Quotes of the Day

Haters tell reporter he’s fat, bald and looks like an egg

On Monday afternoon, The Daily Beast‘s Eli Lake wrote a story about his haters. The headline: “Dear Twitter Haters: I, Eli, Love Your Passion” The deck: “When haters hate, love can put them in their place, writes egg man Eli Lake.”

 An excerpt: “The crank is obsessed with an issue, while the hater is obsessed with a person. For some reason, I have attracted quite of few them. Haters on Twitter like to tell me that I am bald; that I am fat; that I look like an egg; that I am really a stealth agent for Israel or the Republic of Georgia; and that I am responsible for the murder of innocents in Iraq, Gaza, and Syria.”

Media critic abhors media group think

“I still hate media #GroupThink, even when they are piling on Obama. stop RTing each other and start talking to sources #InvestigateSomething.” — Fox News media critic and former Mitt Romney Spokesman Richard Grenell.

Convo Between Two Journos

This morning’s conversation is between Politico’s Jordan Fabian and Roll Call’s Meredith Shiner.

FABIAN: “@meredithshiner Is it kosher to prostitute myself for lobster lasagna?”

SHINER: “@Jordanfabian the lord gives special dispensation for the days immediately proceeding sports-induced trauma.”

Your chance to win a dorky HuffPost tote bag!

“Yay! We’ve reached 3 million followers on Twitter! RETWEET for your chance to win a HuffPost tote” — HuffingtonPost. For the next 30 days each day they’ll pick a winner at random. So watch out for the hashtag, #hpheartsyou.

Anonymous email to FBDC: “Yes, Boyle. If you spew enough shit, you’re bound to hit the toilet eventually.” — In response to story on Breitbart News’ Matthew Boyle chastising the media for being so slow on Attorney Gen. Eric Holder‘s evil ways.

Worst name for TV this week: David Finkelhor. He appeared on CNN’s “The Lead” Tuesday afternoon. He heads up the Crimes Against Children Research Center.

This just in from the Department of Bragiculture…

Breitbart News‘ Matthew Boyle is either looking for someone to Scotch tape a “kick me” sign on his back or else he’s the smartest, most forward thinking reporter in the history of Washington journalism. Both options are possible (but highly unlikely).

In tweets late Monday night, Boyle scolded the Washington Press Corps for being so slow on the whole down with Attorney General Eric Holder brigade. Granted, Holder’s in hot water over DOJ cracking into AP phone records. But in short: Boyle says he told you so.

Exhibit A

From September last year, here’s my investigation showing Media Matters colluding with Eric Holder to smear critics dailycaller.com/2012/09/18/ema…

— Matthew Boyle (@mboyle1) May 14, 2013

Exhibit B

Welcome to the party, Associated Press. I’m glad you’ve learned how bad an Attorney General Eric Holder really is. #WillHolderResign? — Matthew Boyle (@mboyle1) May 14, 2013

Exhibit C

What’s amazing to me is how it took so long for everyone else to see what I plainly saw and reported out for two years? #EricHolder — Matthew Boyle (@mboyle1) May 14, 2013

We reached out to Boyle to find out if he feels vindicated by the latest news out of DOJ. Read more

Quotes of the Day

Fox News weather lady lets herself eat pie and whatever else she wants

“If it’s your birthday, nothing you eat should have calories. A rule made up by me just now…after eating too much pie.” — Janice Dean, senior meteorologist for Fox News. (Guess all those rotten rumors about FNC controlling what females wear on air and how they look are completely unfounded.)

Question to never ponder: “Does anyone actually like spearmint or do we all just tolerate it?” — Mediaite editor Noah Rothman.

And something to contemplate deeply: “Is Potsie from Happy Days on Twitter? Be cool if he would follow me.” — Breitbart News‘ John Nolte.

Reporter wants to be on Homeland

“I want to be on Homeland. Sorry I’m not sorry.” — Politico‘s Juana Summers, who links to this casting call for extras for guess which show?

Ouch!

“Does her Match.com profile mention her jail time for obstructing justice and lying to government investigators?” — CNN’s Jake Tapper on Martha Stewart and Match prospects.

