Jeff Gerth's Lack Of Credibility
It takes a lot of chutzpah to publish a book about Hillary Clinton by Jeff Gerth. But the publisher Little, Brown chose to do so anyway. Simply put, given his atrocious record as a reporter, particularly on Whitewater, leaves Gerth with no credibiity whatsoever as a reporter, much less, as a reporter on the Clintons.
Here's the thing - Gerth and Don Van Natta, Jr., Gerth's co-author, may have the goods on Senator Clinton but whatever they write simply will not be believed. That is what associating with Jeff Gerth will do to most any journalistic project.
You see, journalists, like EVERYBODY ELSE, rely on their credibility. Reporters like Judith Miller and Jeff Gerth have forfeited their credibility, one of the most important attributes required for reporters.
And there's the point - can you imagine Judith Miller writing a book about the threat of WMDs? Of course you can't. Miller has no credibility on the subject. So what in Gawd's name made Little, Brown think Jeff Gerth could write a book about the Clintons? Here is a book that was DOA in terms of impact and, I imagine, sales. Did Little, Brown think reporters were immune from the requirement of being credible? A bizarre publishing decision.
No doubt Media Matters and other such organizations will make a point of debunking "My Way." But, in a large measure, it is a wasted effort - any book by Jeff Gerth on the Clintons is pre-debunked. He is not someone anyone will take seriously on the issue.
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