The Breakfast Table

Clinton and Gore’s Lovers’ Quarrel

Dearest Goldberg,

Did you get a load of the Clinton-Gore lovers’ spat story in today’s Washington Post, “Clinton and Gore Clashed Over Blame for Election“? According to John F. Harris’ story, Gore “forcefully” told the president that his corn-dogging had helped botch his campaign. Clinton apparently bit his lip and then flamed Gore for not running on the administration’s record.

Only Potus and the Veep attended the session, and nobody talked to Harris on the record. Ordinarily I write a snarky press item when stories are so thoroughly blind-sourced as this one, pissing and moaning about how corrupting the whole background/not-for-attribution/off-the-record journalism is. But when the dish is this good, even I am prepared to cut a reporter all the slack he needs.

That said, did you get a gander at the sourcing? Here’s who Harris cites:

“people close to [Clinton]”
“people close to both”
“one adviser to Clinton”
“a Gore aide”
“One Democrat”
“Some Democrats who heard descriptions from one or the other of the two participants”
“one Democrat”
“Others”
“one Democrat close to Clinton and Gore”
“one adviser to the former vice president”
“Many Clinton advisers”
“A senior White House official close to Clinton”
“aides close to Clinton”
“one aide” (presumably a Clinton aide)
“many Clinton people”
“a Democrat close to both men”
“many Clinton supporters”
“one Democratic operative who has worked with both men”
“Some senior Clinton advisers”
“sources”
“One Democratic strategist” who is then re-identified as “this Clinton supporter”

Who didn’t talk on the record? Harris writes, “Jake Siewert, a spokesman for Clinton, and Kiki McLean, a spokeswoman for Gore, said their bosses would not comment on a private conversation.”

I understand that you’re not only a professional journalist but a New Yorker staff writer, a successful screenwriter, and the author of a forthcoming book, so maybe you can help me with a question I have. Did Harris talk to 40 people or four? Does it matter? Is “one Democrat” also “one aide”? Is “one adviser to the former vice president” the same guy as “one Democrat close to Clinton and Gore”?

What’s clear from a cursory reading is that President Bill’s people fueled the story. Should we expect blowback from Gore’s folks tomorrow?

In other news, how about those wacky Israelis? Should we expect Sharon’s victory lap to include a visit to Temple Mount?

Hey, it’s 11 a.m. Don’t you have to go pick up one of your many children?

Love,
Jack