Journo wants free booze

“But really, if you’re in DC and you don’t go to the BuzzfeedBrews events, why? Great interview, fun times, FREE BOOZE” — Daily Beast Contributor Justin Green.

Stress on the job

“This no coffee combined with my round the clock day has me this close to clawing the drywall.” — Javonni Brustow, Washington editor of TheDCPundit.

He said what?  

“Whoa whoa whoa. We’re not done yet Brian. While we’re talking, I got a few Q’s for you.” — Breitbart’s Matthew Boyle to former NRSC spokesman Brian Walsh, who now has his own consulting firm. In the course of a lengthy late-night argument involving the Tea Party, Walsh asked Boyle, “Honestly just asking aloud if you’re playing reporter or pundit on this one my friend? The line is very blurry.” Boyle replied, “You’re really going to ask me that? Hmmm. It’s pretty obviously reporter.”

AnonymASS Tipsters of the Week: “Gee, you got to say “poop” again in your latest post. Someone ought to do a monthly count on your fascination with a word most stopped giggling about at 12.” And this: “Crappy Poop Stories Return to Fishbowl” And this: “Also at Allbritton brunch: Laura McGann, Anna Palmer, Jen Epstein, Rachel Smolkin. Don’t forget the women!”

D.C. women shall wear beige pumps

“Beige pumps are like some kind of uniform here.” — BuzzFeed‘s Rosie Gray.

Politico Playbook Publish Time: 5:56 a.m.

(A Sprinkling of Things we Think you Ought to Know…)

Will on the Hill – Monday night was the annual “Will on the Hill” event for the Shakespeare Theatre Company. It’s an annual event that gathers politicians, journalists and other D.C. insiders to put on a performance that pairs elements of Williams Shakespeare with modern-day references.

According to their website, “proceeds from the event support STC’s many education, artistic and community outreach programs including in-school workshops and online learning resources that inspire new and diverse audiences and deepen the connection to classical theatre in learners of all ages.” One of the members of the cast was The Hill’s Managing Editor, Bob Cusack. Cusack tweeted this startling photo of himself moments before taking the stage. Turns out, acting is in Cusack’s blood. He tells FBDC, “It was my first time performing in Will on the Hill and brought back memories of when my parents had an off, off, off Broadway theater company in New York City. Last night I did Shakespeare, but back then it was Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk and Agatha Christie plays.” Aside from Jack, Cusack was an extra “Clear and Present Danger” and “Game Change.”

The Tea Party says farewell to a longtime supporter. Read more

You’re a journalist.  Come on, you love to see your byline. So we have an unusually fishy idea: name an Oyster after yourself (or a coworker) and have the name immortalized forever. P.J. Clarke’s is introducing its’ own signature oyster on Tuesday, with its name to be chosen by secret ballot.

Brad Blynier, one of the owners of the War Shore Oyster Company, the company that’s harvesting the exclusive oyster for the restaurant, describes the oyster as “farm raised, premium cocktail-sized and has a robust brininess with a clean, mild and sweet finish.”

Based on the oyster’s characteristics, we’ve come up with naming suggestions but feel free to come up with your own (write us at Betsy@mediabistro.com,  fishbowldc@mediabistro.com or use our Anonymous Tips button):

