.@Fahrenthold got a random call at 11am with the offering of the tape https://t.co/6CmcZFTkRQ
— Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) October 8, 2016
… Fahrenthold didn’t hesitate. Within a few moments of watching an outtake of footage from a 2005 segment on “Access Hollywood,” the Washington Post reporter was on the phone, calling Trump’s campaign, “Access Hollywood” and NBC for reaction.
By 4 p.m., his story was causing shock waves…
Fahrenthold, a 16-year veteran of The Post, said he knows who pointed him to the “Access Hollywood” video, but he will not reveal the identity because he promised anonymity to his tipster. But like many readers, he said he was surprised and shocked by what he saw on the tape…
Fahrenthold’s story proved to be the most concurrently viewed article in the history of The Post’s website; more than 100,000 people read it simultaneously at one point on Friday. The interest was so heavy that it briefly crashed the servers of the newspaper’s internal tracking system…
To be honest, I don’t think Trump’s boasts were about sex — they were about establishing his superior power/potency to a younger (better-looking, higher-status) young man. Of course, most sex crimes are less about sexual urges than about establishing the criminal’s “power” over another person, but Trump turns every human interaction into another simple-minded display of primate dominance. I could fuck her, if I wanted to, believe me! Because I’m a powerful hard-driving guy, with lots of money — a STAR!
Meanwhile, at the same paper, Chris “Mad Bitcher” Cillizza:
Republicans I talk to tonight are sort of stunned. They knew Trump was dangerous for the party. They didn't know he was this dangerous.
— Chris Cillizza (@TheFix) October 8, 2016
Mr. Cillizza: Delete your account. Fuck it — delete your career.
[ETA:]Translation: they knew he was bad, but they were hoping there wasn’t tape. https://t.co/RcKcmRoKmY
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) October 8, 2016
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Doesn't add up. 'Access Hollywood' knew about the tape but couldn't manage to report it? NBC also knew but no story? https://t.co/7dcM4IygHp
— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) October 8, 2016
… On Monday, according to an NBC source, one of the entertainment newsmagazine’s producers remembered Trump’s 2005 taping session with former “Access” co-host Billy Bush…
By mid-week, executive producer Rob Silverstein and his producing team had taken a look at its contents…
By Friday morning, Silverstein had decided to broadcast it, and a script had been written. The story was not slated to air on Friday night’s edition of the show, however.
That means the earliest it would have aired is Monday night — after Sunday’s presidential debate.
Another NBC source confirmed that “Access” was working on a story, and that NBC News knew about it, but said that as of Friday morning the story “wasn’t quite finalized.” …
— on tape in the hands of an NBC property, but did nothing to tell the rest of us, or alert his employer. https://t.co/nGUOwXEQuM Bad. 2/
— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) October 8, 2016
Sounds to me like NBC was dragging the process out until they could see who “won” the debate Sunday night. If Clinton does well (as even the haterz are assuming she will), they’d have a little nugget of tribute to indicate their good intentions. If things weren’t so clear-cut, well…
And speaking of political criminals, yes Billy is one of THOSE Bushes…
… Bush, 44, is the nephew of George H.W. Bush and cousin of George W. Bush. He got his start in radio before landing a job at the NBC affiliate in New York. He joined NBC’s syndicated entertainment program “Access Hollywood” as a correspondent in 2001 and has been a constant presence on NBC platforms ever since; he was eventually promoted to “Access Hollywood” co-anchor and frequently reported for the “Today” show, from award shows to Olympics coverage…
Bush was presumably added to the “Today” show roster to improve ratings for the 9 a.m. hour. But on Friday, as the Trump video circulated the Internet, comments flooded in, many from women — the “Today” show’s target audience….
Nobody who hangs around Donald Trump comes off unscathed. Even the Bush crime clan can’t keep the stench off, and their founding father was a Hitler profiteer.
Late-Night Open Thread: Access! Hollywood!Post + Comments (149)