# White House "outs" ABC News reporter as gay (AND Canadian)? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 18, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463 "2003-07-18T20:23:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/21 "2003-07-18T21:41:04Z")
Ayuh… just about the weakest _ad hominem_ attack imaginable outside of “Jeffrey Kofman is rather nice fellow, actually.” ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/22 "2003-07-18T21:48:04Z")
Canadians _are_ trying to undermine the American way of life. First it was all of those Terrence and Phillip movies, then it was the whole pot thing , then they started letting gays amrry and now this. That I’d ever live to see these days… ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/23 "2003-07-18T21:56:00Z")
As much as I detest the current administration, I have trouble believing this is reflective of any sort of official policy. Sounds more like some low-level yutz took it upon himself to let Matt Drudge and the rest of the world know about the vile Canadianess of Jeffrey Kofman. I expect a retraction, apology, and job-opening to soon follow. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/24 "2003-07-18T21:59:32Z")
Clearly it’s a plot by Canadians to take over our media and twist our minds to their nefarious ends. I’m glad the Bush Administration is exposing this evil plot. I bet Canada even has WMDs. And Saddam. And Osama. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/25 "2003-07-18T22:41:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CuriousCanuck \* > \*\*I guess that you will spin \*\*\* EVERYTHING \*\*\* that comes out of the White House, won’t you? Amazing. \*\* Why? I read his post as a correction of the term “outing”, not as a defense of White House actions. “Outing” implies revealing some privately held information about a person. In this case, it was not big secret that the reporter was gay (or Canadian)…so to use the term “outing” in this case would be silly. That said, the actions of this low level staffer seem rather juvenile at best. I suspect that he will be joining [Kelly Tripplehorn](http://snopes.com/computer/internet/tripplehorn.asp) on the “D’oh” unemployment line. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/26 "2003-07-18T22:57:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > As much as I detest the current administration, I have trouble believing this is reflective of any sort of official policy. WHo says it has to be any sort of official policy? If the guy at the top of the org chart is a slimy weasel(\*), and his underlings are all slimy weasel, then odds are damn good that the stuff they do will tend to be slimy and weasley, even if there’s nothing officially written down on a “Corporate vision” document anywhere. (\* = Apologies to all weasels who are currently slimy but just need a good washing-up 😉 ) As for the OP … eh, par for the course. After stealing a Presidential election and lying to start a war, using homophobic and xenophobic smears is small potatoes. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/27 "2003-07-18T23:08:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mockingbird \* > \*\*They also need to take back Bryan Adams, Anne Murray, leave us to keep Alanis, and ressurect Phil Hartman. \*\* Actually, I looked up Bryan Adams on the Internet to see if he was still alive 😃 and on his website, the tours listed pretty much seemed all Canadian. Which makes since, because I haven’t heard of him touring here in quiet a few years. ---
**Author:** ![3waygeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e95f7d/32.png) [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/28 "2003-07-19T00:24:09Z")
One wonders if there are any [Kids In The Hall](http://www.kithfan.org/work/transcripts/one/budcana.html) fans at the WH. ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/29 "2003-07-19T00:40:58Z")
Let’s see, one person acts a certain way, so that must mean the people he works with must be cretins of the same degree. Guilty by association, I take it. Right. :rolleyes: It’s not ok for a person to be anti-gay, but’s ok for people to make generalizations about that person’s coworkers. Gotcha ya. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/30 "2003-07-19T00:44:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*As much as I detest the current administration, I have trouble believing this is reflective of any sort of official policy. \*\* I disagree. It appears to be standard WH operating procedure to trash anyone in their way, in whatever way they can. (Can you say “Max Cleland”?) I don’t think there’s a specific WH policy about outing gays who make life difficult for them, but if it’s what’s available, I don’t think they’ve got any caveats saying to _not_ use a person’s orientation to their disadvantage. Fortunately, the main effect in this instance is to show what a bunch of hateful, narrow-minded pissants are in the Bush administration. And to quote Michael Dukakis, “a fish rots from the head down.” ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/31 "2003-07-19T00:47:29Z")
The enemies list is next. ---
**Author:** ![zeprider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/50afbb/32.png) [@zeprider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zeprider)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/32 "2003-07-19T01:06:22Z")
This regime of unilateralism does not like letting the truth be known. Our Amerikan media pendulum is slowly swinging back from the right to the left. Colin Powell’s kid went a little too far with the FCC thing and when tree huggers and the NRA both denounce something, look out. We see soldiers hugging little childrens puppies. They don’t report that we average an American soldiers death every day. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Zep ---
**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:** [July 19, 2003, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/33 "2003-07-19T02:01:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*As much as I detest the current administration, I have trouble believing this is reflective of any sort of official policy. Sounds more like some low-level yutz took it upon himself to let Matt Drudge and the rest of the world know about the vile Canadianess of Jeffrey Kofman. I expect a retraction, apology, and job-opening to soon follow. \*\* If you knew anything about Karl Rove’s activities in Texas, you’d find that this has a very familiar odor … ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/34 "2003-07-19T02:09:52Z")
Since when does “White House Press Secretary”, i.e. mouthpiece of the President, equal “low level staffer” or “low level yutz”? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/35 "2003-07-19T02:10:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by iampunha \* > \*\*Is there any way we can oppose this, like by indicating our support of this guy rather then the disgustingly petty shits who did this? \*\* **pun** : President George W Bush The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington DC 20500 Send a note there indicating your disappointment and that this incident has caused you to rethink whether you would vote for the President in the upcoming election. And CC it to: Democratic National Committee 430 S Capitol St. SE Washington DC 20003 This really cheeses me off. As some of you may know that could have easily been me up there. Of course they would have had to report that… “Psst! Hey Drudge! Did you know that Jonathan Chance is _married_! And he goes to sleep early! And watches **ENTERPRISE**!!!” I hope ABC decides to skewer The White House for this. They’ll have earned it. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/36 "2003-07-19T02:18:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jonathan Chance \* > \*\*“Psst! Hey Drudge! Did you know that Jonathan Chance is _married_! And he goes to sleep early! And watches **ENTERPRISE**!!!” > \*\* You bastard! But seriously, this is seeming like a disturbing trend. First there was the leak that the wife of one of the administration’s critics worked for the CIA, now there’s this. This looks like it’s starting to turn into a “Be too critical and we’ll dig up dirt on you” pattern. ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/37 "2003-07-19T02:47:51Z")
> [@](#): > > Since when does “White House Press Secretary”, i.e. mouthpiece of the President, equal “low level staffer” or “low level yutz”? Since when was it the White House Press Secretary that “outed” the reporter? ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/38 "2003-07-19T02:53:24Z")
You’re right, **Monster104**. I mis-read the Washington Post story. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/39 "2003-07-19T02:58:46Z")
Don’t feel bad. That article was VERY poorly written, IMO. Then again, I happen to think most online news articles are terribly written. I had to read it twice just to make sure it really didn’t say it was the White House Press Secretary, because the way it’s written makes it sound like he did when you do a quick readthrough. ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463/40 "2003-07-19T03:18:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Gotcha ya. Even better than “Fucko off!!!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-outs-abc-news-reporter-as-gay-and-canadian/189463.md?page=3)