The Badass Oyster: Do we even need to name the journalist who comes to work with a chain tied to his waste? That’d be BuzzFeed D.C. Bureau Chief John Stanton. The Meghan: For Meghan McCain, a tart oyster served naked of its shell; The Rose Garden: after The Daily Caller‘s Neil Munro, an oyster served live and will never shut up. The Burger Oyster: it’s cocktail-sized, after all, and has former TIME scribe and professional partygoer Tim Burger written all over it. To spice things up, we have The Rosie: sweet, tart and can cuss like a sailor for BuzzFeed‘s Rosie Gray (and we mean nothing by the tart, only that it’s a flavor that might be present in an oyster.). The Bob Schieffer, farm raised, but still clean and sweet– an undeniable D.C. institution. The Hardball Oyster: All robust and briny things should be named after MSNBC host Chris Matthews, shouldn’t they? The Pothead Oyster: all laid back and smooth, HuffPost‘s Sam Stein. The Howeeza: after mild, sweet Judy Kurtz from The Hill. The Ezzy: serious and wonky with a touch of lemon and an aroma of fresh figs for WaPo‘s favorite “f–k you” blogger Ezra Klein. The Weingarten: a little sour-aftertaste for D.C.’s ultimate curmudgeon, WaPo‘s Gene Weingarten. The Luke: for MSNBC’s Luke Russert, a very meaty oyster;  “Shorty” the Jake Sherman oyster. The Stealth Spunkster: she’s everywhere and nowhere all at once after Hollywood on the Potomac‘s Janet Donovan; and The Lady: the always well-mannered and comedy-laced Neda Semnani from Roll Call‘s HOH. The Angry Oyster: Can you guess? That’d be Tim Grieve, who just gave Politico the middle finger and bolted to National Journal. The Fresh Mouthed Oyster: Politico‘s own salty tweeter Ben White, who likes to share his crappy hotel experiences. Hey, maybe this time the Jefferson Hotel will actually hold a reservation for him or the W will give him a room that doesn’t place the bathroom in the foyer. The Potty Mouthed Oyster: Mike Elk, a brusque, sharp-flavored oyster for the labor journo who swears more than any other. The Shooter: Who else? After the gun activist journalist herself, Emily Miller of TWT. And finally, we offer The Boyle: for you-know-who, the always all blown up Matthew Boyle of Breitbart News.

Do not stop reading. We’re not kidding. Here’s the fun part… Read more

In a move only they’d have the balls to manage, The Daily Caller, the publication battling criticism over their coverage of Sen. Bob Menendez‘s (D-N.J.) alleged involvement with Dominican prostitutes, is having a party and inviting the hookers from the videotape.

Breitbart News‘ Matthew Boyle, the reporter who broke the original story while working for The Daily Caller, will be on hand with special voice gadgetry to conduct a test on whether the women he remembers interviewing by Skype are those in his midst.

No one from WaPo has been invited. However, they’ve hired Salon‘s Joan Walsh to sit in a dunking booth in a pale pink bikini while Editor-in-Chief Tucker Carlson throws softballs at the bulls-eye.

Beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served along with tapas. Tequila will be on hand in case the women get thirsty.

Carlson had only one thing to say about the upcoming party… Read more

What would Washington be like if there were no print reporters? That was Thursday night’s episode of ABC’s political drama “Scandal,” the show that has some Washington journalists sitting on the edge of their seats.

Crisis manager Olivia Pope is up to her usual routine — handling everyone elses’ chaos while managing her own. She’s called in to take on a case involving a woman who had an affair with a married Supreme Court nominee. Press is staked outside the woman’s home, waiting for her, her husband or her children to step out so they can ambush them with questions and flashbulbs.

Pope pulls up in a car outside the home just before 9 p.m. She “cleverly” waits until the top of the hour to exit the vehicle and enter the home because presumable at that point, it’s prime time and reporters will be too busy shooting their live shots to notice. None will be free to approach with questions. Pope slips past the preoccupied press without a hitch.

But wait. Broadcast journalists would understandably be busy. But where are all the devious bloggers and shrewd print people?

When news of Gen. David Petraeus‘ affair with his biographer Paula Broadwell emerged last year, broadcast reporters staked out her brother’s home, where she was said to be staying. But there were also reporters from Politico, WaPo, the New York Post and the Daily News, all print. WaPo‘s Emily Wax even wrote a story about it.

