DQM does NewsNight: Edwards and "Rockefeller"--updated!

Published Aug 11 2008, 09:15 AM by Adam Reilly

...Tonight at 8 pm on New England Cable News. We'll be discussing coverage of 1. John Edwards' affair and 2. "Clark Rockefeller."

Right now, I plan to say that the press as a whole was too slow to cover Edwards' dalliance. This isn't a private matter: for example, if Edwards' infidelity had become a major story at the beginning of the Democratic primaries, Hillary Clinton could be the nominee now rather than Barack Obama. So why the dearth of coverage? In no particular order, I'd cite sympathy for Elizabeth Edwards; distaste for the National Enquirer, which drove the story; and a general reluctance to chase scoops from other media outlets, tabloid or no.

Meanwhile, I have zero sympathy for the scolds who think the "Clark Rockefeller" story has received too much attention. Good God, people! This is an incredible tale, a real-life Talented Mr. Ripley in which Boston plays a starring role. If it's too tawdry for your taste, spend some time at one of the zillion other news outlets available on the Web until this saga simmers down.

Also, my preliminary research suggests that the Herald has been driving the "Rockefeller" coverage more than the Globe. But I may amend that judgment by this evening.

Readers, what say you?

UPDATE! I won't be talking about "Clark Rockefeller" tonight, but his attorney will. That said, in the wake of some bracing pushback from a Globie--"utterly off the wall" were the words used--I'll be posting tomorrow on the Herald and Globe's respective victories on that story.

Filed Under: Clark Rockefeller, John Edwards, NECN

Yesterday's dubious Globe op-ed

New in the Phoenix: the impossibility of preemptively safe journalism

4 Comments

Michael Pahre said:

I think that the "Clark Rockefeller" coverage was excessive in the beginning when it was a kidnapping. There were four amber alerts around the same time, but this one got far more coverage at first, probably because the victim was a cute blond girl.

After his identity itself came into scrutiny, however, the coverage has been more appropriate. But the media circus covering his arrival at Logan and transport to Brighton was over-the-top -- did they really need helicopters overhead for a guy being transported in a police car?

August 11, 2008 10:12 AM
aging cynic said:

Appropriate. Sadly, we haven't yet learned anything about Sandra Boss other than that her judgment and advice were valued at over $100K/MONTH by McKinsey&Co. while she was "married" to Herr Crockefeller. Her clients must be thrilled.(Clark has already disappeared from the Algonquin Club's list of officers on their website, "Clark Who?").

August 11, 2008 6:01 PM
Johnny Beans said:

Sandra Boss remains an unknown entity. There should definitely be more questions in her direction since the fate of a child is at stake. But look back to California...what happened to Ms. Sohus (Linda) and has there been any thought of the possibility that she murdered her husband and then 'disappeared' to Europe? and what will everyone say when 'Mr. Rockefeller' disappears again. After all, he's not being held in a maximum security facility - only in a county jail, in the general population. And he does seem to be a master of alternate identities. Where is the much vaunted homeland 'homeland security' apparatus now? A 17 year old illegal evades detection for 20+ years ..? Give me a break!

Good luck, Suffolk County Sheriff!

August 13, 2008 10:55 PM

Follow the Boston Phoenix

All Blogs

Laser Orgy (23)
Phlog (1,395)
Outside The Frame (299)
Dont Quote Me (511)
On The Download (2,141)
Talking Politics (1,504)

Filed Under: Clark Rockefeller, John Edwards, NECN

Damon Dash Re-Launches Roc-A-Fella With New Line-Up, Signs Notorious Boston Kidnapper Christian Karl “Clark Rocafella” Gerhartsreiter

Boston Phoenix
Damon Dash Re-Launches Roc-A-Fella With New Line-Up, Signs Notorious Boston Kidnapper Christian Karl “Clark Rocafella” Gerhartsreiter
Published 6/12/2009 by Chris Faraone
BOSTON – In a move that stunned the hip-hop and kidnapping communities alike, this week flagging h...

Boston Phoenix
Please, call him Christian
Published 6/2/2009 by Adam Reilly
Unlike the estimable Adam Gaffin, I don't think the Boston media are paying excessive attenti...

more by Adam Reilly

Difference of opinion | November 06, 2009

The importance of being Ernie | October 16, 2009

Latter day taint | October 09, 2009

Globe staffers to publisher: save us from healthcare "caste system" | October 08, 2009

New in the Phoenix: Glenn Beck's Mormon roots | October 07, 2009

See all articles by: Adam Reilly

Latest Comments

Pagliuca and the B-word - pagliuca is a sad pathetic individual==trying to ride his pathetic Celtic connection to the senate is...

By jeri on 11-08-2009 in Dont Quote Me

Pagliuca and the B-word - rich guy--Pagliuca hippocrite as usual with the politcally correct liberals---to be liberal is to be...

By jeri on 11-08-2009 in Dont Quote Me

Obama's Fort Hood screw-up - Spot on, Adam. America wanted a different kind of President. I doubt that they planned on one THIS different...

By aging cynic on 11-08-2009 in Dont Quote Me

Aerosmith's Joe Perry books sneak-attack gig at small Foxboro club - awful, she sucks

By scott on 11-08-2009 in On The Download

Obama's Fort Hood screw-up - Mark: on very rare occasions, my own assessment of an event might happen to agree with the right's, at...

By Adam on 11-07-2009 in Dont Quote Me

Latest Comments from Dont Quote Me

DQM does NewsNight: Edwards and "Rockefeller"--updated!

4 Comments

Michael Pahre said:

aging cynic said:

Johnny Beans said:

Leave a Comment