LA Times editor’s email & MSM’s implosion

Micky Kaus at Slate:

In a move that has apparently stirred up some internal discontent, the Los Angeles Times has banned its bloggers, including political bloggers, from mentioning the Edwards/Rielle Hunter story.

Kaus notes even bloggers who wanted to blog on the story only to express their skepticism of it were forbidden to mention it.

Kaus obtained a copy of the email Times’ bloggers received from LAT editor Tony Pierce.

After removing the recipient list and Pierce’s email address, Kaus provided a copy of the email:- - -

From: "Pierce, Tony"

Date: July 24, 2008 10:54:41 AM PDT

To: [XXX]

Subject: john edwards

Hey bloggers,

There has been a little buzz surrounding John Edwards and his alleged affair. Because the only source has been the National Enquirer we have decided not to cover the rumors or salacious speculations. So I am asking you all not to blog about this topic until further notified.

If you have any questions or are ever in need of story ideas that would best fit your blog, please don't hesitate to ask.

Keep rockin,

Tony
__________________________________________

Folks, can you believe it?

A major story is reported to have played out in the LAT’s circulation area.

It involves a nationally known politician who is being talked about as a possible running mate for the LAT’s presidential candidate Barack Obama or a possible attorney general in an Obama administration.

A tabloid reports on the story in detail, naming multiple witnesses and providing easily verified or disproved details, on the story. (See NE's Edwards-Hunter tryst story's verifiable)

If the story is true, it involves behavior which makes the politician a target of blackmailers intent on actions which could jeopardize American interests, including security interests.

Given all of that, the LAT’s editor Tony Pierce decided the right thing to do was cover-up instead of follow-up. He issued an order “not to blog about this topic until further notified.”

The story is starting to break through the MSM barriers.

I’m confident it will.

When that happens, I don’t doubt we’ll soon hear from editor Pierce that there was no cover-up. The LAT, he’ll say was “asking questions” and “trying to get more information.”

Don’t believe that. There was plenty for the LAT to follow-up on the moment the National Enquirer’s very important story appeared.

If you have any friends who don’t understand why the MSM is imploding as Americans by the millions turn to alternative news sources, show them the Enquirer story and Pierce’s email.

And, of course, keep rockin.

Kaus' post is here.