “Bush associate” was quoted as referring to Mr. Edwards as “the Breck Girl of politics.” Another Bush adviser, again unnamed, was quoted as saying of Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, “he looks French.”

I remember that day fondly.

The "he looks French" was actually better humor-wise, being so succinct yet ridiculous.

[crazyhorse691]

The NYSlimes just loves to leak all sorts of secrets...ironic this time that their leak backfired against their chosen ones.

[Chi-townChief]

So how did Ketchup Boy get started?

[Dutchy]

The term, “Breck Girl” has been used by Rush often and may have been invented by him.

[massgopguy]

“unnamed” = Rush Limbaugh

[stinkerpot65]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMvt7aye7K8

[johnny7]

[dighton]

Good for them. That's their job.

Disraeli once described the manner of Bishop Wilberforce as “unctuous, oleaginous, saponaceous.” And the good prelate was ever afterward known as Soapy Sam. For every man there is something in the vocabulary that would stick to him like a second skin. His enemies have only to find it.

— The Devil’s Dictionary.

[stylin19a]

Rove...you magnificent bast*rd !

[fieldmarshaldj]

Yup, definitely French.

[NeoCaveman]

Ahh, going down memory lane just as the Silky Pony starts getting Swiftspa’d as the Pink Sapphire.

[detch]

This is so much like the New York Times...

The youtube video is 4 minutes 59 seconds, not two minutes as claimed in the story.

In trying to slam the White House staff with coming up with the name is laughable. “Everyone in America” would had labeled him the Breck girl after seeing the 5 minute video.

Oh, I’m sorry, it was the New York Times...

[Congressman Billybob]

Keep in mind that Adam, the reporter on this story for the Times, is the same guy that Bush referred to as an *sshole," and Cheney replied, "Big Time." Note that the reporter apparently does not read his own newspaper.

It was Maureen Dowd, Pulitzer-prize-winning columnist for the Times, despite the fact that she writes like an overly-hormonal teenaged girl, and dots her i's with little hearts, who popularized the phrase Breck Girl for John Edwards.

A competent reporter would have mentioned that. But that would have undercut the point of blaming this on Bush and his people. When it is political and printed in the Times, assume that it is dishonest. Start with the question of why they would lie about this particular point, and you may get at the truth,

Congressman Billybob

Latest article: "Gun Control, Carolina-Style"

[TexasCajun]

What a duffass! ...the author