"The Election of Dave Barry" Part 1/6
July 6, 1992
As per OTL, preparations are underway for the following week's Democratic National Convention in New York City. Going in, Arkansas governor William J "Bill" Clinton has far and away enough delegates to win nomination on the first ballot. The major news organizations, both print and electronic, expect the only "real" news to be the announcement of Governor Clinton's running mate. All in all, it looks to be yet another deadly dull convention.
Then the revelations begin.
It all starts when an anonymous bundle of documents and tapes lands on the desks of Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings, CNN, and several major newspapers and magazines simultaneously. Contained in the packet are sworn affidavits and several - explicit - photographs which confirm that, despite all his earlier denials, Governor Clinton has been involved a series of extra-marital liaisons. The Clinton camp, aware of their man's proclivities, has been preparing for what it derisively termed "bimbo eruptions". This, however, was something more - it was a "bimbo explosion".
The aforementioned bimbos were merely embarrassing and annoying. The real damage, though, is in the documents, which lay out in painstaking detail the involvement of both Governor Clinton and his wife, Hillary, in a series of questionable real estate deals, market speculation, and other financial transactions.
Cautiously, most media outlets decide to hold the package and check the facts before printing or broadcasting. The New York Times, however, makes the decision to run with it, as does CNN. Tuesday morning, the charges are made public for the first time. By Wednesday, it's the top story everywhere.
The Clinton camp immediately issues a heated denial and dismisses the charge as "false, malicious and irresponsible". But the backlash is immediate. Despite being pledged to him, dozens of delegates desert the governor. Things are now looking up for the formerly moribund campaigns of his main rivals, former California Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown and former Massachusetts Senator Paul E. "Paul" Tsongas.
Their good fortunes last until Friday.
July 8
Reporters and editors at the Washington Post are suspicious of the timing of the anti-Clinton bombshell (they're also more than a bit miffed that they were scooped by their arch-rival New York Times, but none of them are likely to admit it outside the walls of the Post building). Investigative reporter Charlie Woodburn (not his real name) begins an inquiry into the source of the "anonymous" delivery.
Charlie's initial thought is that this little bundle of joy has its origins at GOP headquarters - a sort of Watergate in reverse. However, Charlie catches an extraordinarily swift (and lucky) break when he finds the delivery boy who left the packet. By questioning him, Charlie discovers the information was sent from the office of a private investigation firm located in Brooklyn. Charlie heads to the Big Apple and stops by the place, where the PI politely but firmly rebuffs his questions. Undaunted, Charlie is preparing to leave when he is pulled aside by a secretary who has not been paid what she believes to be commensurate restitution for her work on this and several other jobs. Over a lingering dinner, the secretary (whom Charlie dubbed "Zelda" in his story, though it's not her real name) spills the story. The investigation into the Governor's personal and financial peccadilloes was initiated by a man from San Francisco looking for some out-of-town talent. "Zelda" then shows Charlie a copy of the check that paid (quite handsomely) for the dig.
Charlie's heart almost stops - the name is one he recognizes. It's none other than the campaign manager for Governor Brown. What's more, the check is drawn on a bank in Boston, home to Paul Tsongas, Clinton's other main rival.
Thinking quick, Woodburn procures the copy and thanks "Zelda" for her help. After some quick background work, Charlie catches the redeye back to DC and presents his evidence to his editors. What Woodburn has is a bit sketchy - but, the editors agree, it looks solid. They're also very aware that "excessive caution" (as one of them so dryly puts it) got the Post scooped once. They won't take a chance of it happening again.
June 10
BROWN, TSONGAS DRIVE CLINTON INVESTIGATION screams the headline in the Post. The expose reveals that Brown's campaign director, desperate to stop Clinton's rise (and salvage what might be Brown's last chance for the White House) used campaign funds to hire private investigators to comb through the darker recesses of Clinton's life. Further, the paper hints that there is a strong possibility that the Tsongas camp may have also been involved, financing the move while letting the Brown staff run the risk of direct person-to-person contact.
Later, the allegations against Senator Tsongas are proven untrue - the Brown team had simply used the Boston bank as a "cut-out" to transfer funds. However, in the short term, the damage is done. Governor Clinton lashes out angrily at his opponents, calling their tactics "invasive and despicable" and accusing them of "lowering the level of political discourse to depths even Republicans would blanch at". However, if Governor Clinton is hoping for a "bounce" from this fiasco, he's disappointed. The seesaw may have dropped Brown and Tsongas, but it hasn't lifted him at all.
