Figured Somebody Should At Least Ask
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Hi. I've been following the John Edwards story you've been running and I'm wondering if any of the Nat'l Enq. reporters or photographers that were present during this scene at the hotel managed to get any photographs as documentary evidence to support these allegations.
In publishing this story without any photographic evidence whatsoever lends readers to be highly skeptical of the story overall.
Considering from your article that it appeared there were several incidents where Edwards was spotted by Enquirer staff, and that a threat to break cameras was made, it would be reasonable to expect that there were indeed cameras present (and god knows almost every cellphone has a camera these days), it would seem unprofessional to allege such a situation without providing proof.
Does the Enquirer have any plans to release photographs of this event?
(Update) - FOX News jumps on board, further pushing this story, which the enquirer has updated with, much in the likeness of a Larry Johnson whitey video "scoop" but in my opinion, so far, all this has done is create more problems with the story overall:
The guard said he escorted Edwards, who was not a registered guest at the hotel, out of the building after 2 a.m. Edwards did not say anything while he was escorted out, said the guard, adding that at times the reporters on the scene were "rough on him," sticking a camera in his face and shouting questions.
The guard did not recognize Edwards at the time of the incident, but said he concluded it was the 2008 presidential hopeful after hearing reports about the incident and finding an Enquirer reporter's notebook at the scene.
A) Who's the guard as I didn't seem to notice his name there and B) according to this guard, the Enquirer reporters were rough on him and sticking cameras in his face. If so, where are the pictures?
Furthermore, the Enquirer claimed a criminal complaint had been filed. However, according to the FOX report:
Beverly Hills Police Sgt. Michael Publicker, meanwhile, confirmed Friday that an incident report was filed with the department by two of the tabloid's reporters. Publicker said that contrary to a published report, a "criminal complaint" was not filed and there are no charges pending.
Furthermore, the Enquirer citing FOX News as more backup for this story is laughable. Why? :
Enquirer Editor-in-Chief David Perel told FOXNews.com his reporters caught Edwards visiting Hunter and her baby at the hotel earlier Monday evening. Perel said Hunter and Edwards have been occasionally getting together so Edwards can see the baby. Hunter came to Beverly Hills with a male friend, Bob McGovern, said Perel. Hunter and her companion reportedly booked two rooms under McGovern's name, and McGovern picked up Edwards to bring him back to the hotel.
So the Enquirer tells FOX News his reporters caught Edwards there, then reports that:
They've confirmed the story via an unnamed security guard, despite the fact that:
The guard did not recognize Edwards at the time of the incident, but said he concluded it was the 2008 presidential hopeful after hearing reports about the incident and finding an Enquirer reporter's notebook at the scene.
The guard said during the chase the reporters had dropped the notebook, which he picked up. "This book has everything in it on him," he said, referring to Edwards. The guard later confirmed Edwards' identity after being shown a photograph.
But wait! It gets even better!
FOXNews.com could not independently confirm the Enquirer's allegations. Perel also declined to identify where the Enquirer received the information about Edwards' alleged visits.
Perel told FOXNews.com that after leaving Hunter's room, Edwards took an elevator to the basement, where he was confronted by two Enquirer reporters. He ran into the bathroom, where he remained until the security guard arrived.
You would think with all the hub-bub about this story, the Enquirer would be dying to get this out, everything they have, to show they have proof. I mean hell, they even cited FOX News's
The Enquirer says it has videotape showing Hunter entering the room where she met Edwards, and shows Edwards leaving the same room. However, the Enquirer has thus far declined repeated requests by FOXNews.com to release any photographs or videotape evidence of the incident.
But wait! That's not all!
Lynda Simonetti, director of public relations at the Beverly Hills Hilton, refused to comment on the guard's version of the incident, citing the hotel's privacy policy.
"We value the privacy of all the guests," Simonetti told FOXNews.com, adding, "The non-disclosure policy applies to the requests of the names, whether it's past, current or anticipated guests... That's our policy."
Simonetti said she had "no knowledge" of the incident report filed by the two Enquirer reporters, and "I don't have any knowledge of any other circumstances."
But you wouldn't know all of this if you are a loyal Faux News viewer just looking for something to gripe about because as FOX put it,
And that's probably as far as most people are going to get.
I'm just about to call bullshit.
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