# Should Gawker have published the O'Donnell 'One night stand story"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 30, 2010, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863 "2010-10-30T10:59:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/61 "2010-11-02T04:04:18Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > What else? I don’t know if it is true. i don’t know if it is false. She is not a good witness for herself. She has shown herself to be a loon. How is anything she says believable? So you think she’s a loon. How is that relevant to the question at hand… namely, whether Gawker should have published this story or not? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/62 "2010-11-02T04:08:51Z")
Sure they should have. It’s freedom of the press. It’s up to the public to decide if they believe it or care about it. The National Enquirer did it to John Edwards, and he was just a private citizen who held no public office and wasn’t running for anything. The press would be better served going after her campaign fraud allegations and her proven lies about her resume, though, as well as calling as much attention as possible to her insane personal beliefs. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/63 "2010-11-02T04:11:52Z")
By the way, if this guy was going to just make this up, then why wouldn’t he have said he fucked her? His story is classless, but it’s classless in a way that’s believably how a classless asshole would tell a true story. I would have gone down on her, by the way, just for the record. I _like_ shag carpet. ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/64 "2010-11-02T06:17:58Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > That is, even if we accept that by saying she favors chastity, a story about her unchaste behavior is relevant, does it follow that an anonymous claim, **with no particular supporting documentation** , is permissible? Did you not see the photos of her as a lady bug? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/65 "2010-11-02T06:41:39Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Whatever you wish it to mean - that is, the question is “Should Gawker have published…” > > One theory advanced is apparently, “Yes, because a story about her being uncahste is relevant since she promotes chastity.” I’m asking whether the anonymous nature of the story is relevant to this conclusion. And since that is the most clear cut version of that question. I’ll use your quote. I’d assumed that this was in some way verified. I didn’t think about the anonymous angle. I do have a problem with gossip–and I would require some form of proof before showing it. I thought they said there were pictures or something corroborating the story. I give you guys this question: if it were completely untrue, wouldn’t it have been in O’Donnell’s best interest to actually say it wasn’t true, rather than just say it was a smear tactic. My own opinion would be that even admitting it, and saying that’s why she doesn’t get drunk anymore, would be helpful. But then again, after that “I’m not a witch” fumble, she may be playing it cautious. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/66 "2010-11-02T08:49:26Z")
> [@Capitaine\_Zombie](#): > > Of course, technically she could have sex while still staying a virgin, … I’m being a bit thick here, but I don’t understand this sentence. How can you have sex and remain a virgin? Please tell me you are not talking about the presence or absence of a hymen. > [@](#): > > When her underwear came off, I immediately noticed that the waxing trend had completely passed her by. Obviously, that was a big turnoff, and I quickly lost interest. Huh??? _Obviously_??? Wow, I guess that means I’m really old. Are young men that picky that they will be turned off by the presence of pubic hair? ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/67 "2010-11-02T12:33:28Z")
> [@Lord\_Mondegreen](#): > > Huh??? _Obviously_??? Wow, I guess that means I’m really old. Are young men that picky that they will be turned off by the presence of pubic hair? Perhaps he was shocked. A school teacher I know says that she has to explain to the kids the words from the Danish national poet Oehlenschläger where he talks of “hair against hair” as a sexual metaphor. “… trust the sceptre in so far as it goes, let hair push against hair, and then let splash the healthy strength potency deep into the grottos murky bottom.” - good old Romantic poets. But kids nowadays don’t get it, nobody has hair in those regions. Although it is a bit disappointing that this American politician chick has a mat the size of Texas. Perhaps it’s in the Bible: Thou shall not groom thy bush. Who’d ever vote for a girl without a brazilian? Her advisers definitely let her down big time. On the other hand we all know Hillary has a mat only dwarfed by her husband’s ego. And who even want to consider that Pelosi chick’s twat – hair or no hair? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/68 "2010-11-02T12:56:51Z")
> [@leander](#): > > Did you not see the photos of her as a lady bug? Yes. But so far as I can determine, the pictures were not found independent of the story. That is, if the guy came forward with his story, and then the magazine found pictures of her with the same costume as he described… well, that would be pretty thin documentary support, but at least it would be something. But if he supplied the pictures and the story, then he simply could have tailored the story to include the fact that he had pictures of the candidate in a ladybug costume. In other words… no, unless I’m missing something, the pictures aren’t really supporting documentation, except of the claim that she chose a ladybug costume that year for Halloween. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/69 "2010-11-02T12:58:34Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > By the way, if this guy was going to just make this up, then why wouldn’t he have said he fucked her? His story is classless, but it’s classless in a way that’s believably how a classless asshole would tell a true story. That’s true, and it’s a point in favor of the credibility of his story. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/70 "2010-11-02T14:32:06Z")
