# Taking Bets: Who is the 'insider' who wrote the NYT Opinion Piece? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 6, 2018, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852 "2018-09-06T01:55:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/61 "2018-09-06T16:06:00Z")
FWIW, Pompeo, Pence, and Coats have all issued official statements denying that they were the authors of the piece. > **[Trump officials rush to assure the president they didn’t pen op-ed...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/pence-pompeo-deny-authorship-of-anonymous-new-york-times-op-ed-on-trump/2018/09/06/ca116fd2-b1c3-11e8-a20b-5f4f84429666_story.html?utm_term=.0bfd0ffedf6d)** > > Rather than tamping down talk of an uprising, the denials helped propel the story to new heights, as paranoia pulsed through the ranks of Trump’s backers in Washington and beyond. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/62 "2018-09-06T16:11:06Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > FWIW, Pompeo, Pence, and Coats have all issued official statements denying that they were the authors of the piece. > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/pence-pompeo-deny-authorship-of-anonymous-new-york-times-op-ed-on-trump/2018/09/06/ca116fd2-b1c3-11e8-a20b-5f4f84429666\_story.html?utm\_term=.0bfd0ffedf6d](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/pence-pompeo-deny-authorship-of-anonymous-new-york-times-op-ed-on-trump/2018/09/06/ca116fd2-b1c3-11e8-a20b-5f4f84429666_story.html?utm_term=.0bfd0ffedf6d) Which is _what_ they’d do… Thing about paranoids is, sooner or later folks _really_ do start plotting against you. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/63 "2018-09-06T16:32:57Z")
I think it’s Kelly. He’s in a position to take stuff off of Donald’s desk and he has the requisite self-righteousness. It wouldn’t surprise me if he picked up the lodestar language from Pence - or if he wanted to shank Pence due to constant exposure. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/64 "2018-09-06T16:34:03Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > I think the issue was whether the Times would face legal exposure if they intentionally misrepresented who the anonymous author was, as opposed to what the opinion piece actually said. The Times represents the author as being a well-known, senior Administration official; a few posters have guessed that the Times basically might be lying and inflating the importance of the White House butler. They didn’t say anything about “well known”, just that he is known to them. > [@](#): > > The Times today is taking the rare step of publishing an anonymous Op-Ed essay. We have done so at the request of the author, a senior official in the Trump administration whose identity is known to us and whose job would be jeopardized by its disclosure. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s someone in a deputy secretary position. That’s more where a deep state, sorry “steady state” guy would be. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/65 "2018-09-06T16:45:55Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > They didn’t say anything about “well known”, just that he is known to them. Ah that’s right - I misread it yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/66 "2018-09-06T16:49:12Z")
> [@KidCharlemagne](#): > > Why not Pence? He is practically a perfect fit. His fawning isnt real, though I hope that’s obvious. What else precludes Pence? As others noted, he is the only one who can’t lose his job if his name is revealed. I don’t think the NY Times would risk its credibility when they know that, in all likelihood, the author’s name will be revealed at some point, possibly by the author himself. It’s not Pence. I don’t think it’s anyone on Pence’s staff. > [@dalej42](#): > > Elaine Chao, one of the few cabinet members with any experience in the executive branch as she served as W’s Secretary of Labor for 8 years. So, she’s seen what a normal administration looks like . I don’t think so. She’s, uhm, _closely aligned_ with McConnell, who is an unabashed Trumpet. > [@John\_Mace](#): > > Yeah, I can’t see it being Pence. Or any of the military/ex-military folks. They would be too honor bound to do something outside the scope of the constitution like this. I don’t see what about this action is “outside the scope of the Constitution.” He (The NYT tweeted that the author was a “he” so I am using that pronoun here) did not reveal classified information. Otherwise, people in the administration have the right under the Constitution to say what they will about the country’s leader. > [@senoy](#): > > Conway > > [snip] > > Most damning though is that she’s the only person that we know for a fact has subverted him. We know from the phone call Trump had with Woodward that she got a request from Woodward to have a sit down with Trump and she didn’t take it to him. She also knows that Woodward would have been honest and put Trump’s rebuttal in his book since he is known for putting in even banalities in the name of ‘neutral journalism.’ Her excuse is that ‘She was simply following protocol.’ but we all know that the best way to stonewall anything is to follow the rules to the letter. She sits down with Woodward for lunch for an hour (which also forces us to ask why she was having lunch with him) says she’ll ask the President for an interview and then it mysteriously gets lost in the bureaucracy. > > Add on to this that it’s someone who likely has a highly placed contact at the New York Times since they would have wanted as few people as possible to know about them and we know that she’s a pollster from New York who has tons of high ranking journalist contacts. I think the arrows point in that direction. We don’t know that Conway never took Bernstein’s interview offer to Trump. We know that Trump **claimed** Conway never told him about the interview but - news flash! - _Trump often lies to people_. He was lying to Bernstein when he said that the interview offer never made it to him. He effectively acknowledged on the same call that Sen. Graham told him Bernstein wanted to interview him. Trump likes friendly, ignorant interviewers, like those on Fox news. Trump knew that Bernstein would be informed and dogged. Trump never would have agreed to talk with Bernstein. He can better protect the idea that the book is a misinformed hatchet job if he can claim he was never even given the opportunity to correct Bernstein’s reporting. The NY Times makes it really easy to file confidential tips with them and it is the most influential newspaper in the country. Anyone who is anyone in DC has at least a few contacts at the Times. Anyone could have submitted this anonymously. You wouldn’t submit such an editorial to a right-leaning outlet because it is more likely that there is some partisan hack on the staff who will learn learn your identity and leak it to a Republican friend. It smells to me like a military or intelligence officer. I like Coats, as others have suggested. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/67 "2018-09-06T16:51:44Z")
