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# BlogCall with US blogs
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/19334/
- Published: 2005-02-24T22:02:45.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:32:56.000Z
- Author: openDemocracy Supporters
- Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 18:15

Over at [Democrats.com](http://www.democrats.com/?ref=opendemocracy.net) in America [Bob Fertik](http://blog.democrats.com/blog/6?ref=opendemocracy.net) has initiated a regular live conference call between upto 100 progressive bloggers and news journalists. They call it [BlogCall](http://blogcall.org/?ref=opendemocracy.net) and if you fit the bill, you should [ask him](http://blog.democrats.com/contact?ref=opendemocracy.net) for an invite to the next one.

Today's BlogCall (the first ever) was with special guest John Aravosis from[ AmericaBlog.com](http://www.americablog.com/?ref=opendemocracy.net) speaking about the [Jeff Gannon/male prostitute scandal](http://observer.guardian.co.uk/focus/story/0,,1418539,00.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) which has burst out of the White House in recent weeks thanks to much digging and blogging. The whole BlogCall will be broadcast today on [RadioLeft.com](http://radioleft.com/?ref=opendemocracy.net) at 6pm ET.

A [fake journalist](http://blogs.salon.com/0002874/2005/02/17.html?ref=opendemocracy.net#a1497) has been coming to White House press meetings for two years asking right-bent questions to President Bush. It turns out he was a front for a [Republican organisation](http://www.gopusa.com/?ref=opendemocracy.net) (real name James Guckert) and - as a bonus - that he was a male prostitute. The story has hit the mainstream press and "Gannon" is giving interviews left and right. You can see [his version](http://www.jeffgannon.com/?ref=opendemocracy.net) of events here.

Why is it interesting? People are wondering whether the White House knew Gannon was a plant, and let him stay to make Bush look good in press conferences. There's a national security angle, and allegations of religious right [sexual hypocrisy](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/2/15/11242/9184?ref=opendemocracy.net) too. In pushing the story Aravosis says that as a journalist and a blogger he is only interested in "the truth". On a more cynical note he says, "As soon as you mention George Bush and gay hooker in the same sentence, we've won".

On AmericaBlog he surprises himself by [emphatically recommending](http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/02/worldnetdaily-savages-gannonguckert.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) an [article](http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE%5FID=42974&ref=opendemocracy.net) from the consvervative [WorldNetDaily.](http://www.worldnetdaily.com/?ref=opendemocracy.net) "I don't think any of us could have written this," he says during the BlogCall, and recommends the final paragraph especially: *"It raises serious security questions. It raises questions of propriety. It raises questions of judgment. And it raises questions about the role of a free press in a free society."*

But the main issue for bloggers right now seems to be to keep the story alive.