{End Part 1}
As per OTL, preparations are underway for the following week's Democratic National Convention in New York City. Going in, Arkansas governor William J "Bill" Clinton has far and away enough delegates to win nomination on the first ballot. The major news organizations, both print and electronic, expect the only "real" news to be the announcement of Governor Clinton's running mate. All in all, it looks to be yet another deadly dull convention.
Then the revelations begin.
It all starts when an anonymous bundle of documents and tapes lands on the desks of Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings, CNN, and several major newspapers and magazines simultaneously. Contained in the packet are sworn affidavits and several - explicit - photographs which confirm that, despite all his earlier denials, Governor Clinton has been involved a series of extra-marital liaisons. The Clinton camp, aware of their man's proclivities, has been preparing for what it derisively termed "bimbo eruptions". This, however, was something more - it was a "bimbo explosion".
The aforementioned bimbos were merely embarrassing and annoying. The real damage, though, is in the documents, which lay out in painstaking detail the involvement of both Governor Clinton and his wife, Hillary, in a series of questionable real estate deals, market speculation, and other financial transactions.
Cautiously, most media outlets decide to hold the package and check the facts before printing or broadcasting. The New York Times, however, makes the decision to run with it, as does CNN. Tuesday morning, the charges are made public for the first time. By Wednesday, it's the top story everywhere.
The Clinton camp immediately issues a heated denial and dismisses the charge as "false, malicious and irresponsible". But the backlash is immediate. Despite being pledged to him, dozens of delegates desert the governor. Things are now looking up for the formerly moribund campaigns of his main rivals, former California Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown and former Massachusetts Senator Paul E. "Paul" Tsongas.
Their good fortunes last until Friday.
July 8
Reporters and editors at the Washington Post are suspicious of the timing of the anti-Clinton bombshell (they're also more than a bit miffed that they were scooped by their arch-rival New York Times, but none of them are likely to admit it outside the walls of the Post building). Investigative reporter Charlie Woodburn (not his real name) begins an inquiry into the source of the "anonymous" delivery.
Charlie's initial thought is that this little bundle of joy has its origins at GOP headquarters - a sort of Watergate in reverse. However, Charlie catches an extraordinarily swift (and lucky) break when he finds the delivery boy who left the packet. By questioning him, Charlie discovers the information was sent from the office of a private investigation firm located in Brooklyn. Charlie heads to the Big Apple and stops by the place, where the PI politely but firmly rebuffs his questions. Undaunted, Charlie is preparing to leave when he is pulled aside by a secretary who has not been paid what she believes to be commensurate restitution for her work on this and several other jobs. Over a lingering dinner, the secretary (whom Charlie dubbed "Zelda" in his story, though it's not her real name) spills the story. The investigation into the Governor's personal and financial peccadilloes was initiated by a man from San Francisco looking for some out-of-town talent. "Zelda" then shows Charlie a copy of the check that paid (quite handsomely) for the dig.
Charlie's heart almost stops - the name is one he recognizes. It's none other than the campaign manager for Governor Brown. What's more, the check is drawn on a bank in Boston, home to Paul Tsongas, Clinton's other main rival.
Thinking quick, Woodburn procures the copy and thanks "Zelda" for her help. After some quick background work, Charlie catches the redeye back to DC and presents his evidence to his editors. What Woodburn has is a bit sketchy - but, the editors agree, it looks solid. They're also very aware that "excessive caution" (as one of them so dryly puts it) got the Post scooped once. They won't take a chance of it happening again.
June 10
BROWN, TSONGAS DRIVE CLINTON INVESTIGATION screams the headline in the Post. The expose reveals that Brown's campaign director, desperate to stop Clinton's rise (and salvage what might be Brown's last chance for the White House) used campaign funds to hire private investigators to comb through the darker recesses of Clinton's life. Further, the paper hints that there is a strong possibility that the Tsongas camp may have also been involved, financing the move while letting the Brown staff run the risk of direct person-to-person contact.
Later, the allegations against Senator Tsongas are proven untrue - the Brown team had simply used the Boston bank as a "cut-out" to transfer funds. However, in the short term, the damage is done. Governor Clinton lashes out angrily at his opponents, calling their tactics "invasive and despicable" and accusing them of "lowering the level of political discourse to depths even Republicans would blanch at". However, if Governor Clinton is hoping for a "bounce" from this fiasco, he's disappointed. The seesaw may have dropped Brown and Tsongas, but it hasn't lifted him at all.
{End Part 1}