My vote is Mattis; especially since he’s been known to toss around the phrase “first principles.” I see Pence or Sessions as unlikely. They have too much to lose by turning against Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/68 "2018-09-06T17:39:19Z")
> [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > We don’t know that Conway never took Bernstein’s interview offer to Trump. We know that Trump **claimed** Conway never told him about the interview but - news flash! - _Trump often lies to people_. He was lying to Bernstein when he said that the interview offer never made it to him. He effectively acknowledged on the same call that Sen. Graham told him Bernstein wanted to interview him. Trump likes friendly, ignorant interviewers, like those on Fox news. Trump knew that Bernstein would be informed and dogged. Trump never would have agreed to talk with Bernstein. He can better protect the idea that the book is a misinformed hatchet job if he can claim he was never even given the opportunity to correct Bernstein’s reporting. Woodward, not Bernstein. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/69 "2018-09-06T18:00:30Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Woodward, not Bernstein. Bernward? Woodstein? I knew it was something like that. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/70 "2018-09-06T18:32:57Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > FWIW, Pompeo, Pence, and Coats have all issued official statements denying that they were the authors of the piece. > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/pence-pompeo-deny-authorship-of-anonymous-new-york-times-op-ed-on-trump/2018/09/06/ca116fd2-b1c3-11e8-a20b-5f4f84429666\_story.html?utm\_term=.0bfd0ffedf6d](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/pence-pompeo-deny-authorship-of-anonymous-new-york-times-op-ed-on-trump/2018/09/06/ca116fd2-b1c3-11e8-a20b-5f4f84429666_story.html?utm_term=.0bfd0ffedf6d) For what it’s worth, Pompeo and Pence’s denials included strong criticism of the person who wrote it. Coats’ denial didn’t. And in a bid to stay relevant, Carson also announced it wasn’t him. In that vein, I’d like to formally say it wasn’t me either. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/71 "2018-09-06T19:06:01Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > I highly doubt the NYT would have run with such a piece from a “rando nobody…has ever heard of.” That would be my best guess too. [But you never know](https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/31/opinion/sunday/why-redacting-e-mails-is-a-bad-idea.html). ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/72 "2018-09-06T19:06:53Z")
Actually, I’m starting to consider the possibility that it was the Donald. Well, Kellyanne, but at Trump’s direction. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/73 "2018-09-06T19:13:18Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > We can pretty much eliminate out of hand such worthies as Perry, DeVos and Carson, right? Given that all three are functionally illiterate, I’d eliminate them from any accusation of having written _anything_. 😃 > [@Merneith](#): > > I think it’s Kelly. He’s in a position to take stuff off of Donald’s desk and he has the requisite self-righteousness. It wouldn’t surprise me if he picked up the lodestar language from Pence - or if he wanted to shank Pence due to constant exposure. I agree. I don’t know enough about Dan Coats to consider if he might be a good #2 contender, but Kelly (a) hates his job, (b) considers Trump a dangerous idiot, and (c) appears to be sticking to the job out of a sense of duty to protect the nation. If he’s not the one who wrote the thing, I’d be willing to bet that he concurs with every word of it. I’m sure it’s not Pence. He has cast himself in the role of consummate gentleman (even though behind his calm demeanor he’s madder than a March hare), and besides, the second in line to the presidency can’t risk being seen as torpedoing the incumbent. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/74 "2018-09-06T19:28:53Z")
I note that Kelly is _not_ on the list of people who’ve issued denials … > **[Here are the administration officials who have denied they wrote the...](https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/405363-here-are-the-administration-officials-who-have-denied-they-are-behind/)** > > High-ranking officials in the Trump administration are issuing statements denying they penned an anonymous op-ed bashing the president.Here’s a look at who has denied they are the “seni… (Ben Carson, lol) ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/75 "2018-09-06T19:43:23Z")
I start with the hypothesis that everything the Times says is true; they have too much to lose if not (and nothing to gain by lying). So it is a high-ranking official who is in danger of losing their job. That let’s Pence out. Also I don’t think Pence is in the loop enough for it to be him. It would seem to be someone right in the middle of things enough that not following orders can make a difference. The Votemaster (q.v.) seems to think it is someone in the military. I am going to place me bets on 1. Mattis, and 2. Kelly. ---
**Author:** ![UnwittingAmericans](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d9b06d/32.png) [@UnwittingAmericans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwittingAmericans)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/76 "2018-09-06T19:45:35Z")
He should tell the whole class, er I mean government, that nobody’s going home until someone fesses up. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/77 "2018-09-06T19:45:47Z")
I’ll assume until proven otherwise that the NYT wrote it themselves. After all, they haven’t denied it, and even if they have, that just proves they did. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/78 "2018-09-06T19:49:17Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I’ll assume until proven otherwise that the NYT wrote it themselves. After all, they haven’t denied it, and even if they have, that just proves they did. > > Regards, > Shodan The NYT is a professional organization, quite unlike the White House. I’d like to see the original. If in crayon, then maybe it’s Eric T. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/79 "2018-09-06T19:52:13Z")
> [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > Bernward? Woodstein? Aren’t they dead? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852/80 "2018-09-06T20:10:01Z")
It was Burt Reynolds. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-bets-who-is-the-insider-who-wrote-the-nyt-opinion-piece/820852.md?page=5)