TWO DEGREES OF SEPARATION, TOPS

So, about this anti-Kerry film that the Sinclair TV stations are going to broadcast in a couple of weeks -- a film Sinclair seems prepared to say is news, not political advocacy ... how many degrees of separation are there between the "newsman" who made the movie and the White House?

A hell of a lot fewer than six:

And speaking of homeland security, a former [Tom] Ridge confidant and administration official, Carlton Sherwood, is now executive vice president of the WVC3 Group, a well-connected anti-terrorism, security firm headquartered in Reston, VA. (www.wvc3.com). Sherwood directed then-Gov. Ridge's award-winning broadcast TV and radio operations in Harrisburg. Sherwood has been tapped to create and manage a new Fed website- www.firstresponder.gov-a key Bush Administration public outreach program directed to the more than 8 million police, fire, EMS and emergency management personnel nationwide. The new "professional" internet site, scheduled to go on-line later this year, will feature an array of training and educational components in addition to news and information tailored to the interests of the first responder community.

(That report is dated June 2003; www.firstresponder.gov is still not live.)

And there's this:

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
February 7, 2002
Remarks By Governor Ridge At National Press Club Luncheon
National Press Club Washington, D.C.

Governor Ridge: Well, thank you very much for that very kind introduction. I'm grateful for the opportunity to spend some time with you. I do have a few thoughts I would like to share with you, but two people who have been very close to me that -- one you recognized but I want to recognize him again, my friend, Sergeant Schaff (phonetic) from the Washington Times. John Fields and I have been friends for 20 years -- (applause). He'll be the first one to tell you, bet on a vet, right, John. Bet on a vet.

And the other Marine -- I do have a couple Marines that are friends. (Laughter.) Everybody ought to have a couple Marines as friends. Then your homeland would definitely be secure -- is Carlton Sherwood (phonetic), who headed up my commonwealth media services when I was privileged to serve the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. A decorated Vietnam veteran, a prizewinning journalist himself. So, Carlton, I would like you to stand up and be recognized. (Applause.)...