I just did a segment on CNN with Howard Kurtz for his "Reliable Sources" show that runs this coming Sunday, and another guy on the show was this John fellow with Powerline blog, or something like that. He decided to attack me for "gay-baiting," which I always find a fun charge coming from a right-wing Republican. Oh that the GOP was as concerned about gay-baiting in every other aspect of life as they are in the Gannon case.
Anyway, someone just reminded me that, while we're on the topic of how horrible is it to out gay reporters, the White House is the one that raised this skill to an art just a few years ago. Remember Jeffrey Kofman of ABC News? In case you don't recall, here's the GOP's favorite wingnut news source, WorldNetDaily, helping the story along (note especially how they put the word "gay" in quotes - what, is Jeff just pretending to be gay to help his career?):
A Canadian-born correspondent for ABC News is the reported target of a White House smear campaign after broadcasting a story on plummeting U.S. troop morale in Iraq, according to the Ottawa Citizen.
Published reports suggest the Bush administration retaliated by notifying Internet news sites and other media outlets that Jeffrey Kofman is not only Canadian but also an openly "gay" man.
A headline on Matt Drudge's website Wednesday evening read: ''ABC News correspondent who filed troop complaints story is openly gay, Canadian.''
Drudge also provided a link to a profile of Kofman in The Advocate, a gay-issues magazine.
Despite White House denials, Drudge told the Washington Post he received a phone call from the White House communications department tipping him off to the information on Kofman, reports the Toronto Globe and Mail.
