Vigilante
Diamond Member
- Mar 9, 2014
- 51,327
- 18,076
What is the going rate these days to destroy a career? What would you be willing to do to advance your own career, launch into a second career or just prove to your friends what a committed party member you are? To answer this we will have to trace back some successes and failures of attempted career sabotage and analyze the outcomes.
Anita Hill who when it looked like Clarence Thomas would be appointed to the Supreme Court suddenly remembered she was sexually harassed early in her three year association with him. She did lose her professorship and was never replaced, but since then she has co-edited two books, published an autobiography, written for the New York Times and regained a professorship at a different university. Outcome a plus.
Colette Brooks and Carla Baron came forward days before Arnold Schwarzenegge’s recall election to claim he groped them and made inappropriate comments. Arnold went on to retain his seat, Colette shot up from intern to communication executive and Carla from Hollywood stand in to reality TV psychic profiler. Though their ploy didn’t work it was a plus for both women.
During the 2008 election Sarah Palin was considered a threat to the upcoming Obama election. Since the molestation gambit would not fly Katie Couric was sent in to halt her momentum with an interview. Through selective editing and gotcha questioning it almost worked. Since it didn’t work well enough the Alinsky tactic of ridicule was called for. Third rate comic Tina Fey was called up to impersonate her. Tina played Palin saying stupid things that to this day are still attributed to Sarah. (“I can see Russia from my house”) Here we have two completely different outcomes based upon success. Poor Katie is currently no longer a major news reader but a blogger reduced to begging Clinton for interviews. Tina Fey is a high paid, third rate comic with an endorsement contract with American Express.
During the 2012 election as soon as Herman Cain became the front runner in the Republican primaries two women came out to claim he made passes at dinner at them. One made her living off of various federal agencies and the other a registered lobbyist. The most damming accusation was from Ginger White who claimed to have had a thirteen year affair. Once Cain pulled out of the race Ginger found the money to invest in a fitness business that later failed which she promptly blamed on her partner. Ms. White later issued a formal apology to Cain and his family. The outcome would have been a plus for all had not Ginger blown her opportunity.
In today’s Obama economy things are a little tougher and only success pays. Witness Alicia Machado whose unsuccessful attempt to paint Donald Trump as a chauvinist pig only got her and her daughter an invite to the Metropolitan Fashion week. But some will try and try again. Just see Michael Bardaro and Megan Twohey, writers for the New York Times. When their exposé of May 2016 blew up in their faces as the subject of their story denied their allegations they returned on Oct 12 just as Trump was pulling ahead in the polls. They located some fervent Clinton supporters to stand by their stories after publication. The headliner for their story is one Jessica Leeds. Who remembers vividly (one month before election) 30 years ago Donald trump lifted the arm rest in first class and molested her for 10 to 15 minutes depending on which story you hear. Unfortunately for Leeds she forgot first class arm rests don’t lift, she never reported it or complained and no one else on the plane remembers or reported it. Since it appears at this time it will not affect the outcome of the election Jessica most probably will be SOL and eventually sued.
So what is the going rate for destroying a career? It seems to depend upon the person you accuse and the outcome. The bigger fish you bring down the bigger the reward. Fail in your mission and you become a lost footnote in electoral history
Anita Hill who when it looked like Clarence Thomas would be appointed to the Supreme Court suddenly remembered she was sexually harassed early in her three year association with him. She did lose her professorship and was never replaced, but since then she has co-edited two books, published an autobiography, written for the New York Times and regained a professorship at a different university. Outcome a plus.
Colette Brooks and Carla Baron came forward days before Arnold Schwarzenegge’s recall election to claim he groped them and made inappropriate comments. Arnold went on to retain his seat, Colette shot up from intern to communication executive and Carla from Hollywood stand in to reality TV psychic profiler. Though their ploy didn’t work it was a plus for both women.
During the 2008 election Sarah Palin was considered a threat to the upcoming Obama election. Since the molestation gambit would not fly Katie Couric was sent in to halt her momentum with an interview. Through selective editing and gotcha questioning it almost worked. Since it didn’t work well enough the Alinsky tactic of ridicule was called for. Third rate comic Tina Fey was called up to impersonate her. Tina played Palin saying stupid things that to this day are still attributed to Sarah. (“I can see Russia from my house”) Here we have two completely different outcomes based upon success. Poor Katie is currently no longer a major news reader but a blogger reduced to begging Clinton for interviews. Tina Fey is a high paid, third rate comic with an endorsement contract with American Express.
During the 2012 election as soon as Herman Cain became the front runner in the Republican primaries two women came out to claim he made passes at dinner at them. One made her living off of various federal agencies and the other a registered lobbyist. The most damming accusation was from Ginger White who claimed to have had a thirteen year affair. Once Cain pulled out of the race Ginger found the money to invest in a fitness business that later failed which she promptly blamed on her partner. Ms. White later issued a formal apology to Cain and his family. The outcome would have been a plus for all had not Ginger blown her opportunity.
In today’s Obama economy things are a little tougher and only success pays. Witness Alicia Machado whose unsuccessful attempt to paint Donald Trump as a chauvinist pig only got her and her daughter an invite to the Metropolitan Fashion week. But some will try and try again. Just see Michael Bardaro and Megan Twohey, writers for the New York Times. When their exposé of May 2016 blew up in their faces as the subject of their story denied their allegations they returned on Oct 12 just as Trump was pulling ahead in the polls. They located some fervent Clinton supporters to stand by their stories after publication. The headliner for their story is one Jessica Leeds. Who remembers vividly (one month before election) 30 years ago Donald trump lifted the arm rest in first class and molested her for 10 to 15 minutes depending on which story you hear. Unfortunately for Leeds she forgot first class arm rests don’t lift, she never reported it or complained and no one else on the plane remembers or reported it. Since it appears at this time it will not affect the outcome of the election Jessica most probably will be SOL and eventually sued.
So what is the going rate for destroying a career? It seems to depend upon the person you accuse and the outcome. The bigger fish you bring down the bigger the reward. Fail in your mission and you become a lost footnote in electoral history