> [@Eonwe](#): > > The instant a politician makes his or her sexual activity (or lack thereof) part of his or her platform, it’s open season, IMHO. If you’re courting constituents by appealing to their religious/moral beliefs, then those who oppose you are welcome to attempt to tear down the image you’re fostering for your own political benefit. So let’s imagine a female politician who makes safe-sex a big part of her platform. She constantly pushes for more funding for safe sex education, condom supplies for distribution to high school students and sex workers, and PSAs extolling the value of practicing safe sex. And let’s imagine a similar story is told by an anonymous contributor to a magazine, but in this one, not only do they have sex, it’s bareback. Open season? ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/71 "2010-11-02T14:56:14Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > not only do they have sex, it’s bareback. > > Open season? Totally. This is why Pubbies have the advantage, electorally-speaking, over Demmies. You bust a liberal, and they go, “Too bad. Tough it out.” When a Pubbie gets busted, though, they’re all, like, “Deny it, and get offended. Ask how-dare-they? Scream poor-little-picked-on-me.” Just look at Palin and her family for exhibit A, counselor. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/72 "2010-11-02T15:06:35Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Totally. > > This is why Pubbies have the advantage, electorally-speaking, over Demmies. You bust a liberal, and they go, “Too bad. Tough it out.” When a Pubbie gets busted, though, they’re all, like, “Deny it, and get offended. Ask how-dare-they? Scream poor-little-picked-on-me.” > > Just look at Palin and her family for exhibit A, counselor. I’m not sure I agree that we ought to point at Palin as emblematic of your run-of-the-mill Republican. But if I can point at Alvin Greene as your run-of-the-mill Democrat, we might be able to work out a deal. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/73 "2010-11-02T15:14:53Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > So let’s imagine a female politician who makes safe-sex a big part of her platform. She constantly pushes for more funding for safe sex education, condom supplies for distribution to high school students and sex workers, and PSAs extolling the value of practicing safe sex. > > And let’s imagine a similar story is told by an anonymous contributor to a magazine, but in this one, not only do they have sex, it’s bareback. > > Open season? Like I said, it’s up to the public to decide on the credibility and/or importance of the claim. Usually anonymous, uncorroborated claims of that nature do not gain much purchase with the public other than those individuals who are already strongly disposed to believe the worst (or to want others to believe it even if they don’t). I think the public reaction to this story has been one of skepticism, indifference and offense, even among those who are not on Ms. O’Donnell’s political side. Gawker will probably end up hurting itself (and its own future credibility) more by posting this story than they will hurt Christine O’Donnell. That’s the natural consequence for going with this kind of story. The stock in trade of news organizations (or quasi-news organizations) is credibility. They can try to sell a crappy product if they want to, but the market will eventually respond to them accordingly. ---
**Author:** ![SeldomSeen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeldomSeen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeldomSeen)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/74 "2010-11-02T15:30:14Z")
The stock in trade of news organizations (or quasi-news organizations) is credibility. They can try to sell a crappy product if they want to, but the market will eventually respond to them accordingly. I used to believe that too…until Faux news came along and proved otherwise. SS ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/75 "2010-11-02T15:31:52Z")
They make money, but they have no real public credibility. Even most Fox News fans know they aren’t watching a news organization but a propaganda outlet. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/76 "2010-11-02T16:09:06Z")
> [@Lord\_Mondegreen](#): > > Huh??? _Obviously_??? Wow, I guess that means I’m really old. Are young men that picky that they will be turned off by the presence of pubic hair? There is pubic hair and then there is _ **Pubic Hair** _. A lot of girls at least trim nowadays, and I can see someone in their twenties being repulsed by a huge, gnarly bush. Especially if the silly pseudo-virgin decides there will be no penetration. Sometimes men aren’t looking to make out with Grizzly Adams. In fact one of the lesbians I know said something to the effect of, “you need a clean work surface.” So even some young women prefer a neat and trim vagina. Certainly many women are repulsed by a Zack Galifinakis beard on a man and that’s perfectly natural. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/77 "2010-11-02T16:12:51Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Like I said, it’s up to the public to decide on the credibility and/or importance of the claim. Usually anonymous, uncorroborated claims of that nature do not gain much purchase with the public other than those individuals who are already strongly disposed to believe the worst (or to want others to believe it even if they don’t). > > I think the public reaction to this story has been one of skepticism, indifference and offense, even among those who are not on Ms. O’Donnell’s political side. Gawker will probably end up hurting itself (and its own future credibility) more by posting this story than they will hurt Christine O’Donnell. That’s the natural consequence for going with this kind of story. The stock in trade of news organizations (or quasi-news organizations) is credibility. They can try to sell a crappy product if they want to, but the market will eventually respond to them accordingly. I completely agree with this analysis. ---
**Author:** ![Peeta\_Mellark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Peeta\_Mellark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peeta_Mellark)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/78 "2010-11-02T16:15:06Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > So even some young women prefer a neat and trim vagina. Luckily, the vagina itself doesn’t grow hair. Otherwise, that could make for an unpleasant surprise. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/79 "2010-11-02T16:48:22Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > They make money, but they have no real public credibility. Even most Fox News fans know they aren’t watching a news organization but a propaganda outlet. So you succeed financially in the current events business by being a propaganda outfit and not a news outfit. Good to know! ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863/80 "2010-11-02T17:25:53Z")
Yes, but you will not be _believed_ about anything without some convincing corroboration, so your actual effect on public opinion is limited or non-existent. Sean Hannity and Glenn beck are preaching to choirs, they are shaping or changing opinions, just pandering to them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-gawker-have-published-the-odonnell-one-night-stand-story/558863.md?page=5)