what do O'Keefe and Jeff Gannon have in common?

[grasswire]

O'Keefe was a recruiter for the Leadership Institute.

Gannon received his journalism "cred" at the Leadership Institute.

Funded by Scaife, Coors and Amway.

[onehandle]

1. Both were involved with prostitution. nt

[BeatleBoot]

2. What does Amway and Blackwater have in common?

Blackwater, now called Xe, is owned by Erik Prince.

Erik Prince is the brother of Betsy DeVos (former head of the Michigan GOP). Betsy is married to the owner of Amway, Dick DeVos (who ran for Governor of Michigan and lost).

[tridim]

3. Damn, those are some nice dots!

Wonder what other projects these groups have in the hopper? Maybe we'll find out because of O'Keefe's stupidity?

[EFerrari]

4. Which makes you wonder if Amway was a CIA plot.

:rofl:

[CatWoman]

12. And I'm now questioning the background of Mary Kay

:P

[EFerrari]

14. If you follow the pink, it leads straight to Medea Benjamin!

lol

:hi:

[glinda]

28. toxins

[glinda]

27. Republicans love Amway $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[femrap]

6. I love knowing about these

incestuous relationships. Thank you for sharing. I view these scum beings as part of TPTB. Exactly where do they live in MI? Erik...is he still in NC?

And I had 2 pair of Beatle Boots in my day....loved them. Should have had them bronzed and used as....well, the possibilities are endless.

[progressoid]

9. Ugh, that's a whole lot of nasty in one family.

[slampoet]

13. Also they share being raised in the Dutch Christian Reformed Church.

The Dutch Christian Reformed church is a religion that is beyond dominionism.

[EFerrari]

15. Well, that's just scary. n/t

[slampoet]

21. It is a force to be reckoned with in west michigan politics and the the GOP as a whole.

They are the remnants of the Once Great "Engler Machine" of Michigan politics. De Vos, Van Andell, the Dutch Reformed Church, Amway, Holland and Kent County Michigan, Blackwater, and their many art projects in West Michigan including the Da Vinci Horse. I can't believe how little of this is on the web.

Look them up maybe on Mlive if they have issues for the 1990's. If you want a lot of detail The Grand Rapids Press. Detroit Free Press.



Here is a NY Time article showing the Engler Machine winning the GOP Primary for Bush back in 2000 back when John McCain presented a legitimate challenge to George W. Bush Becoming President.



This article is dated February 20, 2000
http://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/20/us/2000-campaign-michigan-with-governor-s-backing-bush-hopes-win-next-primary.html?pagewanted=1

"Mr. Engler has spent his 10 years as governor, as well as most of the 1980's as president of the State Senate, assiduously attending fund-raisers and other events for Republican chairmen in each of Michigan's 83 counties. He is also a feared figure in state politics, with a reputation similar to that of Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani of New York for remembering his friends and punishing his enemies in budgets and other legislation.

Now, Mr. Engler has been using all his influence to make sure that local Republicans organize the grass-roots effort.

''This is when the Engler machine, or establishment, kicks in,'' said L. Brooks Patterson, Oakland County executive. ''We have resources, I think, that McCain doesn't.'' "






Governor Dick Engler dominated the state of Michigan and these were pivotal in securing Bush the Republican Nomination.

[EFerrari]

26. Really interesting material. Thank you, slampoet.

And now that you mention it, I remember something about MI and the torture president's nomination.

[eleny]

22. I'm getting queasy

[Canuckistanian]

5. Faux News

But then, that's a given.

[blogslut]

7. Yep

Add it to the mix:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7577893

[grasswire]

8. maybe O'Keefe recruited Gannon

Hm? Hmm?

[blogslut]

10. Doubt it

Bobby Eberle is the person who opened doors for Jeff Gannon.

[suffragette]

11. Gannon and O'Keefe were at a conference together

and Gannon attended O'Keefe's session:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4054553&mesg_id=4058600

http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2007/03/blogging_to_vic.php
Pushed back to half and hour due to the crush to see Rudy Giuliani’s speech in the main convention hall, Townhall VP Chuck DeFeo kicked off CPAC’s “Conservative Victories with New Media” panel by introducing the Heritage Foundation’s Rob Bluey who asked each panel member to share their new media conservative victories.

~snip~

James O’Keefe promoted the Leadership Institute’s mission of helping students start their own conservative newspapers nationwide. For his new media angle, O’Keefe told how we captured his satirical yet successful effort to ban Lucky Charms at Rutgers dining halls on YouTube.

NewsBusters.org Matthew Sheffield recounted his role in starting the RatherBiased blog that eventually helped dethrone CBS anchor Dan Rather by exposing flaws in 60 Minutes National Guard/Pres. Bush story.

~snip~

Jeff Gannon was the next audience member to address the panel, and he wanted to know if the panel was concerned about liberal control of new media hubs like YouTube and Google, specifically citing YouTube’s pulling of a Michelle Malkin video criticizing Islam.



Wonder if they chatted after the panel?

Oh and among other Republicans at that conference was none other than Liddy.
http://www.cpac.org/agenda_30207.html

2:45
Gov. Mitt Romney
Regency Ballroom
Introduction: Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform

EMCEE
Joanie Barrett, Students for Life of America
Empire Ballroom

EMCEE
G. Gordon Liddy
Regency Ballroom


3:15
PRESENTATION OF CONSERVATIVE JOURNALISM AWARD
Regency Ballroom
Presenter: G. Gordon Liddy, nationally syndicated talk radio host

[blogslut]

16. Gannon was a student at The Leadership Institute long before O'Keefe

Sometime before 2003. That CPAC conference you cite was in 2007.

Not that the two don't have The Leadership Institute in common. They do. But O'Keefe did not somehow recruit Jeff Gannon as O'Keefe was probably no more than 14 when Jeff Gannon asked his first question as a member of the White House Press Corp.

[suffragette]

17. Agree with you on that. I think it's the other way around, actually.

I found that info when O'Keefe was busy smearing Acorn and thought it was interesting.

O'Keefe was at the conference and on the panel as the new rising star. The Conference agenda shows that.
The other site shows that Gannon was in the audience for that panel and participating in discussion.
If anything, I'd bet that Gannon was the mentor teaching O'Keefe more about how to conduct smears.

And I'm sure O'Keefe would have gone to listen to other sessions that day and it was a who's who of the worst of the RW. I'm sure he picked up pointers and encouragement from them all.

[blogslut]

19. I suppose

However, IMHO, the Leadership Institute taught them both.

I can't remember if Gannon attended that Leadership Institute journalism course on his own dime or if his old buddy Bobby Eberle paid for it. It's been a long time since I delved into the Jimmy Guckert stuff.

[suffragette]

20. Taught them and connected them all up to each other

Networking in the worst way and with the worst people.

[SpiralHawk]

24. So both Jeff Gannon and David Vitter are linked to this mess?

Shhheeeesh - Republicon Family Values Models all over the place...

[spanone]

18. and both were obviously excellent students

[Fly by night]

23. They both blow Rethugligans for money and access?

Inquiring minds want to know ... or not.

[Blue Owl]

25. It's the only place they can find people stupid enough

to do their malicious, illegal bidding; in the name of God and Country of course.

I bet O'Keefe did especially well in the "Fall Guy 101" and "Advanced Patsying" courses.