Decide which is worse: Doctoring a video and posting it online to smear a political figure; or said political figure threatening libel suits against news organizations for even talking about it.
Luckily, he's not up for election—well, not technically.
(Photo Credit: Wikipedia)
Today a video excerpt of the movie "The War Room" went viral in a matter of hours after being posted on YouTube. The video showed former Clinton White House staffer and current Hillary Clinton campaign advisor, Mickey Kantor, during the 1992 Presidential race, saying "Those people are shit," and another phrase that is under dispute and at the heart of Kantor's threats of libel litigation.
The first questionable statement was reported by the video uploader and those who spread it around to be in reference to the people of Indiana. In numerous reports, Kantor denied that was the case and claimed to be referring to pollsters. The second statement, which immediately followed the first, was somewhat unintelligible in the original footage. Confirmed as altered by the film's director, D.A. Pennebaker, the video in question made it appear Kantor said, "How would you like to be a worthless white n*gger?"
Which both doesn't make sense and is incredibly offensive. It's difficult to find the video now because YouTube has removed it. If the video posted at
Kantor told the "I don't need to be defended," he wrote. "When you write it, what you are doing is extended the libel."
In all that civil rights work he did, he must have overlooked freedom of the press and freedom of speech, which is weird because they're first on the list. The press can, actually, talk about the event all they want and shouldn't have to fear being bullied into not talking about it because it's uncomfortable for a person who arguably could be called a public figure. It is news, it is fair game, and it is fit to print.
At least eight news organizations thought so too, according to current stories 600 bloggers so far. Good luck in keeping the legitimate story quiet, there Mickey, and in a court that doesn't throw it out. You'll definitely need the best libel lawyers to make that argument for you.
Trying to keep something quiet once it's hit YouTube and Digg.com is like trying to put toothpaste back in the tube. The good news is that the truth came out rather quickly in this case. Journalists did their skeptical duties, and even Diggers were quick to Streisand Effect, which makes it worse. If left alone, the truth would have been told with the controversy and all gone away by Monday.
It also brings up a point the Clinton campaign wouldn't want brought up: The guilt-by-association politics Obama has had to put up with as the Clinton camp gleefully shakes hands in the background. Should we believe then that Kantor's remarks are a reflection of how Hillary Clinton plans to deal with the media? What was a good question to
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