Americablog

AMERICAblog is a liberal American blog founded by John Aravosis in April, 2004, with several co-bloggers. The blog helped expose Jeff Gannon in 2005, and in 2006 helped make cell phone privacy an issue by obtaining Gen. Wesley Clark's call records. The blog focuses on U.S. politics, including gay rights, the Iraq war, and Bush administration scandals.

Members

* "John in DC" - John Aravosis, Democratic activist and political consultant, served five years as the senior foreign policy adviser [http://www.wiredstrategies.com/international.htm] to United States Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK)
* "Joe in DC" - Joe Sudbay, former gun control activist, held staff positions with Violence Policy Center [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0210/12/cst.05.html] and Handgun Control, Inc. [http://www.commondreams.org/news2000/0504-03.htm]
* "AJ in DC" - A.J. Rossmiller, a former Department of Defense civilian intelligence office who had decorated duty in Iraq. Author of "Still Broken: A Recruit's Inside Account of Intelligence Failures, From Baghdad to the Pentagon," published by Presidio Press.
* "Chris in Paris" - a who lives in Paris, France
* Cliff Schecter - political consultant, TV analyst, Huffington Post blogger [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cliff-schecter/]

History

AMERICAblog first received widespread media attention after it revealed that Jeff Gannon, a member of the White House press corps with a reputation for asking 'softball' questions at opportune moments for Press Secretary Scott McClellan, was actually James Guckert and had advertised his services as a gay male escort. [cite news
url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27730-2005Feb15.html
title=Online Nude Photos Are Latest Chapter In Jeff Gannon Saga
author=Howard Kurtz
publisher=The Washington Post
date=February 16 2005
accessdate=2007-02-12 "The latest developments were first reported by John Aravosis, a liberal political consultant and gay activist who has a Web site called americablog.org. 'What struck me initially was the hypocrisy angle,' Aravosis said. He said he was offended by what he called Gannon's 'antigay' writing."] [cite news
url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A28866-2005Feb16?language=printer
title=Guckert Watch
author=Dan Froomkin
publisher=The Washington Post
date=February 16 2005
accessdate=2007-02-12 "Joe Strupp wrote in Editor & Publisher ... 'In addition, evidence emerged on the site Americablog yesterday suggesting that Guckert not only set up sex sites but also offered his services as a male prostitute. When asked by E&P today about such accusations, Gannon declined to confirm or deny. "I am not going to talk about that," he said.'"]

In 2006, Aravosis learned that anyone could buy someone else's cell phone records, as advertised by several websites. He purchased the call records of former Presidential candidate and Supreme Allied Commander of NATO General Wesley Clark for $89.95, bringing the issue widespread attention. [cite news
url=http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0113-08.htm
title=Blogger Buys Presidential Candidate's Call List
author=Frank Main
publisher=Chicago Sun-Times
date=January 13, 2006
accessdate=2007-02-12 Republished on the Common Dreams NewsCenter. ] In September 2006, California passed a state law banning the practice of pretexting, or pretending to be someone else, used by the websites, with the bill's sponsor specifically citing the AMERICAblog coverage. [cite news
url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/09/29/state/n182807D65.DTL
title=New law will ban 'pretexting' to obtain phone records
author=Don Thompson
publisher=Associated Press
date=September 29 2006
accessdate=2007-02-12 Published by the San Francisco Chronicle.] Clark became an advocate of cell record privacy bills in Congress. [cite news
url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1174705,00.html
title=The Spy in Your Pocket
author=Kristina Dell
publisher=TIME magazine
date=March 19 2006
accessdate=2007-02-12] Within months, Congress passed a law restricting these records.

AMERICAblog has courted controversy within the gay community for its support of 'outing' gay Republican Party workers who are seen as supporting anti-gay legislation and attempts to prevent same-sex marriage in particular. The blog had an adversarial relationship with the former editor of the Washington Blade, Chris Crain.Fact|date=February 2007

AMERICAblog has also spearheaded a successful campaign to divide the democratic party to help the GOP and also is against reductions of gay rights, protections and community support from companies placating religious right organizations. Notable incidents include Microsoft's withdrawal of its support for state and federal gay civil rights legislationFact|date=February 2007, and Ford's decision to stop advertising in gay oriented publicationsFact|date=February 2007. After AMERICAblog launched campaigns criticizing both companies, management at the companies reversed their earlier anti-gay policy decisions. In January 2007, during Super Bowl XLI, AMERICAblog joined TowleRoad.com in calling homophobic a Snickers candy ad that aired during the game. The ad showed two men repulsed by an accidental "gay" kiss, then showed the men violently attacking each other. The candymaker pulled the ad, one of a series they had intended to run again. [cite news
url=http://www.newyorkblade.com/2007/2-9/news/national/snickbowl.cfm
title=Many Not Snickering Over Super Bowl Ad
author=Dyana Bagby
publisher=New York Blade Online
date=February 9 2007
accessdate=2007-02-12]

References

External links

* [http://www.americablog.com AMERICAblog]
* [http://www.politicstv.com Politics TV]
* [http://www.stopdrlaura.com StopDrLaura.com]
* [http://democrats.com/aravosis-law Democrats.com] (On Aravosis's advocacy)
* [http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/2/3/32920/55229 DailyKos.com] (Markos on Aravosis's blogging)
* [http://flickfilosopher.com/geekphilosophy/2006/02/geek_of_the_wee_1.html Geek Philosophy] (Aravosis named "Geek of the Week")
* [http://www.vanityfair.com/commentary/content/articles/050509roco02 Vanity Fair] on Aravosis's role in Jeff Gannon story
* [http://www.moxiegrrrl.com/2005/04/john-aravosis-claws-jjgg.html MoxieGrrrl] on Aravosis