Fake reporter quits
The week's news at a glance.
Washington, D.C.
A correspondent for an obscure Web site owned by a Republican activist resigned last week and admitted that he had entered the White House under a false name. Liberal bloggers began investigating the man, who wrote for TalonNews.com as Jeff Gannon, after he mocked Democrats while asking President Bush a question in a news conference. The bloggers discovered that Gannon was really Jim Guckert, that he had no journalism background, and that he had once registered several dubious Web addresses, including Hotmilitarystud.com and Militaryescorts.com. Rep. Louise Slaughter, a Democrat, said the Bush administration had used Guckert as a “tool of propaganda,” a charge the White House called “a wild conspiracy.”
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Magazine solutions - July 4, 2025 / July 11, 2025
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - July 4, 2025 / July 11, 2025
-
Magazine printables - July 4, 2025 / July 11, 2025
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - July 4, 2025 / July 11, 2025
-
Controversial GOP plan to sell millions of federal acres hits major roadblock
IN THE SPOTLIGHT Republican Sen. Mike Lee says he'll revisit legislation to sell millions of acres of federally held land to create 'freedom zones' of single family homes