Levels of deception: Power lies vs. Sex lies.

Read an interesting post by Del over at Hullabaloo. It got me thinking about Gannon's "performance" on Anderson Cooper 360 (See Media Matters for the clip)
It got me thinking about different kind of lies and who uses them. You might be an experienced liar in one area, but not in another. If I was a cop watching Gannon on Anderson Cooper I would say, "He's lying". If I was Counselor Troy on Star Trek, The Next Generation, I would say, "He's hiding something Captain."

Gannon actually has shame! We always say, "This White House has NO SHAME." Gannon also is afraid of some kind of legal problem and maybe jail. Or he might be afraid he will be "disappeared". That's not how this White House acts. They discredit and dismiss, they don't kill, they are much more effective that way. When you have control over all the House and Senate as well as have a cowed mainstream media you really don't have to kill someone physically. They do it with words. They are experienced at this tactic.

I've always wondered which of the egregious actions would be big enough to bring them down when they have no shame and so much control. Someone said the only thing that will do it is "A dead girl or a live boy."

Here's my post from over at Hullabaloo. Sorry it's so long. I didn't have time to make it short!
I found his demeanor on Anderson Cooper 360 fascinating and especially in light of your comment del, VERY insightful.

Gannon is not used to having a critical spotlight on him, and unlike the Bush Administration he is not practiced at LIES THAT WILL KEEP HIM OUT OF LEGAL TROUBLE.

Cheney can lie about a "connection al Qaeda" well after it has been disproved. How? He focuses on a tiny technical "relationship" that they actual had. He implied it was much greater. And when pushed he finally admitted just how tenuous the relationship was (Al Qaeda wanted help from Saddam and Saddam said no.) So technically they DID have a relationship and so technically this isn't a lie. But by this time the damage was already done. Only if Cheney lost power and only if he was under oath and only if there was a congress that had the will to push him on this would there be any consequences to conflating this “relationship” between Al Qaeda and Saddam.

What is fascinating about Gannon is that he has 1) shame 2) guilt 3) fear.
He is unpracticed at this hi-level deception of splitting hairs or playing the power card. Covering up your past is very different from the games politician's play to keep themselves out of jail.

By looking fearful, resigning and actually worrying about people seeing him as doing something wrong he is actually acting like a surfer with a cut leg in Great White Territory.
They can smell the blood in the water.

If you have ever been in the hot seat and you don't have a history of being a good hair splitter it is very, very hard. We all saw how uncomfortable he was on Anderson Cooper. One of the reasons that the president is kept in a bubble and the press are limited to one follow up is that he is not a good technical liar like Cheney or Condi. Cheney just finds some way to deny access to the truth. Condi claims ignorance and splits hairs and hides behind "national security". Bush speaks in nonsense if he is caught or just repeats a talking point that doesn’t answer the question and moves on. He actually uses the “how dare you question me, I’m the President!” attitude to intimidate the press. Since they are afraid of getting yelled at or losing access they don’t push too hard. Only people who HAVE SHAME and actually fear they might thrown in jail will exhibit the emotions of Gannon. Bush will pull all sorts of tricks out of his bag when he might actually pay a price and get noticed for lying (I have to “have a conversation” with the 9/11 committee with Uncle Dick their so we can (get our stories straight? Avoid saying something that will implicate the other? List to the story that the other tells so we can give each other cover?)

White House Damage Control Playbook
Gannon is very dangerous and I expect this White House to circle the wagons and use the typical techniques they have used in the past.
1) Deny (We know nothing about planes possible being used as missiles)
2) Diminish -"It's no big deal" (a.k.a. 16 words)
3) Whine about the "liberal media" (All the rightwing noise machine)
Poor Jeff, everyone is out to get him. He didn't do anything wrong.
4) Appeal to a higher power to cover up previous sins "When I was young and irresponsible I was young and irresponsible. Then I was born again" Gannon bathed in the blood of Christ. He found Jesus and didn't do anything wrong since, why is his personal life fair game? If he did stumble on his path to the lord we are all sinners and he has asked forgiveness. I mean he WAS going to church the day he was outted and some scary people were following him. He said they were liberal bloggers; maybe they were Rove’s Rangers.
5) Claim that he was "out of the loop" and then ask for proof that he was in the loop. (Clarke, O’Neill)
6) Go deep and play another card. "The private relationship, gay card"? This falls into Karl “turd blossom” Rove’s territory. His Speciality is taking a shitty situation and making it smell sweet. How would he turn it around? I’m not sure; expect something subtle and deceptive that points to the enemies of the president. Distract people with some part they have gotten wrong or when in doubt, start another war. Raise the terror alert?
It depends on how much "capital" they feel they need to spend to get this under control. I'm guessing that the powers that be got him the media coach for the Anderson Cooper interview. I’m guessing that his GOPUSA boss (who looks to have disavowed him) paid for it, or Gannon is smart enough to figure it might keep him out of jail.

I look forward to the developments on this, especially if they keep letting him talk to non-softball press.