Here’s how things would go down in real life… Read more

(A sprinkling of what we think you ought to know…)

Boyle Bullied At American U?– Breitbart News‘s Matthew Boyle claims that as a grad student at American University, his professors would “intimidate” him for having conservative opinions. “They held me to different standards than anybody else in the program because I was a conservative,” Boyle told Campus Reform, a conservative news outlet that reports on college education. Boyle said he was “graded on a different scale than everybody else.” Boyle doesn’t provide any specific examples of the discrimination he says he faced. Though, in the video interview, he says “a perfect example” was a 2010 Time magazine cover that asked “Is America Islamophobic?” Boyle says he questioned the article’s premise in class. But that’s it. He doesn’t say how his professor retaliated. He simply says any suggestion that the country is afraid of Muslims or that the Tea Party is racist is “bunk.” Mind you, this is the same Boyle who cried “assault” when a bodyguard for U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. John de Jongh held him at bay.

National Journal says Rick Perry was just “ahead of his time”– Texas Gov. Rick Perry‘s bid for the Republican presidential primary was a bust, mostly because he could barely string a sentence together in the debates and because he did things like mistakenly refer to Solyndra as a country. Even so, NJ is out with a story by Michael Catalini that calls Perry “a candidate ahead of his time.” Ray Sullivan, Perry’s former chief of staff told NJ, “I could easily see him seeking another term as governor and making another run at the White House.” Covering our eyes now.

Bash v. Bachmann Round 2– It’s about time someone set up a high heel race between CNN’s Dana Bash and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.). It’s been less than a year that Bash pounced on Bachmann on Capitol Hill. Both scooted along at nearly 5 mph as Bash tried to ask Bachmann about suggestions she previously made that an assistant to former Sec. Hillary Clinton might have anti-American Muslim ties. On Tuesday it was round two. Bash staked out a spot on the Hill to tackle Bachmann as she passed by. Again, a 5 mph high heel race took place, Bachmann balancing an apple on top of a book in her hands, Bash trying to speak and catch her breath at the same time. Bash asked Bachmann about recent claims she made at CPAC regarding frivolous expenditures at the White House. Bachmann asked Bash why she was focusing on her inaccurate claims that Obama has a paid dog walker and film handler over a September terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, which resulted in the death of four American officials. “Congresswoman, but you’re the one who brought it up,” Bash replied. And with a whoosh of the hair, Bachmann was gone. A segment on it appeared on CNN’s “AC 360″ earlier in the week. Bash remarked that Bachmann is usually relatively polite. Seeing as Bachmann is avoiding the national media like the plague these days, as reported by Roll Call, she probably wasn’t too ecstatic to face Bash on just about anything.

You’d have thought that the hooker confusion from earlier in the week would’ve been enough excitement for The Daily Caller‘s Executive Editor David Martosko, who has spearheaded the publication’s hooker coverage ever since original hooker beat reporter Matthew Boyle left for Breitbart.com.

But no.

Today Martosko and Charles Johnson, team up (yes, these things sometimes require teams) to write about a book that came out last year. The headline: “BOOK EXCERPT: Bob Menendez ran political machine in New Jersey’s corrupt ‘ground zero.’” The story contains quotes about Menendez from 2005 and discusses an investigation led by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie about a nonprofit that rented property from Menendez in the book that came out last year. “Through the courtesy of St. Martin’s Press, The Daily Caller is republishing those pages,” Martosko and Johnson write.

The story basically reiterates… Read more

The plot thickens with the case of Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and his alleged penchant for Dominican prostitutes. While this story, originally reported by The Daily Caller‘s Matthew Boyle, who is now with Breitbart, has been stewing for a few months, things really heated up on Monday evening. WaPo reported that the prostitute in question told authorities in the Dominican Republic that she was paid to make up the story and she has never met Menendez. Ruh roh. WaPo reports, “The woman said a local lawyer had approached her and a fellow escort and asked them to help frame Menendez and a top donor, Salomon Melgen, according to affidavits obtained by The Washington Post.”

So, it looks like the Menendez story is bullshit. Or is it? The Daily Caller wasted no time in rebutting the story by WaPo saying that, essentially, they got the wrong hooker. The argument, by outgoing Daily Caller Executive Editor David Martosko, says that the women that THEY interviewed were 24 at the time, while WaPo claims the escort was 23. Martosko also says neither of the prostitutes they interviewed went by the name “Nexis de los Santos Santana,” as WaPo identifies her.

So, what the hell is going on? We have a few questions. Read more